When we did our student teaching, we did NOT get to select the school we were placed at nor the teacher. It was all selected for us. I definitely agree with your idea of going to observe as many teachers as possible. I'm in my 5th year of teaching and still love to go into other people's classes.
Whoa! No choice at all? That's scary and thrilling all at the same time. Did your placement work out for you? Happy with that system? And, yes, only good things come from watching others teach. I still love that, too. :)
My placement worked out great for me! I had a wonderful teacher and school that I was placed at. They hired me the next semester after I finished my student teaching, and I'm still there now. To be quite honest, I'm glad that I got placed there because if I had the choice, I would have never picked where I am. I would have been missing out!
Thank you so much for this video. I am an English major that starts her student teaching in October. I am also studying for my state tests to get my teaching license. I have subscribed to your channel and binging your videos. This video in particular has helped me shake some nerves and to find out you're an English teacher is exciting. I look forward to watching even more of your videos. Thank you for taking time out to make these videos.
I’m currently going to school for English and a certification in Secondary Ed! Just found your channel and can’t wait to watch all of your videos since this one was incredibly helpful. I’m both nervous and excited to start teaching. So happy to have found an experienced teacher on RU-vid that is giving great tips for all of us newbies!
We didn’t get to pick our teachers or schools either. Half was done in a middle school, the other half was done in a high school. My first mentor teacher was absolutely FANTASTIC! She let me go to any other classrooms I wanted to, but she was sure to show me into classrooms where the teachers were both superb and as you say...burned out. I learned so much! 😏 I’m so glad I got her as my initial mentor teacher!
Yes being prepared as a student teacher is important and also not being afraid to command the classroom. Yes, all lessons should have a BME. I like student teachers to use the I do, we do, you do method.
Starting my first Practicum in one week! My mentor teacher is awesome, and she's also letting me basically take the full helm with Grade 11 & 12 math, which is a little intimidating, but so exciting! I know I'll learn a lot from having so much control so early! even if it is nervewracking haha
Hi, Laura! I'm an English teacher from the Philippines. I'm so grateful for your videos. You feed me with so many fresh ideas! I also recommend your videos to the teachers in my department. In relation to this video, I agree with everything. When I was a student teacher, I had three mentor teachers, although we could usually only get one. It was such a blessing!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Ezekiel! I'm glad you found my channel. Three mentor teachers sounds like a wonderful - and rare - opportunity. The more people we can see teach and learn from, the better! Also, I appreciate you spreading the word about my RU-vid channel. Stay tuned this summer. I have a lot more videos to come. :)
OMG, thanks for responding! I have a request actually. Most teaching guides I find are designed to accommodate average or even below average English language learners (I'm teaching ESLs), and I think I'm doing a better job at those kinds of learners now. But there's this one kid who I feel is far more advanced than his classmates and I couldn't do anything to get him transferred to the honors class. When I'm teaching his class, everyone seems to be tuned in except him. I think my approach is boring him. But if I suddenly elevate the content level and speed up the pace of the lesson, I would lose the rest of the class, yet I don't want to waste time with such a gifted student. How would you respond to a student who is in this sort of odd-one-out situation? Thanks!
Of course, Ezekiel! I love to talk teaching and you caught me on a lazy summer morning with extra time and a full cup of coffee in my hands. Okay, so this advanced kid seems to be silently begging for differentiation. You're right - he most likely is bored. I'd meet with him outside of class and explain that you've noticed he's ready for the next level of learning. Then, work a plan together to give him different materials to work through. When the rest of the class is completing Assignment A on their own, he'll pull out his separate work and finish Assignment B. I use silent reading every Friday in my class (more on that here: laurarandazzo.com/2016/08/09/making-ssr-work-for-them-and-us/) and I use that time to individually conference with kids. That might be the perfect time for you two to meet for, say, 10-to-15 minutes each week to review his individualized work and set a plan for the next week. I know it's a bit more work on your end of things, but it should go a long way toward helping this kid. So great that you've noticed him and are ready to take action. Love that!
It's actually because I had a similar student last school year, and I hadn't really responded well to his needs. I don't want to make the same mistake again! Thank you so much. I appreciate everything. Enjoy your day. 😊
Ezekiel John Recto Indeed, we’re all learning as we go and hopefully getting better every year, Ezekiel. I’m right there with you and would love to have a do-over with some kids, some classes. Good luck with that kid and all your students!
Wait - there are places where student teachers pick? I was placed without any choice! Not only that, they told me what day to start, but not where. Sigh.
My student teaching experience was one semester with up to 5 different teachers. Did a only high school placement first in an inner city school that was the 2nd largest school in the state. Had a Honors bio class on A-days, and a co-teaching, up to 66% IEP classroom on B days. the B day class was a half semester ahead of the honors class. My second placement was a "middle school" placement was with a private school. The teacher I was teaching under had no scientific background whatsoever, so they also had me teach under their high school science teacher. So my middle school placement had me teaching 7th grade life science to 11th grade chemistry between two different teachers. Looking back, it was not a good experience. The bio honors teacher was one of those 'rock star' teachers that students loved. After one particularly rough day of classes, she asked me what I could do about a classroom management issue, and I told her I honestly didn't know what else to do and asked what she would do in that situation. She told me I should go do research.
Whoa, Nathan, that sounds like one complicated student teaching assignment. I like the idea of exposing folks to lots of different grade levels and teachers during observation rounds, but I prefer a plan that assigns us to just one or two teachers for the full term. We can always go observe other teachers on our prep period or off days if we're on a block. Sorry you faced that chaos. And "go do research" is not exactly useful advice. Gee, thanks, lady.
@@laurarandazzo1158well, this is my third year teaching, so it's been a while. Speaking of observing, any tips on how to observe other teachers? I find that masterful teachers classroom management is often difficult to actually see, if that makes sense. So much of management is in the well established routine that I find it difficult to detect the areas and practices they have made instinctual.
It's a good question, Nathan. When I visit someone's room, I guess I'm looking to see techniques, technology, or procedures that are different from mine. One of my favorite games came from a visit to a Spanish class. You're right, though. Great teaching is a million invisible actions that've been taken since before Day 1 even begins to ensure a smoothly functioning room. When in doubt, ask. I'm hopeful most of your current colleagues are better teachers of teachers than that former "mentor" you mentioned.
Some things that have made the difference for me: Teach them how to respond to each other’s comments, questions, & ideas. Make sure everyone gets to know each other. Have a few thoughtful projects or experiences where kids can show their unique identity or perspective on life. Have, teach, and enforce a calm beginning & ending of class routine (ex beginning: submit hw, turn n cell phones, take your seat, begin reading self-selected novel or responding to quote/practice work of the day). Have a filing system ready to receive student work; have a place to house work that is to be returned (consider paper monitors to help get work back to students). Teach 6-10 minute mini-lessons & get them “doing” and trying the strategy or technique. Give them / show examples of what you expect. Control the bathroom pass/enters & exits. Grade promptly & stay on top of grade book so kids see the reward or warning re their efforts. Have fun days or game days, but teach the rules of engagement. Be calm. Teach calmly (but exhibit love for students & subject matter). Take your time. Don’t feel rushed when teaching. You don’t need to do 5 Things n a day (50-55 min)...create meaningful experiences for students & teach them how to discuss & present information. If it’s an English class, provide writing demonstrations & read to students. Show them how you’d do something & help them get started. Announce tests & provide study sheets they can study in class. Study with them (at first). REALLY proctor during testing. Require daily supplies & check for them often (esp at the beginning) = make sure everyone is ready to participate in teaching & learning. Note-take with them...get them started. Get rest 😂
I got paired up with a teacher that picks at me for every little thing I do ‘wrong,’ I use to be so excited to become a teacher up until I started working with her, she makes me hate it! What can I do in a situation like this, how do I last??? I’m currently on Week 5…I won’t finish till June…
Any tips with a Rockstar elementary teacher who gives no feedback, gives no direction, and which I know is hard for her to give me more lessons to do. It’s the end of week 2.
I’ve been learning from the preschooler teacher I aide with. She’s 10 years older than me (and actually her parents are friends with my grandparents and have known each other since my grandparents got married-and maybe before) and she was a new teacher last year and man, oh man…. I do NOT like working with her! She’s not open to my ideas for crafts (I’m a creative person. She wants to do crafts by the picture on Pinterest, but if I know something might look better or work better, I’ll say something. She shuts it down), and she doesn’t usually like to hear what others have to say, and she asks for my opinion about the stupidest stuff! For example, whether we should go outside or not because “it’s too cold” and some kids might not have a heavy coat, or just dumb things like that. I feel like she thinks she’s in charge of me, and to a degree, she is; I’m just her aide. But I’ve been working as an aide for 5 years at my church and know how things are ran, what’s expected, etc. She always had me putting supplies away or getting supplies. I didn’t mind…to a point. She’d never put anything away but always stayed till 5pm. I complain about her soooo much, and I WISH there was something good to say about her, but there isn’t. I’m hoping she’s better this year since I’m stuck with her on Friday’s. Sorry for the rant… I’m just annoyed by her
I’m a middle school math/science/stem teacher. I’ve recently started a vlog. I would love to work with anyone and collaborate and help folks out as much as I can. Let me know if anyone want to work on anything together. :)
