Student Teaching Reflections

[mlordon]

Now that my student teaching requirement has been fulfilled, I have spent some time reflecting on what I learned from the cooperating teacher, the students and the experience as a whole.

Seven years ago, I was hired for a one-year maternity leave position to teach ESL to grades 7-12. I traveled between the middle school and the high school each day. I remember staying after school every day to help the high school students with work from their other academic content classes. These students worked so hard to be successful.

My student teaching was just in the high school, for two block periods, Period 1 and Period 7. In between, many of these students came back to the classroom during their lunches and study halls and sometimes to take a quiz or test with the ESL teacher. This teacher basically never leaves the room all day if her students need her. She is truly an advocate for them in every way.

I was glad to be able to help many of them do projects, study for exams or just understand an assignment. Teaching ESL is a calling, not a job. You need to understand your students, deal with the complexities of all their other teachers, some of whom think they don't work hard enough. Day after day there are many frustrations, but there are also small and large victories that make every minute worth it.

If you are thinking of pursuing English as a Second Language as a career, you must have the calling.

[Natalie Harvey]

I travel between two schools - middle and elementary. I feel like the majority of my energy is spent advocating for my ELLs, but that is fine with me. They are so incredible and grateful it makes it all worth it. Last week, a couple of my former students made me tamales and brought them to the school during pre-planning! I wouldn't know what to do with "regular ed" students.
Are you working now?

Natalie
http://www.teachesol.wordpress.com