I am nervous about teaching.?

Question

I have never wanted to be anything other than a teacher. If I couldn't teach I really don't know what I would do, but as I get closer to the end of my schooling, I am beginning to get a little nervous. I am nervous about student teaching not because I will be teaching little kids, but because someone will be evaluating me as I teach the students. I want to teach pre K through 1st grade and scheduling/lesson planning is another thing I worry about. How in the world does a teacher plan a whole day and a whole year? I was just wondering if any of you teachers had anything to say to make me feel a little bit more at ease with it all. Thanks!

Answer 1

Relax! You'll be great! The most important thing you need to be a teacher is a desire to teach. You have that, so you're in business.

That being said, things do tend to be a bit stressful for new teachers. I seriously considered quitting in the middle of my first year - and I had been a substitute teacher for 3 years! I'm glad I stuck it out because teaching children is very rewarding for me.

My best advice would be to ask for help. Listen when your cooperating teacher and evaluator give you feedback. Don't take it personally, just look at any feedback as an opportunity for you to improve as an educator. Focus on one day at a time. You don't need to plan an entire year of lessons, just one week. And be nice to yourself! Teaching is hard work and you'll need a break at the end of the day!

One thing I wish they would have told me...You'll probably catch every cold or flu that goes around your first year. But then your body will build enough antibodies and you won't get sick nearly as much in the following years.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Student teaching will ease you into teaching. You aren't put in a classroom and told to teach. You will observe, and the classroom teacher will give you small tasks to accomplish before you actually teach. By the time you teach your first class you will be ready. When I walked into the classroom for my student teacher assignment, the teacher told me that she didn't want a student teacher, but was told by her principal that she had to have a student. Her conversation wasn't very positive. My heart sank. But, I observed, took notes, asked questions, and tossed around ideas. By the end of the student teaching assignment she and I had got on extremely well. She gave me materials, advice and a wonderful recommendation. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in her classroom.
My advice is to: be yourself; remember why you are there and don't focus so much on the evaluation; and focus on the kids.
As far as planning, so much is already laid out in teacher manuals. Use them as a guide, they will help you, sort of like a map to get from point A to point B. After a bit you will not need the map, and you will be creating your own 'map'.
You will do well. Good luck.

Answer 3

First off, congratulations on nearing the end of your studies. Second dont worry, you are going to make mistakes , but you will learn from them and the kids will never know. I think all teachers look back on their first years of teaching and think, my lord I wish I could redo them knowing what I know now. Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement. The first three years you are going to work harder than you have ever thought possible but at the end of those three years you will have a library of successful lesson plans, a self knowledge of what classroom management techniques work and dont work for you ( remember one teachers discipline can be another teachers disaster depending on their personalities). Think of a years lesson plans as a road map for a cross country road trip. You need to get from NY to LA in a year. There are certain sites you MUST see along the way. THe other sites will be great to see if you get to them, but your trip will be a success even if you don't. Look at your curriculum - What are the things you absolutely MUST accomplish in the school year. That forms the structure of your yearly lesson plan. You flesh it in by deciding what the other things you want to do are and how you might do it. You also have a third tier of what I call "cherry" lessons. These are teh extra cherry on the top of the cake, yummy, fun and nice, but if you dont put it on there, the cake is still a good cake. Also have some "extra" lesson plans in case you get called away suddenly, or your planned lesson just goes belly up. You are going to be fine. You are going to look on your first years of teaching with amusement at yourself.

Answer 4

I am starting my student teaching in January. I am nervous too, but I just think that the evaluators and my cooperating teacher know I am there to learn, so if I make mistakes, its okay. You know there are certain things you have to teach every year, so that will help decide your planning. I am sure other teachers will help you, too. Try not to worry too much! Everyone has to start somewhere - you will get the hang of it!

Answer 5

My best friend is a male teacher and I help him create lesson plans & grade papers (shh).

Don't sweat the student teaching too much. They're there mostly to help you learn. It's the REAL reviews that you'll have to worry about (N.I.s). If you're having difficulty coming up with lesson plans, check out some of the teacher-related websites out there that offer pre-made plans.

Answer 6

I think yr fears are unfounded. Looks like u love kids, & u have a training too. So dont fear my dear, everything will be all right.
U need not plan from now on only. When u face the first day, u will automatically know whatto avoid and what to add. It will be easier for u to plan from thereon.
So relax & do yr best --- everyone is assessing us daily and all the time. so do not fear. All the best & god bless.

Answer 7

They'll guide you through it. Don't worry! You'll be fine. That is the purpose of student teaching...to help guide and mold you into a good teacher.

Answer 8

Oh my, I thought that was part of the studies. They just throw you in the ring. Good Luck. Kids need good teachers.