Student Teaching: Am I Supposed to be THIS miserable?

James, thank you for all your help.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I've been trying to contact my college to arrange a new internship this fall, and I can't get a call-back. I am, of course, thinking the worst.

Honestly, I think I'll just go back to fast-food work. And laugh every time someone wants to know what's wrong with our schools these days.
 
RT, there isn't much thinking to do. I have limited options, so there isn't much of a choice to make.

I'm graduating May 21 with my BA in English. I finally heard back from the Edu dept., and they are supposedly trying to set up a new mentorship for me for the fall. If they "can find anyone who will take me" (their words), then I can student teach for 8 more weeks. If I don't (rule 8) that up, then I should be certified. (One thing I like is how they removed me after 8 weeks this term, and will only let me student teach 8 weeks next term, but they're charging me full tuition for both 16-week terms.)

I'm going to try to start my master's program through distance learning, perhaps this summer. I'd like to actually attend an MFA school, but I can't afford to move, nor to move my mom, and she can't stay here alone.

So, those are my plans.

Hope things are going better for you and your fam, and that you have plenty of bubblegum. :)
 
Hi all,

I too read through this thread but was too shy to reply. A big part of my job is serving as 'university observer' for many, many students who I barely know. As a teacher trainer/educator, it is scary how little one can do to change anything about such a situation, or any situation. In teaching, one learns by, well, teaching. Slingblade at least got to teach. Some students get in with a situation where the main person can't seem to ever give up the podium. Others get into crappy schools, or with mentors who have no clue at all. The best situations are good. Young novice observes from, talks to, plans with wise elder. The power is transferred gradually, and at the end it's just like the lord of the frigging rings with an old Bilbo.

In my dreams! My way is to take good notes on my observations, related to teaching and pedagogy, delivery, etc., and then present them in an immediate face-to-face meeting. This is almost completely positive information, with some "frontiers for exploration and improvement." I write those up in a simple format (timeline, what I saw, what I thought) and send them to the student only. I have never gotten a complaint and only a wish that I could have been more involved. But the reality is that I can't spend quantity time with anybody, and therefore quality counts.

I have never had to deal with an obvious mismatch of student, mentor, and situation as Slingblade has presented to us. It could have been so much the better for everyone if the actors had been in different plays. Who sets up these assignments? Do they even know the first thing about the people involved, or are they just looking at maps?

BP
 
BP, I guess I have to say it's my "fault," as I observed with this mentor for several weeks, and then requested her for my mentor during internship.

But she wasn't like this during observation. Not a bit. I had no idea we were such a volatile combination.

I still have not heard from the Edu department about next fall. I'm working on getting lesson plans together for 6th through 8th grades, as I have no idea what I'll be teaching (or even if), but want very much to be fully prepared.

And I'm worried, nervous, and scared.

We'll see how it goes. Thanks for your comments!




Major Billy, thank you! :D
 
Good luck, Slingblade, I think you're on the right track by being persistent. I don't know if "blame" is the right word, maybe so, but I wasn't trying to pin anything particular on you. In my case I can make recommendations for particular placements for student teachers, but there is quite a bit of "turf protection" going on in the education department and they get a little huffy if they don't feel like they are running the show. It's bad for me and my students since we are a specilized subject and if a student gets placed with a sub-par teacher or in a very difficult school situation, the whole experience becomes pretty meaningless or at worst a disaster. But as I said, I've never run into a situation quite like yours, I doubt I would even know what to do--I like to think I would be more responsive than your supervisors seem to have been, but it's hard to say. Hang in there, I bet in future years you will look back on this and realize that in spite of the difficulty, you have gained a lot of things.
 
As of today, it's officially over. Mostly.

There is no internship for me, nor any prospect of one.

I'm trying now to see if I can get out to Las Vegas and enter their alternative licensure program.

Thanks again to everyone for all the help and suggestions.
 
Thanks, folks.

Wyoming looks more promising: they're screaming for teachers, and will give you a license for a good portfolio based on WY standards. I'ma get right on that, have all the PDFs and info. All I have to do (all!) is build a new portfolio and send it in. They should call me.
 
slingblade said:
Thanks, folks.

Wyoming looks more promising: they're screaming for teachers, and will give you a license for a good portfolio based on WY standards. I'ma get right on that, have all the PDFs and info. All I have to do (all!) is build a new portfolio and send it in. They should call me.
Click to expand...
If you're in the mood for a big change, NYC is always in need of teachers, too, and I'd be happy to show you around town. Just pack your bulletproof vest.
 
slingblade said:
Thanks, folks.

Wyoming looks more promising: they're screaming for teachers, and will give you a license for a good portfolio based on WY standards. I'ma get right on that, have all the PDFs and info. All I have to do (all!) is build a new portfolio and send it in. They should call me.
Click to expand...

Florida's pretty hungry for teachers too - but you have to put up with overly teaching to FCAT if you are LA, Math or Sci.
 
James Dillon, thanks so much! But there's no way my husband would live in NY. He doesn't even like Denver.

And Florida's right out, because my mom can't breathe in high humidity. I'd love Florida, myself. I even know about Palmetto roaches (they fly!), and I could deal.

Don't be fooled, though: since NCLB, everyone is teaching to his or her state test. CSAP is a minor god here, as well.
 
I'd like to meet the wit who decided on "Standards Of Learning" for the name of the test the teaching of which has replaced education here in Ole Virginny. SOL. Yowsah.
 
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