Excited and yet possibly more nervouse than a grade 8 on day one of highschool, i began the week at The Settlers High School. Being that i am part of a very small minority of prac teachers who did not attend this very high school, i have plenty of help when things get a bit confusing. Believe me though, that doesnt mean things dont get very confusing.
To begin with, the school as a whole seems to pride itself in discipline. Despite seeming very relaxed and roudy from my very strict background, the school does maintain very good control of the learners with this regard. My first week was filled with assemblies, one each day to be specific. These ranged from welcoming back assemblies to general check in assemblies and included a contact period with the headmaster of Fairmont High School. At each assembly no nonsence was tolerated as learners were quickly repremanded for poor manners or disruptive behaviour by the headmaster and teachers alike.
This third term began as any would with many students needing to be spoken to about their new hairstyles which breach the schools rules, this can be expected after any lengthy holiday period, some learners will always push their luck. Having seen everything from slight tints of blue to steps in hair that are at least four lengths apart, i can safely say that learners of this age are truly creative.
Being a student teacher means i am constrained to certain behaviours that teachers are not, all the while still having to pretent to be a real teacher. I have found that it is a balance that must be found in both being and not being a teacher. The staff have been very accepting and very willing to help out should help be required. Many of the teachers whom i shadowed in this first week have more then happily accepted my request to shadow them for a lesson or two, even if it is not my area of experience. I have shadowed a few different subjects from English and Afrikaans to Life Science, and across the board from grade 8 to Matric. Every class has offered something new and interesting for me to take away, and i am the better for it.
The teachers seem to take pride in their learners, speaking highly of them, even the disruptive ones, and the learners show a great deal of respect for the teachers, bar of course the odd few naughty individuals.
My first week has been an eventful and very plesant one with just one small issue which i have found. That being that the teachers and everyone else expect you to somehow instantly know who everyone is and what they do as well as where everything is. I will admit that it is not their responsibility to babysit the student teachers, but a bit of consideration in this regard would be nice. For example being told to speak to Mr.X about a lesson but then not being showed who Mr.X is.
That being said i never like to be the person finding the black speck on the white cloth and after two or three days it was easy enough to pick up on who was being spoken of so the issue was short lived.
Teaching, sports and cultural activities begin in the next week of school so its full involvment from that point onwards. As for the end of my first week, the chaos cleared to reveal a wonderful teaching environment where i am privileged to be able to both teach and learn in.
I look forward to the weeks to follow and the experience they will bring.
MRH
