Spring Break

Today marks the beginning of Spring Break!

It feels great to have a week off to be able to catch up with life and the simple enjoyments. It is also very exciting considering how near the end of this journey is approaching. Our portfolios, which mark the culmination and end to our work, are due by May 1st! That being said, there is still plenty to be done before we receive our degrees.

Currently, I have finished the first of two weeks in which I teach the entire class for the complete day. As part of the program, as required by the state, student teachers have to "take over" the classroom for two weeks. It seems as a daunting task when you first begin the program but you are more than well prepared by the time April comes around. That is not to say that difficulties will not be had but that you will have enough experience and tools to work through and problem solve instruction and management. It is a worthwhile experience as many of my peers and I have voiced how much practical learning has been had during these full days of teaching.

Just a couple of things to keep in mind as you, the students are going to be wild and off the wall on Friday before Spring Break so it would be wise to plan activities that will help manage their excitement-I just learned the hard way. I have come to learn that classroom management is a very delicate balance that becomes a craft of trying to strike a very specific balance between your desired level of control while allowing them, the students, to be.