End of Student Teaching

Actually, I finished my student teaching internship last Friday. Altogether, I taught Mrs. Moore's world literature classes for approximately 9 weeks, covering three units (grammar basics, Epic of Gilgamesh and The Iliad). For Mr. Scott, I assumed control of the classroom for 7 weeks, handling the pantomime portion of the intro to drama unit and all of the improv unit. The minimum requirement was just four weeks, but I'm not sure how anyone could prove he/she was ready to be a teacher based on four weeks. Some may say the same for student teaching for just 10 or 11 weeks, but I'd rationalize that, over the course of ten weeks, one would have a pretty good idea whether he/she possessed the tools necessary handle a classroom. Somehow I managed to fit in quite a few points of interest.

The last two weeks were no exception:

• The student whose stories seemed to be all over the place (among other things, he claimed he had been searched by Chicago police officers because they suspected he had a loaded weapon in his possession) spent most of my final two weeks in a posh psychiatric facility before returning to the classroom on my final day. I guess he's certifiable.
• One of my best students transferred to another school because she and her family believed that she wasn't safe in the building. Hopefully, her transition is going smoothly. 
• The student who refused to participate in the improv research project was denied again in his quest to transfer to a different class, as he had missed three programming opportunities during his junior year. Mr. Scott had another chat with the student, learning that the student didn't want to work with the gay students in his group. Not that either Mr. Scott or myself believe that is an acceptable position, but the greater irony is that there weren't any gay students in the group which he had been assigned. For improv group performances, I actually succeeded in placing the student with a different group, led by one of the school jocks. Of course, I was all but certain that that plan would fail when the first character the jock assumed in their improv game was a gay hairstylist. Thankfully, everything worked out.
• One of the teachers in the music department quit at the end of the quarter, leaving the school in the lurch--especially when it came time to do parent-teacher conferences the following week. While I understand that the teacher felt out of place in this profession, most would agree that there could have been better timing.

Of course, the parent-teacher conferences were fairly "educational" as well. One female student--bright but failing due to lack of submitted assignments--came in with her father. Mrs. Moore and I knew there were some emotional issues going on anyway, based on the student's irrational behavior and what we knew of her background, but the tension between the girl and her father was palpable. At one point, she told him to shut up, and she said there were troubles at home. More discussion led to tears. I played the encouragement card, noting that she was quite capable of doing the work. I will be curious to know how the rest of the year transpires for her.

In another conference, a mother talked about how she starts work at 3 am and calls her son at 6 am to wake him for school. He couldn't explain why he fails regularly to attend his first three classes, including our world lit class, except that he was tired. He works on the weekends, so that shouldn't be a problem--Mrs. Moore theorized that he is participating in some extracurricular activities that keep him out late.

For the theater classes, I found it fascinating to talk with some of parents of students from Mr. Scott's other theater tech I class. One student is considering studying theater in college, so I recommended my alma mater to the parents. I had few parents for my own classes, except for the middle school students, and even they had less representation than I expected. One couple spent 20 minutes wondering what their seventh grader could do to bring up his grade. After Mr. Scott and I detailed some of the extra credit options and what was ahead in the class, the parents finally left. We could only shake our heads at the fact that the student in question has a 92 percent in the class. If only the students who were failing had so much attention from their parents.

The overall experience was affirming. I learned quite a bit from each of my cooperating teachers, and just as much from the 184 (give or take) students I taught and other teachers and administrations with whom I worked. I gave my appreciation to the principal and one of the assistant principals, as well as the head of the English department, and they all encouraged me to obtain my sub card. Too bad CPS isn't currently accepting applications for substitute positions (at least not officially), but I need to make sure I knock on the door and ask. I don't want a potential opportunity to pass me by. And, as Mr. Scott noted, there are some "crazy-ass subs" at our high school. Returning back to my office job this week only reinforced the notion that teaching is my calling. Can't wait to do it with my own classes.