The Perfect First Try

Last week, I had the pleasure of leading a lesson in my practicum classroom.  Centered around the role of women during World War II, for this lesson we would be reading books on the subject, researching online, and participating in our own parallel experience to the work of these women.  

For the first day, I assigned each student a reading from the book Rosie the Riveter.  At the end of the work period, each student would write on an index card something they learned and share it with the rest of the class.  Each card would then be added to a piece of chart paper to be displayed in the classroom.  The results of the day were less than desired.  The readings were too short and students were left with nothing to do.  The chart paper was too small, making our findings look crammed and sloppy.

I left that day feeling disheartened and upset.  If I couldn’t think through such simple mistakes, how was I to become the teacher I wanted to be?  That night, I read Rosie Revere, Engineer, our read aloud book for the next lesson.  In the story, Rosie attempts to build a flying machine.  When testing it for the first time, the machine sputters around a bit before falling to the ground.  Rosie is disparaged after the test, but her Great Great Aunt Rose comforts her saying it was the “perfect first try.”

This was the first time I tried some of these methods in the classroom.  It’s okay that it didn’t go as smoothly as planned or things might have looked a little messy.  It was might first try.  I learned from the experience.  Next time, I will be ready for more of the curve balls life may throw my way.