here we go

Coming up with new activities for classrooms is one of my favorite things in the whole world. I get really nervous sometimes though - as I worry things will blow up in my face. I suppose I shouldn't be nervous about that because things are going to blow up. It has happened in lacrosse, and it will happen in the classroom - although I hope it happens as few times as possible. As I think about student teaching ... and teaching ... I get a little apprehensive. However, through that, it is nice to have friends and other peers who I know are the same situation...and I know that we'll be able to share lessons and units, which makes the entire situation not so daunting.

I think that technology is amazing, and one thing I look forward to is being able to use that technology to integrate my history classroom with other history classrooms. My friend K and I have spoken about having our students communicate with each other using the internet. What a great opportunity will it be for students to work with each other at different schools :)

Right now, I am working on my Revolutionary War unit for Teaching History. It is fun to put together, but frustrating. It also shows me what my workload is going to be like in the spring, and makes me wish that I had picked something that I'll be teaching in the spring...but this unit will be of help when I get my first job net fall (hopefully!) I wish that I knew the kids I was planning this unit for. It has a fair amount of group collaboration, which I think is important. However, if the students really don't respond well to working in groups...it will have to be tweaked...which is really no big deal. I wish that I could try this out on students and see if it actually worked :)

Student teaching gets closer every single day, and I get a little bit more nervous every day. I will be teaching and coaching lacrosse, which will be a reality for me - but it will be tough this spring. I'll be working with a 7th and 8th grade team as a head coach, and then I will also assistant coach at the high school I'm working at. This will be the first time I'll be back to lacrosse 6 days a week since I played in high school myself...and it will be nice. I always feel better when I can get out and run around. Plus, I love the coaching environment - and actually feel more comfortable there than I do when I'm in a classroom as of right now. I'm going to visit my new students this week...which should be fun. I am nervous that they'll be upset about having a student teacher, which I guess is a legitimate concern, but I am hoping that everything will go smoothly. I'm really excited about the two teachers I am working with - I think I am going to learn a lot, and they are going to let me loose, which is nice. It would be really difficult for me to try to fit into someone else's style I think.

I suppose that is all for tonight. Time to get some sleep so I can keep plugging away tomorrow!