It's your decision By vjcstudent

I had a lot of negative (so-so, borderline comments) last year from my college supervisor. There were a lot of teaching instruction courses we had not had yet as sophomores, and she treated us as if we should have been pros!

She could never say, "Great job." I got over that. I had a super placement (as a junior) this year. I was able to apply college coursework and look for that work in her model as well. She was honest about my weaknesses, not critical. However, I had some bumpy spots this semester. I had a few family funerals, a car accident (causing me to miss college classes and assignments)

and my teacher went out for surgery. She had me complete my requirements before her last day. She found me a few classrooms to stay in for the remainder of my days in placement. Basically I was to be an extra hand in the classrooms - (third in the morning, fifth in the afternoon). The afternoon teacher had me teach a couple of lessons, but I was not prepared (I also did not know the students and had never taught that grade-level). I was behind in school work and was spending time preparing for my portfolio review. I hadn't planned on teaching. I knew I did not do well. I really have only been there a few weeks. I had missed two afternoons (left early) because of doctors' appointments related to the car accident. I had started to make them for placement days because I had classes other days and had missed enough of those. I also had already fulfilled my placement requirements for the junior year.

The afternoon teacher told my college supervisor that she did not think I was ready and should not move on. My college supervisor recommended me to pass with an "enthusiastically recommend," because she based it on the course requirements met in the original room. I told her that if I had to rate me based on only what the new afternoon teacher had seen, I would fail me too! Three to four half-days is not enough to rate a st's performance - expecially when you do not know the college's requirements for the st's current placement level.

Supervising teachers have a tough job. They have to tell us when we have done poorly and be tactful. Some are not as good as others. The network is very vast and a consensus as to what is good or bad varies. There are good mentor teachers and bad mentor teachers. You have to be honest about your performance. Maybe it was more the effort than the ability that bombed. Maybe she was over critical. Maybe you do just need another grade-level. You have to work it out. If I had taken my sophomore supervisor's words to heart (or this years half day teacher), I would have quit. Be a reflective practitioner. Don't quit based on one comment, but don't ignore it. Reflect on that comment.

I was lucky this semester that the person grading me had witnessed my entire performance (especially through trying times) and not just the last four weeks of it.

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