Saying Goodbye

Week 15

This week was absolutely the hardest this semester. Not because I had no idea what to teach or because I had kids running shirtless in the halls, but because I had to say goodbye to Manheim. This blog could probably go on for hours but I'd rather keep it short and sweet by articulating what this experience has meant to me.

 

Mrs. Anderson

I can't begin to describe my experience without first describing what Mrs. Anderson has done for me. As someone always there to make me belly laugh or provide "Barbour anxiety migraine Advil" , I can truly say I couldn't have done it without her. Anderson was nothing but kind, encouraging, and most importantly there for me and her students. The gratitude I feel for her support during this experience cannot be explained in words.

Myself

I think student teaching has shown me numerous things about myself. The biggest thing that stands out to me is that I am my own version of a teacher. All throughout my time at Penn State, I have compared myself to my cohort members and thought I could never be half the teacher they were. As an individual who chooses to live their life with slightly more ~chaos~, I thought I would never be successful as an educator or I would have to change myself to fit the mold. To my surprise, the weirder I got, the more I felt connected to the students. They don't care that I laugh at dumb things or that I sing while I give instructions, they care that I prioritize them and their lives. Untimely, student teaching allowed me to see that kids appreciate someone genuine, not necessarily the gold star teacher.

The Students 

When I say these students have changed my life, I truly mean that. It's hard to accurately describe the way I feel about these kids. Before I get all teary eyed, I'll say they've challenged me, loved me, and hated me all in the matter of 15 weeks, but looking back, I feel nothing but love and best wishes for these students as we part ways.