My first week as a teaching assistant (or "Co-teacher," as I'm apparently referred to...and the difference is in how I operate in the classroom with the other teacher) at Accotink has been quite successful, I think. The other teachers are all very positive and friendly, and I've felt nothing but welcomed there. Everyone works together as much as possible to facilitate the kids' learning experience, from the administration to the teachers (which is pretty rare, from what I can tell about the way most schools are run). There's a cohesion and sense of common purpose and drive that's refreshing. Everyone has their own approaches and styles and systems, but it's all working towards the same goal. It's a good place to be, I think.
Today was an interesting day at work, though. Fridays are a little strange: every class is a few minutes shorter to facilitate a longer lunch period, during which students who have earned a certain number of feedback points (given based on things like completed homework, following classroom directions, respecting others, etc.) can go to one of a few restaurants for lunch (we usually have closed campus). There's also a room set up for videogames and the like. I ended up volunteering to work in the game room, since (1) I was the only one of the teachers who really knew how to hook all the stuff up and (2) I stood the best chance of not being hoodwinked by the kids about certain games.
We also had a bake sale today. Students who'd behaved themselves got to go over and participate. They also managed to find out that I own and strum a guitar, so they dragged me over there to play a couple of songs. It was actually quite fun, and everyone seemed to enjoy the experience (I know, I'm as surprised as you are). Even gave a student an impromtu guitar lesson at the end of school this afternoon, which she seemed absolutely thrilled by. Who knew teaching a girl the G, C, and D chords could be such an exciting experience for both the student and the teacher?
~chuck
Song of the Moment: Blue Mountain, "Last Words of Midnight Clyde"
Friday, September 16, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
What exactly is your job as co-teacher?
Mel
It really varies from teacher to teacher. All of them use me to hand out assignments and such, collect the previous day's homework, and things like that. I also help keep the class in line, usually by walking around and reminding disruptive students to pay attention quietly. The history teacher often lets me lead half the class in reading and discussion, and has a couple of times let me lead the whole class. The English teacher has me working with a couple of kids in one class period who are a grade ahead of the other kids, and I'm essentially taching the separate older ones a different lesson on my own (it's worked well so far). The journalism teacher...well, she's not really in control of her classroom at all. I sorta am, but it's a tenuous control at best. The geometry teacher has me checking and grading homework, assisting students with questions (which all of them let me do, mind you), and things like that. The way it usually works for all of the classes is that I'm an extension of the main teacher, an extra set of eyes and ears and hands to do what needs to be done when and where it needs to be done.
I also am the only one there without a planning period, but that's just how things go sometimes, y'know?
I've never really gotten the purpose of the planning hour. I mean, usually a lunch hour is provided. There are breaks between classes. Is it really good to give teachers an extra hour in the middle of the day to think about how futile so much of their work is? I mean, its surprising how few just walk off.
...I'm not cynical at all.
Sounds like a cool job.
Monkey, planning hours are essential in the world of teaching. That's when I grade papers, make my lesson plans for the next week, and gossip with the other teachers. Of course, it might be different when you teach higher grades.
Mel
That's pretty much how it works in the higher grades, too, Mel. The other thing is that we actually don't have any time between classes: the kids go directly from one class to the next, sit down, and start on the next subject. And lunch is usually just long enough to eat, and that's it.
Admittedly, it's not like I have much of anything to do during a planning period, but I will once I actually take on the role of the primary teacher. Granted, I should have a planning period by then, too.
Planning periods are for making comics!
Post a Comment