I feel so blessed to be working with someone who I think will probably be the BEST teacher in the world when she completes her education! My "teacher intern" has really motivated me. I think after 9 years of teaching, it is easy to get in a "rut" and to forget what good teaching is all about. However, introduce someone who has fresh and new ideas, and that "rut" is quickly a thing of the past. She is currently teaching my class full-time, but I am excited to get back into the swing of things in mid-April. I hope that I can continue the momentum she has created with my students. They are really LOVING to learn. I thought I was pretty good at motivating them to want to learn, but she has taken it to a whole new level.
The day she was observed for the first time, she set up 6 different astronomy-themed centers to help the students review our Astronomy Unit. The activities included "Moon Phases Twister", a crater creation center, an awesome Smartboard activity, a "calculate your weight on other planets" center....it was so engaging and really helped the students review. Her supervisor was in awe, as was I! I believe that great teaching is a gift, a talent, and she has that talent!
So...if you have worked with a teacher intern (aka student teacher) who was great...what did they teach you?? Do you have any ideas you still use?
UPDATE: I had to add some photos of her astronomy activties!
