Hanging On
The first teaching experience I
faced was nerve racking to say the least. I felt as nervous as I did the first
time I went rock climbing, two different experiences that had the same
feelings. Nerves kick in and the adrenaline starts pumping through my veins, I
walk in front of the classroom and walk up to the mountainside. All I can think
about is hoping everything goes well. I grab hold of my first rock, my first
slide of my PowerPoint appears and I start talking. The lesson goes on and I
start climbing higher and higher, afraid to look down. The class is talking a
normal amount and responding well, I climb on and think there is nothing to it.
I notice my class is starting to get out of control with their answers, this is
when I look down to see the ground far below. Panic starts setting in as I
cannot get my class under control, I can feel myself beginning to lose my
footing. I raise my voice and try desperately to get them under control; I
reach out for another rock to regain balance. I miss the rock and am barely
hanging on; my class is completely off topic now. Suddenly I hear another
voice, my CT’s, calm the class down and help them refocus; a hand reaches down
to me and helps me making sure I do not fall. Relief floods through my veins as
I realize that the chaos is over and I can finish my lesson with smooth
sailing. I made it to the top of the giant rock, part of the mountainside. I
look out and see the valley below. The feeling of joy occurs when I realize
that I survived my first teaching experience. Even through everything, I would
do it again.
