Pesavento Student Teaching

Week 13 is down!      This week, I took over the World Studies class at my second placement and began a unit on Ancient Greece. I have to say that 10th grade is waaaaaaaaay different than 5th grade. This week the students and I looked at the geography of Ancient Greece and how geography affected the development of early city-states. We also read the Greek Creation Myth together, looking for in-text evidence of different aspects of the Greek world that the myth explains. I had the students create their own myths to answer one of these questions: What happens after we die? How did mankind come into existence? a weather event (from the perspective of an ancient Greek person), or how did anger, greed, envy, violence, or hate enter the world? That assignment ended up being really fun and most of the students got into creating their myth. A few even asked if they could take it home to work on it more! That was the highlight of my week. I also had them do a group project wh...

Week 12 in the books! This was my first week at my second placement. My cooperating teacher and I had previously agreed that I would start the week observing while he finished the unit on India. However, he did throw me in the ring to lead class discussions on the first day. I was so nervous! I tried to pretend like I wasn't, and really hope that I succeeded. However, that was nerve-racking. I had a little part in the classes each day after that. I handed out, timed, and collected quizzes, and led another series of class discussions. I know he did that so the students could at least have a little face time with me instead of just being the stranger hanging out in the corner observing. I take over the World Studies class on Tuesday with a unit on Ancient Greece! There are a few factors that I think may affect my experience teaching high school. First, I'm student teaching at a hard time for the students. They had their regular teacher for a few weeks, were off two weeks for...

Well, Week 11 is in the books! I found myself battling frustration and anxiety this week. The unknown end of the CPS strike at the beginning of the week added a level of anxiety to edTPA submission week that gnawed me to the bones. I found myself experiencing increasing levels of anxiety that were unprecedented and affected my day to day life. In addition, my position over the past two weeks of observing rather than teaching became a source of additional anxiety. I just wanted to be in the classroom in the teacher role! I have calmed myself down enough to focus on the tasks ahead of me and curriculum requirements for graduation and will worry about the edTPA when it's time for the scores to be released. If I did not do well, I will do whatever I have to do to resubmit and pass. This is the only career that I want and it took me a VERY long time to figure out where I belong.  My first placement was so incredibly kind to let me stay there, observe, and lend a hand when needed duri...

Week 10 down! Well, this post will not be as long as previous ones due to my observance all week. It was strange to go back to my placement on Tuesday morning after the big farewell party last Friday. I was received with a warm welcome, though, so that eased my anxiety.  I spent time in the third grade social studies class on Tuesday and Wednesday. Just my luck, they were working on geography skills! The students were working on locating the 7 continents, the 5 major oceans, and beginning the United States. I still have the world and United States floor puzzle in my trunk, so I pulled those out for the students to manipulate. They enjoyed it as much as my 5th graders did, of course it was much harder for them to complete. Speaking of my fifth graders, I was observing in the third grade class because it's on the other side of the building,and I was kind of hiding from them. I got busted on Thursday, though. I just told them I'm hanging out a little longer due to the CPS strike...

Week 9 in the books! Well, this week was pretty different. With the CTU strike looming from the beginning of the week, I was not really sure how this week would play out. My cooperating teacher and I decided on conducting class as usual. She has been taking over as lead teacher in most classes, but I was still teaching some and present in all classes to assist. We were still on science, and I had an observation by the college supervisor on Thursday. That day, I taught all three of the science blocks, per my cooperating teacher's request. She really liked the lesson and thought that the whole 5th grade should experience it from me. As far as the students were concerned, that would be their last lesson from me. The students threw me a beautiful party on Friday afternoon. The amount of love and appreciation I experienced was something I will fail to be able to put into words. I will miss these kids every single day! Although I will be there on Tuesday, I was unsure if the strike wou...

Week 8 in the books!     This week was actually kind of sad. My students know I am set to leave next Friday, and several of them have approached me individually and in groups to share with me their concerns over my departure. I have already received several "I'm going to miss you" art work from a few! It makes me sad to think that they are so anxious, but my heart is full because I was able to make a difference in their education for the short time I have with them. I have come to love ALL my students so much it makes my heart ache to leave them.I was informed that my current placement has given the green light for me to extend my student teaching at the school should a CPS strike occur, but I treated the end of this week as if I am for sure leaving next Friday. I did not want to give the students false hope if the strike does not occur, or if it is over by the time I am to begin my new placement. They are already sad and anxious, and I did not want to exacerbate that. ...