WEEK TWO- Weekly Journal

This week was even better than the last because I am becoming more comfortable in my placement and enjoying the environment all the more. I am also learning a lot about myself as well, because I see that I love being around kids and helping them out. I consider myself to be very personable which helps me out in this workplace. The kids also seem to be comfortable in my presence as opposed to being shy and complacent. They are interactive and willing to learn. Being ready at my placement means that I am ready to enter an environment where I have to be professional and personable at the same time. I have to be at my placement early so that I am sure I won't be late. I also have to be ready to learn and soak up information in a small amount of time so that I can complete tasks quickly and efficiently. I also have to be ready to accept and use constructive criticism to my advantage so that I can better myself in terms of skills, and also prepare myself for the future.
This placement is what I expected because I knew that I would love it and look forward to going there everyday. It never gets boring and there is always a job waiting for me. I like to be busy because it makes the day interesting and also makes my days go by very fast. I also expected the staff to be very warm and cordial towards me, and they have been nothing but. This makes me feel as if I belong here and am wanted here. I also expected the students to be very nice and friendly, which they have been. They have responded well to my presence which makes me feel as if I can actually help them with their studies. Mme. Mercer has also been awesome because she has treated me with immense respect and also makes me feel good about myself and my abilities. Seeing that she has confidence in me makes me think that I can make a difference in my placement. This placement is not what I expected because I expected some students to mock me and take full advantage of me due to the fact that I am also a student. However, they have been very respectful and treat me as if I am a teacher. There are, however, a selective few who abuse my presence and see me as more of a friend than a teacher's assistant.
Some situtions that made me feel good were when students actually came to me for help on certain activities. It made me feel good about myself because it showed that the students had confidence in my abilities and knowledge. Specifically, when I took a group of students to the library, they were very involved and eager to learn. They were not afraid to ask me for help and seemed happy to get assistance. Some situations that made me feel bad were when some selective students took advantage of my presence and began treating me as a friend rather than an authority figure. Some students used inappropriate language outside of class while talking to me, which is not acceptable. I do not enjoy having to raise my voice and be stern, however that comes with the territory and is something that I have to do. All, in all, I love my placement and there is not one thing that I dislike about it!