Today I spoke to my cooperating teacher about how she runs her first day of class. She goes against traditional roles of teacher talk and going through the curriculum. Instead on the first day she likes to start right in on a small project, because she feels that students can only absorb so much on the first day. She waits for the other teachers to finish their first day run through before she starts in with hers, and it isn't all in one day, but introduces new things each day to the student. As for safety in the classroom it is a continuous day-to-day reminder rather than a load of rules and precautions at once. It varies from project to project and at the start of every class she gives reminders to the students, such as making sure they have safety goggles on in the metals class. She also depends on the students to be responsible for each other. They are at an age, where they know to identify hazardous situations and if they see one of their fellow classmates not using a tool properly to stop the student and notify the teacher. She really believes that it takes everybody in the classroom to establish a safe working environment. Holding the students accountable for their safety helps the classroom to unify as one working body.
We also took a look at the kiln and helped her load up a batch to fire. At the moment one of the kilns is not working and she had to order new parts for it. She explains that this is a case that you cannot plan for, but adapt to it when arrives. She has to look at her budget to order new parts and also the set backs that is may have on students projects that may not be fired as promptly as planned. Also she noted to me that when I land a teaching position that this will be something I will have to take notice of right away and become accustomed to the equipment that the school has. Every school is different and I will have to adapt quickly to the resources and tools they provide when I enter into a new teaching position.
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