My first year as a teacher was very funny because I had a very fast crash course in teaching. You see my I did not major in education; my major is in consumer family science with an emphasis in secondary education. So, basically I did not have to take all the classes as education majors would need to take. It so happens that if you do not major in education you don’t have to take the student teaching part, in which you basically have a master teacher that guides you in the classroom. My students teaching actually was supposed to happen after I graduate and it would be called internship. Internship basically meant that you where in the classroom with no master teacher, you where on your own. It sounded exciting because unlike student teaching you get paid when you do your internship.
Well, I really believe that it is a better idea to give students using education as an emphasis the opportunity to do student teaching because teachers learn through their interactions with other teachers (191). The book states that an example of formal mentoring occurs when an experienced teacher takes a new teacher under his or her wing to provide insight and advice, sometimes for state programs and an informal mentoring occurs through conversations in hallways, teachers’ room, and other school settings (191).
My experience as a first time teacher was not like a formal mentorship or even an informal mentorship. Well, let me give you a glimpse of what I went through that day. It started with me in the main office being introduced to the principle and telling me what classroom I would be in and what subject I would be teaching. They did not even give me an orientation; I just went straight to the classroom. When I entered the classroom, it was chaos students where jumping, around throwing the teacher paper and basically over powering the teacher. The teacher had told me that the principle informed her that she would be mentoring me for two weeks just to get used to the classroom. Well, guess what she only mentored me for a day, can you believe that!
My overall experience was not so bad. It turned out that the students where really good but just lacking classroom discipline. Also the special education team teachers helped me out a lot. So, even through my mentor left me, I still had a whole team to teach me the ropes of being a teacher.
Well, I really believe that it is a better idea to give students using education as an emphasis the opportunity to do student teaching because teachers learn through their interactions with other teachers (191). The book states that an example of formal mentoring occurs when an experienced teacher takes a new teacher under his or her wing to provide insight and advice, sometimes for state programs and an informal mentoring occurs through conversations in hallways, teachers’ room, and other school settings (191).
My experience as a first time teacher was not like a formal mentorship or even an informal mentorship. Well, let me give you a glimpse of what I went through that day. It started with me in the main office being introduced to the principle and telling me what classroom I would be in and what subject I would be teaching. They did not even give me an orientation; I just went straight to the classroom. When I entered the classroom, it was chaos students where jumping, around throwing the teacher paper and basically over powering the teacher. The teacher had told me that the principle informed her that she would be mentoring me for two weeks just to get used to the classroom. Well, guess what she only mentored me for a day, can you believe that!
My overall experience was not so bad. It turned out that the students where really good but just lacking classroom discipline. Also the special education team teachers helped me out a lot. So, even through my mentor left me, I still had a whole team to teach me the ropes of being a teacher.
1 comment:
Interesting! It goes to show how much we need teacher's! Anyway, I'm sure that your love for teaching made a difference on your first day.:) I remember my first day...I came in the middle of the school year. I was fortunate though to have class full of geniuses. I'm not kidding! So on my first day of teaching, I simply had fun learning with the kids! I'm glad it turned out well for you.
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