Note to all student teachers:

3 things I wish I would've known before stepping my foot in the classroom.

1) Do not trust the students...even for a second
I do not mean that they cannot be trusted. I just mean that we really need those eyes in the back of our heads already (especially with all of the dangerously sharp objects in the art room). What this looks like: I am always in a position in the classroom where I can see everyone all of the time. That takes some pre-planning and quickly moving my eyes around the room almost constantly. Seriously, sometimes I feel more like a cop than a teacher!

2) Three to six page long Unit Plans are awesome but when you are teaching 5 different courses per day and only have about 50 mins./day of prep this is not realistic. In a pinch, I need: 2-3 lesson or learning objectives, a small paragraph of how-to's and list of materials and then a sentence or two about assessments/grading criteria and a very well thought out rubric to go over with the students. Oh, and don't forget the student sample or visual example. They absolutely need some sort of visual framework to go by. This does limit their options and sometimes imagination but it's usually very hard to figure out what your teacher is looking for without an example.

3) Panic and extreme emotional exhaustion is normal! Most teachers just teach and sleep their way through their first year. I had a situation with a student that could have ended badly and she should have been sent to the vice principal. I didn't really handle it totally to protocol but I know this student well and knew she was testing me to see how far she could go. She may have won that battle but now I have the discipline tool belt (after talking to the powers that be and hearing their first week of teaching stories) to know what to do and how to handle it better next time. Because there will be a next time and it could escalate. Should I do the dance or should I be firm, calm and in control? hmm