The End is Near

This was my last week of teaching on my own at my first placement. There were definitely some rough days this week.. Two of my students had a few difficult days, and they were not easy to handle. Those were the days when I thought, "I hope tomorrow is better!" One of the students had missed almost the whole week before, and I think he was having trouble readjusting to being back at school. The other student's mom was coming at the end of the week for a surprise baby shower for my cooperating teacher. I think this was making her very anxious, and that is why she was acting out all week. When students have bad days, I think it is really important that I try to understand why they had a bad day. If I can figure out why they are acting the way they are, it might help me prevent behaviors or more bad days in the future.

One of our weekly activities is going to the library every Wednesday. It is one of our favorite things to do as a class, and the students look forward to it every week. We take a bus to the Tinley Park Public Library for a few hours in the afternoon, and if it is nice out, we go to the park afterwards. It is a lot of fun for the students, and it gives them a chance to be out in the community. We are able to teach them how they should act in a library, and how to check things out. The students can check out books, movies, CDs, and even video games, but my teacher puts a limit on movies and video games. The kids have a lot of fun deciding what they are going to check out, and it gives them the opportunity to make choices on their own. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards state that, "The competent teacher uses strategies and techniques for facilitating meaningful inclusion of individuals with disabilities" (6M). My students are almost teenagers so it is good for them to practice going out in the community, and making decisions on their own. Not only do they need instruction in the classroom, but they also need to learn how to be a member of society. Going on field trips to the library, grocery store, or movie theater give the students an opportunity to be out in the community. The students have fun doing this, and they are also learning a lot.

I have two more weeks at this placement, and this week my cooperating teacher will start taking over the class again. I've had a lot of fun teaching my students, and I have learned so much. I already know that it is going to be extremely hard leaving them in two weeks, but we'll cross that bridge when the time comes.. Until then, I will continue to learn from my cooperating teacher and my students, and I will enjoy the last weeks of my time at St. Coletta's!