I completely agree with you guys and I feel your frustration. I read Holly’s post earlier and I remember when I was in her shoes this summer. The Fast Track program had me going bananas. We were learning how to put together lesson plans and reading so much theory; however, it was hard because we were studying and writing for invisible kids. Now, that I am almost done with this program I can honestly say that I have learned a lot. It didn’t seem that way at first but once you get in the classroom and take a step back you finally notice where you an use some of the things that you learned in class and through discussion. Holly, you have head start. If I knew what I know now, I would have done things differently in my student teaching. What does it mean to use best practice? I must say that I had no die what best practice was. I believe Kate, Nicole, and Elvia will all agree. However, after presenting a lesson on sensory that I deemed as best practice and having to explain why it is the best for instruction helped me think about why as teachers we use certain lessons and teaching methods. What about the method you are using will benefit our students and what do you hope that they will take way from it. If you keep all these questions in mind when you go into your first student teaching experience and use it as an experience you will be fine. I recommend that you go in without any expectations and thinking that it will be a certain way because eve experience that you have will be different, your students, school environment, and cooperative teacher. Good Luck!

-Kasha