TGIT

Thank God it's Thursday. A new twist on working for the weekend as my school week runs Sunday-Thursday.

I just finished my first week of student teaching! Overall, it went very very well. I am in and out of the HS and MS classrooms, back and forth across the hallway, observing, helping, and actually teaching my own class already. Currently I am the lead instructor for HS Studio Design (formerly known as printmaking), Neil giving me the go to take the students from Day 1 and really run the class how I see fit. Naturally, I have learned a lot from my first week and know little things I should tweak from minor "mistakes" I've made in the room, but as Joan says, Mistakes are Miracles and I'm very happy with the way my first week went with these class. I am "observing but always prepared to lead" in Joan's classes... I never know when she's going to all of a sudden turn over her mixed media, sculpture or 6th grade exploratory classes to me, on the spot, in front of the students...

The students are great. I was a little anxious coming into Sunday for my first day to see what they are like. What I have found thus far is that I do absolutely adore middle school kids and these high school kids are very curious and eager to learn. It's a fun school to be teaching in.

Eventually through the next several weeks I will be adding classes one by one until I have a full teaching load at the school of 5 classes, taught in blocks mixed in with a floating observation period and two preps (one with each coordinating teacher). Right now we're focusing on identity in all MS and HS classes to start the year off with a collective theme to produce a body of work that can be displayed for the school.

I must say, I love this international teaching thing. Last night the PE teacher and I were talking when he made the comment "once it's [international teaching] in your blood, it's practically genetic and there to stay" I think he's right.