It's a kind of magic...but I'm working a lot!!

Today I want to explain that I’ve decided to wide my observation timetable. I feel that 3 times a week study it’s not enough to approach myself to the school reality. So I’ve determined to become Victoria’s shadow. I go where she goes (sometimes in the morning it’s difficult to get up at time but I’m trying to do my best…). It’s very useful following her because she’s an extremely active person so she’s involved in a hundred million projects to improve pupil’s learning and she benefits the school. I’m amazed with her and I realise that I’m becoming a part of the school.

The other teachers are very pleasant with me so I’m feeling as a little teacher entering in a new world. A kind of fairy tale or something like that…like a small magic wheel which helps to keep everything OK. It’s a strange feeling and I don’t pretend make you understand but day by day I think about me as a real teacher. It’s a movement, a sight, a thought, like the song…It’s a kind of magic. My preparation isn’t the best to practise as a teacher but Victoria told me the first day we met that is about feeling and an inherent feature and she thinks I’ve got it!! Teachers are the tools to build a new society because they (one day maybe we) educate future adults.

Victoria teaches English in 1st ESO A and B and 1st Bachillerato too. I’ve got a CAP partner student. Her name is Rosa and she’s very shy so she doesn’t speak a word…maybe in a week or two she’ll feel comfortable to speak to me. Oh! I forget the “aula oberta”!! What an experience. I have had a lot of fun the first day in “aula oberta” because we told the pupils I was from New Zealand so I couldn’t say a word in Spanish. I repeat…WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!! They were trying to use every word they knew in English to communicate with me. Definitely, I’m very happy with the activities I’m developing in different classes. I’ve prepared a Halloween bingo, I’ve corrected several homework, routines mime activity, running dictations, a Thanksgiving Day treasure hunt…Victoria makes me feel confident and she makes me feel I can implement everything is on my mind.

I’ve been thinking ‘bout my Didactic Unit and I’ve changed for about a hundred times my starting point: Uncle’s Tom Cabin, Fairy Tales, Theatre, Cinema… I want something to make pupils understand that diversity is necessary to grow as a complete person…maybe Barack Obama and his YES, WE CAN would help me…

First class intervention: Panic lives here!!

I have to confess that it’s very difficult to build a daily blog but it’s okay because I’m really happy with my school, my coach and with my students.
1st ESO B is my class and I love it! Its schedule is a little bit harder than the other term, 1st ESO A, but the children are lovely. At first I was very afraid because I saw them as small monsters ready to attack; I know it was a huge problem but I couldn’t do anything to change my mind and there I was, trembling as a jelly dessert. But now everything is different because I realised they’re just children and they see me as an adult, a future teacher and that’s the first step to improve my self esteem as an educator.

I’ve started my participation on November 6th and it has been very strange experience because I’ve done lots of materials to supply my fears in front of the class. Students are children but they aren’t silly, they notice everything! The night before, I prepared a beautiful hand-made watch very cute in different colours. Everything was alright, the watch was ready and I was ready too but…what about how to implement the class? Oh, my goodness! The day before I absolutely forgot about how to check the hours with the kids so I started to panic (what a surprise…) and I couldn’t say a word in English because suddenly I forgot how to speak the language! It was awful.

Thanks God Victoria, my coach, was supervising everything and she notice perfectly I was in trouble (easy to see) so she helped me and saved before It was a mess. I had lots of papers, flashcards… (I repeat: A huge disaster). I finally finished my horrible intervention feeling stupid and not capable to develop a single activity. I was very afraid ‘bout what my coach was thinking ‘bout myself as a future teacher. I was extremely worried about my productivity in lessons and my helping in class. My thought was that my participations were stopping the teacher’s rhythm. But finally the light came to me (mmhh…not religious!!) Victoria was so kind to me; she told me it had been a great day!! So…wow!! I just needed to improve my “gestió del temps” and not to approach too much to the children so I would control everything without moving myself.

So at the end it was a terrific day!!

My first experience...

It was so difficult to find my I.E.S, well, to know how to get there!! I need 2 hours to arrive at time at school so I must wake up at 6 o'clock if I want to be at time. I'm doing my practicum at I.E.S Torre Roja, Viladecans, and my coach is called Victoria and she's very nice to me. She has shown me the place and the timetables to get habituated to the noise and the I.E.S routines. We've been talking for about an hour and at least she said "I think your going to be a good teacher. I can feel it" WOW!! good comment to encourage me...at the end I was just a big smile with legs and a big purple sweeter.

First day, first fears...Am I going to be able to control the situation? Is my coach going to help me as I need?
MENTAL NOTE: remember to look like a teacher....How do they look like?