Student Teaching: Hard days, and hard days you are grateful to miss

Week one of student teaching finally came to a close.

I got a phone call Thursday night from Mr. G, one of my cooperating teachers. He had a horrible toothache (late found it was in pretty bad shape) and was calling in a sub for the next day. He took a moment to let me know what the plan was for the next day so I could help support the sub. When I arrived Friday morning, no one else was in the classroom. And no one came. Turned out the school was short 6 subs across campus. Eek. So I had to step in and take over his classes all day. By the second class, I had to send two girls to the office with referrals. Refused to do anything. Disrupted other students. Talking back. I think one girl really thought I was going to cave, back down, and give her what she wanted. If you cave on day one, they'll walk over you all year. I sent the first girl but kept the second for a while so they wouldn't think they were getting rewarded and sit and hang out. The second girl I sent to the back of the room, without her iPod to listen to, until I thought the other girl was in the Assistant Principal's office. When I walked the other girl to the office 15 minutes later, I found the first girl in the hall. She still had not found her way to the office yet. The next class is usually pretty loud, but I was so relieved to see them after that.

In the midst of the fiasco came a very sad moment. Mrs. G got an email from the administration. A boy at a nearby middle school brought a gun to school. Not just any middle school, but the one I am assigned to continue my student teaching at in a month and a half. He intended to kill himself, but a staff member talked him down before anyone was hurt.