Last day

by Leeann Perry
When I started the practicum at the beginning of the semester, I was more than a little bit hesitant about being in a 6th grade classroom. I had zero experience at this level. How would the students act? Could I talk to them like adults or should I still give my lessons as if they were children? How in the world can lessons last a full 90 minutes? Is it true that the Middle School years are the hardest to teach? These were just some of the questions running through my head when I was given the placement.
The first few weeks ended up being rough on me, especially since I know that our first attempts at lessons were rather pathetic. I just kept dealing with it and working to get through the experience with the sole goal of surviving until my real student teaching next year. After several weeks of being in the school just on Thursday s and Fridays I finally came to the realization that I was allowing my mixed feelings about the grade level to affect my teaching ability. Irregardless of whether or not I wanted to be in that class, these students deserved the best junior year student teacher they could get!
This determination brought me up to the point in the semester where we were responsible for creating a two week unit that would be taught in our last two weeks at the school. Although it involved an extreme amount of planning, effort, and time the unit was actually exciting to create. We were making our lessons our way and not merely following the directions of the co-operating teacher. Also, the lessons were being taught back to back, and not once a week.
Building on the excitement and pride in my own lesson plans and my new found determination to thrive in my placement, I started the last two weeks with what could be described as a passionate desire to teach these students about poetry. It was great and my teaching ability greatly improved, just by changing myself on the inside.
The first few days of the unit were stressful and tiring. It did not seem as though the students were learning anything at all. They were unable to complete the writing assignments. Resolved to not let circumstances block my path to success, I kept at the lessons, hoping that somehow the information would suddenly make sense for the students. Each day got a little bit easier.
Yesterday was our last day in the school, which meant the students were presenting their original poetry to the class and any interested parents. Listening to the students read their poems allowed me to see just how much each and everyone understood from all our lessons. Strangely, reading the student work and grading their writing was not nearly as meaningful to me as hearing them be read. Our efforts were not in vain. During the second class, they had a few minutes left at the end of the class period when they were given a few minutes of free time. This meant that all the students went up to the board and started doodling. As a class they decided to write “We heart Ms. Perry and Ms. Hatrak” and signed their names underneath. That alone made my all my effort this semester worth it. The students kept asking if we could come back because they really enjoyed having us. To totally blow my mind away, we were each given a thank-you card signed by all the students. Teaching may have a lot of stress and work connected to it, but everything will be validated by the impact one has on one’s students.