Thread: What they DIDN'T teach you in college

I was lucky because my teacher program did do a lot with classroom management and practicallities. Report cards are so different from school to school, though. I think the most valuable thing was that we had 12 months of student teaching while so many programs have just a few weeks. As a secondary student teacher I did 6 weeks at a junior high and 6 weeks in high school then we had our full semester placement which was a "full take over" of two periods. We had a master teacher in the room, but we were responsible for everything. I think that sort of scaffolded reality was very helpful. We weren't observers, we were actually teaching while still under a teacher. I guess I would have liked more reading instruction information. As a secondary teacher, they assume your students can read, and that isn't always the case. I do find my self having to teach phonics and beginning writing. I guess I also could have used more information on differentiating instruction in mixed classes. Oh, and the idea that just because I have a credential in English doesn't mean that I won't be assigned to teach other subjects. I taught 4 years of social studies.

pebbles has the right idea. Organization and time management play an important role in the classroom. I also learned that my professors dealt mainly with ideal situations and none of them had taught in a real elementary classroom situation in years. They couldn't paint a very realistic picture of today's students and what to expect. My first year teaching was a real "eye opener".

That's college/school in general for ya. So many important topics are skipped, and some time is wasted on things you'll never use. This is why you must educate yourself to fill in any gaps.

I was lucky, I guess. I feel like my college totally prepared me for teaching. I wanted to learn the subject matter, and I did. My subject matter courses were the best because I had phenomenal professors and loved learning ever since. My education courses fell short because most of them were a waste of time. Teaching IS learning to apply and figure out based on the dynamics of ever class you teach. Each one is different, and the teacher has to pull from his or her arsenal what works for that class period, that group of students and that lesson. One student's being present or absence can, and does, change the entire dynamics. No college can teach you to be a master teacher. You have to grow and become that.

I wish we'd been told to keep a journal from day one. Writing down the highlights of every day over the years would have been so valuable in time. I never wrote down those early great stories, and I've lost so many of them. I could have written a book from them.

I think college should have taught me to deal with parents. That is the part I hate most. Time management might have been good, too. I think there is always something we wish we had known, though. no one is perfect.

I wish I had been better prepared to deal with the parents. Some of them are very difficult to talk to, especially when they think they know more than you do regarding the curriculum and how to teach their child.

I agree, parents, like what to say in a parent conference. I am not a teacher in a regular school, I do after school so I am not through my education courses at school yet, but I know when I got hired here, they gave no instruction on how to deal with the parents. I have had one conference and have two more coming up. One mom seems like she could be on Jerry Springer. I really don't want to have to talk to her, but I know something has to be done about her child hitting, punching, kicking etc. She doesn't care though because he does it in front of her and she says nothing. Sigh. I really wish I knew how to deal with these parents, especially the ones who think I'm the problem not their little angel.