Student Teaching Curse...I mean Blessing....

Second day of student teaching, I walk in and think, "today will be great, it's been great so far." My master teacher walks in and asked me, "Did you hear about our new student?" In my head, I'm thinking that it's so late in the school year, how this student going to catch up. I get a little Russian girl who speaks no English and has no schooling at all. YES...I definitely wrote AT ALL. She just came from Russia three months ago and you know what, it's definitely difficult when she's brand new to this environment. It's hard to teach her and expect her to jump right in. BUT...she is the sweetest girl who made me smile every time I saw her smiling. I remember she was smelling sage and she went "OH MY GOD!!!" It was absolutely hilarious and made me wonder if that was a universal phrase. We had P.E. and ladybugs are definitely the talk of the town on the playground. She had a ladybug in her hand and she totally couldn't stop giggling and when I looked she got serious and hid the ladybug. I helped her with simple addition because the curriculum right now is just not appropriate for her. The little Russian girl truly made my day and I'm glad she's in the class. It will be a great experience!

My teaching experience so far has been filled with finishing lessons earlier than expected. I literally have 20 extra minutes when they finish all their math and I finish my modeling and guided practice with them. I don't know how this happens... TOO MANY SMART COOKIES? I asked my master teacher if this is an issue with time, apparently she loves how there's sooo much time now. The students are getting it and I don't have to reteach anything, so I don't know. I'm not getting much feedback on what I need to improve, but she's telling me to keep it up, she loves the lessons. She loved how I found a way to incorporate Kit Kat bars. I didn't think my execution today was as great as yesterday.

THEN...I went to lunch with the students. I sat at every table, asked them what they thought of the lesson and basically listened to them share about what they did over break and random thoughts. IT'S DEFINITELY FIERCE IN THE LUNCH AREA!

Soo.... I leave you with more quotes.

I see Malia playing with a candy wrapper and giggling.

Me: Malia, could you please throw the candy wrapper away? It's distracting to others as well as to you.

They're studying about the marketplace and goods and services.....

Mrs Hawley: Miss Tran can you get the supplies to help Makenna with her piggy bank?

Me: Makenna, follow me to my market so I can provide you some service to my goods.

Ian: Miss Tran can you provide me service?

Me: Ian, only one customer at a time.

Out at P.E. I did tell you ladybugs are THE TALK OF THE HILLS.

Me: Zachary, I need you to free the ladybug.

Zachary: I want to keep it, I have 2 million aphids in my yard. Please Miss Tran!!!

Me: Well Zachary, I'm sure there are millions of aphids here on the trees at school, the ladybug needs to be here.

Zachary: Well can I put the ladybug back on the tree?

And finally....

Malia: I hate P.E.

Me: Why is that?

Malia: Because after P.E., I'M POOPED!

So you see....as wild as room 2 gets, in the end they put a smile on my face and re-energize me for the next day.