Comforting Cooperating Teachers

by Kerrie McCormick

While I disagree with some of my cooperating teachers methods of teaching, I am really glad that I was assigned to her classroom for the main reason that she makes me feel very comfortable. Before this experience I did not realize the significance of having a good cooperating teacher, one who allows you to test out unknown territory without making major judgments. It is great that my teacher not only allows my partner and me to teach lessons that we design on our own, but she also encourages us to try various methods of teaching. The support she gives us is very gratifying to me and I appreciate her positive attitude in allowing us to experiment. Her personality really puts me at ease and I am not nervous to teach in front of her, which is really nice.
Growing up, I was always a very nervous child and I would literally get sick before having to perform on a stage. I am not sure why I would get so worked up about being in front of an audience, but I am learning that I need to get over my fear, especially if I am going into a profession of public speaking. I think that I have greatly improved over the past few years and feel that I am becoming a lot more comfortable being in front of a group of people. Still, I think that my teacher’s demeanor in the classroom really helps me to find my own place as a teacher. Because of her easy-going personality, I am not scared to be myself or to make a mistake. Just as my students react to the vibes that I give them, I too react to the way my teacher behaves. If my cooperating teacher had been uptight or extremely rigid in her mannerisms, I would probably be a lot more nervous teaching with her in the room. Therefore, I feel that this experience is very genuine.
I think it is important for all of us to recognize how much the people around us affect the ways in which we behave. It is important to notice the types of people that make you comfortable and uncomfortable and ask yourself why this is the case. Maybe if we observe the people around us, and pay attention to how their behavior is interpreted by others, we can take a hint. I know that when I become a teacher, I want my students to feel comfortable around me. I want to have an authoritative role in the classroom, but I do not want to be feared. I think it is so important for students to feel safe and relaxed in their learning space. As teachers, it is our job to be aware of the presence that we have in the classroom and to make sure that our students feel at ease when they are in our rooms.