Almost Done??

Today I finished my last FULL week of student teaching. I have 3 days next week, then I am done. I have no idea what I'm going to do!

This week (and last) were absolutely amazing. I'm having so much fun teaching. I've said it before - I am so happy to know that I am doing what is perfect for me. I now know that I want to work with middle schoolers. I don't know what it is exactly, but I am definitely a middle school teacher.

I'm pretty sure I've blogged about it before, but with one of my groups I am doing a Greek Mythology unit. We started this unit by reading 3 myths (Helios & Phaeton, Proserpina & Demeter, Echo & Narcissus) and doing a worksheet for each. The first worksheet I created absolutely did not work, so I made a new graphic organizer-type sheet. My cooperating teacher was really happy with it and said she would like to use it for all sorts of stories in the future (not just Mythology)! So after this part of the unit, my students are creating their own stories following the same format the Myths follow. They had to research Gods and then fill out a story map before writing. After that, I had them make a "book cover" for their story. We're finally close to being done (good thing too, as I'll be gone soon!), so on Monday students will start putting their story and book cover on a piece of construction paper and to be hung on the walls. I'm so happy with how hard the students have been working. I mean, seriously, I asked my ESL students to write a story with very specific parameters in their second language. That is huge! I can't wait to have my own classroom and do this unit again!

Today my cooperating teacher and the other ESL teacher in the building were both gone for a district meeting. So while there were substitutes in the rooms, I did everything. I was pretty sure I was ready to teach on my own for a while, but I know I am. Good feeling :)