Before I was hired as a middle school math teacher I had some experience. I was a substitute teacher in New York for a year. I loved it. I was placed in private schools and schools in high needs areas, I ended up in classes with no sub plans and classes with beautifully detailed lists of tasks. I learned a lot and grew a thick skin. By the end of the year you could put me into any classroom situation and I would find a way to make it work.
After subbing for a year, I worked as an assistant kindergarten teacher. Along with Erin, the lead teacher, we wrangled 24 students (4 and 5 year-olds) from 7:30am - 4:30pm and did our best to facilitate their learning with kindness, humor, and engagement. After a year I decided to move back to California to earn my teaching credential so that I could find a job closer to my family.
My credential program was fine, like most credential programs, but the focus was not on classroom management, or teaching strategies, or helping me feel like I could step into my classroom on Day One with confidence. It was about helping me pass the TPAs - the dreaded tests in California that we all had to pass in order to become credentialed teachers. I did pass, but still felt unprepared as I stepped into my own classroom after being hired.
How do I get students to talk to each other?
How do I engage with families?
How do I work with my colleagues to lesson plan together?
How do I get students to take notes?
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