After Graduation: what's next?!

 I graduated!!! But...What's next?!?

CONGRADULATIONS! You have made it through the hardest part of becoming a teacher! I know that my last few weeks of graduation was one of the most stressful times of my life! I actually did my end of semester project completely wrong! But that is probably a story for another time! 

So, now that you have that AWESOME degree, what happens now? I'll tell you that I'm sure that my personal experience was probably not the norm but everything works out either way! It's all going to be alright! 

Towards the end of my internship, I knew that finding a permanent position was going to be almost impossible in the middle of the year. Especially the school district that I am in because it is one of the most competitive that I have ever seen.  Thankfully, a paraprofessional position opened up! The day that it was posted I went to the principal and talked to him about it and was told to apply the same day! Before I even walked across the stage I had this job lined up for me! 

Something important that I have learned is that there will be times where that perfect position just isn't out there yet. That's okay! The main thing is to get a foot in the door! Apply for every position even if it isn't your top pick! That's what I am in the process of doing now! I am applying for every position that I can because in the long run it is better to turn down a job than to not have one at all! 

The fact is that schools need you. So don't worry! The perfect position may not be there but it will be eventually! Something else that I learned is that now is not the time to stress. Where I live, there is currently only 4 math teacher positions open that I am certified for. I was told, however, that this is really uncommon! Positions usually do not even begin to open until AFTER spring break! All this time I was worried for nothing! 

Overall, the main message is put yourself out there! Whatever you end up doing make sure that you do it to the best of your own abilities. I know that right now, I spend each day trying to make sure that my job as a Para is done better than the day before. I also take every opportunity to help other teachers as well. I love to go around to teachers (especially in the math department) and be of any help that I can! It helps to build rapport within the school and show that you are a team player! That's what I think teaching is all about! Helping each other and putting the students first!

In all that you do, make sure it is done well! Go forth, and TEACH!!

Tips From A Recent Grad!

Tips From A Recent Graduate!

In education, we know that December marks the smack middle of the school year. So, what does this mean for people who are graduating in December? I'm not sure how typical my situation was, but I have learned a lot from my own experiences.

Student teaching is HARD! Never let anyone tell you otherwise! There is two levels of school that you are dealing with. You are both the student as well as the teacher. Balancing your own school work, projects, and personal life is hard enough. Then you add on top of that all of the duties and responsibilities of a school teacher (8th grade in my case) and it is INSANE! Also an added bonus that my specific internship was 40+ hours a week....UNpaid! It was a lot to deal with! Being completely transparent, there were times that I would cry from being overwhelmed from all of it. BUT, if I can make it...so can you!

Stay organized!!

This is the number one tip that I have! Being honest, until this last semester of college I was the messiest person you would ever see! I did not have things in order, even my planner was a mess! This is something that is a huge no in education. Time is precious in the classroom because everyone knows we don't get enough of it! If you know anything about teaching, then you know that the first and the last five minutes of class are not yours. That typically leaves 45 minutes for each class to have instruction and to get done what you have them doing for the day! Fumbling around and looking for papers or getting things ready is wasting even more of the already short time. Also it makes you look bad to both the students and your mentor teacher.

Be Prepared!

This is another really big one I had to learn. Being prepared doesn't just mean that you have a worksheet handy for the students when they walk into the room! This means mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared as well. The biggest part of this for me was being mentally prepared. I was really bad about not going through the night before and working out the content on my own. I'm not sure how I thought teaching was as easy as just knowing how to work the problems. The best thing that I learned to do was sit down the night before my lesson and go through it like I would have taught it. I picked out different problems that showed the content I specifically needed to cover and even had a few backups just incase. I picked out what I would do myself, the notes, the guided practice, and what the students would do independently. It made the actual teaching go so much smoother! This is also the time to refresh on your content! Especially being an intern, there is SO much content that I came across that I had not done in at least a few years! It's been a while since you were in school so remember that!

Don't sweat the small stuff!

I remember a day during my final internship that I ended up SO upset because halfway through the day I realized that I had taught something wrong! I was so embarrassed and I felt TERRIBLE for teaching these kids something incorrectly! It was just one of those days that got to me and resulted in crying in the teachers lounge. Thankfully the community at my school is one of the best I have ever been a part of. A few seasoned teachers told me about the times they had mishaps and that it was all part of learning and growing in the profession. This leads me to my next point....

Be prepared to learn.

Being a teacher means that you have just signed up to be a student for the rest of your life! I know that I am constantly learning new things from mentors, teachers, and even the students! This is a profession that you will always be growing, improving, and making appropriate modifications. Just because one day is not going how you planned doesn't mean that it is a complete loss! Each day is brand new and a new opportunity to grow! The day that I had taught them all wrong I was able to go back the next day and admit my mistake! The kids took it in stride and we ended up laughing about it! 

Overall, this is one of the most challenging and rewarding professions that there is. I am so thankful to be a part of this community and comfortable to make these mistakes so I can learn and grow from them. Never be afraid to ask for help from anyone! There have been times (especially with technology) that I have even asked students for help! Just take everyday in stride and keep on learning! 

 

The Beginning!

Hello! 

My name is Heather! I am a 22 year old recent graduate living in Arkansas! I just graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a Bachelors of Arts in Education! I plan to teach middle school but I work as a paraprofessional right now with 8th and 9th grade!  

I have always loved to read and write! I have never been the best at writing but I figured why not give this a shot. I love having a creative outlet because I am constantly doing something artsy! I want this blog to be a place to talk about my experiences as well as a place to learn from others. I believe that becoming a teacher is taking on a lifestyle of learning because there is always something new to learn. Just in this year I have learned so much not only from mentors, but other teachers and students as well. I want to live a life that is full of new discoveries while also teaching kids math in a way that is fun and engaging! 

So, to tell a little about myself. I live in Central Arkansas with my wonderful fiancé and our two precious dogs! The tan lab is named Willow Brooke. She is 5 years old and my calm child. She loves to lounge around and sleep! The black lab is named Dolly Mae! She is almost 2 years old and she is the epitome of the second child! She is absolutely wild and loves to act crazy. They are both rescues and we love them like real children!