The Start of Student Teaching...a Decade in the Making

Almost ten years ago, i got it into my head that I thought I wanted to be an English teacher. I was writing at Fulton Daily news and then I was news producing for Channel 5 and the thought was kind of in the back of my head. Then I began working as the CNY Regional Coordinator for Camp Good Days and Special Times. I found I liked working with kids, but the fundraising part was so not me. I went to a meeting at Oswego State about getting my master's in teaching for students who had majored as an undergrad in one of the core areas. I was sold. But, I knew it would be costly.

I waited a year and applied. I applied for three graduate assistantship positions and received all three...of course, I took AHD and the rest of THAT is another story. I started in the fall of 2005, with my first in-class placement as one of my first courses, spending time at my alma mater high school in Fulton in an inclusion classroom for emotionally disturbed students.

Over the years, I completed my courses, had other thoughts on career (I always had a hard time settling on that one :). I had a ton of chance including marrying the love of my life. I had two kids, lost two important men in our family and didn't know if I'd finish getting my masters, the bigger dream, or student teach and become a teacher, the other dream.

With the support of my great husband (who encouraged me to ask for the extension from the grad department), friends and an amazing brother who is getting his ass out of bed every morning to come watch my children, I have begun. Last Friday, when Melissa picked me up at 8:30am to go to orientation (though I still hadn't received my placement!), I started to panic about leaving the A-team; I almost called Todd to tell him that I quit! I knew THEY would be fine, but I sure wasn't. It was hard leaving them (much harder then leaving now before they wake up). I left them with Bobby every week for a few hours, but this felt different. It hurt. I got into Melissa's car and burst into tears. A couple hours later, I was fine and glad I didn't let my emotions get the best of me. Fourteen weeks will fly by and I am accomplishing these two aforementioned goals. And my kids get to build an even bigger bond with their Uncle who adores them and says they mean the world to him. Yes, I know independence is good for them and Moms do it all the time, but it doesn't mean I didn't miss them!!

Saturday morning I got an email with my placement...Westsidel Academy at Blodgett school, which was Blodgett k-8 until this past summer. I emailed the teacher, who was pretty stressed and asked me not to come until end the day on Tuesday. That was fine. I went and met her and saw the school.

For anyone who has gone to the old schools, like when I went to Phillip St. in Fulton for first grade, there is a certain feeling. Tall staircases, large wooden doors and big windows with good old-fashioned chalkboards. Needs work? Absolutely. But when post 1950 schools are falling a apart they just look shoddy. These feel like...a solid place to learn. Of course, I am the nostalgic type.

Ms. Carrie O'Connor is 31, skinny (honestly, kind of eating disorder thin), pretty and a ten year veteran teacher. Friendly and very organized, she says she was super shy in high school but now I can see she works hard to rule the halls. She even volunteered to be the 8th grade team leader, since as she said, she did most of the work last year at Shea (her previous school) even though someone else had the title. She is approachable and I like her attitude with the students. She doesn't let them get to her, which would be easy to do with this group of very low socio-economic students. As I have learned the last two days, they are a mix of black and hispanic students with a few white and Asian or African immigrants thrown in. Here's the thing. These kids have a ton of personality. In a suburban classroom, the kids often are quiet and hand in their work, but they kind of are checked out from their teachers. A lot of these kids want attention, positive or negative. They come up and talk to you and look for a connection. It's both gratifying and overwhelming, as I said it's not always positive attention they are looking for!

On my first day, I was shocked to see there were kids in one of the blocks who spoke almost no English and though they probably could have used an ESL classroom, they have been tagged OK for inclusion. One girl particularly looked upset as she had no idea what was going on. But my teacher took it in stride; I guess it isn't that unusual. Also, the schedule is in blocks that rotate all week. It's pretty confusing. And all the ELA and math classes are divided by gender. I am very interested to see how this goes! Overall, we have 3 ELA classes, 1 AVID class (Like a gen ed class where the kids get assistance and support) and we co-teach in the science class. There are so many adults around compared to when I was in junior high.

A week from Monday, I take over the 3 ELA classes....more on that later....