Field Experience

My initial expectations for the field experience this semester were varied. I was nervous, curious, excited.... wanting to be confident because of what I have been taught in college thus far about being an art teacher. What I have experienced thus far in our field experience cannot be taught by simply studying a book. I have worked with students who want to challenge me as a part of getting to know me. I have worked with students who exceeded my expectations beyond belief. I have worked with students who have multiple layers to their personality, who are much different than they appear on the surface. Some students are soft spoken, some are out spoken. Some are making plans for their futures, and some have no idea what tomorrow is going to hold for them.
One student that I encountered and worked closely with is a young woman who is about to graduate. She has a mature and positive outlook on life, and though she is friends with many different personalities, seems to keep everyone in line in a quiet, soft spoken way. She often tells me of her plans for after high school. She seems to come from a supportive family, and is in a supportive relationship with a young man. Her opinions of her peers and her future plans are all positive and level headed. When I speak with her, I feel like I am speaking with someone my age, not years younger than I. I feel like I can relate to her because she seems to be looking over her friends, and seems to be in control of her life yet observing the world around her closely, but at the same time seperately. I feel that I can relate to this because this is how I felt during high school and often feel that way now. I have always been told that I come off as the motherly figure among my friends, and I have always planned for what is to come next in my life. I, like her, need to have a plan for what is to come next. I think that I can learn a lot from her, however. She always seems to have a calm and collected outlook on what is unknown and whatever may be happening at the time, whereas I can get worked up and worried about these things. I think that as teachers we should not limit our expectations to what we will teach our students, but should be open to what our students may teach us both inside and outside the realm of our subject matter.