What do you think is the most challenging role a teacher plays? Why?

It’s so easy for the teacher to be fun and friendly. To be excited about teaching and wanting to be your student’s friend. I think the hard part is when you have to show a little tough love to kids. Being the boss isn’t always easy, to show kids there are consequences to their actions. It’s our job to prepare kids for the real world and if all we do is show them kittens and rainbows, how does that prepares them for the increase of responsibilities and work in coming years? Our goal as educators is to prepare these kids to be successful in life. It’s not just our goal but the goal of every school, state and even the whole nation.

Right now I am working with 6^th graders and many of them do not understand that in just a few short months they will be in junior high where childish tantrums and unfinished school work gets you know where. I was grading math packets and many of the students just left spaces, even pages blank. I gave them back to the teacher and together we had to talk to those students and explain to them that part of growing up is learning to be responsible and that teachers in junior high will not always give them a second chance at assignments. It was a very difficult conversation. Some of the kids even cried, how much easier would it have been for that teacher to just say “Oh their still young, we’ll cut them some slack.”

What clerical and preparation responsibilities have you participated in?

I have definitely learned that being a teacher isn't all apples and gold stars. During my time volunteering, I've helped grade assignments and projects. Just the other day I spent a few hours organizing a filing cabinets. Teachers participate in a lot of time consuming a work that doesn't involve teaching at all. But knowing this still doesn't hurt my resolve to teach.

There is still joy in the mundane things. Sitting grading projects or assignments with the teacher, it was not uncommon for her to be so happy reading the responses of the students or marveling that the progress that a student had made or that he or she had managed to complete the project at all. Even checking on my progress in organizing her cabinet, I could tell how excited she was to move on to the chapters I was replacing. Small joys and triumphs, that is what this work is all about.

What modifications for learners who are exceptional do you see?

What modifications for learners who are exceptional do you see?

There is a few exceptional students and today as they finished putting together a project it become quite apparent. I can tell that teachers have to do so much and that it was nice to have a second pair of hands. Even the students who excel know to help the few with learning disabilities in the class. During their 30 minute reading time there is one girl who can read along as another student reads aloud to her. There are so many possible ways to tailor a class to a child’s need. The possibilities are as limited as your imagination.

In class today, the teacher had an open discussion with the kids about the problems she has seen and the need for change because different learning needs. She even asked their advice and put a few ideas up on the board. I notice how she included all the kids and most everyone participated and all of the students agreed to the new changes. The teacher also told the students what she had tried to do to remedy the problem and also that even though it was slightly affective it did not solve the problem. With 6^th graders this was affective, with a younger class I can’t say how affective it will be.