Practicum Perils

While I try not to do it when I write my journal over the day during practicum, I keep remembering the practicum I did last year. Last year, the teacher I studied with was very open with her classroom and had group activities daily. The kids were always happy to be there and very animated full of ideas. Her teaching method dealt more with student interaction and growth through each other as they learned.

In the current practicum, I have yet to see much collaboration or joy in the kid's eyes. Some of them always have the spark but it is defiantly different than last year. There is less student interaction and more lecturing combined with questions and answers. It just doesn't have the same feel as last year.

Still, I think about the differences and similarities.

Both took place with the class that went to lunch and the final class of the day, both are English honors classes, both have a dip of minorities within the group, and both have a teacher that can make you laugh and is entertaining.

However, last years classes had one freshman course and one junior--this year, they are both sophomore classes. Last year, the desks were arranged with the desks looking at the middle of the room from either side of the class with a space to walk behind the students as well--this year, all the desks face the head of the class and there is barely an inch space to walk amongst the kids (you can't even reach the back row to stand there in case there is an outburst of bad behavior).

These changes affect the outlook on the student's behavior and, as my teacher stated on Wednesday, he has had to yell at the kids in the last block a few times because he couldn't hear the announcements. Funny thing is, if the desks were arranged differently, I think the outbursts would cease.

Though I'm probably clashing a little with my teacher, I think I can learn a lot. I can learn the things I won't do as a teacher... got to take the bad with the good. My only worry is how to teach my way in a class that has been taught in a way I differ...

Well, at least he's willing to let me teach several times before anyone comes to watch me and *Bonus* since both his classes are sophomore honors, I am going to teach my lesson to both classes in the same day. That will help because every class is different: what works for one may not work for the others.

Ugh, I'm tired.

Good Night.