WEEK THREE: Weekly Journal

I am beginning to love my placement more and more each week, and am also becoming more and more attached to the students. They are very unpredictable and as a result are a great source of entertainment. They are very creative and always end up making me laugh and enjoy myself. However, I'm still trying to figure out why some students havn't warmed up to my company. There are some students who are very secluded and like to be quiet. I understand that some are very shy and do not easily adjust to new situations and change. So I will continue to encourage them and assisst them with their studies in a very enthusiastic and personable manner so that they realize I am here to help them. On the other hand there are students that have fully warmed up to me and are not afraid to consult me when they know they need help. I am more than happy to help them and they always seem more motivated when I help them. It makes me feel good to know that I can help people get through their day. Getting to co-op on time is not a challenge for me because I leave my third lunch at 11:40 everyday and end up getting to my placement roughly around 11:55 everyday. The school day at St. Andrew's ends at 2:50, so I work until this time then clean up my workspace and finish up what I am working on. I end up signing out by 2:55 each day. I like to make my arrival and departure a routine so my days are more solid and organized.
Routines at my placement are very important because I need to be in my comfort zone so that I can work to my best ability. By having a day planned out, I am able to have time to think ahead and process what I have to do. I know what classes I have each day and Mme. Mercer always writes down her lesson plans in my co-op duotang so that I know what I have to do. This gives me room to plan around lessons and focus on the students. Routines also make my days more flowy because I know what to expect from them. Some days are so busy that I end up doing one thing after another. I actually enjoy being very busy because it makes my days go by faster and will also prepare me for future jobs. I am gaining transferable skills and reliability which could also make me a serious contender for job applications. There are some days where I am so busy that I don't spend as much time as I'd like to with students. Instead I find myself running around the school doing other tasks. I like being in the classroom and actually working one on one with the students because it gives me a sense of accomplishment and also improves my "people skills" because of the class's diversity. Due to the different personalities and learning levels of the students, I have to alter my teaching techniques which has taught me how to deal with people in the future.
Some days there isn't a lot to do and I find myself having a less prominent role in the classroom. There are days where Mme. Mercer teaches for most of the period and there are days when the students have to present projects. There was one day where there was not a lot for me to do in the classroom, so I typed up charts the whole day. After a while my eyes started to feel stressed and tired. I knew that I needed to take a break so I took a walk to relax my eyes. I'd much rather be busy than not busy because it makes me happier and as if the day is going by faster.
There is a student in one of my classes who has a slight disability. He is not aware of the circumstances around him and ends up demanding the teachers and myself around-almost as if we are his slaves. As a result the teachers tell me not ot give him any help when he treats us like this. As much as I undertstand and respect this notion, a part of me also wants to help him and this becomes frustrating to me. I know that we have to train and teach him to respect the people around him, and this comes before our assistance. This week I learned that teachers do a lot more than teach lessons. They have a very prominent role in their students' lives and will always be remembered. They impact the way kids think and act and ultimately affect their future. This makes me appreciate and respect all of my teachers even more. It also makes me realize that I impact these students because I am around them everyday. This is very daunting for me because the way I think and act ultimately affects the way the kids think and act.