Day 2

As it turns out, I don't want a break from my classes as much as I sometimes think I do. This fact is clear to me this week as I hand my beloved classroom over to my student-teacher. Don't get me wrong, I love the flexibility that having a student-teacher offers. What teacher do you know has the freedom to take as many bathroom breaks as she likes? Oops, I forgot to check my box. No problem, I'll walk down to the office right now. What's that? Sped paperwork due on Thursday? Ha, I've got it right here, and it's only Tuesday. In just two days, I've filed several sets of final drafts in writing portfolios and designed a new reflection sheet for their next self-evaluation. I passed a birthday card around to my team before a lunchtime celebration, practically floating down the hall in my new-found freedom--not at all like the sprinting I've found myself doing when it comes to getting things done around school.

My young protege has been in my classroom since the middle of January. She came in at the start of a unit, and I was focused on showing her what a well-planned and happy teacher looked like. Some days were better than others for demonstrating that reality, but I certainly felt I needed to be "on" as she watched and gradually became more involved. Now? It's her time to shine, and as proscribed by the university handbook, I've stepped out of the spotlight and given her some tap shoes and a microphone. Fortunately, the role suits her.

Meanwhile, I've taken my seat behind my desk (a rare occurrence with students in the room). She's using a combination of her own activities and my materials, and the familiarity of the content makes it difficult to keep my thoughts in my head. I'm pleased to see how well a student-led discussion I designed works when I'm eavesdropping on (not evaluating) the kids, but I'm so accustomed to joining in when I want. It's exciting to hear their responses to questions I would have asked, and I want to tell them. So what do I do? I steal side-conversations when the kids have been asked to write silently. I walk casually to the pencil sharpener, look over a few writers' shoulders and whisper a quick comment. Thankfully, they still look to me for validation, so I'll give them a knowing glance or a smile of approval. Otherwise, I sure would miss them terribly.