Introduction: I chose to move to Denver for my student teaching experience. This made for an interesting sixteen weeks, as I learned about a new city along with how to be a teacher. My first eight weeks were at Columbian Elementary School, one of the oldest schools in the district. My second placement was at a very new and large high school, Northfield High School. Reflecting on both placements, I will always view this time as essential in making me the person and teacher that I am. At several moments in both placements, I recognized that I was doing something just like one of my mentor teachers does. They both were such role models for me and the way that I conduct myself in the classroom has been forever changed for the better because of their influence. The students also had a profound impact on me. Their kindness, sweetness, eagerness, and at times their patience, made me realize that I chose the right career. During such a difficult time, considering the pandemic, these students made me excited to get up in the morning. As a teacher, my life has a purpose that feels meaningful to me.
Pandemic reflection: At first glance, student teaching in a pandemic seems like it would take away from the experience, but overall I feel that it actually prepared me very well for teaching and gives me a unique advantage in the field. I know how to be flexible, think of my feet, and adapt to pretty much any situation. Nothing went as planned this year, and I accepted that and made the best of it. I learned to think on the fly and roll with the punches. I also learned so much about technology. Even when we are all back in person, I want to keep using some of the technologies that I became familiar with in ways that will add so much value to the traditional classroom. This will better prepare my students for the future as well, because technology is the future. Overall I feel that student teaching in a pandemic was a give and take, and I made the best of it.
Pandemic reflection: At first glance, student teaching in a pandemic seems like it would take away from the experience, but overall I feel that it actually prepared me very well for teaching and gives me a unique advantage in the field. I know how to be flexible, think of my feet, and adapt to pretty much any situation. Nothing went as planned this year, and I accepted that and made the best of it. I learned to think on the fly and roll with the punches. I also learned so much about technology. Even when we are all back in person, I want to keep using some of the technologies that I became familiar with in ways that will add so much value to the traditional classroom. This will better prepare my students for the future as well, because technology is the future. Overall I feel that student teaching in a pandemic was a give and take, and I made the best of it.