For the past three weeks of my full teach my cooperating teacher has been in the room with me. Today, she was not, and let's just say I finally see what my weakness is! Discipline...
I am TOO NICE to the kids, and today I had to have some of them get their folders out for not listening and talking after being asked not to repeatedly. I'm not sure if there was something in the air, or if it's because the "real" teacher wasn't in the room, or if I was not being "strict" enough, but I had a hard time getting the kids to work independently after our teach/discussion time. It really bummed me out!
It wasn't every student or every class that had a hard time listening today, and the kids truly understood the concept of today's lesson, but I just feel frustrated for not being taken seriously! With my preschoolers in the past, I was able to play and goof off with them but when I spoke in a serious tone they responded and listened and still understood I was in charge. It doesn't seem to work that way with 4Th grade. You joke and goof off with them and let them tell you stories and you're stuck in that position! Yikes...
This is why I chose an upper grade though--because I've had the least experience in that area and because I knew this was the time (student teaching) to learn and experience as much as possible, and that includes making mistakes. Now I know what I can work on!!
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Heather: awesome self-assessing. That you can be this brutally honest with yourself (and with your blog readers) is what will make you a greater teacher. You see it for what it is, call it that, then work on fixing it. Keep us posted.
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