Giving Up Control

I have been teaching for the last six year. Scratch that, I have been teaching, in some form, for as long as I can remember. When I was nine years old, I had passed out of swimming classes, started being an aid instead, and it didn't take me long to take over my own class. From then on, I was teaching something: swimming, dancing, reading, third grade, and finally fifth grade. While I initially struggled to figure out what my ultimate major would be in college, it wasn't that big of a shock when I landed in elementary education.

This semester, I have been given my first ever cooperating teacher position. I have had a few practicum students in the past, but this is my first full time student teacher. I was am thrilled to have this fresh, new face learning with me. He has, as you would expect, a lot to learn, but I figure that is why he is student teaching. I learned more in that one semester of being in the classroom than I had the rest of the 4 years!

But today...today I had to give up my classroom. Talk about a heartbreak! I had no idea it would be so hard to sit back and let someone else teach my kids! I kept thinking, "But if you say it this way, it is going to click!"

Four weeks to get caught up on paperwork? Great! Four weeks to be able to pull small groups and reteach? Amazing! Four weeks of not being in control? Uh-oh, I might be in trouble.

Listen, logically I get that he doesn't have to teach the way I do, and honestly he shouldn't. What makes a great teaching is figuring out who you are as a teacher and then playing to those strengths while working to improve on your downfalls.

I guess these four weeks will be a test in my self control, and that is Ok. Heck, that is probably good for me! But more than anything, these next four weeks will be a true test of how well I can teach, no matter the student's age.