As the term draws to a close, I have an opportunity to take a deep breath and look back on all that I've managed to over the past ten weeks. Honestly the thing I'm the most proud of is the amazing relationships I've begun at Briggs, both with my students (even the irritating ones are awesome)and the faculty (I am sure going to miss the sixth grade team). I feel a bit at a loss that I'm not going to be able to finish up the year (although it's too soon to say where I'll be in the spring) with these kids. I want to know how they do in the rest of middle school, and I want to know how they do in high school and beyond as well. Each kid has so much potential and a different set of skills, and a different set of weaknesses that will set up trials for them.

From a more academic standpoint I am very satisfied with classroom management experience I've had. Mrs. Keener's initial lessons on expectations etc. really made it easy to step in and uphold the same expectations, but I think that I also took a hand in initially setting up those expectations, so I can take some credit too. I know that I am an aggressive and some times overbearing person, so I was concerned that I would come across too harsh or strict, or conversely, I would be so concerned about creating a good relationship with students and NOT being so strict that I would be the 'buddy' teacher who doesn't enforce any rules. I feel that I achieved a happy medium. I think the students both liked me and respected me and in general they followed my instruction and behaved like responsible human beings, I never had any major behavior problems. I am a little apprehensive that I will freeze up if I am in a situation where I encounter open defiance, or an aggressive and angry student. Or even worse, that I will blow up and get in their face. Perhaps I'll have a chance to find out next term.
Another thing that I am very grateful for this term was the opportunity to sit in on a Parent/Teacher intervention conference. A student was consistently having problems being disruptive, unprepared and inappropriate in nearly all of his classes. He was one of my favorite kids, and I had another meeting later that afternoon, so with Mrs. Keener's permission I sat in on the meeting. Since I first started entertaining the idea of being a teacher, working with parents has always been one of my biggest fears. Not so much because I'm scared of them, but because of how I would react, I wouldn't want to offend or be rude to a parent that was attacking me verbally (even if they did deserve it). I've received some advice as to how to interact with parents, but I went into the conference expecting blame and excuses from the boy's parents. Much to my pleasant surprise, the parents were very supportive and grateful for the teachers and their hard work and input. They were at their wits end about how to help their son, and were looking for advice. What I expected to be an argument or blame game was instead a very productive brainstorming session during which several strategies for helping the student to be more successful for the rest of therm. Even better, it's clear now from the end of the term, that since that meeting there had been marked improvement, at least in our class, in his behavior and preparedness, as well as his rate of turning in homework. Though I know this is just one example of a parent interaction, seeing such a positive meeting was the push I needed to really change my attitude about interacting with parents, and to see it as a positive problem solving opportunity.

I am looking forward to the opportunities that A3 will present as far as getting to know more about my student's backgrounds and have some more interaction with their families perhaps. I found it interesting that when I told my class that I was going to A3 next term several of them had older siblings that went there. It will be interesting to see the similarities and differences between siblings. Another of my goals for improvement is increasing the amount of activities that are are student centered, either group or individual activities. From what I know about the structure and ideas at A3 I should have ample opportunity to do that. It is very challenging for me to organize student centered lessons that are more inquiry based, as I think it is for most new teachers.

As I look back at the term as a whole I don't think that there has been a revolutionary change in my attitude or philosophies concerning teaching. Rather I am begun to refine and mature my techniques, and begin to build a toolbox of strategies. through the relationships I've built I have reaffirmed my choice to begin a career in education, and in general I have set in progress the process that, continuing through the spring and summer, will prepare me to have my own classroom.