Time is FLYING by, though student teaching keeps so busy that as soon as I have a minute to read about what week I am in my What To Expect book, I am already beginning a new week! Student teaching has been a blessing though. I am such a researcher, that having free time during the Christmas break I would look up everything that could happen, and stayed in a state of paranoia. I began my student teaching here in the county system at one of the best schools here locally. I mean they have the nicest faculty and staff, a new facility, and A LOT of parental involvement. The zoning for the school includes my neighborhood (YES!), two golf course neighborhoods, and two upscale neighborhoods. Not every student is rich, but many of the students who do live in those neighborhoods have a parent that doesn't work, and many come in daily to eat with the kids or help in the classroom. The daily visiting is a little excessive, but I have been in schools where teachers never got to meet the parents ever. I have the BEST mentor teacher!
When waiting for my placement, I prayed for a lower grade, and local school, and a supportive mentor teacher. How good is God that He did answer my prayers! And all with a yes! I have a school where it takes me 10 minutes to get there and I was placed in Kindergarten with the most supportive and encouraging teacher ever. I was so nervous about student teaching while pregnant, especially since I would spend my last two trimesters in the classroom. I will be 37 weeks when I complete my last week, so I am definitely cutting it close. God really blessed me though, because I feel welcome in my classroom. We have a para-pro, who is seriously the sweetest lady ever. Even when she is getting on to students, she has the sweetest voice. And she is a strong Christian wife and mother. I think one of her spiritual gifts is uplifting others, I mean, she is so easy to talk to and she never has anything bad to say about anybody or anything! Oh, and we have our own bathroom! We share it with another class, but I use it anyway because, well let's face it, I would spend all day walking down the hall to the teacher's lounge for the teacher's bathroom. The class bathrooms are nice though, everything is sensory operated, and always clean. Having a restroom right there in the room, and a para-pro makes it very convenient, especially since I drink so much water. I try to stay hydrated for health reason, but also to avoid water retention. I want to wear my rings as long as possible!
Now, the students....PRECIOUS! Well sometimes, haha! I am teaching 21 5 and 6 year olds, and I love each one of them. It's funny how you become so concerned for kids that aren't even yours. Like, one girl has been sick and forgets her jacket often. Even though the weather is warming up, I keep reminding her to put a jacket by the front door so she can grab it on the way to the bus. Poor thing only has a cough now, but I keep telling her that I want to her to all better, and she has to dress like it's Winter to help keep her better. This is the same girl who tries to hold my hand every day....I don't hold hands. I give tons of hugs, anyone who knows me know I give hugs. But I learned my lesson about hand holding in my first practicum with Kindergarten...I got strep throat 3 times...this time around....NOTHING! (Hurry, go knock on wood for me!) I do think my pre-natal vitamins and extensive water drinking to keep me in better health though.
I just completed my 3rd week of student teaching and I have taken over Writer's Workshop, Calendar, the morning journaling so far....yes kindergartners do write...a lot...in complete sentences...like 5-10! Way different than when I was in Kindergarten! These kids are SO smart though! I can hold up a 3-D figure, like a pyramid, and they can tell me it has 5 faces. Pretty impressive, don't you think? Oh, and the other day I was teaching and I held one up and asked, "What shape is this?" One student responded, "Um, Mrs. Troutman, that's not really a shape, but a form." Haha! I just told him that he taught me something and thanked him. I love those babies!:)
As annoying as it gets by Friday afternoon...I love when students call me over by saying Mrs. Troutman...apparently some will raise their hands and want only me to come. This is good because I do solo begin my solo teaching in a month, but it's nice to be wanted.
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