Today, my student teacher Amanda starts for real. Yesterday was in-service. Today, my kids come into the picture. And today, having a student teacher makes me nervous. I'm not nervous about her abilities. She's already been hired for next year and she was their top pick. She did a great job in her other placement. But....
Those are my kids. And just like any parent, I want the best for them. And I want people to see the amazing things in them that I do.
I need her to notice
- My quiet author and the shy smile you get when you read her work
- The slacker kid who is reading more books this year than ever before
- The passion of my auto mechanic and how excited he is that I found a car book for him
- Those crazy political kids really do know what they are talking about
- My pixie in homebase who needs a smile and support every day
- My 8th grade Big Bang Theory boys are many, many things besides smart
- My 8th grade girls are smart too and smart is good. They need positive role models to stay that way
- The boy behind the hair. And there are several.
- The ones who are finding their way in the world
- The sweetness of the snowboarder (and learn his story)
- The angry boy just wants approval
- My hunter girl really struggles and needs positive support in class
- Improv boy is more than funny. He's caring and smart and creative in other ways
- That sometimes, an "I don't care" attitude is masking a fear of failure
- That these kids will do anything for a teacher they like
There's more, of course. And, I'm sure she'll be amazing with my kids. Not too amazing, though. They're still mine!
You will teach her how to notice kids. You have a gift for seeing beyond the visual and getting into their heart and mind.
ReplyDeleteWith you guidance and ability to teach, she will learn and become a caring teacher/mentor. And I'm sure "your kids" will be well cared for by both of you.
ReplyDeleteI love this list! I could picture my 7th grade faces in just about every bullet point. Such a great reminder!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
(www.amandacornwell.org)
That is why she is working with YOU - she may already be a natural at teaching, but she will learn so much about students from you! Lucky Amanda! And very lucky kids!
ReplyDeleteI was in Amanda's shoes before, and I learned more about how to see and reach kids during my student teaching than I ever did about content. She is lucky, and so are her future students!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! It really is hard to let them "belong" to someone else for a while. But it will be good for them, too. They'll always love you best!
ReplyDeleteWhat comes through is what YOU notice, the small things that tell big stories. I had a student teacher last year, and this is exactly how I felt, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat comes through is what YOU notice, the small things that tell big stories. I had a student teacher last year, and this is exactly how I felt, too.
ReplyDeleteI bet she will see these things when she watches you with your students. It will all be very clear. This is a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you will help her learn to notice all those special things about your kids, and she will be a waaaay better teacher because of it! She's lucky to be in your class!
ReplyDeleteHaving student teachers has become one of my most favorite part of the year! I bet she notices, learns, and feels the same at the end of her rotation.
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