Until recently, Jamie, who plans on teaching, student taught two biology classes and one general science class at South Hadley High School over the last three months. UNlisted interviewed her about what it's like to have to student teach. Because I look younger than I am, people think I'm a student. She notes student teaching was an adjustment from college life. It meant being in early at South Hadley High, teaching much of the day and then spending evenings correcting work as well as lesson planning.
Teachers have their bad days.
Teachers can't just sit down. She noted that student-teaching is definitely a learning experience for the student teacher. She emphasized the importance of being flexible in order that no student falls behind and learning to know how much information to give students in order to let them do their own work without confusing them. You have to mix things up, you can't just do notes everyday. Jamie said she is grateful the teacher she took over for, Sylvia Cooley, allowed her a lot of control instead of looking over her shoulder all the time.