Clinicals - Day One

I entered Kirksville High School this morning at approximately 10 minutes until 8:00am. In my mind I was thinking thoughts of pedagogy, remembering movies like the Ron Clark Story or Freedom Writers, and generally having grandiose thoughts about my future as a teacher. When I walked into the school, I was greeted by a male student screeching like a dinosaur. A female student walked casually past him and with a casual tone that suggested this happened often said, "'Morning Rex"

When I arrived at the classroom where I was to observe and eventually teach, I met my mentor teacher. A puerto rican woman with a wonderful accent and a pleasant disposition. She clearly had experience as a mentor teacher and made me feel very comfortable in the classroom. She went about her daily work with the students and I observed for the majority of my time there. Occassionaly one of the students would raise his or her hand, "Mr. Campbell..." It was such an odd and exciting thing to hear myself being referred to as "Mr. Campbell"

I left the school at the end of the day feeling exhausted but excited for what is to come. Very excited.