Closing Thought
I know that most of you are probably experiencing a whole range of emotions
at this time. If you are feeling nervous, excited, and even a bit apprehensive,
you are feeling normal. This emotional drive shows you have the right feelings
and are anxious to get in the classroom to make a difference. As you “gear up”
for your student teaching experience, please do not approach this wonderful
opportunity simply as the final phase of your teacher preparation. Yes,
"education is the journey, not the destination." Your student teaching
experience is only the beginning of your professional and personal journey in
making a difference in the lives of children.
Your PDEs and College Field Supervisor not only want to work with your
idealism and your energy, but they mostly want to work with your compassion to
teach and work effectively with children. Your job will be challenging,
demanding, and highly rewarding. The effort you put forth will be directly
proportional to the amount of success you achieve. You should come away with a
feeling that you worked hard, were professional, and improved significantly in
your teaching abilities and with your rapport with children. They also want to
see you have fun and truly enjoy teaching and reaching out to children. The work
will require a tremendous amount of time and effort. They will do all that they
possibly can to support you.
Your attitude determines your altitude. In order to soar, you must be able to
accept constructive criticism as part of your learning experience. We are
grateful to the PDEs for their dedication to the teaching profession. Their
continuing commitment of sharing their talents and their classrooms to PSU
teacher candidates is the core of the success of our program. Without their
help, this program would not be possible.
I am well aware that you will be extremely busy during your 16 week
experience. The supervisory visits, evaluative conferences, seminars, and
assignments are all intended to help you with your professional development as a
teacher. The end result will be worth the effort.
Good luck “teaching and reaching out to kids,”
Jay Petrillo
Director of Field Experience, Performance, and Professional Development
“.
. . Not I, not any one else can travel that road for you,
You must travel it for yourself.
It is not far, it is within reach,
Perhaps you have been on it since you were born
and did not know,
Perhaps it is everywhere on water and on land. .
.”
From
Whitman’s “Song of Myself”
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