The challenge
As I picked up my full-load of teaching courses this week, I felt both challenged and accomplished. I felt challenged because it was difficult to juggle between teaching several different classes on the same day. I became a lot more aware of time and what it meant to actually finish a lesson on time so that I could be ready for my next class. This was especially difficult to control on days when my classes conducted their food labs, because each group worked at a different pace. Also, as I had to share 3 different classrooms on the same day, I needed to make sure the classroom was clean by the time I left. Furthermore, I wanted to experience the complete package of a teacher at full-load (with 6 preps), so I also picked up my SA’s lunch hour library supervision shift. Thankfully the shift did not start right at the beginning of lunch, so this gave me some time to clean up the classroom that I was in just before lunch, set-up for my next class after lunch, and to eat my own lunch.
I felt accomplished because I was able to develop my own routine by the end of the first week of having full-load courses. I was still able to eat lunch in the staff room on most days, and also help out with the Homework Club afterschools. I worked more efficiently, and learned to prioritize the more important things. I also met more teachers in the school and engaged in meaningful conversations as they inquired about my practicum experience. I felt truly connected to the school and for once felt like I was one of the teachers at the school.