Western Connecticut State University - Pahquioque Yearbook (Danbury, CT)

Page 51 text:

F'Y .V ' 'rv -. - V V - . ,- lx .. - 4 H - . . . 77' E ,,-rw-L Al J we-0, , 5 1. ,J - , mxx 42' A-I The readjustment to our classes is lacking in spirit and enthusiasm until we are in the depths of our les- sons and the small details of training begin to fade from our memories, while the significant facts imbed themselves more deeply. The school months pass faster than seems possible and suddenly you realize that it is May, the month of the second training -period. Once again you are in a situation that calls for an- other adjustment. Perhaps this change is greater than the first, as early in the year the men were in the upper grades while the women were in the lower grades. Now the revolution has come-all has been reversed. More plans, shorter periods, and.increasing desire for the little boys and girls to get up and move around, seemingly more requests to go to the basement, as well as a lower level of self expression, marks the big change for the men. But, of course, the poor women have to face a readjustment equal to that of the men -perhaps this change is even greater as the boys of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades have been known to make eyes at their new female teacher. Longer classes and a higher level of teaching material are every bit as IQ -N 52121121 difficult for the women as the reverse is for the men. The first senior training adds a week of independent charge. Independence as Americans have interpreted it to mean makes it a wonderful word, but to the senior it is a part of the vocabulary which causes fear, and cold sweat over the brow. The midnight oil burned long into the wee hours of the morning as we worked diligently to arrange a varied attack for teaching the next day. Now the descriptive adjectives of the children are changed to monsters, villains and juvenile delinquents, especially during our second semester of senior train- ing, when we are confronted with two weeks of in- dependent charge. At this time the only bright ray of sunshine is independence from independent. Return- ing for our last semester to the hallowed halls of D.T.C. we stop to analyze our twenty weeks of student teach- ing and we arrive at two conclusions-a wonderful, constructive experience, and the fact that we are ready to take our place in the world. -RICHARD W. JOHNSTON, '51. ji V. . .. . . .-, 1, -,. V QV. .,,-.- - A -- - 4 .V 'F 4 6 -1.2, 1'1 'T-'- 5 1,' ,.1.,. 7-Ax - rn , c : pr . . A H -L' - 'I ' i x '

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Q- AS fr ll: r.1..t:j I fl . - if ff I -Q . -. Xi' .' 'X' ', Q' u I GULP7 AM A TEACHER Early September has the juniors venture forth in a new realm of experiences. For two days we sit in the back of a room in either Locust Ave. or Balmforth Ave. Schools to observe how teaching is done, and to learn about the reactions of the little, delicate, sweet, angelic children. CRemember this is a pre-teacher's opinion.D Then the big moment arrives-a twenty-minute lesson. Our plans are in order on paper and in our mind- but what happens? The inevitable tangent suddenly has gushed forth, and you, find yourself in the midst of a personal confusion. Attempting to make your mind's wheels turn faster than the discussion, and still have an organized discussion makes one wonder if he is coming, going, or has been. Finally in a stroke of genius, you relate the topic of discussion back to the original lesson. You feel personal pride, accomplishment, and satisfaction, that is until your critic teacher confronts you. You are told 46 that the class went off on a tangent, you did not cover your material, your class was too long, you called on too few pupils, you don't know their names, etc. The rest of the words fall to a numb ear, a person who was like a balloon whose air was let out by the jab of a pin. In about a week-and-one-half the excitement of teaching wears off and boredom sets in. Gradually, as your critic teacher points out various items, the meth- ods and ideas seem to fall into place, a renaissance has confronted you and you begin to realize that teaching is not all a straight road of give and take, but rather many avenues which wind, twist and relate to the big road. When you find yourself fitting into the groove and your work running with efficient smoothness, the fourth week of your training period is rapidly drawing to a close and you visualize yourself on the other side of the desk. 1+ . ' f. Q NWA,

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