The last 3 weeks, I've been in a Biology classroom in a local high school, learning through our MAT program's "September Experience" how to prep a classroom and all the other things that go along with getting off to a good start to the school year. I wish I had remembered to blog more while doing it, but I did manage to take some decent notes that I'll be able to use for the associated homework assignments, and might refer back to as I catch up here.
Though not exactly overwhelming, the amount of information from different sources and variety of different activities that were occurring all around me did provide me with lots of data to compile and analyze. The relationships between teachers, administration, and other staff; the ways different teachers prepped their rooms and curriculum for the year; the policies and behaviors that established the tone of staff meetings; and how all of that related to me and helped me establish my place in the classroom and school. Overwhelming - no. I'm too good at compartmentalizing, handling insanity, and blocking out everything that doesn't directly relate to me or what I need to accomplish. But, when I took time to look at the bigger pictures and think in larger terms (whenever I was thinking about how my new goals include wanting to not only teach, but write and publish about it), I could see the complexities and start to consider how the relationships and communication between peers could really set up the school year for success or failure. As someone used to working rather autonomously (being an outreach-teacher-on-the-road, who has to be ready to step into a classroom and take over, coordinates their own program, and all that), it was important for me to see that and consider how I need to adapt the individualism that makes it possible to run my classroom well to a team-work spirit that would help me work with the members of this school's staff and the staff at any school I find myself in in the future.
So, I sat through a week of staff meetings, working with my Cooperating Teacher (what the MAT program at SOU calls the established classroom teacher I'll be working with in my Student Teaching) to get materials and plan some of the first few classes, and mostly, not doing much. I didn't mind any of it, but found it confusing to be so calm before a set of classes. The week before I teach a camp, I'm running in circles making sure I've tested curriculum, collected more than the necessary materials, set up the room, labeled the materials, printed a dozen versions of the curriculum, etc etc. Same for any class I haven't done a hundred times and know I can do blindfolded with one hand tied behind my back. Here I was, not knowing what all the curriculum would be, not knowing exactly what my role would be. And I had almost nothing to do. Normally - this would freak me out. Somehow, that feeling held off. And now that I'm starting to ask enough questions and work my way around the information that my CT has put together for the curriculum and lesson plans, I'm feeling pretty good about the school year as a whole. Skipping that adrenaline-rush-insanity that usually comes before teaching seems strange, but good, on the whole. I've even managed to teach a day's worth of classes with the sub sitting in the office not doing much more than introducing herself so the class knew a 'real teacher' was around.
Now I've moved on from September Experience to Fall Term Practicum, which means being there for the first two classes of the day, 4 days a week (about 12 hours a week, since the school has a block-type schedule). So, Monday's are my work day. Today: cleaning up the house including getting my MAT & Student Teaching paperwork cleaned up and organized cuz it sorta got thrown everywhere in the last 3 weeks.
Looking forward to more.
