student teaching

I am now entering my 6th week of special education student teaching and it has been a great experience thus far. I learning so much for one this experience has showed me that I am picking the right choice by heading into the special education field. I feel like I have so much to offer the field and can relate extremely well to the students in special education. I know what its like to struggle, and dislike school. I also know what its like to feel bored, or completely lost in school as well.

I like to look at student teaching as this consonant experiment. When conducting an experiment often times we as the scientist, try and then perhaps observe or reflect later all the thing within the experiment that went wrong and all of the things within the experiment that went right. Sometimes there might only be one or the other. I have learned thought with every bad experiment, comes at least one good to follow! It's been such a great opportunity to try all these different lessons and ideas out on. I have really begun to see kids transform and make big improvements, and then I have seen kids really make no progress at all. Having the opportunity to see kids improve greatly and meet his/her IEP goals is the reason that I want to go into special education. I want to have the opportunity to see first hand the growth that at least one child can make when put in an environment the child can really take off in. Sometimes all it takes is having that one-on-one setting for a child to reach his or her potential.

Student teaching has taught me so much more than how to be a successful teacher. I knew that this experience would provide me with the tools and training to become a successful teacher, yet I never imagined it would have such an impact on my overall life. Through observations of my mentor and a few other teachers, I have begun to learn how to separate having a school and a home life. Often times we are so submerged in our careers that we forget to relax, revive and remove ourselves from the work day when we are at home. We need time to relax and revive our minds, our bodies and our spirits from whatever profession we are involved with. I have begun to learn how to keep work "at work" and then have time for other things when at home.  I think this has been one of the best things that I can learn thus far. Life is short and we need to enjoy it when we can! I also have learned ways to be more organized, communicate a little bit better and even be successful with an established routine. One of the greatest things that I have learned from my first 5 weeks of student teaching, is how much I love working with kids everyday!


Cheers to all those good teachers out there, continue to work hard empower young minds and encourage positivity throughout the school year. It has been so great to see good teachers continue to spread the love and importance of education in our society.