The last two semesters as an education major are pretty intense. Your last semester is spent student teaching full-time, the one before that is spent getting ready for student teaching.
We created mock lesson plans and units, developed our philosophy of education, and listened to graduates discuss their real-life teaching experience. I distinctly remember a young woman from an inner-city school coming in to talk to us. I knew that it no uncertain terms that I would never take a job like that. It sounded very rewarding and Dangerous Minds, but I was no Michelle Pfeiffer.
When it came time to select the school where we would student teach, I was very strategic. It was required that everyone teach in a public school environment and Baton Rouge was known for having some terrible public schools. In a moment of genius, I chose to work in the neighboring parish, which was known to have much better public schools.
I got the cushy student teaching position that I wanted. What I didn't know is that I would find that I don't really like cushy. In fact, the most difficult kids are often my favorite. Good thing because I would have nothing but difficult in the years to come.
I must have done something right because they let me graduate.
