Practicum Blog 2

     My placement will be beginning this week! After a late start and a personal tragedy, I'm finally ready to get going. Better late than never! It has been longer than I would have liked since I've done any hands-on work in a classroom but I don't think I'm alone. That's just how this year is going. 

    The first week my plan is to get comfortable in the space. It always takes me a bit to feel comfortable in a new place with new people, especially right now. My objective for the week is simple, I want to observe as much as I can. I want to get comfortable with my cooperating teacher, learn their style of teaching. A big stumbling block for me has been behaviors and the best way to handle them. I want to take notes on the cooperating teacher's behavior strategies, spend time with the students, and get an idea for the flow and organization of the classroom. For example, what is the beginning of class like? Do the students start with movement or do they start seated, listening for directions.  

    Starting my placement this week will be uncomfortable and awkward as I've spent much of the last few weeks in a hard place emotionally. It will feel uncomfortable to be around a lot of people again but its time to start so I'm going to do it.