This year I am starting my student teaching journey, and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was young. I used to play school with my younger brother, giving him fake assignments. I even got my stuffed animals involved, laying them around the floor to be the audience for my presentation. Although I am excited, it is also quite intimidating. Student teaching feels like your first day at a new school all over again, with first-day jitters and not being able to sleep the night before because you are so excited. I have been a student my whole life and shadowed teachers in the past, but student teaching is a whole new classroom experience. Here is my guide for tackling this new chapter.
Clinical Placements
During your junior year, you will have the opportunity to student teach at a different clinical placement each semester. This semester, I was placed in a Hartford middle school, but the University of Connecticut can place you in districts like Coventry, Windham, Mansfield, and Glastonbury too. If you are a secondary education major, then you will spend one semester at a high school and the other at a middle school. If you are an elementary education major, you will spend one semester in an early elementary class, while the second will be in an upper elementary class. Clinical placements are an amazing opportunity to gain experience in different teaching environments you wouldn’t have the opportunity to teach in otherwise, so no matter your placement, remember to stay positive and enjoy the experience!
Finger Printing
This isn’t exactly the most fun part of the process, but it is necessary. Each school district requires you to have fingerprinting done in order to complete a background check and be part of their system. I went to Hartford Public Schools’ Central Office to get my fingerprints done. It is important to do this step as soon as possible because without it, you cannot begin your student teaching.
Teacher Outfits
One of my favorite parts about teaching is the outfits! Most districts allow their teachers to wear what they want, as long as it is appropriate. Many schools also have casual Fridays, when staff can dress down and wear t-shirts or jeans. I often look through Pinterest and save cute teacher outfit inspiration that I can wear during student teaching or in my future classroom. I love how you are able to be creative with your outfits and express yourself!
Emotional Well-Being
Teacher burnout is a major issue today, with teachers often not separating their school life from their personal life. It’s important to check in on yourself, not only for your mental health but also for your students. You are still learning, and it is okay not to have all of the correct answers right now. It might be hard when you see other teachers who seem like they know it all, but that doesn’t mean they are better; it just means they have had more time in the classroom to learn these things. Reaching out to other students in the Neag School of Education has been super helpful for me. I absolutely love all of my education friends, and it is so nice to talk to someone who understands. Anytime I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I try to remember why I want to be a teacher.
The Kids
The absolute best part of teaching is the kids. I have always loved kids, so being able to see them grow up and be a part of that process is incredibly rewarding. Each child brings something special into the classroom. As student teachers, we are only with our first group of students for a small period of time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get to know them and make an impact. Building relationships with your students is amazing and helps you learn how to support them. I’ve loved getting to know the students in my first clinical placement. Great learning starts by creating a sense of community, and to do so, you need to know your kids. Although it can be challenging at times, the kids are my reason for teaching.
Teaching is an art – Have fun!
Although teachers have to follow certain curriculums, in most districts there is flexibility in how you teach the content. I always try to make the material I present as engaging and fun as possible. Your personality shapes your teaching style, and that is a good thing! I find it helpful to think back on what made all of my favorite past teachers great, and then try to incorporate that into my own teaching. Student teaching may be daunting, but this is the first step in our career, so take the time to think about what kind of teacher you want to be, and just remember to enjoy it!