I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I truly enjoy teaching upper elementary. Going into student teaching, I was nervous about working with older students, but I’ve found that I can connect with them in meaningful ways and genuinely enjoy the day-to-day experience of teaching this age group.
In my earlier placement with younger students, I was surprised by how scripted the curriculum was. It sometimes added an extra layer of stress and limited flexibility. In contrast, my current school still uses a structured curriculum, but teachers are encouraged to adapt lessons and be creative. This flexibility has allowed me to better meet the needs of my students and find my own teaching style.
I am glad that you are loving your placement! I am glad you have the opportunity to be creative and enjoy lesson planning.
ReplyDeleteI was also nervous about working with older students, but I actually enjoy it quite a bit! Hopefully having a good balance of structure and creativity will help you create some fun lesson plans for your students.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you would enjoy this experience and see the benefits of both of them. So remember to be open to the world of learning, it can be very different but our students can learn from a teacher who is open and caring. It's the teacher that makes the difference not the program.
ReplyDeleteOlder kids are so great! Granted my older kids are like 12-18 but close enough! They bring such a great experience and connections that I enjoy and it's great seeing that you enjoy the older as well!
ReplyDeleteI also had the same surprise when I transitioned school placements.
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