The following are some excerpts from my reflections during student teaching:

"So basically, I've been put in a professional teaching position, and I haven't been properly trained.  Everything I'm learning is done as I go along.  However, I count it all joy.  I get a once in a lifetime experience, and I want to make the best of it."

"I came in thinking that the job isn't all that bad or hard.  I've had experience with kids.  I know how to motivate them, I know how to cause them to learn.  Besides, I've been reading countless books, and attending more than enough classes.  I'm ready for this; it'll be fun!  And discipline shouldn't be a huge problem; I was at the juvenile detention home for 2 months!  To my surprise, this has been one of the most personal stretching experiences of my life." 

"I've come to the conclusion that Va. Tech has not truly prepared me for this experience.  All of my classes for the past 3 years have not had anything to do with discipline.  All of the different lesson planning and presentations were all done under the presumption that your class is well behaved, and are listening.  Majority of a lesson has to do with classroom management; and I'm learning this now." 

"My biggest fear in this experience has been that I will turn into the kind of teacher I hated coming up in school.  I came into this experience with such zeal about teaching and learning, and it seems as though over the past 2 weeks alone, that desire has slowly been sucked out of me.  More and more, I have to rely on God to do what I do.  He gives me the grace I need to do this."

"Another student, who has never ever ever ever done any work in class, somehow has been motivated by me to actually begin doing some work.  The first time he handed in work, I nearly fainted!  There are some other students who Ive been able to encourage and motivate by talking to them on the side." 

"I would say I'm most thankful so far for the teachers and staff around me.  They have really welcomed me in, and made me feel comfortable..."

"Well, things seem to be getting better.  It's a matter of getting used to the regular routine of things, and getting in a "flow."  I still wish I had more experience with classroom management, though.  I'm having to learn it while I go along." 

"I try to show them their grades as they go along, so that they'll be motivated to keep it up.  "I got an A?!?!?!" is the response they give.  I love it when they say that because then I can add to it and say "Yea, you're pretty smart!"