Reflection #10: Past and Present

Dear Ms. Issinghoff,

                You made it! I know it seems like it’s been ages, but the end is finally here and you’ve done it. But just because you’ve hit the finish line doesn’t mean that you’re done forever. Teaching involves constantly learning new methods and new material and new ways to interact and get through to your students. I know that you know all of this already, but everyone needs a reminder now and then.  I’d also like to share a few other reminders with you, as well. The most important being this: never forget that your calm personality is your best asset as a special education teacher. Teaching can be overwhelming at times, and there are days that students try to push your buttons just to see how far they can go, but your calm personality is the key to your success. By keeping your cool you help to avoid confrontation, and it really helps you to stay focused and on track with what your plans are for the lesson.

                While being calm and non-confrontational is a great benefit in the classroom, it doesn’t mean that you can’t also be assertive. You’re good at setting limits and knowing when to let your students have leeway in them with their individual needs: but don’t lose confidence in your abilities. You’ve always struggled with self-confidence, I know. But it’s okay to make mistakes and admit them; really, there’s no buzzer that signifies the end for you just because of one little mistake. Being a perfectionist and a time freak can be very beneficial, but it’s okay to let loose once in a while too. It helps you to relate more to your students and show them that you’re human and make mistakes as well. And more importantly, you can then be their role model for how they handle their own mishaps in life.

                Now that you’ve made it through, I’m sure you’re looking back at your years at the university in awe and wonder. It was a bumpy ride: you learned to trust your teachers over advisors, and a lot of issues were had that you couldn’t have stopped or caused. And while there was much grief for the mishaps that I’m sure you remember all too well, don’t let that stop you from remembering the good that happened too. Co-operative education was a definite benefit for you- one that I’m sure you’d still recommend to any incoming freshmen who know they want to teach. Even if it isn’t a job in their study area (like you worked in elementary), it gives a great benefit and boost to your knowledge and understanding of your studies. Advisors recommend it when you enter the core- but to begin earlier definitely seems better since the core programs often block any decent work schedule during the day.

                Ah, those lovely FERs. I’m sure you remember those, as well.  You were told they’d be useful for the KPTP- but in actuality, they weren’t. If there was any recommendation you could make, I’m sure it would be to have the FERs be more in line with the KPTP standards to make the transition easier. Also, just because we’re an English teacher now, doesn’t mean we need to have so much reading! It would have been nice to see more on the teaching of writing; English 680 was helpful with micro-lessons, and literacy strategies gave a decent benefit there, too, but for those of us working with students who have special needs or ESL, it could have been more useful to have more practical experience in teaching actual methods to use in the classroom.

                But don’t worry- your future self has made it through, so it’s safe to say that you, as a pre-inservice teacher, can do it too. Just keep your chin up and know that there is a light, and you will make it just as I am standing here today. Take things one step at a time, day by day, and you’ll be just fine.

Glad to be in the future,

Me