Where did I disappear to?

Hi everyone

I know I promised you guys a daily reflection, but the teacher practical turned out to be much more demanding and time consuming than I thought it would be.

From the start, I had problems connecting to my Accounting mentor teacher. After teaching my very first Accounting class, I broke down in teachers afterwards. I was told that I didn't assess whether learners understood what I was teaching. I didn't cry because of that, but because of what happened. I mean I was there to learn after all. I asked how I can correct that and here's the answer I received: Well I don't know, because I have a understanding with my learners so you will have to figure that out. I was really upset, because I quickly realised that I wasn't going to receive any guidance and advice from this teacher. She is a vice principal, loved by all and mostly friendly. My fellow students at the school received great feedback and I got to listen to all these stories at break every day...lovely.

I contacted by professor from my university and he was kind enough to drive all the way to school so that we could talk face to face. He made me feel so much more at ease. I asked him if I was over-reacting and/or out f place. He said no, some teachers are just like that. They don't want students to work with, they think very highly of themselves and are very stuck in their ways. Together we came up with a plan, if after a few days things didn't change I would move schools. I was very reluctant to do that, as it can reflect badly on me and the school in the future. In the end I didn't move schools.

I had a informative conversation with my other mentor teacher, who told me that that is how she is and things won't change. The other problem I had was that she wouldn't read my lesson plans and talk to me prior to teaching a lesson. This, I feel, is essential especially for the first few lessons that every student teacher teaches. I know that we should be put into the deep end and learn how to swim. But please, teachers out there, remember that student teachers find everything a lot more overwhelming than just teaching. It's classroom management, discipline, planning, and connecting with the students in the middle of the year all at once and most of theses things we've never dealt with. Hold our hands a little bit at the start. Ask for lesson plans about 2 days before we teach, read it, give feedback and have a constructive conversation with us. After a few lessons, let us do our own things.

Starting to teach, we not only have to apply what we have learned but it's the first time we get to form and see what our teacher identities are. I learned so much about myself during this teaching practical.

It wasn't long after this that I was thrown into the deep end, much deeper than any of my fellow student teachers.

What I want to emphasise in this blog post, is that we, especially as teachers, need to learn how to work and communicate with lots of different people. I had to adapt how I communicate and talk to the above-mentioned teacher. Once I did that, I stressed less and was able to work well alongside her. Even if it wasn't at all like I would prefer it, but that is ok to that is life after all.

Have a great day

xoxo