On 10/16/09, jamie wrote:

Yes, these are normal feelings and that you can 'shoot from
the hip' for 15 minutes is a very good sign. Some people
freeze. I'd say - instead of trying to script out your 15
minutes, have a basic concept in mind that could be taught in
any one of a dozen different ways. That way you won't worry
about your 'script' and sticking to it and you can
just 'shoot from the hip' but with focus.

And everything else sounds normal too - the roller coaster
ride especially. It is one. Co-op teachers and many other
people too say one thing and do another.

Do you like anything? Do you like the kids? Do you find
anything fun? Those would be good signs. If you fundamentally
don't like kids, then teaching isn't a good career choice but
there are MANY teachers out there who don't like kids but
they spend their careers complaining about the kids.

My first year was one of the hardest years of my life and
certainly the most work of any job I ever had before or
since. Yet it was fun too - I like kids. I liked it when I
planned a lesson that worked. I learned from it when I
planned a lesson that didn't work.

We all need to learn how to be assertive with the kids but
that comes with time and comfort - who feels comfortable
telling new neighbors their dog ate your kid's homework and
it really shouldn't happen again? You've got to know folks a
little while before you feel comfortable being assertive with
them.

You're older than the kids - think of yourself as their guide
on a journey and it can help you to feel more comfortable
with being assertive. Assume the air of a guide - a guide
only yells when something bad is about to happen and the rest
of the time they guide.

> minutes lessons at the end of the day. I go home and plan
> lessons submit them to my cooperating teacher. When i go
> to teach i become very nervous and feels as though as soon
> as i am up there i forget everything i planned for. I find
> myself then shooting from the hip. I have been told that i
> need to be more firm with the students, and assertive. I
> am not disagreeing with that, but i am having a difficult
> time finding a balance. It's making me doubt my career
> choice. Are these completely normal feelings?

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