The Power of the Pat on the Back

   I've just had the most powerful experience in my middle school DYAD.  For a number of reasons, I was pretty nervous at the start.  I'd heard negative things about the school, I'd been placed there late and hadn't met with the teacher in the spring as many others had done, and I struggle with my classroom management skills so I expected the 6th graders to basically eat me alive.  All  my fears have melted away after a few weeks with a wonderful teacher who has not hesitated to allow me to establish myself with her students and make a few mistakes along the way.  No one died.  In fact, I know I've had a positive impact on these students, as has my partner, Nicole.  I see their faces  light up when we become their "teacher" and they are eager to be our guinea pigs. 
  
   My DYAD teacher has given me the gift of a pat on the back.  When she says to me "That went so well.  The students were really engaged," I feel like I could walk on water!  She and I have different styles but she is excited about my future as a teacher and lets me know what I'm doing right and what to do next time.  The classroom experience she's allowed me to have has been the most valuable time in  my training.  I can read books, watch videos, write lesson plans, reflect, and research but none of that compares to sharing a lesson  with a classroom of interested kids in terms of my learning.  It's a great feeling to present a lesson and then see the students put the information to use in their work.  I am  so glad that I sought the ML endorsement because I had the benefit of being mentored by a teacher who wasn't afraid to hand me the reins.  It was just the boost I needed to get me through the rest of this year.  I know I can do this.