Here goes nothing!

(This is a picture of my classroom after spending seven hours over break getting it ready for the kids!)

          
         Yesterday I began my first day of my student teacher semester.  I have to say that I was not expecting to learn so much in just my first day of being in this classroom.  I have spent a lot of time in this classroom over the past semester as a substitute teacher and just in there observing the room, students and teacher.  It was a very interesting experience switching roles from the substitute teacher who only has to worry about the work for the day that they are in there, into the actual teacher who needs to understand where the students were, where they are, and where we want them to go.  This was probably the biggest change that I could sense within my first day in the classroom.  I really had to realize that I now was partly responsible for not only teaching the students but making sure that I have spent some quality time in the planning process so that I can teach an effective lessons to all of my students (not just the smart ones). I feel that over this semester and I am going to learn more than I have ever planned on learning and I am excited for that.  I am excited to see how I will grow. I am excited to see how my thought process will change in certain areas.  I am excited to learn all the behind the scene factors of teaching.  Most of all I am excited to spend the next months getting to know all 28 of my 2nd grade students!