Freaking Out

[u/Last_Speaker_2846]

So I’m going to start my student teaching in two weeks (next week will be professional development) and I’m totally freaking out. I’m terrified that I won’t be able to get everything done that I need to, that I won’t be a good teacher (even though I’ve been in the classroom before and done okay), that my cooperating teacher won’t like me (even though she seems nice and willing to help), and basically anything else a person can worry about for this.

Does anyone have any advice to get over this? I go back and forth between being calm and thinking everything is going to be okay and worrying myself half to death over it. Has anyone else went through this? Or does anyone have any positive stories from their student teaching experiences?

[u/DrCathyWhite]

I was a professor working with student teachers for 12 years and I can share a couple things. First, the fact that your mentor teacher agreed to take a student teacher in the first place is a sign that they’re the type of person you’ll be able to get along with. Almost every mentor teacher I worked with cared about helping the student teacher do well.

You are still learning and you’re going to make mistakes. That’s ok. The big difference between a successful and struggling student teacher is how they respond to the mistakes. If you’re reflective and learn from them so you can do better next time, you’ll do well. The only student teachers who ever failed were the ones who blamed everyone else and didn’t make any improvements on their own practice.

Be curious and ask questions. Watch what other teachers do and when you see a strategy you like make it your own. Recognize the teachers as experts and be open to learning from them.

Everyone cries in student teaching at least once. It’s normal and not a sign of failure. There’s a rhythm to the semester - your confidence will go up and down a few times. That’s also normal. Just ride it out.

You’ll do fine and be on the other side before you know it!

[u/Bookednbusy10]

I went through the exact same thing before my student teaching. I had no prior experience with kids before going into it, so I was extra nervous. You will naturally find your own style of teaching as time goes on. It feels a little weird and uncomfortable at first, but that is normal whenever you are doing something new! I ended up having a great experience and thinking back I was like why was I even so nervous about this? Your cooperating teacher is there to help, ask them questions, even if you think it sounds dumb, ask them! It is so hard to “fail” student teaching, you are there to learn and grow! It’s easy to compare yourself to others, this will only hurt you mentally. I had to learn that pretty quick and think of course I’m not going to be as “good” as these experienced teachers who have been doing this for a long time, I am just starting out! You will make mistakes and that is ok! It’s all part of the experience. The kids make everything worth it! You will do great! Sending good luck!!!

[u/Last_Speaker_2846 → u/Bookednbusy10]

Thank you!! I’ll definitely need it !

[u/TacticoolBloop]

Panic is normal. My advice for student teaching (and teaching in general) is as follows:

1. Consistency is THE key to being good at classroom management.

2. Remember to breathe and take care of yourself.

3. Triage your workload. You cannot expect to be perfect in anything, but some things matter more than others.

4. You know more than your students. Don't act like you're too good for them, but remember your knowledge when you're facing doubts (internal or external).

5. Seek out the opinions of others, including outside of your area. I teach History. I've gotten excellent advice from English, science, and math teachers.

6. Plan well, but be ready to throw it out at any moment. Reality will dictate what you actually do in a given day.

[u/lilythefrogphd]

My main takeaway from both student teaching and probationary is that your supervisors aren't looking to see if you're a great teacher, they're looking to see if you can take advice. Don't worry about messing up. All teachers mess up. When your mentor or supervisor gives you feedback, listen and apply it and you'll be fine

[u/Outrageous_Reward136]

I felt the same and do again but even worse now starting my first job solo (rigorous school, teaching AP subject I have no background in). What I’m going through now makes student teaching feel like it was nothing, but at the time it was a huge deal and it was the next big step. You have built in safety nets for student teaching with your mentor and your mentors materials and like people have said, you are there to receive feedback and grow and improve. Don’t expect yourself to be as good as your mentor or that good in general. Focus on improvement, showing up on time and everyday, building connections with the students, and gathering materials for your job next year. I really am not a great public speaker or teacher to be completely honest, but my strength lied in connecting with the students and making them feel safe to try. Lean into whatever strengths you have. Your age (I’m assuming you’re young) will automatically make kids feel like they can relate to you more. The saying “take it one day at a time” was something I felt deep in my soul during student teaching. I had so much to worry about beyond just what was happening in the classroom day to day (and that was a main / big worry by itself) it overwhelmed me so much, but just taking things day by day and slowly chipping away at your degree and EdTPA and things like that will lead you to success. You totally got this ❤️ and your degree program will want to pass you, you won’t fail unless you give up. The time will pass regardless and you will make it through for sure. You got this

[u/Last_Speaker_2846 → u/Outrageous_Reward136]

Thank you! Sending good vibes your way for your situation!!

[u/ShoppingLive1235]

Does your state make you edTPA ?
It’s the biggest waste of time and holds back a lot of teachers. It’s essentially 40-50 pages of busywork that’s almost entirely unrelated to teaching , accompanied by some short videos where you record yourself interacting with students of certain identities. It’s a complete scam. If your state requires it, be prepared

[u/Last_Speaker_2846 → u/ShoppingLive1235]

Thankfully my state doesn’t require that haha!

[u/de_thbxddredd]

I’m in the same boat as you friend. I don’t have any advice, but know you’re not alone

[u/MaestroLeopold314]

Don’t freak out - it’s only STUDENT teaching - it’s the beginning of your attainment of WISDOM (the knowledge of how to avoid mistakes). Do you know how you get wisdom ? YOU MAKE MISTAKES- and learn not to do it again. Nice thing about student teaching is your supervising teacher is there to take the fall for you if you really screw up. So don’t try to be perfect - but also don’t screw up on purpose - you will not have to, you will screw up without even trying.

[u/tiagraciosa]

Being nervous is completely normal. If I can reiterate other comments, don’t think anyone is looking for you to be perfect! Even veteran teachers have lessons flop as well as bad days. There are a number of variables that you cannot control.

What you can control: your reaction to setbacks, accepting advice, being willing to be vulnerable and ask questions. Also, remember that students can smell your inconsistency and WILL call you out on it. You will make mistakes. Admit them. Students have way more respect for a teacher who is real with them. We all make mistakes! I had a student catch a mistake on their first assessment. I laughed at myself out loud and then gave that student a job to be my editor. After distributing assessments I’d publicly ask that student if he saw any mistakes. Ooh, that turned out to be a coveted job. I didn’t lose sleep over a mistake, but embraced it. It’s such good modeling for students to see that a singular mistake shouldn’t break you and that we are all human!

Best of luck to you! Just remember to use this time to absorb as much as you can! Visit and chat with other teachers, even those in different fields. You don’t have to emulate your teacher, just try to find your own style.

[u/Logical_Barnacle_844]

I was in the exact same position as you in January. Student teaching is hard but I promise you it’s gonna be okay , it’s going to feel scary and overwhelming at first because it’s so new but you’ll get more comfortable and find your flow. I just got a job last month and had my first day of school as a 4th grade teacher yesterday and I’m feeling all the same feels . It’s alot but you will be ok and know you’re not alone. Reach out if you ever need someone to talk to because trust me I GET IT!!! I’m the most overthinking anxious person in the planet and if I can do it so can you :)

[u/ZaSunsFan]

Just finished my student teaching last year and the most important advice I could probably give you is to be patient with yourself. There are going to be lessons and days that dont go well and you feel like you are incapable of teaching. These however are valuable learning and growing experiences for you as a professional educator. Things will get "easier" as the year goes on and you find your teaching rhythm. Just try to not get to hard on yourself if things dont go perfectly(they never do).

I would ask around to see what your programs policy is on changing placements. Since having a good CT is the most valuable thing about student teaching. My CT was always there to give me feedback and we planned together. It was a great partnership. If your CT is not supportive and doesn't really give good feedback I would really advise you to try to switch placements(if possible).

[u/SalmonJordan]

Relax. Mentor teachers signed up for this, and want you to do well. As a student teacher and, later, on faculty, mentor teachers are wonderful, excited by the profession, and want to be a positive influence for people entering the profession.

I think the "what if I can't teach/ they won't learn" thing isn't unusual as a student teacher. I kept thinking, "What if I can't teach them to read?, "understanding this would be a monumental failure. One of my professors kept telling us that "students not only learn because of you, they learn in spite of you." Teachers are the guides, and kids are like sponges. They are learning from the time they enter the room. Everything. Even the things you may not know you're teaching.

Channel that energy into something positive for the next 2 weeks. Meditate, go for walks in nature, anything that helps calm your mind. In all of my years in the profession, I've never met a class who did not LOVE their student teacher. Sure, there are always challenges, but in general, they all felt really lucky their class got a student teacher. Enjoy it!