My first day of student teaching was January 3rd, but unfortunately I was not able to write a post until today due to that fact I didn't have access to internet for the past few days. It has been a very BUSY the past week, but here are some thoughts on my first day of student teaching:
The night before my first day, I was having mixed feelings. I couldn't decide if I was more nervous, happy, or excited. I couldn't quit thinking about the fact that life as I knew it...college, classes, serving at the restaurant... was all about to change. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of the rest of my life, one that included teaching, and I was so full of emotion. I had my shower by 8:00 pm so I could watch my favorite TV show, packed my lunch for the next day, laid out all of my clothes, and cleaned until I couldn't find anything else to clean. I kept thinking I was forgetting to do something, but really I think I just had the jitters! I knew I was ready for what was coming, but I was finding it hard to believe that all of the hard work I did to get to this point in my degree was really paying off.
Let's just say that it wasn't easy falling asleep that night.
The next morning, I was up by 6:00 am. I am not going to lie... it was not easy for me to wake up that early. The earliest I have had to wake up since my senior year of high school, which was in 2007, was about 7:15 am. Now, 7:15 is the time I am now walking in the front door of the school! I was so glad that I had everything prepared the night before. I was able to slip on my clothes (not the usual morning routine: Try something on, don't like it, throw it on the floor, try something else on, don't like it, throw it on the floor... repeat at least 5 more times! haha) Before I knew it, I was out the door with my purse, lunch, and my bag of student teaching information and supplies. I had never been so ready in my life.
Once I pulled into the school, I realized I was one of the first people there. I had visited the school before Christmas break, so I already knew where to park and where to go in. As I went in the front door, I said hi to the office secretary and asked if she wanted me to sign in as a visitor. I wanted to make sure I was following all school policies, but she assured me that I am not going to be needing to sign in at the office from then on. I walked into my cooperating teacher's classroom, turned all of the lights on, and began putting my things away in the closet behind her desk. There is something so calm and peaceful about the classroom before anyone else is there. It's so quiet, quite a contrast to what it is like during the day. I had brought my breakfast of vanilla yogurt and an orange and sat down at the back table to relax before all of the little 1st graders would be yelling "Miss Jackson!" every couple of seconds.
My cooperating teacher arrived shortly and gave me a quick rundown of the day. She is always so great about stopping whatever it is she is doing to explain something to me, which happens often! Once the kiddos arrived, I was excited to begin the day. It all went smoothly, but this girl (me!) was very happy once lunch arrived. Our lunch lasts from 10:50-11:50 , so it's definitely a nice little midday break. All of the teachers that have lunch at the same time as us are very friendly to me and asked me how my first day was going so far.
By the end of the day, I was exhausted.... to say the least. What a long day! I left the school at about 4:30. Although I was completely worn out, I was very excited to go back and do it all again the next day.
- Hannah
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