48 Eyes (Life Knowledge Lesson)

Today had many firsts for me. A classroom full of students, 48 eyes specifically, and a bell to cut my teaching off. There were a few surprises, firsts, and a few "I can do this better" reflections.

Surprises
- I was comfortable in front of a class. I was nervous standing in front of the class, knowing this was the first time my cooperating teacher was watching me teach, but once I started I was happily surprised by comfortability. 

- Students were engaged. I think I expected students who just stared at me, did not want to buy into what I was doing, and had the Monday morning blues. I was wrong. There were times when I had to re-ask a question a different way or call on a student to read but ultimately students were engaged. I believe the variability in my lesson was the reason for this success. 

- The students were willing to be open to a new "system". Some of the feedback I received was students liked the bellwork and they enjoyed the "silly" gestures I asked them to make when finished with an activity. I have a different style of teaching from my cooperating teacher and I am still trying to refine, reform, and deliver, and the students were willing to join in and go with it. I appreciated the openness and willingness to adjust to me for one period as well as the respect they gave me.

- Classroom management techniques work. I stood next to students who were talking, I waited and stared at students who were talking, and I was intentional about moving around the classroom and interacting with students, especially the ones that were not as into the activity at the moment. 

Firsts
- IEP students. I was able to identify students who had an IEP and I was not prepared to accommodate them. This frustrated me because I kept moving forward but did not have the time or resources prepared to assist them. Working through this situation pulled a string in me that I need to be aware of these learners before teaching to ensure their learning as successful. 

- Bathroom breaks. A student asked me to use the bathroom, and thankfully, earlier in the day a student asked the cooperating teacher, so I knew how to respond. The importance of knowing my school's procedures, to keep my students safe and myself as a teacher from getting yelled at, I need to make sure all procedures are completely properly by the student and I.

- An entire class. This was the first time I was in front of a classroom of students within a traditional school. I mentioned above how nervous I was but I also extremely enjoyed it. My nerves have moved onto having to transition from class to class now without such little time in between. Teaching an entire class was educational for me to see how well activities do or do not work verses the small lab groups we have been teaching all semester. A lot of what I have been told and taught was applicable and I can see how I will grow as a teacher tremendously in the spring from teaching in a high school.

"I Can Do This Better"
In knowing this was my first class experience, there are a lot of areas of "I can do better" but I want to take the most applicable to my first time teaching and reflect on those. 

- The students feedback was all warm and fuzzy because I was different then their normal routines. This is a high for me right now, but it emphasizes the power of variability. How do I make students want me to be their teacher everyday? Or in the words of Dave Burgess... "If students did not have to come to class, would I still have a class to teach?" So maybe this is not a " I can do better" right now but a long term goal for the spring.

- Effectiveness. Effectiveness of directions, instructions, and transitions. These are all areas which I know I will continually grow in but one specific area I did a lot was to transition the students had to gesture to me they were ready by a shark fin, fish face, post it note on forehead, etc. This was great today because the students were about it but a note from my cooperating teacher was to use it sparingly. She is right!! What if I came back each day this week and did the same routine with gestures? They would not be into it. I am going to have one gesture per day and it will be different each day. It will add an element of surprise to classes which will keep the students fresh as well as keep my gestures as effective. 

- Timing. This is going to be my challenge all spring. Having a hybrid schedule will make this extra challenging as well. I was rushing at the end and, unlike lab, I have to let the students leave otherwise I have to write 24 passes!!This is an art that needs practiced but I believe students learning will increase with better time management. 

Again, I greatly enjoyed my experience. There will always be room for improvement and I am grateful for the feedback I received today. I am excited that my students are allowing me to grow as an educator as I excel and fail in front of them. Ultimately, I know am once again reassured of my placement choice, preparation for student teaching, and chosen career.