I’ve been working with the students in my class on a one-to-one basis quite a bit lately. Usually what happens is my cooperating teacher works from the overhead, going over problems the students want to see demonstrated, while I walk around the classroom and help with more individual concerns — mostly things with which the other students don’t seem to have an issue. I think, at this point, I’ve helped all the students in my class in this manner on at least one occasion.
It seems to me that the students have become more comfortable talking to me and asking me questions. I’m happy with that, no doubt there. However, I’m not sure if it’s directly from having to ask me a question while the cooperating teacher is busy and learning in the process that I don’t bite, or if it’s a more general effect of my regular, pacing presence (I do so much walking in there!) and they’re just used to me being there. The level of trust the students have with me did seem to go up a bit overall after I taught my first lesson. For as much as I feel like I know right now, it could be something completely unrelated.
So for now, as a novice teacher, I have to say if it works, so be it, and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing until I find it’s not working or find something that works better…
