children.

I begin student teaching Tuesday. EEEEEK! I haven't been this nervous since the 800m dash in high school track. It's the most bizarre thing to go from being a student my whole life to being the teacher.

As I prepare for next week, I realize that I can't just make lessons centered around what I feel is important. I must work backwards and 'teach to the test'. Teachers look at the state tests and see what material is covered. Then look at the grade span expectations, GSE's, for their particular grade and then create their lesson plans. It's nuts! So trying to incorporate fun, exciting, motivating activities is difficult because you have to constantly keep moving forward to meet all the standards.

I'm excited to start, hoping I can bring some new energy and insight. I know it's going to be hard to 'go against the grain' and not do PowerPoint after PowerPoint but that'y my goal. I want students to feel challenged but for those challenges to feel possible. Schools need to be reintroduced with the mentality that learning should be challenging and exciting. That's where the motivation comes from for students and that's why student's have lost the will to do better and succeed.