For the past month I've been going into schools and observing student teachers, each observation followed by a meeting to talk about the lesson. I have two big take-ways from the experience.
1) A high school social studies lesson plan isn't rocket science and while there are lots of variations, there's a basic structure that works, and that structure works even better with consistent unit planning. Which also isn't rocket science. I'm preaching this at the student teachers constantly.
2) I'm glad I'm not a teacher any more because it's so exhausting, physically, emotionally. There were lots of rewarding things about it, but teaching takes a toll. I sort of tell the students this, so they don't feel like failures for being tired all the time from their admirable efforts to give a damn and be good, but I don't tell them that it doesn't always get easier.
Oh, and I'm jealous because most schools in the area take students' phones away now (or make them stash them in those little bags so they can't use them). I swear I would have killed to have some administrative decision above my head lift the stress of phones in the classroom off my shoulders.
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| In between school visits I'm doing lots of writing and walking and watching leaves fall. I think this is some kind of distance marker in the local park, but I don't really know. I just like what happened with the leaf. |
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| Bonus Cat Content of the Week: Chipmunk eating the pumpkin seeds I put out on the deck for them. With a Very Interested Audience. |
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