Student teaching is a new and exciting time. You have spent many years working toward this opportunity. As a former student teacher, I promise you that student teaching will be the best, most life-changing experience of your life. The summer before I student taught- I spent hours researching the question "what should all student teachers know?" with no luck.
So, my fellow life changers, based off of my own experiences as a student teacher I've decided to share a few important tips that will help prepare you for your journey. If I had stumbled across an article like this in the past, it may have been very helpful. I hope you find some comfort within my words as you begin this exciting time!
1. You are now on a different level than your peers.
College is all about late nights and coffee dates, right? Not anymore! My dear student teacher, this is a full-time experience. You will be teaching 40 hours a week, writing lesson plans, buying supplies, grading papers and creating assessments while you'll also have senior seminar class and you'll also try to squeeze in a part-time job or two (or three) to help you pay for gas and lunch. Trust me, student teacher, your world will change. You will learn how to use every single second of your day. On your lunch break- you'll be reviewing afternoon lessons. On your drive back to campus, you'll be memorizing terms for your test in the evening or thinking about what supplies you need for the science experiment later in the week. On weekends, you'll be planning more lessons and creating units. You are now balancing a new lifestyle and you'll quickly learn just how different your schedule is compared to those around you. This new schedule isn't a bad thing, it is beautiful, and in a way, it matures you and prepares you for adulthood. You get a taste of what the future will be like. You will learn that it is hard to find time to socialize and go to events on campus- but you are so excited and passionate about student teaching that the change makes you happy and eager to grow into the best teacher you can be. Your brain will always be in teacher mode!
2. The competition is real.
As your senior class gets smaller and smaller, you will find that the competition between your fellow education major peers will become intense. You'll be getting observed when you teach and if you earn a score lower than a peer- it will hurt at first. The tension will rise, but my advice to you is to just remember the important words you always hear during lectures of " it's about the process not the product." The tools and knowledge you learn during student teaching are bigger than any grade you'll ever earn. Just try your best and don't get too caught up with the competition. After all, your main focus should always be your students! If you feel inferior to your peers who are earning higher marks, I encourage you to take a breath and stay positive. Don't let the competition ruin your spirits. You will always be your biggest critic!
3. Set goals.
At the start of student teaching, create a list of goals. List personal goals, academic goals, teaching goals and anything you hope to learn more about. Keep this for yourself and share it with your mentor teacher if you want. I did this and it changed my life. It was remarkable to be able to cross off every single goal that I had reached at the end of student teaching. If you do this, it will help you realize how much you have grown in such a short amount of time. Also, if you share your goals with your mentor teacher, he or she will find ways to help you reach those goal and it will show them that you are eager to learn as much as you can during your time as a student teacher.
4. You'll be emotional.
I think education is truly the malt rewarding profession in the universe. Student teaching was so inspiring and I was emotional all the time. From being nervous and afraid to get observed to being so full of love for the students. Many days, after student teaching I would cry on my drive back to campus. I would cry happy tears! Happy that I was finally teaching classes on my own, happy that a child who wasn't grasping a concept finally had the lightbulb moment and happy because you reach a point where you truly know that education is what you were put on this earth to do. Sometimes, you'll cry because you miss your students when the day is over, or you wish you could have spent more time with them or asked them more questions. Student teaching is a slice of heaven and you'll be on an emotional roller coaster the entire time! Enjoy every sweet emotional moment! I still get emotional thinking about the first time I taught my very own class and all the precious moments after that. To me, that is better than any paycheck ever could be!
5. You will fully understand the meaning behind "life-long learner."
How many times do we hear the words "life-long learner?" Well my dear student teacher, you will finally understand those words deeply once you start student teaching. It is wonderful to watch your mentor teacher and the students learning right along with you. Sometimes making adjustments to a lesson will happen while you're teaching the lesson and you will remember to keep that change in mind in the future. You might also think up a creative way to present a concept and your mentor teacher might decide to use it in the future. You learn every single day. What is even more wonderful than realizing the true meaning of life-long learning is being able to witness who your biggest teacher really is: your students. You will learn so much from the children you teach. You'll learn what they like, what works for them and most importantly, you will learn to view the world from the eyes of your students. Being a life-long learner is wonderful and student teaching will open your eyes to what it means to truly learn something never every day. Always be mindful that you do not and will not know it all, and you never will! Every single day, children change and so will you. Each moment is a new learning opportunity!
6. You can do it!
If I can do it, you can do it. At the start of student teaching, I had serious doubts about myself. I questioned if I was good enough to actually be a teacher. I promise you, if you feel that way- you're not alone. It will get better. If you're passionate- you will rise above and finish strong. It's important to remember to stay focused, dedicated and make changes to better yourself. I promise you that one day- it will all just click-and you'll feel confident with yourself and your abilities! Every day might not be easy, but student teaching is wonderful and the most critical part of your journey as an educator! Also, keep in mind- education is not about you. It's a selfless career in which your students are the most important! If you just focus on being the best version of yourself because your students deserve the best teacher- you'll feel confident and strong in no time. Appreciate the opportunity to teach the tiny humans in front of you! They will always be your biggest fan!
If you keep these little tips in mind before you go into student teaching I know you will not only have a wonderful experience but you will become the very best educator you can be! I wish you all the best in your student teaching experience and please remember to enjoy every single moment because the time flies by and before you know it- your first group of students will be moving on to the next grade and you'll be reflecting on the wonderful year that you had and all the lessons you learned (just like I am right now).
Happy teaching! Remember, you are the luckiest human in the world because you have earned the privilege to shape the little lives you've come into contact with! Keep calm and teach on! Good luck!
