Student Teacher

I volunteered to take a student teacher this year. When I learned that I would be getting one, I was beside myself with joy (and I'm not even being sarcastic)!

She arrived on the first day and she seemed very shy and quiet and a little mousy. I thought, "No problem... She'll warm up in a week or two."

She apparently has trouble sleeping at night and perhaps has a sleep disorder that causes her to miss out on a good night's rest. Whatever it is, it is undiagnosed and untreated. She regularly fell asleep while sitting in my classroom while I was teaching.

I spoke with her about it and informed her that the students are watching ALL the time. It is simply not permissible to sleep while in my classroom. I saw no change, so I reported the problem to her supervisor at the university. The next day, she made a genuine effort to stay awake. The day after it was back to the same 'ol same 'ol.

It was annoying that she fell asleep while she was supposed to be watching me and learning. It was intolerable that she fell asleep during parent conferences, curriculum planning meetings, faculty meetings, ARD meetings (for special ed), and any time she sensed there was an opportunity. She fell asleep WHILE SITTING UPRIGHT IN HER CHAIR!!!!!

I suppose I could've been supportive of her until she went to see the doctor (she scheduled an appointment for 3 weeks after the supervisor chastised her) if her performance as a teacher showed any improvement. I gave her specific things to work on and she gave a half-hearted effort once or twice before giving up on the goal. When I reiterated what she was to be working on, I saw NO attempt to try again.

Her supervisor was doubly unimpressed as well and wrote very specific items on each evaluation about where she needed to improve.

Last week, I'd had all I could take and recommended that the placement be terminated without completion. The very day I was to speak with her about it, she brought it up first and said she'd decided that teaching wasn't the right profession for her!!!

I am quite sad it turned out this way. I was truly excited about helping a teacher candidate hone his/her skills and get a leg up in the career.

I am willing to try again. I'll try not to let my hopes soar so high next time.