Blog // Student Teacher Blogs

Reflections from Anna: A CS Student Teacher

Time has been flying on the wings of the windy city. Since my last post, I have switched placements and submitted my edTPA. Both come with a level of anxiety and stress. The anxiety of entering in to a new place was mixed with the sadness at leaving the old behind. Each of my students…
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Reflections from Anna: A CS Student Teacher

A few weeks in to my life in the big city, I can confidently say that I am so glad I decided to take a leap into the unknown Sophomore year when I signed up to do Chicago Semester. It has been quite an eye opening adventure to find and spread my, albeit temporary, new…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

Alumni Changing Seasons and Cheesy Quotes I sit here on my computer searching endlessly on the internet for non-cheesy, “end-of-life-season” quotes. Let me be the first to tell you – it is pretty difficult to find quotes that aren’t cheesy! Change is something that is incredibly difficult for me, so I find it very helpful…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

Ready for Change? You would think that I would be full of energy post-Thanksgiving break. You would also think that I would be fired up and excited to tackle my last two and a half weeks of student teaching! (Oh my goodness, how has time gone by this fast?) Unfortunately, both of those statements above…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

Welcome To The End Wow, I feel so weird writing this blog post because I am about to go into my last few weeks of full-time teaching. With Veterans Day, parent-teacher conferences, and Thanksgiving Break, I only have 10 days left of full-time teaching. This cannot be real! I’m trying to soak up as much…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

Fall Festivities It is week 8 for us over here at the Chicago Semester Program and let me tell you… the time has FLOWN by! Last week I completed midterm evaluations with my cooperating teacher and my professor. Midterm. Evaluations. I made this joke last week during seminar, but I’m nervous it is truer than…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

Midpoint Madness Lesson plans, assignments, edTPA, OH MY! I’m about to start full time teaching for six weeks and it feels SO crazy. It seems like just yesterday I was meeting my teacher and getting to know my students for the first time. We are just now reaching our mid-point of the semester. This week…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

At All Times The assistant principal at Cleveland Elementary School gives the morning announcements at 8:10 am every school day. Over the loudspeaker, we hear him lead the students in the Pledge of Allegiance, the School Pledge, and the singing of The Star-Spangled Banner. As I go into my fifth week of student teaching, I…
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Reflections from Rebekah: A CS Student Teacher

A Few Deep Breaths I vividly remember my first day at the Chicago Semester office as a student teacher. It was a warm, Sunday afternoon and I was waiting for my train at the Irving Park “L” stop. I had been dreaming of student teaching with Chicago Semester since my sophomore year at Calvin College,…
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Reflections From Emilee: A CS Student Teacher

“Life begins outside of your comfort zone.” A phrase that I never really understood until I packed up my things and moved to Chicago to take on the most challenging, yet rewarding, semester of my college career. Not only did I walk into a classroom to help move twenty-nine sweet and knowledgeable second graders towards…
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