Week 1: Melanie

I think my conception of myself as a teacher is ever changing. Right now, I am developing the idea of being a high school English teacher. In the past, I have been in positions and/or jobs that require me to be a type of "teacher" so the idea of being a teacher is not so far from my mind; its just the type of teacher that I am becoming. I do believe that my past teacher type experiences are only a springboard as to what is to come in the next sixteen weeks let alone the next 30 years.

I think the easiest part of the transition to teacher will be developing relationships with the students, my cooperating teacher, and other teachers in the building. Along with that is also the hardest part of the transitioning and being a new teacher: establishing myself as an authority figure. I think I can handle the work load and early mornings; the most challenging part for me will be my presence in the classroom and not letting the students see how incredibly frightened I really am.

I cannot pinpoint one answer to what "being a teacher" means to me. It means many things. Being a teacher means being knowledgeable about a subject and having the ability to always be adapting new content for his/her classroom. Being a teacher all means being a mentor and helping students through what may be the last years of their education and preparing them both academically; but also socially and emotionally for whatever may come for them after graduation. Being a teacher also means grading papers, writing passes, decorating bulletin boards, and writing lesson plans. It also means being a director, a disciplinary, and guide. As to whether I think I am a teacher yet or not, I believe I have all the abilities to be a teacher and am day by day, lesson by lesson horning those abilities.