Sunday, July 13, 2008

Getting into the swing of things

I have been back at school for about a week and a half now and I'm starting to feel like I know what I'm doing. I've been teaching for 1 1/2 years now. I started mid year with my first group of students. They had had a series of substitutes for the first semester and then they had me; I tried my best to not let them know that I had no idea what I was doing. I guess that I am still technically a 2nd year teacher but becuase I am now on my third set of students, I feel like I'm starting my third year. It is actually kind of dishartening becuase I am still looked at as being a very new teacher (which I know that I still am) but I have also seen many teachers come and go so I also feel a little bit like I have some longevity.
My new batch of students seem like a very good group. It they stay like this through the rest of the semester I will need to send a note to the middle school teachers letting them know how good of a job they are doing. I also have quite a few former students this year and it is awfully fun. A few are repeating Biology because they failed the first (or second) time. But there are a few that I had for Biology two years ago and are now in my Marine Biology class. It is a lot of fun to see all of these students again and even a bit of an ego booster that they are willing to take another one of my classes.
I even had on of my seniors tell me that she has decided to go to college to become a doctor, a brain surgen probably, all because of disecting a fetal pig in my class. She was particullay talented at taking the brain out.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

It is so great to receive rewards from teaching...most importantly good feedback from students. Sounds like you are doing a great job!

Rebecca Kline said...

How cool would it be to have introduced a neurosurgeon to her first brain? Sounds like you know what you are doing with the kids (at least they think you do) ;)

tFool said...

Well, from my experience, the second year was SOOOO much easier than the first. If you've survived this far and still want to teach you are probably in good shape.