Wow!!! Time has flown! I can't believe I'm already done with six weeks of student teaching! This is so crazy!!! (Can I use enough exclamation points?!) At the end of this coming week, I will have completed half of my student teaching experience and I can't believe that I'm here. It feels like I've been at this for not this long (but also feels like it's been longer at the same time). It's been great and I haven't really had a bad day yet (not counting the day I was sick and should have skipped out but didn't).
All my classes are doing well. They all had a test on Thursday and it turned out about how I expected. My math classes are interesting in there scores because every class is about the same: 1/3 does fantastic, 1/3 does okay, and 1/3 pretty much fails. Sad, but true, on the failing part. I feel so bad for some of the kids that fail because they try so hard and I try hard to help them but they just don't get it. I really think they are just not getting the time they need to understand the materials. But there is no way to give them more time because we have to cover so much. We barely make it through the lesson some days, especially on Fridays where they only have a half day. Other kids deserve to fail (sorry that was rude, but true). They just don't do anything no matter how hard I try to get them to stay on task. I just don't know how to help these kids, probably because I don't relate to them at all because I was never like them when I was in school. Those that really get it are great, except sometimes I can tell they are getting bored in class because it moves too slowly for them. I've given them a new seating chart recently and placed them next to kids that can use their help but it's a hard balance to get them to help out those around them while not letting them get distracted by talking to all their neighbors.
My history classes are doing well, most of the time. They tend to get more distracted than my math classes because they have more time to work on assignments in class and that's when they get distracted talking to their friends. However, I am always surprised when they are quiet for like 10 minutes while working. They do work hard and get stuff done but not always in a timely manner. There is no late policy in this class because if there was, half of them would be failing. So, when ever something is turned in, even if its two weeks late, it still gets the full credit they would have had they turned it in when they were supposed to. It's not my choice to do this and I don't really like it, but I do see the point of giving students the grade they deserve regardless. However, they will be in for a rude awakening next year in junior high...
Overall, my experience has been pretty great so far. I did find my "mean teacher voice" once this past week when I was trying to give instruction and my students were still having conversations after the bell rang, but it was just for a second. They are usually good to listen to me when I ask. We had parent teacher conferences this past week and that made for some really long days. It was great to have that experience and to talk one on one with students about what might help them to be successful in class. It was nice, but made the week really long. But I've survived and now have recharged and am ready for this next week.
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