This fall semester I was placed into a kindergarten classroom once a week for four hours, as part of a field placement for one of my college classes. While I had worked in a classroom before, I was nervous to go in as a student teacher. I was hoping this experience was going to help me discover if teaching was right for me. I have always known I wanted to be a teacher ever since my first day of kindergarten, however this year (sophomore year), I was beginning to question if this was the right path for me.
When I found out I was going to be working in a kindergarten classroom, I was both ecstatic and nervous. I knew I had wanted to work in lower-level grades but, I had heard working with kindergarteners is not for everyone. However, as soon as I walked into the room on my first day, I knew this was the right age for me. The children greeted me with smiles, and asked me to read to them during reader’s workshop. My mentor teacher even had me jump right in by doing a read aloud. When I left, many of the students hugged me and asked me if I would come back again tomorrow.
As the weeks progressed, I got more and more excited to go into the classroom on Thursday mornings. I was able to work with the students one on one, whether it be with their classwork, playing a game during choice time, or reading with them during silent reading time. I was also given the opportunity to create and teach two lesson plans. While I was nervous to teach in front of 16 students, their excitement throughout all of it made it less intimidating. They would tell me how fun the games were and how good of a teacher I was. This reassurance me that they were not noticing the mistakes I was making (but, hey, who doesn’t make mistakes their first time through).
Of course, not every second was easy and joyous. There were times when a kid would not listen to me and I felt as though I was not doing anything right. There were times when I felt so inexperienced, and that was also frustrating. However, working in this classroom was better than any job I have ever had in my life. I enjoyed waking up early each morning and going to a place where I was greeted with hugs and smiling faces. To most 20-year-olds, a room full of 5-year-olds is their worst nightmare but to me, it was a place I felt somewhat at home.
On my last day in the classroom, I was dreading the thought of having to leave the students. I had become attached to each of them, and loved watching them grow over the months I was with them. That day, during their writer’s workshop each of the students drew a picture of their favorite memory with me. If this wasn’t heart-warming enough, each of them came up to me to explain their picture to me. At this point, I shed a few tears. No one had prepared me for how hard it was going to be to leave these children, and this classroom.
At the end of my semester long experience in the classroom, I have determined that teaching is the right career choice for me. I am very excited to continue to fulfill the dream I have had ever since my first day of Kindergarten back in 2002.
