Bring on the Adventure -- Cati

When I think about starting to student teach, I feel a combination of curiosity, openness, and excitement. I am curious about both the big picture of what this will look like and the small. What will it be like to take over someone else's already established classroom? How do I initiate the many conversations that I need to have with my cooperating teacher about what tests to use, what pacing to use, what kinds of management policies to use? What will I do when students misbehave? Will the ones that misbehave when my cooperating teacher is teaching misbehave for me, too? What on earth will I wear on week 3 when my school-worthy wardrobe has run out, and will students notice if I just start again from day 1 and recycle everything from there?

I am open to what comes, in part because I know that I will never get the answers to these questions until I just "do it." I feel like this is the next part of this crazy, intriguing adventure called teaching, and it will evolve and unfold as it does. I'm feeling relaxed and open to what will come and I'm trying not to get caught up in the black hole of the unknown. So much is outside of my control! It's more fun to go in trustingly and remember that hey, I'll figure it out when I get there!

It's much more fun to look at what's exciting. I'm very excited to be at school, every day, for the full day, for ten weeks. I'm big on rhythms and this graduate program effectively precludes a rhythm to our days, as we juggle classes, observations and teaching, and in many cases jobs. I'm glad that I will get up at 5 a.m. every day, not necessarily because it will be at 5 a.m., but because it will be the same time every day. (An added benefit will be that I will show myself that I can get up at 5 a.m. every day.) I am excited to see that I can be a teacher! I look forward to the chance to continue building rapport with my students, to keep interacting with other teachers at school, and to try out ideas and practices we have learned about in classes. The long-standing divide between theory and practice is about to be overcome! That, following months of classes, is inherently exciting.

The Students are My Goal -- Eric

Going into student teaching, I'm excited about having a consistent schedule and face-time with students. As we move closer to that point, I have the growing sensation that the students embody my main goal as a professional. They are the reason. I grow tired of the litany of small assignments and reflections that I have to do as a student myself. My students are waiting, and I want to be there.

Of course, I am worried that this student teaching will quickly consume my life. But on the other hand, I have tasted this life, and I will willingly offer myself.

Here's another concern: I want to give my students work that challenges them and pushes them to a new level of achievement, YET in trying to navigate that road I don't want to either give them an impossible task or insult them with baby work. I guess no teacher wants their class to be the dreaded point in some poor student's day.

And another concern: Will I be so enveloped in trying to stay on my feet during this formative experience that I will miss the chance to connect with students on an individual (dare I say personal) level? Obviously I hope not. Yet I want to give my twelfth graders a final semester that makes them feel recognized and challenged.

Best wishes to all of us. May isosceles triangles and war-torn Europe and atomic numbers and sonnet rhyme schemes and estudiantes desafiante y los bombaderos be topics with which students wrestle and never forget.

More Amazing Teachers

Abri is teaching twelfth grade government. She is most looking forward to being in the classroom every day so that she can learn more about herself as a teacher and experience what it is like to teach something beyond a single lesson.




Kelly is teaching Algebra II and Math Analysis to grades 9 through 12. During student teaching she is looking forward to trying out ideas like Parabola Playtime, getting to know her students, and building confidence as a teacher.






Tom is teaching tenth grade World Geography and ninth grade World History. He is looking forward to finally getting a true taste of what the teaching profession actually looks like as well as being able to help all these students learn about history and being good citizens. He is also excited to share those experiences with all who will read this blog.

Sara is teaching sixth grade Early American History. She is mostly looking forward to working with her students all the time!

Kyle is teaching ninth grade English and twelfth grade AP Literature and Language. He is most looking forward to beginning his professional career, which in the case of teaching is improving the lives and futures of children.




Johnny Mac is teaching eleventh grade AP U.S. history, the social studies portion of eleventh grade Advanced American Studies, and Law and Society for students in grades 10-12. He is co-teaching the American Studies class with Bex. Johnny Mac is most looking forward to being a good thief and finding a lot of resources related to his content area to expand his repertoire during student teaching.

Bex is teaching AP English Humanities Enhanced and co-teaching Advanced American Studies with Johnny Mac. It has been a long journey to this point, and she is excited to finally be in the classroom. She is most looking forward to getting to know her students better and learning how to best teach them. Bex is eager to explore different areas of teaching and to hone her skills so she can become an awesome English teacher.

Clifton is teaching eleventh grade US History, IB twelth grade Geography, and IB eleventh grade History of America. He is most looking forward to teaching students with different skills and abilities while trying to meet their needs.

Bios of Some Amazing Teachers

Sam is teaching math to sixth graders. He is looking forward to the chance to consistently be in the classroom and see his long term goals and units come to life during student teaching.




Kare is teaching two blocks of Intensified English for tenth graders and one block of eleventh grade Advanced American Studies. She is looking forward to seeing her students everyday and interacting with them in a more direct manner. She hopes that teaching them everyday as compared to once or twice a week will help her develop a better rapport with them and allow her to better see their academic progress.


Beth is teaching chemistry to grades ten through 12. She is looking forward to spending every day with the students because chemistry students are awesome. She also looks forward to not having anymore graduate classes.



Eric is teaching 12th grade English. He is most looking forward to developing a consistent professional relationship with his students. He also wants to be a fixture in the classroom and he wants a more panoramic view of their learning as compared to the spot-visit view he has been receiving.



Cati is teaching Spanish II to 9th and 10th graders and AP Spanish to 11th and 12th graders. She is most looking forward to having a regular schedule of interacting and working with her students. She is also excited to continue teaching so she can grow more confident in her skills and more trusting in the workability of the best practices for foreign language instruction that she has been learning about this year. She is excited to be in school every day and to be on the same schedule as the students so through that continuity and regular interaction her rapport with students can grow to the point where she can learn how to best teach those particular students



Raggs is teaching the social studies portion of eleventh grade American Studies. He is looking forward to putting into practice the skills he has learned in a more direct and constant way in order to develop better relationships with his students. He is also excited to see if he will in fact enjoy teaching and helping students learn as much as he thinks he will based on his past experiences.




Amelia is teaching three regular English and one intensified English for seventh graders. She is most looking forward to working with her students because they are delightful.

Welcome to Pursuing Pedagogy

According to Wikipedia, pedagogy is the art or science of being a teacher. Dictionary.com further defines pedagogy as the function or work of a teacher. Pedagogy is what we hope to capture here in this space.

For at least the next ten weeks, a group of student teachers will share their experiences, thoughts, and interactions as they undertake their teaching apprenticeships. We are a diverse group from around the United States drawn together by a graduate level teacher training program and the camaraderie and friendship that has formed as we progressed through our pedagogical training. We will introduce ourselves to you in a little more detail over the next few days.

The goals of this blogging project are simple and straightforward. We want to:

1. Realistically portray the student teaching experience.
2. Share the student teaching experience with each other and with the wider world.
3. Create a project that embodies our community and helps us reflect on what it means to teach and become teachers.

Hopefully you, the reader, will gain a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the challenges, difficulties, and joys of teaching by joining us on this journey through student teaching. Join us as we Pursue Pedagogy.