student teacher #1

This semester, for the first of hopefully many times to come, I have a pre-practicum student teacher. Just as I feel that I learn subject matter content best through preparing lessons and teaching, I feel that in a lot of ways I have been able to critique my own practice through observation of my student teacher. It challenges me to observe the way that my understudy replicates my own practice, and highlights how formulaic many of my classes can become if I allow them to be. With winter recess rapidly approaching and the possibility of having another pre-practicum student teacher next semester, I look forward to a fresh start and hope that I can make my observations and critiques meaningful in my own instruction and planning.