Student Teaching: End of First Week

So it's the end of the first week and I'm exhausted. My body aches and has yet to adjust to this new 6 am lifestyle. It is a challenge that requires far more attention than any job I have ever done. The thing I find most daunting after graduating and student teaching is missing college classes. I never thought I would be the one to say this, but I do think I will miss the 10 am class schedules and staying long hours into the night at the art studio. There is a sense of creativity that continues throughout college, and I fear loosing touch with the creative focus that embodies every coffee shop and classroom in Iowa City.

The pivotal moment that helped me realize I wanted to become a teacher was the summer I was teaching an art class at Clear Lake's Art Council. I was the art instructor for a summer art class that was geared towards children from ages 5 to 11. My mother aided me throughout the summer and was the first to realize I could be a teacher. Having come from a family of teachers, I was hesitant to follow the footsteps of my mother and her mother and her mother's father. Initially, I thought I wanted to be different. But after that summer when I was able to teach a classroom how to enjoy art, I realized this is the profession I am meant to pursue. I noticed the enjoyment that surrounds you when a student has caught on to what you've instructed. There was a sense of reward after I received a drawing from a student saying thank and "gotta love 'ya."

My wardrobe has already changed into a more comfortable yet professional look. As I proceed into the professional realm, my wardrobe will undoubtedly change further as a professional. I want to be taken seriously by students, faculty and parents. If I were to continue dressing as a college student, no one would be able to regard me as a teacher/professional. I already look young. Dressing young will establish a presence that promotes immaturity. I want to be viewed as prepared, orderly, and professional.

If I could add any item of clothing to my wardrobe it would be a suit. I have plenty of tops that are flattering and professional, but I do not possess a suit. After the student teaching orientation, I realized how important dressing for the part, owning a suit, and looking like a professional can be. Therefore, I want a suit- but not a black one. I think black tends to be too drab for an artiste.