Going into the trenches: questions, thoughts, goals

While I’ve had some internship experience working with children, I’ve never partaken in a practicum before. There are many thoughts that are floating through my head. What will the teacher I work with ask me to do? Will I be with a partner? (What grade level will I teach at? Hopefully I will teach an older group, since my ultimate goal is to teach at the high school level.) Will the teacher there like me? How will I be evaluated? How much control will I have in this experience, and how much is it me doing what I’m told? How will I prove that I can be an effective teacher?

While any new experience comes with worry, this one in particular is very important to me. It is important that I do my best and learn as much as possible. I find myself to be a bit of a perfectionist, so when I make a mistake I get down on myself for it. However, I have to learn that just like drawing or painting, teaching is a skill that comes with practice. My goal is to remain curious about what I am teaching, why I’m teaching it, and how to build good relationships with those around me.