This past week was absolutely amazing. I took over the instruction of my 12th grade English class. I was a little hesitant at first, but as the week went on, I could feel myself getting comfortable with my new position . . . "Teacher" and at times, it seemed that the students were responding to my new role. They were, for the most part, engaging in the classroom activities I had planned. They really enjoy being able to work in small groups and discuss the topic at hand, while at the same time catching up on the little bit of teen "news." I think with a little more practice with classroom management strategies, I will be able to do a better job of ensuring the students remain focused on the task(s) to which they are assigned.
For as good as the week itself was, it did have a downside. On Friday, I became quite ill and as a result, was unable to make it into school that day. I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place. Logically, it made perfect sense to stay home and focus on getting better. On the other hand, I felt this overwhelming responsibility to my cooperating teachers, the high school, and most importantly to my students to be at school no matter what. I ended up spending the day in bed, tossed between waves of nausea and guilt. Looking back on the situation, I am glad I stayed home because I can now see that I would not have been much help to anyone had I attempted to go into school that day. Now I need to focus on doing whatever it takes to keep myself healthy and strong so I don't have to miss anymore school and let everyone down again.
No comments:
Post a Comment