Week 1- "Getting to Know You" 

This first week feels a bit like that scene from the King and I 

What do you find most daunting about finishing student teaching and graduating from college?

The things I find most daunting about finishing student teaching and graduating are finding a job, and finding a job in a school that I can thrive in. I am really nervous about applying for jobs and not being able to find one. I'm also worried that I will end up in a school where for some reason I don't get along with the principal or other teachers. These thoughts literally keep me up at night. I don't know how I'll be able to tell if a school is the "right" one!

What was the pivotal event that made you decide to become a teacher and enter your teacher preparation program? Employers almost always ask questions similar to this.

I have always been interested in teaching. Even as a child the "teacher game" was one of my favorites. I think I always knew I wanted to teach, so applying to the college of education was not as pivotal for me as the opportunity I had to teach my first class by myself. I applied for a summer job teaching art at a day camp. I taught two classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I can't even begin to describe my feelings of euphoria when I heard a child say "I love this class!". My students made me laugh, and surprised me everyday with their creativity. They took projects farther than I could imagine them as an adult, and that was the best part. When I was done teaching at that camp, I knew that I could go to school everyday and teach art. I started at eight and when it was over at three thirty, it seemed as if the day had passed in seconds! That really was the most pivotal experience for me, and my realization that I wanted to become a teacher.

In what ways will your wardrobe change during student teaching and as a teaching professional?

This is a funny question, because my friends, family and room mates have always commented that my sense of style is a bit bookish. I enjoy cardigans, polos and khakis more than employees at the gap. However, I do feel like I will have to become more conservative in the summer at public areas, such as the swimming pool, and the farmers market. I know that the chances of meeting students and their families at places like this are high, and I want to maintain a respectable and professional demeanor as a public figure in the community.