As that day and the following days rolled over, I found I was constantly amazed by the classroom dynamics, the daily setup and routine, watching lesson plans unfold, and the interaction amongst the students and the teacher. The students were quick to welcome me into the classroom, and share their stories with me. In no time I was helping them with their assignments, correcting work, and working with certain students who were a bit behind in some subjects.
What I found particularly interesting to watch was how the students responded differently with the French teacher who comes in once a week, as well as one afternoon my associate teacher was away and was replaced by a supply teacher. The students were very quick to point out when their normal routine was not being followed, and were definitely more "cheeky". What I learned from this is going forward when I am teaching this class I need to follow the routine my associate teacher has put in place. Moreover, in the future when I graduate I am not in denial that I more than likely will have to spend my share of time as a supply teacher; and it would be a great advantage to learn what classroom I would be entering and the routines that teacher has put in place. With that said I have also had the opportunity to exert my "teacher's voice" a few times now when the children have gotten a little loud or off-topic when my associate teacher has left the classroom, and I must confess it's a great feeling seeing the children respond well and get back on track.
One of the most eye-opening experiences I have had thus far has been the opportunity to work with an autistic child in a grade 2 art class my associate teacher covers once a week. I have not had an opportunity such as this before, so honestly I felt quite lost and overwhelmed by how I should interact. Fortunately this child has a special education assistant who has been absolutely amazing in teaching me a few things, and introducing me to this lovely child. After only a few sessions in this classroom I am still incredibly intrigued and at a loss for words on our interactions, however I have a new desire and yearn to learn more about how we can help and integrate these children into the classroom.
Another eye-opening experience has been working with a few children who have IEPs in our classroom. My associate teacher let me glance through the IEPs which was quite an educational experience. I was quite saddened by it because some of these children are so lovely, but are well below their grade level. I find it quite heart-breaking when working on a simple concept which should have been mastered a few years earlier, and there is no visible "light" on behind the eyes for the comprehension of it. It is not as though they get the wrong answer because of misapplication, but because they genuinely do not grasp the idea or concept as a whole. I fully support and appreciate the move for inclusion in the classroom, but cannot help but think and feel a few of these children would gain so much more in a specialized setting - even if it was only an hour a day. I am sure my feelings on this will sway back and forth over the following months.
Tomorrow will be the first micro-teaching lesson I will be teaching in the classroom, which will be another stride forward in my new career. I'm also very excited because I get to accompany my class on a field trip next week - now that should be interesting!
