Week 1 - My Future

disclaimer- I did not answer in 1,2,3 format. But, all the questions are answered throughout. Let me know if this is okay or if you'd like me to change the way I'm doing this for the future :)


Wow. What a week. I don't know how else to put it - but, this week has literally changed my entire life plan.

Up until student teaching began, my plan was to graduate from OU and go straight to graduate school. One step at a time to reaching my goal of becoming a mathematics professor. Two days in to my student teaching and I have completely altered that plan. I am now going to be an in-classroom teacher for at least a year before going to graduate school because I honestly cannot imagine leaving. I have always known I was meant to be a teacher, but I didn't think I would be this good. I know that sounds conceded but I really genuinely feel that I am doing the job that I was put on the earth to do, and I can do it very well! I love every single second that I am with the students and faculty and doing math and I can't believe how lucky I am to have found a profession that actually makes me this happy.

Okay, to the actual questions now. In regards to being surprised or shocked, there were, of course, several instances. I am keeping an extensive journal of everything that happens in class because I am genuinely surprised just about every class period. Maybe the surprising events of my first week are best explained in a bullet-pointed list. Since I did my level 3 observations at the same school with the same cooperating teacher, 7th and 8th hour knew me pretty well (which explains bullet point number one). In addition, this has allowed me an incredible amount of support and comfort with my co-teacher. She has given me everything I have asked for and even more things that I haven't even thought to ask of yet. She is an absolute dream and I can't believe I'm learning from THE master. Anyways, here are the surprising events of my first week:

• Day one: 5-10 students from last semester literally ran up to me in the hall and hugged me when they saw that I was back at Irving MS
• Day one: my co-teacher introduced me to every class (before I introduced myself) with a glowing review; "We are so incredibly lucky to have Ms.Cholette with us here. She is a brilliant young teacher. We are equals and we will be treated as such." 
• Day two: I watched my co-teacher talk to a troubled kid for an entire hour about his issues with other teachers/students/home life. The student was being open, honest, and respectful and my co-teacher did it all with ease. She has a gift. 
• Day three: our school was put on lock-down. This was terrifying, but I went completely into protect mode. Had the students line up, count off, and they all listened and did everything I asked with no issues. I would call that respect (yay!). 

Differences pertaining to being at school everyday now instead of just a couple times a week are all positive differences. The students call me Ms.Cholette now instead of Ms.Emily. They respect me, listen to me, confide in me, and joke with me. My co-teacher treats me with absolute equality while also never leaving me alone or pushing me further than I am ready to go. I honestly feel so lucky to have this experience because it has shown me (already) the validation for my career path. I am a teacher and I'm so happy I'm finally teaching. 

Lastly, this semester I honestly don't have many goals. That's horrible, I know. I have my unit planned out as well as when I will be doing my two-weeks of teaching. Each of which are occurring early on in the semester so that after spring break we can focus on visiting other teachers, preparing for state-testing, going on some field trips, and the school principle offered to prep me for interviews. This is such a welcoming school and environment that my goals are being set and achieved daily. The kids respect me, listen to me, ask me questions, call me a teacher, and are afraid of me (in all the right ways). I already know most of their names, despite never grading papers or anything like that. I think I'm just learning them because they ask me so many math questions so often and they're so friendly and diverse and happy to get to know me. As of right now the only goal I have actually solidified is getting to know the faculty a little better. My fantastic co-teacher paraded me around school the other day showing me off and I had a great time getting to meet all the teachers. Since my co-teacher is so well respected and loved, she has a lot of friends on faculty and therefore, I have friends on faculty now too! 

In closing, I am aware that I am happy right now because I am co-teaching, answering questions, walking around the room, bonding with students, etc. It will definitely get harder when I am planning lessons and teaching completely on my own. I am wary and yet very excited for that moment and will report on my first teaching experience next blog as that will be happening very soon (yay!).