Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Feedback... it sort of hurts

And it is a lot necessary. 

I just had a unique situation where I had to give some negative feedback to someone. And it was hard. Especially because we work so closely together.

And I worried about it for a while. But fixing these issues was key to both of our sanity and, more importantly, the success of the students.

And after all of that worry... it was really well received! Now to see if it is implemented, but I think it will get easier over time. Plus, the ice on that issue is already broken - it will  be a great opportunity for both positive encouragement later and a great reflection.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Teaching a Teacher

My intern started last week!

It has been a pretty great match so far. Mr Meyers is really energetic and eager to get to know the kids but he is also really excited about the content we are teaching. AKA - the perfect blend for middle school.

It has been interesting so far. I've obv really enjoyed having the extra eyes in my room and the hep writing lesson plans, but it is different having someone else in talking to your students as the teacher as well. We are in the weird phase where we are co-teaching right now (both teaching) and still trying to figure things out.

For example - he had a student today as him to use the restroom. The policy is that the students need to be wearing their student ID on a lanyard to ask to go. If they ask before they put it on the answer is an automatic no. So he had a girl ask him, and didn't have on her badge - he asked me the policy, I explained it, her answer was no.

Well about 3 minutes later she came up to me, pale as a ghost, and was like "I need to go because I'm going to be sick". So, of course, I let her go. But then I felt guilty because I made him deliver the no message to the sick student. I explained what happened later and told him that of course there will be emergencies and as you get to know the students you make better judgment calls on what is an emergency what is a fake out. But it was interesting to feel guilty about something so normal.

Either way I have very high hopes for him as an intern and as a teacher next year. He will be great and I'm excited for when we come back from spring break in 2 weeks (we have next week off) and he takes over completely!