Dear You,
You have
done this before. You have questioned your abilities, you have lacked self-confidence,
and you have refused to acknowledge your accomplishments.
Guess what? You were wrong then, and you are wrong now.
YOU CAN. And, YOU WILL.
At times, you will feel this profession is not for you. At
times, you will feel so stressed out that you cannot concentrate. At times, you
will feel completely defeated.
It’s okay. You will learn.
You will learn how to time manage, you will learn how to
take a deep breath, you will learn how to teach others to love learning.
Here are some tips to help:
·
Do a little over a long period of time—I know
syllabus day is the worst day of every semester, and that will not change.
Sorry to disappoint. You will continue to have tons of projects and assignments
that will seem impossible to complete, but do not procrastinate. Choose to do a
little, even when you do not want to, and it will make a big difference.
·
Ask questions—As an education major you know
teachers love when students ask questions. Well, be that student! Especially
when you work with seasoned teachers because they are the best people to use as
a resource. Create a list of questions that you can ask every teacher you work
with. I did not do this, but I wish I would have. They have so much information.
Soak it up!
·
Compile supplies—Not necessarily school
supplies. Collect lesson plans, strategies to correct behavior, really anything
that you observe as a successful approach in the classroom environment. I did
not start doing this until my student teaching, and I would have way more to
work with if I would have started earlier.
·
Be self sufficient—You will have awesome
classmates, incredibly supportive University Supervisors, and many phenomenal
Mentor Teachers. Be sure to show gratitude to those people and always
communicate your appreciation for them, but rely on yourself. In the end, it is
up to you to graduate, find a job, and love the work you will do for a
lifetime. With that being said, stop doubting yourself. As important as it is
to appreciate others, it is important to appreciate yourself too. Celebrate
your successes and accept your failures as an opportunity to grow. Because,
spoiler alert, you are a good
teacher, but you have the abilities and opportunities to be a great teacher.
There might be things you want to change (i.e.—almost all university
English classes with uncompassionate professors). But, the College of Education
will be your haven. Use it! Your program is your home. Live there and live
well.
In a year or so, you will start hearing buzzwords like “KPTP”
and “Licensure. “
DO NOT PANIC. From my experience, I found that the College
of Education communicates expectations well, and all faculty and staff will be
willing to help you. I mean, they are all teachers; they will not let you fail.
And you will not fail.
You will not fail because you are more capable than you
know. Many are rooting for you. It’s time for you to become your own biggest
fan!
Best,
Future You
