I have spent quite a lot of time in various school settings. As a teacher, I've worked with preschool and elementary-aged kids. As a parent, I've volunteered in private and public classrooms. As a community member, I've served on different education-related boards in both urban and suburban areas. But I still have some anxiety about entering a new school. 😅
It might just be worries about getting used to a new environment. Or what if I can't relate to the students? (I mean this is a question I've been pondering about you all as well.) But I've realized that along with this shift in role is a shift in power. When I engaged with schools in the past, I already had a level of respect as a teacher, parent and board member. Coming in as a student teacher seems more daunting.
I spoke with my host educator for my main placement, Brian, last week and he said that he still feels anxious in the classroom after 20 years teaching. Most of his students are high schoolers with disabilities and he worries about them actually attending school and graduating. Instead of being concerned about his individual place in the classroom, he's concerned about how to best support the community he's building. This was a pretty good (unintentional) first lesson.