confused and nervous

[Unregistered]

I am still currently a student and am kind of nervous about student teaching and making lesson plans is this normal and does some of the field experiences help you get over this or does making lesson plans come naturally to you. I am so nervous I am considering changing my major but really dont want to do anything else. Please help me!

[Naive Teacher-to-Be]

I think that most students get nervous before teaching; I know I am. Since I haven't student taught yet, I can't be absolutely sure what is going to happen, but I've talked to a lot of my classmates and professors and I think I have a general feel for the way things work (Although I very well could be wrong). These, of course, vary from teacher to teacher, who is ultimately the decision-maker of what you'll do and when you'll do it. The bottom line for teaching is that it will probably take you 3-5 years of teaching experience before you become an effective teacher (although it doesn't happen automatically...the key is reflecting on classroom events/lesson plans to see how effective they were). So don't worry! Theteacher should (depends on teacher) be willing to help and guide you. You'll have some good days, some bad days and some so/so days. Just try to keep a positive look on things.

I think the beginning of your student teaching experience starts with you observing and assisting the teacher. So you might go around and help students with seatwork or pitch in to help in other ways. Your teacher will inform you when you will be teaching in advance so you have ample time to prepare your lesson plans.

Creating lesson plans is not hard, although creating fun, interesting and effective ones does have its challenges. Have you gone over creating lesson plans in your college classes? (That's all they make us do for a lot of my classes)

Tips for creating lesson plans:

1. Use the internet (i.e. Google) to find lesson plans and ideas
2. Ask your collegiate colleagues, professors and your 'master' teacher for help and ideas (although don't expect them to do it for you)
3. Remember: Lesson plans are merely a guide for instruction. During the course of instruction, you may deviate from this plan. It is often necessary.
4. SELF-REFLECTION! This is the best (and in many cases the only) way to beocome a better teacher. Examine how you felt the class went, how the students responded (engaged, bored, motivated, etc.) and what you might want to reconsider or change (time length, activities, etc.).
5. Motivate your students. One of the often-mentioned items in my classes is the Anticipatory Set. This is what you say/do at the beginning of class to motivate students to be engaged in the lesson. You can use an interesting problem or discussion, or you can give them an interesting problem that can be solved with the knowledge of the day's topics.
6. Don't plan too much (but plan more than enough). One of the things we include on our lesson plans (usually) is a "Behavioral Objectives" section. This is where you spell out what the students should be able to do by the end of the class. For a typical class (45-55min), you shouldn't have more than three of these. However, make sure you have extra (MEANINGFUL) work that can be done by students if they finish their work early.

These are just a few things you might want to keep in mind while creating lesson plans. If you take anything from this, remember that there are many places (some harder to find than others) with resources. I've mentioned the internet and colleagues, but don't forget the textbook, the district's curriculum guide as well as past experience (We all went to school, too...Can you think of anything that you especially enjoyed?). I hope some of this was useful for you. Just remember, things will turn out fine, but there's going to be some rough spots, too. It's just a part of life!

[Unregistered]

1. Use the internet (i.e. Google) to find lesson plans and ideas

Only if they align to state content standards!

Make sure to download the standards and read them carefully. You should also look at the standards for the grade above and below.

[Unregistered]

I am a 2nd year teacher and I too was very nervous when it came to getting ready to student teach. I was unsure of what the lesson plans would look like or how to create them. My best advice is take it one day at a time. Student teaching is designed to help you work things out and learn how to do things.

I had many people tell me that I would never use lesson plans and that most principals would never even want them. That is not true in my case. They are due every Friday (for the next week). I promise that once you cover them in your college classes (which you should) and when you finish student teaching you will have no problems. Lesson plans are like second nature to me and I have no problems putting them together.

As for the "actual formatting," I have set up a "Blank Template" in Microsoft Word and all I have to do is enter the material each week. This makes the "formatting" really easy.

Just remember, that you are going to make mistakes (at least I did and still do), but learn from them. Don't stress over them because you are probably the only one who will. Most of the time the students won't even know what mistakes you have made.

Go into the classroom "confident" even if you are a little unsure. The students will take advantage if they realize that you are nervous or unsure of yourself. Present a confident front and you will learn to be confident.

I still get nervous from time to time, so don't worry it is natural.

Good luck to you!!

[Unregistered]

Don't try to be their friend especially at first. They can tell when you are unsure and will take advantage of that fact. You have to let them know you are the teacher and they are the student. This is one thing I have seen happen in my 34 years of teaching.

[Unregistered]

If you know what state and approximate age that you will be teaching, get the state standards for that grade and start to make some lessons early. Even if you don't get the exact grade, you will have a more seasoned feel to planning your lessons. Hope this helps!

[fishingvswife]

Being nervous is perfectly normal. Teaching is not an easy task. It is one of the more difficult professions out there to master. One might not think so because of the low pay. Think of all of the variables that come into play on a daily basis. It has been said that it takes at least five years for a person to become even somewhat comfortable with teaching. I found that to be true. You have gone too far now to change professions. Give it at least two years or more before you make any changes in careers.

[Tejas Gal]

I would be very worried if you weren't nervous; THAT would be when I'd recommend reconsidering your major. The fact that you are nervous means that you care enough about it that you want to do well, and that's exactly the kind of person we need in our profession.

Once you know what grade level and/or subject(s) you'll be working with, feel free to e-mail me. I've taught K-12 (and adults, for that matter), so I've got a huge collection of lessons, etc. I'd be glad to share them with you.

[Unregistered]

I would be very worried if you weren't nervous; THAT would be when I'd recommend reconsidering your major. The fact that you are nervous means that you care enough about it that you want to do well, and that's exactly the kind of person we need in our profession.

Here! Here! My calmest teachers are often my worst teachers.

[Unregistered]

I too will be student teaching come January and am a wreck of nerves. I have been in a practicum situation all semester but it still doesn't make you the one in charge. Though, the more classroom time I log, the more at ease I become. I have another thing going against me, I'm nearly 50 years old and just starting over...again. I sometimes find it difficult to relate to teachers that are very young because of all the life experience i've had. I see young students in my masters program that went back to school because they did not like or could not find a job. I think having experience in life in general eventually calms your nerves. Am I right?

[BigDaddyTeacher]

I too will be student teaching come January and am a wreck of nerves. I have been in a practicum situation all semester but it still doesn't make you the one in charge. Though, the more classroom time I log, the more at ease I become. I have another thing going against me, I'm nearly 50 years old and just starting over...again. I sometimes find it difficult to relate to teachers that are very young because of all the life experience i've had. I see young students in my masters program that went back to school because they did not like or could not find a job. I think having experience in life in general eventually calms your nerves. Am I right?

Well, experience may not calm all of your nerves, but I feel that your life experience will give you an extra insight in the classroom that the 'youngsters' fresh out of graduate school won't have. I, too, became a teacher later in my life, and I firmly believe that the 25-odd years of experience in the general work force AND raising my own kids gave me many more practical tools for the classroom than my educational tract did. College is where I recieved the technical tools for teaching - life is where I did my practicum.
As for haveing difficulty relating to the younger teachers, hang in there. You'd be surprised how quickly they might turn to you for some of your 'experience!'
Good Luck
BDT - Dennis

[Unregistered]

There are two types of nervousness, from what I can see. One type is caused by the natural anxiety that always accompanies public speaking. The other type is caused by a lack of confidence.

My suggestion: Get to know the state content standards for your grade very well and have a clear teaching methodology. That will help you overcome the latter brand of nervousness. There is little you can do about the former, but it will dissipate over time (usually by the end of the first week).

[Unregistered]

I've been teaching adults and children for about 6 and 1/2 years now. I still get nervous when I have worked really hard on a new approach in a lesson... I think you could call it stage fright :) which comes from wanting desperately to bring your students to a higher level of engagement and understanding.

Like the last person who posted, I am over 50 and all I can say to you both is exactly what I say to my students. "Never ever, ever, ever EVER give up!"
This is the most rewarding and soul-nourishing career I've found. I was a successful business woman who decided it was better to nourish the heart than the pocketbook, and went back to school to become a teacher.

Last, but not least, continue to reach out to your colleagues... in this profession, synergy is abundant!

[Unregistered]

I have another thing going against me, I'm nearly 50 years old and just starting over...again. I sometimes find it difficult to relate to teachers that are very young because of all the life experience i've had. I think having experience in life in general eventually calms your nerves. Am I right?[/QUOTE]
I was in your situation and I am now in my second year of teaching. All that you have said is true. It was difficult to relate to fellow student teachers because of their youth. Having life experience helps greatly. Once I was teaching in a school, being around fifty felt like an asset. It is true that you are still inexperienced at your job but usually life is pretty much settled. These young, new teachers are experiencing a lot of firsts: living on their own, new surroundings, new job, new love, new baby, and etc. Be ready for a roller coaster ride during your first year of teaching. Youth gives new teachers a greater supply of energy and their mental and physical strengths are at their peak. When we are older and new at teaching, we may move a little slower but we have a wealth of life experience to rely on in any situation. We still have a lot to offer. We tend to be more focused.

[tom Tuttle]

Here! Here! MY calmest teachers are often MY worst teachers.

FYI: Slavery was abolished in each of these United States. No teacher belongs to you, sorry massah.

Note to nervous: don't worry. judgmental oafs are fairly rare in this profession. Your chances of meeting up with someone who thinks they know "my worst teachers" shouldn't discourage you. Most of the folks will be there to help you, not judge you.

[Unregistered]

I did my student teaching last spring. I was extremely nervous because of my field supervisor from my university. I had interacted with him before when he had to come and observe me in a practicum situation. I was elated when I taught my final lesson with him observing, knowing that I would never have to deal with him again as a student. As people have already said, nervousness is really common, and to look for the positive of things.

As for the lesson plans, try to get as much practice writing them and coming up for new ideas. I'd suggest using some that you find on the internet (i.e. Google). You can always use these. Plus, there are some excellent lesson plans out there. True, you need to make sure they match up with the standards of your state and grade. All of my professors told my classmates and I that as a teacher, you should get accustomed to becoming a thief and other people stealing from you - You see something that you like that someone else has done, and you take that idea. They see something you did and they take it. What you do with the ideas you take are up to you. You may need to tweek them a bit to work for you students, or for the objectives and ideas to match up with the standards.

Good luck with your student teaching! You'll do great!

[Unregistered]

I have another thing going against me, I'm nearly 50 years old and just starting over...again.

I sure hope you are female. In my last student teaching assignment, my master teacher told me at the end that the university supervisor had told her before either of them had met me: "He'll never make it, a middle aged white man."

She tried everything to keep me out, even telling the master teachers that they never gave any ratings higher than unsatisfactory. When I pointed out that 3 unsatisfactories meant no teaching career, the master teachers were so angry that they gave me all outstandings. If the university supervisor had not got stuck in traffic, I'd never have become a teacher.

When I went to interview for jobs, many districts would blatantly say things like "we look for younger, more pliable teachers." We even have a so called dept chair who posts all over this forum who routinely rails against what she euphamistically calls "veteran" "experienced" or "war horses". Be prepared for plenty of age discrimination in education, especially against men.

I've been helping train teachers ever since, and despite my best efforts, the only teachers to fail student teaching have all been males,most older.

By the way, i've been rated oustanding ever since, for the past 15 years. There are so many bullies at school, hardly any of them in the student body.

[Unregistered]

I will also begin student teaching in January. I'm a career changer too. I am really looking forward to my assignment. I've met with the principal and cooperating teacher and they are very supportive. I think I am more anxious to start than just plain nervous. I know there will be a lot of times when I am in "uncharted waters" but I think if you expect this then you can deal with it when it happens. Good luck to all of us, give it your best, you will do fine.

[Unregistered]

Be prepared for plenty of age discrimination in education, especially against men

I hate to say it, buy for once, I'm with Lisa on this one. The worst teachers are older men.

[Unregistered]

We even have a so called dept chair who posts all over this forum who routinely rails against what she euphamistically calls "veteran" "experienced" or "war horses". Be prepared for plenty of age discrimination in education, especially against men.

First of all, I was not the first to mention war horses. That was Dr. Chen in a completely different context. And nowhere did I ever suggest that a teacher should be discriminated against by age. If you disagree, quote me verbatim and in context.

If a teacher teaches well, they deserve the accolades no matter how old they are or how long they have been teaching. No statement of mine contradicts this principle.

[BigDaddyTeacher]

I hate to say it, buy for once, I'm with Lisa on this one. The worst teachers are older men.

OK - define 'older.' Heck, I'm 44, and some of my students think I've been around since Fred was working in the quarry.

[Unregistered]

You're good. The cut off is 45.

[Anne]

My best advise: be strong on your first day. Know what you want to do every minute of the day. Have some getting to know you 'fun' activities. But most importantly, be firm. Smile but don't try and be their friend. There is time in the future for building these relationships. But if you try to be their buddy they will treat you like their equal. That means they will not respect you. So put your cards on the table. Say what you accept and don't and then be prepared to deal with it - know how you are going to deal with behaviours etc. And follow through EVERY TIME for those first few weeks. You have a whole year to get to know them, so don't rush it.
Best of luck,
Anne

[edugator]

As a veteran teacher who has had many interns let me reassure you that this is very normal. Even at the beginning of each new year veteran teachers may be nervous; about new kids, new parents, new state mandates, new teaching materials, etc. Lesson plans done while student teaching are not the same as when you do them for yourself. Right now you are trying to please your college and your cooperating teacher. When you do them for yourself, it will be to make sense for you. A little advice to help you - start out strict, then ease off (it's easier to back off than get tough - you are not there to be their friend, you are their teacher), establish routines so the kids know what their expectations are (when they are unsure, you will have disorder), don't allow down time (always have something for them to do when done with work - read, word search, flashcards,etc.), practice what you preach (if you expect good manners, respect, kindness, etc. then you must exhibit them, too.) I hope this helps. Nervousness is normal - and by the way, so is crying! Right now I am a peer to a beginning teacher and sometimes this is how she handles her stress (after school of course!). Even veteran teachers have days they feel like they can't cope. We've just learned to deal with it over the years. Don't change careers until you've given it a try. Although often tiring, frustrating, and challenging, being a teacher is very rewarding in the sense that you are teaching children to think for themselves, to discover, to imagine... And remember you may be the one person in a child's life that makes a difference! Good luck to you.

[Unregistered]

You have to remember that you have something to offer them--knowledge in your area of expertise. You are in that classroom to share that with them. So have confidence in yourself! Plan your lessons and even practice them on yourself. You'll do fine. And, yes, it takes time and sometimes years, but you do get more and more confident. Good luck!

[Unregistered]

I am currently studing at only first year level in Australia to become a teacher, and already feel overwelmed ny the responsibility of it all. I am majoring in secoundry education (high school). I am worried mostly that i will not live up to the expectations of either myself or my students. Basically that they will all see straight through me. I need to overcome this otherwise thats what will happen. Any words of advise??

[tdrobits]

I am student teaching right now. I even had one teacher who changed her mind five weeks into the program. Talk about upsetting my self-esteem for a bit. Anyway, it is very nervous initially but you should be allowed to gradually move into the roll of full-time teacher. See if you can meet and select your master teacher first. This helps. For lesson plans, I really like Taskstream. It walks you through your steps for writing lesson plans. I don't have to write lesson plans each day but I do know my objective, procedure and adaptations to try.

I keep telling myself that I can't wait till 2 years have passed. This is easy for me as I have already had a career and am in my 40s. You sound young so hang in there. :)

[Unregistered]

Wow, I was so young when I student taught. For those of you who are saying it will be easier in a few years you I hate to dissappoint you. I have been teaching for 22 years and I work harder today than I did 15 yrs ago. (I am also better today than I was 15yrs ago.) There are State Standards, NCLB, inclusiuon, IEPs, GIEP's, 504s, IST, Child Study Teams, Student assistance teams, Emergency Management plans, Lesson Plans, Staff Developement plans, Classroom Management plans, Homework Websites, Grade websites, and a multitude of other chores that do not involve learning or teaching.
I hope you are nevous. I hope you are excited and I hope you come to work pumped up to do your best every day. That is what it takes. Remeber you teach kids, not paper work.

[Unregistered]

There are State Standards,

The state standards make my job easier. First, it is far easier for me to set up a pacing calendar since the required content is clearly established. Also, I have a far easier time getting help from my fellow teachers because they are teaching, and therefore preparing, the same lessons.

NCLB inclusiuon, IEPs, GIEP's, 504s, IST, Child Study Teams, Student assistance teams, Emergency Management plans,

Most of this stuff doesn't affect me much. The NCLB just ensures that we teach the standards.

Lesson Plans,

Gasp! We have to...to... write lesson plans now? Oh, heavens!

Staff Developement plans, Classroom Management plans,

Again, I don't have to deal weith either of these two in any significant manner.

Homework Websites, Grade websites,

Both are wonderful, and they keep me organized.

[Unregistered]

So I can't help but wonder, how is it going? I just found this forum, so I'm a newbie, I hope the person who posted originally reads this. I am turning 48 in a couple weeks and am 9 weeks into an 18 week placement, and this past week feels like I've taken 2 steps back after taking huge strides forward. Would love to correspond personally with anyone in the same situation. I really blew it today by asking my teacher why and how she chooses to attend to or ignore certain behaviors while teaching. I asked because it is something I struggle with and wanted to watch a lesson she was doing...and saw things that she usually comments about in my lessons. So, I thought it was a decent question to ask, because in my opinion our mistakes are not that different. Honestly, there was one incident that I just couldn't believe happened, and had I done it, I probably would have gotten 50 lashes with a wet noodle, (just kidding). Any thoughts?

[Unregistered]

I really blew it today by asking my teacher why and how she chooses to attend to or ignore certain behaviors while teaching.

Sounds like a good question to me. She couldn't answer it?

[Michedu]

I have a timplate for makeing lesson plans let me know and I will send it to you...

michedu

[Unregistered]

I am turning 48 in a couple weeks and am 9 weeks into an 18 week placement, and this past week feels like I've taken 2 steps back after taking huge strides forward. Would love to correspond personally with anyone in the same situation.

I just finished a 15 week placement and spent the first 6 with a teacher who ridiculed the students with sarcastic humor in front of everyone. I went home every night wanting to cry. It was only after 6 weeks that I finally managed to get my placement changed. I'm kind of a newbie here, so how exactly do we go about corresponding personally?

[Unregistered]

Glad I'm not the only one. I just turned 50 and I'm also starting over! I'm in the middle of my student teaching right now. Some days I feel I did great and other days not so much. Hopefully things will get better as my confidence grows :)

[Unregistered]

I finished my student teaching in Nov. 06 and am now in the subbing phase. Talk about not relating. I tried to relate to the younger 1 and 2nd year teachers while student teaching and failed. No relationship there at all. They just weren't very welcoming. Now as a sub I find that I am treated with even less respect. " Oh, you just a sub" and from a principal this is one of my favorites," Yes you have a sub today. Try to get through the day as well as you can. You're teacher will be back tomorrow." Hmm- how's that for setting the tone of the class. I make sure that students read and understand my expectations for class and then follow through. Because I can't depend on professionalism from some principals and co- teachers, I make sure I am professional and respectful. I am hoping that my professionalism helps when it comes time for an interview. I am already having some teachers request me because I "teach" when subbing and not babysit.Good luck.

[Doritsas]

Hi,

I can understand how you feel. I felt the same way when I first started out.
Join the community of teachers. I have a few answers (http://newteachersupport.suite101.com/)for you.

Best, Dorit