Summer is here! This is the time to take a break, kick back, regenerate and enjoy the sunrays—with the proper amount of SPF, of course. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to vacations, barbeques, and all kinds of outdoor fun. However, for those of us who are halfway through the MAT@USC program, there are a few “to-do’s” we should check-off the list before we can rejoice in the sun guilt-free.
First on the list, if you are on the teaching credential track and you haven’t done so already, sign up for your state credentialing exams. I decided to take mine during the summer because I didn’t want to be overwhelmed during the school year. If you can schedule yours during one of the breaks that’s great, however, keep in mind you want to have at least two test dates available before your guided practice. Why? Because you have to pass your state credentialing tests before you can sign up for guided practice. That means if you don’t pass all the state required tests for your teacher credentials in time, you will have to postpone your guided practice. So, don’t leave it to the last minute. The sooner you get it out of the way, the better!
Second on the list, prepare for guided practice. If you have already been placed in a school and know whom your master teacher will be, then be sure to contact them before you start guided practice. Get a feel for how he/she would like to run the classroom while you are there. Try to workout a system and set clear expectations. If you’re feeling anything like me, this will help answer some of those nudging questions in the back of your mind, and ultimately help to calm your nerves. Plus, once you have a clear set of expectations you can start lesson planning in advance. If you haven’t been placed in a school, yet, make sure to follow up with your placement advisor.
Last but not least, get organized. By now you should have a good collection of teaching strategies and tips from Application of Theories of Learning to Classroom Practice (EDUC 518) and Guided Observation Pedagogy A (EDUC 566 or EDUC 534). It’s a good idea to start your own personal archive of lesson plans, teaching strategies, and reference documents. Organize them by standard, grade-level or by strategy type. I bought a portable file box and hanging folders to get started. In retrospect, I think it would have been more practical to start doing this from the very beginning of the program, but it didn’t occur to me until last term.
Once you’ve checked these things off of your “to-do” list feel free to work on your tan, start-up your grill and/or hit the road for a vacation. See you in September!
