A Correction In My Experience as a Student Teacher

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Student Teaching

MEMBERS

4 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Student Teaching Chatboard

A Correction In My Experience as a Student Teacher

by Joanna

Nov 29, 2011

Hello everyone! I am currently in student teaching at National University. I successfully completed one semester of student teaching in one of the school's in Garden Grove Unified School District. My area of specialization is English Language Arts.

Starting from the first day of school to November 16, 2011, I had some positive and some negative experience with my Master Teacher. My Master Teacher will sometimes make comments about my performance, and make suggestions for improvement in front of students. There were several times when a student was in the room, she would talk to me about my performance, which I think is inappropriate. I wanted her to talk to me in private after school. Sometimes she will talk to me about my performance in a polite manner, while other times she will talk to me in a manner that is not professionally appropriate.

I discussed my experience to my university advisor, and my seminar teacher, who is in charge of overseeing everything, both t...See MoreHello everyone! I am currently in student teaching at National University. I successfully completed one semester of student teaching in one of the school's in Garden Grove Unified School District. My area of specialization is English Language Arts.

Starting from the first day of school to November 16, 2011, I had some positive and some negative experience with my Master Teacher. My Master Teacher will sometimes make comments about my performance, and make suggestions for improvement in front of students. There were several times when a student was in the room, she would talk to me about my performance, which I think is inappropriate. I wanted her to talk to me in private after school. Sometimes she will talk to me about my performance in a polite manner, while other times she will talk to me in a manner that is not professionally appropriate.

I discussed my experience to my university advisor, and my seminar teacher, who is in charge of overseeing everything, both tried to communicate with the principal and my Master Teacher to resolve issues between us, however, the problem got worse. I was told that GGUSD requested that I not show up at the school, and that I will be given a Plan B. My advisor, seminar teacher, supervisor, and some other person will be meeting together to discuss a Plan B for me. Plan B means that if you do not meet the requirements, you may be kicked out of the program. My seminar teacher said that the Plan B will be for me to take a few courses in English speaking and grammar, and ESL courses.

Before this all happened, my Master Teacher told me from the beginning that she thinks that I am not prepared to become an English teacher because I lack English speaking, and writing skills. Also, she sent an e-mail to my advisor that she is concerned that I will not become a good role model to the students because I lack English skills. I have spent the majority of my student teaching observing in the classroom, and she has only seen me teach eleven times. There were several of times when she just all of sudden ask me to jump in and teach, expecting that I am prepared and knowledgeable to teach the materials. I was very uncomfortable with the situation, and was afraid that I will make a mistake, which I have made a few minor mistakes. She tells me that I am not knowledgeable of English because of the few minor mistakes that I have made during the times when she had me jump in and teach without preparation on my part. Moreover, I have been treated with disrespect, and degraded of my abilities because I am a second language learner, and am bilingual. I was born in the United States, and I have spoken two languages when I was one years old, according to my parents. Basically, I am treated as if I was trash, and that my educational background means nothing. My Master Teacher laughed at me once during a conversation because she felt I should know everything, since I have a Masters degree.

In addition, I am being criticized by my supervisor that I am not knowledgeable because the e-mails that I have made to my advisor and seminar teacher. He said I made numerous mistakes; however, when I look back at my saved e-mails, there were only a few minor errors in grammar because I was e-mailing them at nights or on days when I am tired. I do not know what will happen to me yet, but I hope that things work out well for me. I have spent close to $28,000 of federal loans, and $5,500 of alternative loans to help pay for my student teaching, and to help with my living expenses during student teaching. I shared my concerns with everyone about my expenses, and how I am going to pay for the few classes that they might require of me to complete Plan B.

I personally am not a perfectionist, but it seems as though people expect me to be a perfectionist because I am going to be an English teacher. I wonder how many English teachers in the world think they have excellent grammar with no errors, and think that they know everything about English? English is a complex subject, and there are too many components to deal with in English besides grammar. In fact, most English teachers do not spend to much time on grammar because the CSTs do not cover too much on grammar. I am so frustrated with the student teaching process, and so is my family.

My mother has been supportive of me since the beginning of student teaching. I know there were multiple days when I came home crying, and explaining to her about my struggles in student teaching. I have told her about my experience with my Master Teacher. When I asked my seminar teacher if my mother can attend the meeting after they have written a Plan B for me, she told me no, and she do not think the other people will allow for her to come. She said it is mainly about me, and explained my mother is extremely concerned about my welfare. She told me that I need to take responsibility of my own education, and that my mother needs to leave me alone. I kind of got a negative view about my seminar teacher after the conversation because any family member will be concerned about what happens to another family member.

Ever since the middle of my student teaching until now, I am currently on anti-depressants. I am increasingly sad every day about the whole situation, and fear for my future. I will wait for the Plan B, or if I will have a Plan B, because they have two choices to kick me out or let me show improvement.

Another thing, I keep on getting multiple answers from my advisor and seminar teacher about what the principal and my Master Teacher says about my performance. First, they told my advisor, that I do not interact with the teachers and other school workers well. Second, they told my seminar teacher that I lack knowledge in English. The principal only observed me two times teaching the class. In addition, I have been graciously kind to assist the school during urgent situations, and also have helped my Master Teacher with several tasks, such as making copies, posting student work on the walls, and other things. I tried to be polite and kind to everyone, but end up being kicked out.

Comment

(1)

report post

Johnna Hello everyone! I was mistaken about my seminar teacher. I talked to my seminar teacher, and she seems to understand my situation. Also, I have slowly overcome the situation at Garden Grove Unified School District. I am glad that I am over with Master Teacher teacher, and GGUSD. I had a horrible experience with my Master Teacher. If I make one tiny...See MoreHello everyone! I was mistaken about my seminar teacher. I talked to my seminar teacher, and she seems to understand my situation. Also, I have slowly overcome the situation at Garden Grove Unified School District. I am glad that I am over with Master Teacher teacher, and GGUSD. I had a horrible experience with my Master Teacher. If I make one tiny mistake, she will say that I am not competent to become an English teacher. Also, she has not respect for me, and the reason I say this is because she will talk about my performance and other things about me that she thinks I need improvement on in front of students or have the door open, where that other people can pass by and slightly hear our conversation. I do not think that is appropriate. In addition, she degrades me, makes me feel that I am nothing compared to her. I just hope my next Master Teacher will be more supportive of me, and treat me with a little respect.

On 11/29/11, Joanna wrote: > Hello everyone! I am currently in student teaching at > National University. I successfully completed one semester > of student teaching in one of the school's in Garden Grove > Unified School District. My area of specialization is > English Language Arts. > > Starting from the first day of school to November 16, 2011, > I had some positive and some negative experience with my > Master Teacher. My Master Teacher will sometimes make > comments about my performance, and make suggestions for > improvement in front of students. There were several times > when a student was in the room, she would talk to me about > my performance, which I think is inappropriate. I wanted > her to talk to me in private after school. Sometimes she > will talk to me about my performance in a polite manner, > while other times she will talk to me in a manner that is > not professionally appropriate. > > I discussed my experience to my university advisor, and my > seminar teacher, who is in charge of overseeing everything, > both tried to communicate with the principal and my Master > Teacher to resolve issues between us, however, the problem > got worse. I was told that GGUSD requested that I not show > up at the school, and that I will be given a Plan B. My > advisor, seminar teacher, supervisor, and some other person > will be meeting together to discuss a Plan B for me. Plan > B means that if you do not meet the requirements, you may > be kicked out of the program. My seminar teacher said that > the Plan B will be for me to take a few courses in English > speaking and grammar, and ESL courses. > > Before this all happened, my Master Teacher told me from > the beginning that she thinks that I am not prepared to > become an English teacher because I lack English speaking, > and writing skills. Also, she sent an e-mail to my advisor > that she is concerned that I will not become a good role > model to the students because I lack English skills. I > have spent the majority of my student teaching observing in > the classroom, and she has only seen me teach eleven > times. There were several of times when she just all of > sudden ask me to jump in and teach, expecting that I am > prepared and knowledgeable to teach the materials. I was > very uncomfortable with the situation, and was afraid that > I will make a mistake, which I have made a few minor > mistakes. She tells me that I am not knowledgeable of > English because of the few minor mistakes that I have made > during the times when she had me jump in and teach without > preparation on my part. Moreover, I have been treated with > disrespect, and degraded of my abilities because I am a > second language learner, and am bilingual. I was born in > the United States, and I have spoken two languages when I > was one years old, according to my parents. Basically, I > am treated as if I was trash, and that my educational > background means nothing. My Master Teacher laughed at me > once during a conversation because she felt I should know > everything, since I have a Masters degree. > > In addition, I am being criticized by my supervisor that I > am not knowledgeable because the e-mails that I have made > to my advisor and seminar teacher. He said I made numerous > mistakes; however, when I look back at my saved e-mails, > there were only a few minor errors in grammar because I was > e-mailing them at nights or on days when I am tired. I do > not know what will happen to me yet, but I hope that things > work out well for me. I have spent close to $28,000 of > federal loans, and $5,500 of alternative loans to help pay > for my student teaching, and to help with my living > expenses during student teaching. I shared my concerns > with everyone about my expenses, and how I am going to pay > for the few classes that they might require of me to > complete Plan B. > > I personally am not a perfectionist, but it seems as though > people expect me to be a perfectionist because I am going > to be an English teacher. I wonder how many English > teachers in the world think they have excellent grammar > with no errors, and think that they know everything about > English? English is a complex subject, and there are too > many components to deal with in English besides grammar. > In fact, most English teachers do not spend to much time on > grammar because the CSTs do not cover too much on grammar. > I am so frustrated with the student teaching process, and > so is my family. > > My mother has been supportive of me since the beginning of > student teaching. I know there were multiple days when I > came home crying, and explaining to her about my struggles > in student teaching. I have told her about my experience > with my Master Teacher. When I asked my seminar teacher if > my mother can attend the meeting after they have written a > Plan B for me, she told me no, and she do not think the > other people will allow for her to come. She said it is > mainly about me, and explained my mother is extremely > concerned about my welfare. She told me that I need to > take responsibility of my own education, and that my mother > needs to leave me alone. I kind of got a negative view > about my seminar teacher after the conversation because any > family member will be concerned about what happens to > another family member. > > Ever since the middle of my student teaching until now, I > am currently on anti-depressants. I am increasingly sad > every day about the whole situation, and fear for my > future. I will wait for the Plan B, or if I will have a > Plan B, because they have two choices to kick me out or let > me show improvement. > > Another thing, I keep on getting multiple answers from my > advisor and seminar teacher about what the principal and my > Master Teacher says about my performance. First, they told > my advisor, that I do not interact with the teachers and > other school workers well. Second, they told my seminar > teacher that I lack knowledge in English. The principal > only observed me two times teaching the class. In > addition, I have been graciously kind to assist the school > during urgent situations, and also have helped my Master > Teacher with several tasks, such as making copies, posting > student work on the walls, and other things. I tried to be > polite and kind to everyone, but end up being kicked out. >

Nov 30, 2011

report post