The Impact

You never understand the impact you have on a child until you're watching it first hand. Children look up to people older than them, especially teenagers. Teachers have these students more than their parents do throughout the school year, and it shows when teacher academy students come in. As a teacher academy student I am learning how to be a teacher. It seems so simple but there is so much to the word teacher that most people don't ever catch, but I did today.

When I stepped into a kindergarten classroom today I knew I would be working with these students. I knew based on experiences last year that my role in these classrooms was not going to be taken for granted. Teachers use Teacher Academy students to work one on one with struggling students, in groups, and several other areas of day to day classroom activities; but I have never seen students be affected like I have with these kindergartners. Today when I left Amory High School with Mrs. Adams and the girls in my class I was not expecting to pick up on the things I did. The minute I walked into the classroom I realized just how excited the students were and the teachers were too. The teacher in the class I was assigned as well as the students greet me happily every time I enter the room. Each time I come in its like the kids are more excited to see me, each student waits their turn for a hug, if they don't all tackle me at once; then the teacher and her assistant say hello to me as well, and we're ready to roll.

As I played the games with the groups I realized how good of a teacher they had, none of them got any of them wrong and as I explained things to them they wanted to answer and usually did before I could. They all worked well together, followed every instruction they were given, and were happy to do so. They visibly enjoyed working with each other, me and the teachers. The second group I worked with really stuck out to me the most. I would purposely ask them if the wrong answers were right and they would light up when they realized they were telling me I was wrong. I realized an older person letting them think they knew more than me gave them the confidence to speak out. As it came time for me to leave, I was just as disappointed as they were and I cannot wait to go back and see their progress and growth. These students are impacting me as much as I do them . I feel like they are teaching me just like I am teaching them.