First Day Thoughts and Feelings

So, today was my first official day in Core III as a pre-student teacher. As of right now, my feelings are mixed. There is this rush of excitement as I enter this next step toward my dream, and there is also this bottomless pit of uncertainty of if I will be a good teacher once this is completed. As I look out over my first observation, (first of two each day) I see those faces staring back at me, and I know they are my responsibility to teach. It will be up to me as a teacher to give them the tools they will need to grow and become well tuned and functioning adults. It is that realization that makes me sweat with fear. Knowing they are there to learn, (weather they want to be there or not) and I will get to be part of that journey with them is also thrilling

Today, we all have first day jitters, not just my beautiful students, some of which are in this school for the first time, but for us teachers as well. Each new year brings the same anxieties, will my students find my lessons engaging? Will they learn what I have to teach? What if I trip on something and fall in front of them? Will I bore them to sleeping? These are thought I think constantly. Also, I think about the joy of creating exciting lessons, ones that will get the students involved with both of the subjects I will teach. I think having a dual certification offers a unique ability to use cross-content to encourage grown in both areas. It would be easy to bring science into my English class, and English into my Science class. I look forward to this final year of my education and see myself grow as future teacher. Over the next two semesters I would like to see myself accomplish some goals that will make me a better teacher.
1. My classroom management skills. My two MT's have very different management methods for their classes. One is very loose in enforcing CHAMPS rules; this leads to chaos and students not paying attention during class. The other is very precise about how she expects CHAMPS to be followed; at every activity she redirects the students attention to the CHAMPS board and reminds them what is to be expected of them. I would like to think my management skills will be more like hers, the students seem to function better when there is a direct set of rules.
2. To stop feeling nervous in front of the students. I still feel very awkward when I am walking around the class. I know this is something I will get better with as I go, but I still feel so strange.