I started my second student teaching placement today and so far I hate it. Its a 7th grade LD classroom in Jackson’s "inner city" if you could call it that. Basically, the yuckiest school district in our county. If you look at my situation from the outside, its not too bad. 1st hour is planning time, 2nd hour is in a gen. ed class so I don’t teach but I go to the class w/the LD students, 3rd and 4th hour I teach science, 5th hour is team meeting time (w/the rest of the LD team teachers), 6th hour is math and 7th hour is transition class (teaching kids about getting jobs). The only hours I teach are 3rd, 4th and 6th, so not too bad, huh? Well, the science is boring as heck (astronomy-I’m basically learning along with the kids)- basically I just follow the students text- no teacher manual or curriculum to give actual activity ideas, and math there IS NO curriculum. The school can’t afford one. So, the teacher I’m with has no idea what I’m teaching- she just gave me two old student text books and said to find something to teach for the next 8 weeks. Now, I have no clue as to what levels these kids are at, what they’ve already learned etc… I’m just being thrown in. And to top it all off- I started teaching math TODAY and I take over science on Wednesday. HAHAAAAA. This is pure hell. So, I came home tonight to find some ideas to get me through the week teaching time and clocks to the kids- thats what they’ve been doing in math. So next week I have no clue. The teacher gave me a few ideas- decimals, percents, graphs… but thats about as much guidance as I’ve got. No materials to teach with either. Lovely, huh? Please pray that the next few months go by super freakin quick or I’m going to lose my mind.
nicolebarczak.com 
how can they NOT have a curriculum? i do not understand that one!! don’t they need to show the state what they’re teaching the kids??? wtf???
best wishes to you !! sounds like it’s going to be tough, but think of all the knowledge you’ll have once its all over!! {hugs} you’ll get through it!!!
You’ll make it thru, Nic! You know I’ll be praying for you. Call me if you need to!
You’ll make it girl! Sending good vibes your way that everything goes smoothly and quickly!
You are one strong woman! I would not be able to do it. Especially being pregnant! LOL. You will do awesome- I am amazed at all that you do.
Teachers are amazing people! Thank you for learning to teach! Just an all out thank you to all teachers! Thank you for educating yourselves to teach our kids! :O)
Nicole, let me help you. The first thing I suggest you do is some kind of pre-assessment to see where the kids are in math. There should also be specific objectives and goals in their IEPs. Next you should find a copy of the MI state standards…this will tell you exactly what skills students at that grade level are expected to know. There are different web sites online that have math worksheets and lessons you could use. I can’t believe they have no math curriculum there!
Teaching science can be fun, but it can also be a pain in the butt to work with kids that age in science…I’ve been there, I know! Let me know what else I can do to help 🙂