Preservice Teacher Jitters

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Student Teaching Chatboard

Preservice Teacher Jitters

by Annie

Feb 9, 2011

I'm a preservice teacher who has just moved to the city of New Orleans from a small town. I graduated with honors a couple of months ago with my elementary ed degree. It's spring so for now I am doing what I can to prepare for fall, visiting schools in the area to gain knowledge and experience, joining recruiting organizations, and attending presentations, etc.

I've been having to fight off the jitters a lot though, and want to know if it's normal.

When I was in college and doing my first two practicums I felt confident as a teacher. I had a lot of passion for children and always kept my eye on the bigger picture of helping to build a better future... I still maintain those sentiments.

I was always confident in teaching, always pictured myself making a difference, and when I taught, my lessons seemed effective.

Enter student teaching. I was in a different country (I chose to do it overseas through a program, which may or may not have been a great...See More

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Normal to be a little nervous, its not you. It's not you, it's normal for new teachers to be nervous and while no one may tell you, student teaching is not the same as having your own room. Once in your own class, you will feel it most likely and you will engage your students. Student teaching is for basics, you will learn most of your teaching the first few years with the first year being t...See MoreIt's not you, it's normal for new teachers to be nervous and while no one may tell you, student teaching is not the same as having your own room. Once in your own class, you will feel it most likely and you will engage your students. Student teaching is for basics, you will learn most of your teaching the first few years with the first year being the most stressful. It will be ok, just read up on texts at home like classroom management stuff and build your confidence. Good luck, sounds like you have a contract already or know it will happen, that is half the battle, wich I could trade places with you. I am older and can't get in but love the classroom and can't wait to get in but it looks like due to fincances I have to find full time work in another field and give up my dream. Count your blessings, you have your youth, and it sounds like a great future where you can build a life with a family and a great future.

On 2/09/11, Annie wrote: > I'm a preservice teacher who has just moved to the city of > New Orleans from a small town. I graduated with honors a > couple of months ago with my elementary ed degree. It's > spring so for now I am doing what I can to prepare for > fall, visiting schools in the area to gain knowledge and > experience, joining recruiting organizations, and attending > presentations, etc. > > I've been having to fight off the jitters a lot though, and > want to know if it's normal. > > When I was in college and doing my first two practicums I > felt confident as a teacher. I had a lot of passion for > children and always kept my eye on the bigger picture of > helping to build a better future... I still maintain those > sentiments. > > I was always confident in teaching, always pictured myself > making a difference, and when I taught, my lessons seemed > effective. > > Enter student teaching. I was in a different country (I > chose to do it overseas through a program, which may or may > not have been a great idea.) My teacher was an amazing > master teacher who reminded me that she liked to "throw me > to the wolves." Needless-to-say this led to a few weeks > (out of 12) where I hit a brick wall. No matter how much I > planned it seemed like it was never enough and my students > weren't engaged. I had developed a great rapport with them > and even was okay at managing them while I taught... But I > wasn't feeling it. I was questioning going down the > teaching track for the first time. > > Things got better and I spent my last month feeling pretty > good about what I was doing. > > Still, a couple of months later, I can't help but obsess > over that feeling I had when I wasn't connecting with my > job or my lessons or my students. I'm paranoid that I have > what it takes but I don't know that one thing... how to > teach. I need my confidence back. > > If you've had the same feeling please let me know.

Feb 10, 2011

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Sara On 2/09/11, Annie wrote:

Many good and effective teachers believe that learning is done often in increments and we, as teachers, are to time well what tasks we give our students and when so as to best foster their learning. If we 'throw our students to the wolves' what is to gained from doing that? I find the very expression an inappropri...See MoreOn 2/09/11, Annie wrote:

Many good and effective teachers believe that learning is done often in increments and we, as teachers, are to time well what tasks we give our students and when so as to best foster their learning. If we 'throw our students to the wolves' what is to gained from doing that? I find the very expression an inappropriate one to be used as an approach to teaching - and this mentor teacher was to be that to you. She was to be your teacher. But for some reason, she threw you to the wolves. Sink or swim mentality? Neither serves well in the point is to teach well.

So you found your limits, not your farther horizon. If I had been thrown to the wolves as a student teacher, I would have found my limits too. (did she do the same with her young students?) A great disservice was done to you and now you have a teacher's version of some post-traumatic stress disorder. Fortunately you just have the jitters and you're not hallucinating or having trouble sleeping at night or have turned to drinking. ( I hope)

Your jitters are a normal response to what was done to you. You need to see the injustice of what that teacher did - you need to understand you were the victim. She victimized you and - she was supposed to be your guide, your mentor, your teacher. That's awful. She betrayed your trust and the trust that was placed in her by your university and her school. No one learns from 'being thrown to the wolves' except that wolves have sharp teeth and can eat us up if we're thrown to them without someone at our side teaching us how to calm the wolves and teach them to have better ways.

All that said, I don't teach because I believe I'm building a better future - that's too big a picture for me and too big a bite. I teach because I believe - and can see- that I'm making a better day for the kids in front of me (and for me too!) I take it a day at a time and believe each day in school should be a safe day for my students. Each day should be another day where they leave school looking forward to coming back to it the next day. Everything else is gravy. If I model healthy behavior for them along the way, wonderful. If I can share my passion for my subject, super. If they learn healthy behavior and come to explore their own passion, that's tremendous. But all those things are more likely to happen for them if I don't throw them to the wolves and I do everything in my power to keep them safe. optimistic and positive toward themselves, each other and the world.

And all that said, my first year in a classroom on my own was one of the hardest years in my life and one of the hardest things I've ever done. Four years of sleep a night... tops. I felt like I was drowning there was so much to do. But through it, I enjoyed it and so do the kids. That was a clear signal to me that I'd chosen well despite the unending work and the rough days when my lesson didn't work and everything was chaos.

Understand the first year is a LOT Of work and there will be days that go better than others but you learn a LOT from those bad days. "Well, that didn't work..." We make mistakes but if we're open to admitting that and learning from them we can become very good teachers who never believe that throwing students or student teachers to the wolves is the right thing to do. Much good luck to you - the kids and the world alike need caring teachers like you.

> > I've been having to fight off the jitters a lot though, and > want to know if it's normal. > > When I was in college and doing my first two practicums I > felt confident as a teacher. I had a lot of passion for > children and always kept my eye on the bigger picture of > helping to build a better future... I still maintain those > sentiments. > > I was always confident in teaching, always pictured myself > making a difference, and when I taught, my lessons seemed > effective. > > Enter student teaching. I was in a different country (I > chose to do it overseas through a program, which may or may > not have been a great idea.) My teacher was an amazing > master teacher who reminded me that she liked to "throw me > to the wolves." Needless-to-say this led to a few weeks > (out of 12) where I hit a brick wall. No matter how much I > planned it seemed like it was never enough and my students > weren't engaged. I had developed a great rapport with them > and even was okay at managing them while I taught... But I > wasn't feeling it. I was questioning going down the > teaching track for the first time. > > Things got better and I spent my last month feeling pretty > good about what I was doing. > > Still, a couple of months later, I can't help but obsess > over that feeling I had when I wasn't connecting with my > job or my lessons or my students. I'm paranoid that I have > what it takes but I don't know that one thing... how to > teach. I need my confidence back. > > If you've had the same feeling please let me know.

Feb 16, 2011

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Leah Yes, i have. Your feelings are normal. > If you've had the same feeling please let me know.

Click below and on "Encouraging Thoughts" that you might find helpful

Feb 24, 2011

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