I am a teacher

For some reason my site teacher decided that I would start taking over her class now rather than in January.  It is more like team teaching rather than just me teaching, but still I get there not knowing anything about the lesson and then she hands over the reigns second period and I am pretty much on my own.  It is crazy.  Today I find myself knowing that teaching is what I do.  I love being in front of the class.  I love to be able to teach science.  There are problem students.  There always is.  I had a few students test my strength as an authority figure today.  I am happy to say I didn't get walked all over.  I may be small.  The 2 boys that I really had to reign in behavior issues were much bigger and taller than me.  I love that I am not intimidated by stature at all.  One kid was out in the commons area on a computer and I went to get everyone back into the classroom and he got right up in my face and I just stood there and told him that I was the teacher.  What a first day!  I am proud of myself. I have been worried about behavioral issues, but even as the rumor of Ms. Frison's substitute teacher trickled down the hallways, I was not going to be used like a substitute. 

The school that I will be student teaching at has 75% minority students.  The largest number of white students in a class is 4 out of 25-30.  Most are of Mexican descent with a few African Americans, and Samoans. I am the little white female teacher.  You do the math as to why I had so many confrontations; but I love it.  I love the students already.  I am beginning to remember names.  There are some students that I will have to work on with being openly belligerent against science, but all in all, not too bad.

I had to take my picture for the yearbook as well as for my official student teacher id card.  Not something that I was expecting, but it is nice that I will be in the yearbook.  I might have to buy it just because.  I am now known as Mrs. Rachel and I am happy to be a teacher.  It is nice to get into a classroom and know that you made the right career choice.