Going from Student to Teacher

As I prepare some materials for my forthcoming student teaching I am realizing a couple things.

I love sitting in my chair, smoothie by my side and movie and/or music playing in the background, typing up literature based questions in packet form. As well as project assignments, tests and lesson plans.

Also, all those times I was so stressed out about my pathetic answers in those awfully thick packets we were assigned in school were in vain. I had answers and I am sure that is more than what some of my teachers could have hoped for.

After being a grade-conscious student my entire life, I am having a fantastic and slightly frightening awakening. As I go through the curriculum I will be teaching, I realize I can change anything I want and teach it however I want. Sounds simple and obvious, right?

But really, I can change it (weird). I can keep, add or improve on anything and all those little seventh graders will (hopefully) blindly follow.

Lesson materials a teacher (my superior) gave me along with the freedom to use or not use whatever I choose. This kind of liberation is not something I am used to. I am the quintessential student. I like directions. I like to use creativity, but I also like my creativity to fit within the assigned rubric. Basically I am an admittedly grade driven person... I really like good grades. Anyway, now that I have what I would have once completed 100% as a student and never questioned (though would have complained about) and can change it to fit my teaching preferences, I am in a bit of a quandary and I love it. All those things that I would hate doing but would do anyway, I can now, with no consequence, change. And to me, an English nerd with a deep love of grammar, office supplies and school, this is very exciting.