Student Teaching: Prep Week

I spent three days this week with my mentor teacher, mostly in meetings, prepping for the first week of school beginning next Wednesday. The 4th grade class is going to be a lot of fun, and I will be tossed into a situation that will be foreign yet familiar at the same time.

Some highlights from the prep week:

--Getting to play tennis with my mentor teacher after school on Thursday. Playing tennis with him after school and having an environment outside of school to discuss things is going to be great.

--The nurse giving a demonstration about Epi-pens for children who have seizures. She described how in her demonstration the day prior she accidentally used a loaded Epi-pen instead of the training one. She didn't even notice the needle jabbing into her thigh until a minute later when a teacher asked why she was bleeding... the nurse described the feeling as a jolt of energy, nothing too crazy.

--Six of the teachers, representing each grade level, went to a teaching conference in Napa Valley over the summer and they have been instructing the rest of the teachers on morning meetings with the students. Morning meeting is a meet and greet that attempts to get all of the students active and involved in the class. There is sharing, games and a few other things to get kids engaged first thing in the morning. The lessons are fun and a good idea, add in the fact that I might get paid to go on trips to Napa Valley in the future--suh-weet!

--Receiving a warm welcome from every staff member at the school. I really feel like the school will be a great fit for me, and I think I'll also be a great fit for the school.