As you're about to start your final year of college with a year of student teaching, let me offer you some advice:
- Remember the brush off. For the entire first semester the Junior boys you teach will think they are smooth enough to hit on you, invite you to parties, and pry into your personal life. Remember that they are all very good kids who come from a completely different culture than your own so follow your instincts. Yes, it will make you uncomfortable the first time, but you're pretty good at the brush off. Besides, they don't mean any harm and you know exactly how to put them in their place without putting them down or destroying their self-esteem for all their future female endeavors. P.S. You're boyfriend's pretty amazing; feel free to remind them as often as you like. Some of them need an example of what a healthy dating relationship looks like.
- Don't sweat the little things. This semester will not be an easy one. Your students will not be models of perfection. They will test you. Most importantly, though, they will prepare you for your future career like nothing else could. Just remember that an iron fist of control is not the key to classroom management. Students are more likely to listen to someone they can look eye-to-eye with and joke with because they share a mutual respect than to someone who freaks out every time they move.
- Give up. You won't win the cell phone battle. You can only guilt trip them into putting them away maybe twice a week but not on consecutive days.
- Don't get discouraged. You're going to get a LOT of interviews. You're going to come in 2nd place on pretty much every job you want. But you'll make great connections and get some voicemails from impressed principals that you will keep for as long as your phone is in working order.
- Follow your heart. You know why you're here. You know where you belong. You know where to place your expectations. Don't settle for less. Yes, it will be a struggle. But you never have been satisfied with the easy way out.
- Remember: This is what teachers make.
Future Theresa
Theresa,
ReplyDeleteThis is some great advice! I completely understand how you feel about your boyfriend. My fiance' received some of the sharp hits after my bad days, and I felt like I put my needs and concerns before his. Luckily, we're happy as can be, and we've grown through this struggle. I love your positive attitude about your interviewing experiences. It is definitely difficult, but you've become stronger and you're perfecting your interviewing skills. I'm so glad that I have gotten to know you during the time and wish you the best of luck always!
Ms. A
Theresa,
ReplyDeleteI definitely relate to the don't get discouraged and don't sweat the small stuff. I think this whole semester has been learning to determine what is small and what we can glide over. The interviewing process has been more stressful than I thought but all we can do is just keep going and learning. That is one nice thing about teachers, they usually love learning, so we can just chalk a lot of this experience up to learning one more lesson.
Good luck with everything.