Dear Scott,
This letter is being written with the hopes that you will
read it fifteen years from now (sometime in the year 2027). It is difficult to
say what you will be doing by the time you reread this, as I know you are
currently pursuing many potential paths that you could take come the end of
your five undergraduate years. I am writing this letter not to persuade you to
do anything radical with the rest of your career, but rather to remind you
where you came from as an undergrad.
As this letter is being written, you are currently spending
your semester participating in your pre-student teaching. You have been
fortunate enough to work with a classroom full of some great students, as well
as cooperating teacher who has been more than willing to help you along the
way. It is my understanding that you were a little bit nervous coming into this
school as it hasn’t always had the best reputation. It is amazing how much an
impression can change once you actually start working somewhere, isn’t it?
(Pssst, remember the positive feelings you had about the first school you
observed in? Yeah, it works both ways.) No matter where you are now, or where
you wind up in another fifteen years, please do not forget that.
I would also like to remind you about the first week in
which you had a classroom full of freshman students mostly to yourself. It is
amazing what can happen when you are thrust into the fire, isn’t it? Yeah,
there were a few hiccups- like when half the class left the room to listen to
the band in the hallway- but hiccups happen. What is important is that rather
than succumbing to a nervous fit, you actually became much more confident when
you were handed the reins. Your interaction with the students increased
substantially, and you had little trouble building relationships and,
therefore, building respect. I hope this quality has remained with you these
past few years. If it hasn’t, get it
back.
In short, these are the two most important pieces of
information that I can impart to you: 1.
Don’t draw conclusions about anything until you have had the chance to
experience it; 2. Be confident, it goes a long way.
Sincerely,
Scott
P.S.
Come to think of it, there is one last piece I want to pass
your way. If you have developed the habit of asking people, “Does that make
sense to you,” after explaining something, please smack yourself upside the
head.
First, I'd like to say that this is reminiscent of The Letter Q: Queer Writers' Notes to Their Younger Selves. It's an anthology told in the form of writing a letter to their younger, and sometimes future selves. Second, I was essentially "left alone" with my class for the first time too this semester. It's funny, when I was a tutor in a local middle school, teachers blatantly ignored the rule of needing a teacher or sub in the room. I feel much better knowing that a sub is present, in case a legal issue or a fight arises, but I enjoyed having some control over the classroom, without the CT over my shoulder. I think it's more of a matter of the CT is a pro at this, so I feel inferior somehow when she's around. The sub just let me do my thing though, and we had a great, productive day.
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