Student Teaching: the beginning

So I got the idea from a fellow student teacher to use this blog to record my experience as a student teacher.  I am student teaching at Logan High School and it has been quite an adventure.  I am teaching two 11th grade classes, a 9th grade class, and an Advanced ESL class.  The 11th graders are ready to be seniors, while the 9th graders still think that cooties exist.  It is such a change from class to class.  That is what has been the biggest challenge so far.  Lessons that I think the students will love, end up being duds and the students are bored out of their mind. Even though I have been teaching these classes for over a month now, I am still getting used to what they do and don't like.

In the 9th grade class, we are reading Romeo and Juliet. The students didn't mind reading it at first, but by the end, they were ready to burn the book in a pile.  "Juliet is annoying!" "Romeo is stupid!"  "They can't fall in love that fast!" These are only a taste of what I hear EVERYDAY before we read.  I have had the students do some activities to show their understanding of the play.  First, I had them draw their favorite scene from the play.  One girl drew her real feelings:

Obviously she thinks he is a creeper.  Like I said, they really don't love the characters.  For the next assignment I had the students draw a scene from the play or make a costume for a character.  I thought this was a great idea because the play isn't meant to be read, it's meant to be acted.  Forgetting the opinions of my students, I look through the pictures and find they have drawn Juliet's in skanky outfits and Romeo's who are punks and scary looking. (pictures to come) I got a good laugh out of it because they are not afraid to speak their minds and let me know what they think.

My 11th grade classes are a whole new challenge.  Most of them don't read and they are only here because they have one more year so they can graduate.  I have to stand up in the front and entertain them most of the time.  We are currently reading The Great Gatsby, one of my favorite books.  Sometimes I forget that the students I am teaching don't love reading as much as I do.  I explain "cool" symbolism and connections in the book, but they look at me like I am the most boring teacher in the world.  Something I will have to get used to.

My ESL class has it's ups and downs too.  They are all so motivated to be in class, but at the same time they love to talk.  I guess that is a good thing because 90% of the time they are speaking English, but those of you who know me I am soft spoken and can get talked over really easily.  They are funny though.  We are currently reading The Phantom of The Opera.  The girls love that it is a love story, while the boys love that people die.  I love their enthusiasm to learn.

This whole experience is new to me and I love how every day is different.  I love that every day at breakfast I can think "What will today bring?"  Sometimes it is good and other times it is bad, but I survive.

I will keep the updates coming! I am sure that I will have more exciting stories.