Thank you SO freaking much!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I have so many things to be thankful for. And as student teaching comes to an end (Thank God!), I'm reflecting. Not only on my student teaching experience, but also, my journey through these past four (and a half) years. I wouldn't be where I am today without my oh-so- wonderful professors and the entire College of Education staff. They have taught me everything I know and do. I owe them so much.

An ode to all my professors. (Ok, so it's really not an ode, but whatever). Without them, I would have probably made a superb teacher. Without them, I might have liked kids and teaching. Without them, I might have had hope in my future.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their "words of wisdom" and endless anecdotes. So here's to :

My professor, Miss C., from pre-student teaching, who compared me with a cheerleader. Seriously she did. I dont mind being compared to a cheerleader. In fact I wanted to be a cheerleader in high school. (Yes I did. I know it's not the most likely thing for a Muslim girl to do or be. But a girl can dream, cant she?) But her implications were no where near complimentary. In fact, she was down right insulting me. Not only did she do that, she even had the nerve to call me unprofessional. My professionalism is my pride and joy. The one thing I know I'm good at. And for her to make a negative comment about it, was like a punch to the stomach.

Miss. C.: *referring to my outfit for that day* One thing you need to work on is your attire.
Me: Excuse me?
Miss. C.: You're not going to a cheerleading match. You're teaching children.
Me: Uhhhhh...huh...ummm...but...I'm wearing a sweater. I don't really understand what you're trying to say.
Miss. C.: You're shirt should have been tucked in. You look like a cheerleader. And that, Ms. Attitude, is not professional at all.

WHAT THE?!?!?!

And I kid you not, this is what I was wearing. And I'm sorry , but the last time I checked, cheerleaders don't wear sweaters and collared shirts with slacks and heels.

The same professor, Miss. C, who insisted upon the fact that I celebrated Christmas and Easter.

Miss C.: So what do you do for Christmas?
Me: Oh, well... I don't celebrate Christmas.
Miss. C.: Ok I understand that. But what do you do for Christmas?
Me: Ummm... I dont do anything... because.. well like I just said I dont celebrate it.
Another pre-student teacher: Constructive Attitude is Muslim.Muslims don't celebrate ---.
Miss C. cutting her off: Everyone celebrates Christmas. So what do you do?

Uhhh, actually everyone doesn't celebrate Christmas, lady. Everyone gets the day off for Christmas. That's hardly the same thing.


Same thing happened for Easter. And by that point, I think I just made something up about my Easter celebration. Just so I wouldnt have to go through her interrogation again. I seriously think she has some loose screws up there.

Miss. C, once again, taking all the pre-student teachers "out to eat" to celebrate the end of our pre-student teaching. Only to have us pay for our own meals. And then giving us each a pre-student teaching- professor evaluation form. (In our university, as I'm sure is the case with all universities, professors are not allowed to be in the same vicinity in which students are evaluating them. And also a student has to take in the evaluations on behalf of the class. This ensures that the professors don't tamper with their own evaluations. Duh! ) She stayed with us the entire time. Watched us evaluate her. And then took the evaluations from us. My friend and I told her we would take it in. We even left the restaurants with the freaking evaluations, before she noticed. Got into my friends car. And pulled out. Lo and behold, Miss. C. is right behind us, chasing after us, screaming that she needed the evaluations. I kid you not.She literally chased. after. the.freaking.car.--by. foot. This is the same lady that was parked in a handicapped spot. Running after us. Taking the evaluations from her must have cured her handicap.

And here's to the professor that blatanly stated that all female teachers must wear high heels, pearls and skirts/dresses at all times when teaching young children. Because we're living in the 19th century, right? Right.

Here's to that same professor telling everyone in the class that I was Indian, when I clearly told her that I wasnt. I dont know what's with these professors thinking that they know who I am and trying to force their opinions and beliefs on me.

Here's to my education advisor who only gave me fifteen minutes of his time only to tell me what I already knew. It was much appreciated that he would take time out of his oh-so-busy schedule to fit me in and give me such useful advice.

Here's to the College of Education staff for being so non-welcoming and answering none of my questions.

To the director of student teaching placement, thank you for not taking my suggestions and requests into consideration when placing me for student teaching. And also making me commute to a school that is twenty minutes away from me. And a special thanks for not placing me at a school that is five minutes away from me.

And thank you for placing me a month late and making me miss very important days of the school year.

To the College of Education, thank you for all the scholarships that you did not award me.

Also to the College of Education, thank you for requiring us to buy a Macbook .Thank you for changing your mind about it a million and one times. And thank you for forcing some of us, broke college students, to buy a $2500 laptop that we did not even need.

Basically thank you for being indecisive.


Here's to my college supervisor, the one that evaluates my teaching performance. The one that told me that there is no way in hell I will get a job after I graduate. I might as well look for a substituting position. Yeah let me become a substitute when I very well have a teaching certificate. A certificate that I busted my butt for. That makes sense.

And a special thanks to all the professors that treated us like five year olds. And made us do projects that kids would do. Instead of letting us come up with our own ideas, we were stuck doing yours. Fun!

And to that one professor that told a classmate of mine that she should re-think her career options as a teacher, because she was way too emotional. Those were very comforting words for us all to hear. Especially us emotional ones.

And last, but not least, lets not forget to thank the professor who told the entire class that he, himself, hates teaching.

And you wonder where such wonderful teachers come from. (Such as myself!)

Well now you know.

And you know who to thank too.