sorry lisa for all your teaching woes...when i am a parent, you better believe i will go to parent conferences, back to school nites and open houses... =) it'll be ok... =)

teaching felt pretty ok today...i think my very first time i was really nervous, but i'm not so nervous in front of this teacher and it's no longer my first time teaching...hehe, so i guess i felt better about today. this class is more disruptive in terms of behavior, but i think things went ok...the kids usually asleep weren't sleeping today...the lame comments and rolling eyes were minimal...and i actually had class participation since i ask them questions directly. afterwards, i talked to the teacher and she said that i was good today and the only problems she saw were that i should make them be quiet before i start talking again [to save my own voice] and that some were not doing the work in the end and that maybe i should pull them aside and talk with them...move them to a different seat...or some other action to show them i mean business...

ok, here's the thing. this teacher lectures for part of the period and usually there's a good amount of time left. she usually gives them bookwork or a worksheet to work on at the end...sometimes there can be anywhere from 5-25 minutes left...the average i would say is 10-15 though. so...you give kids free time everyday? what do they do?? they don't do their work!! they shove it into their backpacks, don't look at it again and don't turn it in the next day. and this has been going on all year long now, so they are used to it and don't really care if anyone else tries to change things up. and i am the type of teacher who HATES when students 1) pack up while there's still class time or while i'm still talking 2) gets up out of their seats to wander about or stand by the door and 3) do not do their work for the remainder of the period even though i give them time to do so...these are pet peeves...and of course, this class does them all. but i can't do anything cuz it's not my class and when they become my class, they most likely won't do as i say cuz they'll say...well the other teacher let us...yada yada.

so yes, this is a problem for me...today, they were really good. they paid attention, answered my questions, asked me questions on the worksheet. but...close to the end, i know my teacher wanted me to give them this worksheet and i didn't want to cuz i knew they probably wouldn't do it. but i said very loudly and threateningly that if i give them time to do work in class, they better work on it in class for the rest of the period. so, most of them did and stayed in their seats to do their work...but there were 5-10 who did not. they got up to chat, wander about and just put it away...and i tried reasoning with them about it but they shrugged it off...i think mostly because the teacher lets them get away with it. and it's my first day to ever teach that class and i don't want to be the badass...geez. dilemmas. and for her to make those comments to me...i wouldn't have such problems if you didn't let them get away with it in your own classes...but i can't talk to her that way. i like her and we get along...she usually has excellent control over the class. but i like to teach from bell to bell...and her style does not correlate to mine in that sense.

i've asked some teachers about what i should do...i've heard her answer..my other master teacher's answer...and a professor's at my school. i'm open to suggestions guys... =) and this is just 3rd period...imagine 6th period general science with more than a handful of identified special ed kids, probably the same amount that are unidentified, and little sophomore thugs who hate school and curse at you if need be...this period usually ends earlier than the others too...like 10-30 minutes sometimes....oh boo woeful teaching days. it would be a miracle to get them seated and lovely all period long. we'll have to see how that goes...

despite my concerns, i felt pretty ok with my teaching today...i don't know if anytime soon i'll feel like i've nailed it. but both my master teachers say that i'm doing a good job thus far...let's just hope they're not lying... =)