Student 1
Ms. Christine,
Thank you for being my teacher this year. I had a lot of fun in your class and I could tell that you really cared about all of us. Thanks for being patient and encouraging. I do not hate Math as much as I did last year thanks to you.
Student 2
Ms. Christine,
I thought the way you taught was confusing and I don't think you could tell when I was struggling. I didn't feel comfortable asking for help and we moved on to new things before I understood what was going on.
Reflection
My passion is to connect with teenagers and hopefully leave them with a sense that they are important and capable. I hope to be a teacher who is patient, fun and invests in my students. A fear of mine is that kids will "slip through the cracks" and that I will not be aware that they are confused or need help. This is something I want to observe and work on in my practicums - see how teachers meet the needs of students of varying levels. With my background as an EA, I know that certain students have very specific needs. Something I loved about my previous job was that I could adapt my methods in order to help that specific student. Teaching, however, does not allow for that level of adaptation because you have to work with a larger group. I worry that I won't be able to help the kids who need it most.
Thanks! It's great that you already have experience as an EA -- what an excellent way to prepare for teaching. It is different to be working with a large group, and I find it helpful to structure lessons to have plenty of time to circulate around the class and focus on small groups and individuals as they work on interesting mathematical tasks. I think that kids will quickly understand that you are a caring person and that you want them to understand and do well!
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