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Success as a Student Teacher

beginning elementary teachers getting hired student teaching

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Show Notes:

I’ve been getting a LOT of questions about student teaching and how to be successful as a student teacher inside our private Beginning Teacher Talk Facebook Group.

It's challenging to get classroom experience as a student teacher when your student teaching may end up being mostly virtual - I get it.

However, I want to encourage you to think about what's happening right now with Covid as an opportunity to practice flexibility. The reality is that many things are going to come up in your career ahead that you hadn't expected when you graduate and become a teacher.

You may dream of having a second-grade classroom and the only grade that's available to you is 8th grade and in a subject you don't like. I trained for and really wanted to teach high school writing. That was my passion.

However, the only position that was available in the district where I wanted to teach at that time was in second grade. I had to make a decision: was I going to flex, or was I going onto hold to what I thought I wanted?

My decision to accept that position was the best one I could have ever made, because I ended up in a spectacular school in the perfect location, and I enjoyed teaching 2nd grade more than any other grade I taught.

It's moments just like this one when we get to decide how we're going to rise to the occasion.

So yes, your student teaching experience may not be exactly as you had envisioned it. I know that's hard. But also, you are going to get exposed to different aspects of technology because of covid that you never would have been given an opportunity to learn before, and that you can take into your classroom and apply in different ways once we go back to school as normal.

So, if you've been struggling with feeling like your student teaching isn't what you had expected, and you're feeling some resentment about that, that's totally normal. But I want to encourage you to shift your mindset around being open to learning all you can from this new opportunity of teaching online.

Inside this week's episode, you'll learn:

The 4 essential keys to success as a student teacher based on my work hundreds of student teachers at the University of Lethbridge and as result of having a lot of student teachers inside my own classroom.
The six main areas to focus on as a student teacher in order to get the most out of your experience.
How I could tell from Day One if my student teacher was going to have a smooth start with classroom management.
The one thing that often makes a direct impact on both student success and teacher job satisfaction.
A new way of approaching your student teaching placement that can result in a job offer.

I hope you enjoy this episode, and watch out for my new Student Teacher Binder, which I'll be releasing soon inside my TpT store to help you get organized and make the most out of your student teaching experience!

And until next week, remember: just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast, Beginning Teacher Talk, and creator of the innovative literacy program for 1st and 2nd grade, Dogs Help Kids Read and Succeed, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com and at howdogshelpkids.com.