Today marks the final day of the school semester. I am currently sitting in my class by myself. The chairs are empty, my master teacher is out running errands on campus. I hear excitement buzzing outside with students anxious to kick off the summer. And so I sit and reflect on a very interesting first semester of student teaching. I'm glad summer is here, but I wasn't necessarily ready for it.
I've already signed a few yearbooks here and there, and some students have asked to take their picture with me. I still laugh about the group of students who a few weeks ago wanted to sign a petition to get me to stay here for the upcoming Fall semester. Honestly, I would love to come back. The students and the staff here have been wonderfully supportive and show a great deal of respect for my growing pains as a teacher.
As the semester closes, I am left with a sense of incompletion. I am about to enter final grades for my class knowing well that a good chunk of my students did not achieve a high enough score to pass. I wish the semester could last longer just so I could get the chance to coach these students a little more and get them to a proficient level of understanding world history. I am also left wondering if I truly did enough to help these students out. I was saddened by the fact that my university schedule did not allow me to stay after school to help these students, but even still, was there something else I could have done?
Next year I will be at a new high school, but I will be taking with me a semester's worth of interaction with these students. My only hope is that I can grow upon helping students, showing them that what we learn every day in class is important and worthwhile. Until next semester...
Best,
Hunter
I've already signed a few yearbooks here and there, and some students have asked to take their picture with me. I still laugh about the group of students who a few weeks ago wanted to sign a petition to get me to stay here for the upcoming Fall semester. Honestly, I would love to come back. The students and the staff here have been wonderfully supportive and show a great deal of respect for my growing pains as a teacher.
As the semester closes, I am left with a sense of incompletion. I am about to enter final grades for my class knowing well that a good chunk of my students did not achieve a high enough score to pass. I wish the semester could last longer just so I could get the chance to coach these students a little more and get them to a proficient level of understanding world history. I am also left wondering if I truly did enough to help these students out. I was saddened by the fact that my university schedule did not allow me to stay after school to help these students, but even still, was there something else I could have done?
Next year I will be at a new high school, but I will be taking with me a semester's worth of interaction with these students. My only hope is that I can grow upon helping students, showing them that what we learn every day in class is important and worthwhile. Until next semester...
Best,
Hunter