That “teacher” feeling

I survived! This was my second full week of full takeover and I have to say, it’s bitter sweet to see it ending (I still have 3 weeks left but will start doing less and less). There were ups and downs in the week but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I felt something these last two weeks that I can’t put into words. I got the “teacher” feeling. Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t taken me this long to put myself and view myself in a teacher role but it just seemed so real these last few days. I look at my students (yes, they are MY students too) and I feel a connection to each one of them. I truly feel like I know them - what makes them tick, how they learn best, what they need, how I can help them. I think all of this has been building up inside of me and finally spilled out today. I have been in numerous classrooms for lab hours, pre student teaching, and to volunteer but actually getting to have a classroom that feels like mine is incredible! (Thank you Erica, I am beyond grateful!!)    

This week in reading we did an author study (loved it by the way!) On Friday we read our fifth and final book from the study. The lesson went in a completely different direction than I had planned but it was one of my favorite reading lessons yet. The class discussion we had was so unbelievably rich. The students got it! And I could not have been more proud of those almost first graders. Those students I have been blessed to call my own since January. That moment an individual student, you worry is tuning you out completely, participates in the conversation and prove they have been listening the entire time. Yup, it was pretty awesome.    

Sorry for all the mushy feelings talk but I couldn’t help but share. I am blessed to have gotten this amazing experience, students, school, and teacher to complete my student teaching.    

Assessment Day (April 10th)

On Thursday, it was our assessment day. Each kindergarten teacher gets an assessment day - one day to focus solely on assessing their students while a sub takes over their teaching duties. At first, I did not know what to expect from this day. I didn’t know what we would be assessing the students on or how difficult it would be for me to catch on to. But, our day went well and the assessments flowed smoothly. I loved getting to work one on one with the students! Seeing the students faces light up as they showed me how much they knew was a huge bonus. It was however, quite difficult to sit at a table, outside of the classroom, all day when normally it is just the opposite! On a normal day I sit to each lunch or do something on the computer quick but that’s it, the rest of the time I am teaching or running around the classroom working with/helping/behavior correcting students.  

(This is the basket of supplies we used for assessing. Got to know those materials pretty well!)