The First Day

Okay, so I’m not really sure what a first day of student teaching is supposed to be like. I want to preface this thing with that note. However, I think I had a weird one…

Maybe it was just the chaotic block scheduling, but I arrived and no one seemed to know I was coming. And they knew I was coming. My University sent me official documentation, I texted with my ST before I came, and my ST forwarded me the official paperwork she received. I had observed for a few hours last semester so I kinda knew the front desk staff.

“I’m starting official student teaching today. Is there a different sign-in process for that than for observing?” I said.

“You’re starting what?”

“Student teaching.”

“And it was approved by the principle and the district and everything?”

(At this moment, I’m thinking frantically of the official paperwork. Was it right? I’m pretty sure it was right. There was no way all the copies of it could be wrong, right?) “Yeah,” I said.

“Well, we’re on block schedule today, so I’m not even sure your ST is here right now.”

She wasn’t. She has first period prep, and arrived about 45 minutes after I did. Sigh.

They sent me in with a paper pass, though everything in the building is opened electronically. Since I’m going to be there for the next five weeks, I was kinda hoping for bathroom access. No luck, it looks like. When I gently inquired, the front desk staff looked panicked and started chattering about administrators and permissions. I don’t want to rock the boat, so I dropped it. After all, rules are rules. I just wonder if all the subs are seeing yellow by the end of the day…? I’m there for longer than most subs and I’m fingerprinted and everything. Oh well. In the scheme of things, it’s not that big a deal.

I think I was just hoping to feel welcome, and maybe like I was at surrogate home. All I really need, though, is to jump through the hoops to credentials, so I will keep that in mind.

The day was good, though. The periods we had were the ELD Classes, whom I connected a little better with last semester. It was nice to see everyone again. And though there were faces missing, it’s because they transitioned out of ELD – hooray!

I’ll hopefully be taking over one period of that class next week. Their book has them writing an essay, and so I think I might try to scaffold it out for them over a few weeks. This is the group that would definitely be categorized as “emerging.” Much help needed. I’ve been reading a lot about culturally responsive teaching, and the essay they’re supposed to do -about a problem they identify in their community- fits the bill.

We see the seniors and the freshmen tomorrow, the ELLs again on Wednesday, the seniors and freshmen on Thursday, and then Friday is a rally day. Ah the trappings of high school. How weird it is to witness them as adults.

I sound really cynical, I realize, but I don’t totally feel that way. My head is swimming with lesson planning ideas, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. That’s not nothing.

About the School – Student Teaching

Because of privacy issues, I’m obviously unable to give all details. But I thought I would give you a bit of a rundown on some basic info about the school I’m teaching at so you can set the scene.

I’m currently scheduled to Student Teach at a high school in Southern California. The city I grew up in was old, with neighborhoods of quaint Craftsmans and Victorians rimming tree lined streets. The high school was a relict from the 1960s. This community is nothing like that.

The school is situated strangely, in the middle of a vast sea of new development and old farm land. To the north of the school are neighborhoods of beige tract homes, all exactly alike. The homes give way to industrial warehouses, strip malls, and fast food chains. I would be surprised if anything in the neighborhood is older than thirty years. The school itself was built in the early 2000s and is all of beige cinder block and concrete.

To the South of the school is a giant dairy in the middle of green, green pasture. Black and white speckled cows chew their cuds while watching youths in too-big backpacks run around the track at PE.

Of the 2500 members of the student body, over 1500 of them are Latino, followed in number by African American student (250-ish) and then Whites (200-ish). Approximately 1600 students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

My supervisory teacher has two periods of ELD (English language development… formerly ESL), with students ranging wildly in skill level. She also teaches two periods of Senior English and one of Freshman English. Her seniors are going through a pilot program for the district with a controlled curriculum, so I will also need to teach the stuff in the book and nothing else when I take over that class. The 7th period freshman class is rowdy (that’s the polite version of what they are, frankly…).

I have already been observing this classroom for a semester, and so I know the kids a very little bit. Enough to be excited and invested in their future. I hope you enjoy the tales of our exploits.