Passion

For the past three weeks, I have been working in a local elementary school as a student teacher. This is the first of four student teaching experiences I will have, and I am so grateful that UVU's program is set up to give me so much experience. Although while sitting in the classroom here at school I felt I knew a lot, actually teaching in a classroom has taught me more. It has really opened my eyes.

Although I've been teaching quite a bit, I've also had a lot of opportunities to observe the regular teacher in the classroom. Renee is very good at building up her students and being patient and kind with them, but there are some other things that have been really hard to deal with. First of all, she has class rules but no consequences if they're broken. How well do you think the rules work? The class also doesn't have the same work ethic and discipline that I have seen other 5th/6th grade classes have. Last semester I worked in a 6th grade class and there was a lot of emphasis on preparing for Junior High. I am really worried about the 6th graders going to Junior High because I don't think they'll be able to handle the workload and responsibility. Not only has it made it difficult to teach them, but it has made it difficult to get attached to the kids and see how much they might struggle.

The good thing about working in this classroom, as my mom says, is not only that I now know some things I will and will not do, but I know now how much I really do care about students' education and doing your best to teach them right. It has opened my eyes to see how passionate I am about this. My blood has not been this boiled in a long time. I truly chose the profession I am supposed to have. I never knew it as well as I do now that my eyes have been opened.

Student teaching has really opened my eyes. The teacher I work with does many things right, but there are some things I feel she does wrong. I have been very passionate about the learning of her students, so it has shown me how much I really do care and really do want to be a teacher.