Another rough day

I know, it seems weird that I would be writing a post two days in a row, but that is just how much is going on right now that I need to get out. I was so stressed out today that I had a really tight chest this morning and felt like I was going to cry all morning long. It started off with a parent telling me that an assignment I gave out was stupid and that it didn't make any sense to him for his child to have this assignment. Thankfully it was not an assignment I thought up, so I didn't have to defend myself, but it is difficult listening to a parent be so critical. I am thankful that I have an experienced teacher with me that knows how to handle parents like this, but it is still hard on me. I can already tell that is going to be the hardest part of the job, by far.

Then, I had to organize all of the papers that Mrs. D asked me to make copies of and give the students to redo. It was difficult to keep two days' worth of work organized, graded, and separated so that my teacher could easily get everything input into the computer tonight since report cards go out SOON!! I'm thankful that I am really getting the true feel of what it is like to be a teacher. I wish it wasn't so stressful this week, but I am having a very valuable learning experience. I still think God made me to be a teacher! (and a mother, but for now I will settle for being a teacher, lol)

Ok, I guess that is all for now. I get to have coffee tonight with my very best friend in the whole wide world. Super excited about girl time tonight!!

Teaching in real life

Oh man, this week. There are not words to describe it... So not only am I in the middle of full teach, but my teacher is out all week because she has two kiddos home sick with the flu. It is insane. I didn't know she was going to be gone yesterday, which completely threw me off, but today was even crazier because of all the stuff she needed me to do since she couldn't be there today. I have a bazillion papers to grade, because 5th graders have to do a lot of homework to learn everything they need to learn. Outrageous! Thankfully my subs have been really helpful in that they help me maintain order in the classroom. My classroom management skills still need a little work, but I'd like to think I am getting better at it. Anyway, this week is going to really quickly so far, which is awesome because Jason is coming to visit me this weekend. We are going to the TTU vs. UNM game, which will hopefully be a blowout, but who knows based on the way Tech is playing this year. Should be fun no matter what! We are going to stay at the house I am living at for one night and we are going to stay at a really nice hotel one night. I'm excited.

My sister has gotten some interesting news. Apparently the baby is 3 weeks smaller than her gestational age, which means she is "too small." The doctors are going to keep an eye on her and if there is any sign of stress she is going to be induced a little early. My sister has kind of had a rough pregnancy, and I'm a little worried about how she is going to handle a new baby with a toddler. But, she is staying strong and she will hopefully make it until her due date to keep Shelby baking as long as possible.

I feel like I had so much more to write about when I sat down to do this but I can't seem to think of anything else. I am about to start doing my lesson plans for tomorrow while I watch a movie. Time to get things done so I can relax for the rest of the evening!

Just right

I have found the right profession! It is so exciting for me, because through this student teaching experience I have realized how much I love teaching. I'm so glad God told me to change majors all those semesters ago, because I can't think of a more perfect fit for me. I am always exhausted and I hardly ever have time for other things, but I never dread going to school. I dislike the lesson planning part, because my lesson plans have to be so specific for my supervisor, but other than that I don't mind the prepwork or anything. It is hard having to do everything in Spanish and English, because my Spanish is not very good still, but I am getting a little more confident with it every day. I even found myself speaking Spanish when I wasn't supposed to or when I didn't realize it. It was a good feeling and I'm excited about how much I am growing as a teacher through this experience.

I am really ready to go back home, because I miss Jason and my family, but I am also having a pretty good time here. I'm so thankful for the cooperating teacher I have- she is awesome! I am really going to miss her, even if my next teacher is great too. I have learned so much from her already, and she has been so helpful and encouraging. I'm so grateful and excited that I have had this experience.

On a different note, I don't get to go home this weekend :-( The plane tickets were too expensive by the time I got around to buying them. I'm sad about it but at the same time I will have a TON to do this weekend, so it is probably for the better. I should be doing some of that work right now, as a matter of fact, but I don't really have the energy. This is stuff I have to do for my capstone class, not for teaching. So, while I am going to miss Jason terribly, I will hopefully have a really productive weekend so I don't get behind for next week, and so I do a good job on all the things I have to have done for Capstone.

My sister had a doctor's appointment recently and apparently Shelby is upside-down, and my sister is a little nervous that she won't turn back over in time. I think she will, though, because she is a mover and a shaker. Every time I am around my sister she is doing acrobatics in her tummy. I'm excited to meet Shelby, but I'm nervous about what it is going to mean for my sister and the rest of our family. I think she is going to do alright, but it is going to be so much more work than she thinks and I'm nervous that she is going to have more than she can handle, even if Paul is there helping her out some. (Don't even get me started on that situation...)

Ok, I really have to write my lesson plans. I'd say I'll write again soon, but I'm not so sure that will happen, so I'll just say I will write again when I have a chance.

No time to think

It has been brought to my attention that I have not updates my blog in a while, so I figured I would update so a certain someone doesn't get upset at me ;-). My life has been absolutely crazy recently. With student teaching, taking a class, flying home and back every weekend, and trying to find time to have a social life, it is just nuts.

Student teaching is going really well. I love my cooperating teacher and I am so glad we get along so well. She totally trusts me to teach her kids and frequently leaves the classroom while I am teacher because she doesn't feel the need to be in there. I have only taught one subject in Spanish because these last few days I have had to leave or the kids left at noon, and all the Spanish subjects (except math) take place after noon. Last time I taught in Spanish I had a terrible headache because it takes so much energy for me to speak in Spanish for any length of time. Hopefully tomorrow goes smoothly and I won't be too exhausted to think after the day is over. I am most nervous about math because I don't have the lesson plan written out for me in Spanish, though it is totally scripted in English. Not only that, I had to figure out what the most important points to hit were because the lesson can take more than an hour to teach if you do the whole thing. I'm just a little nervous. I'm sure it will be OK tomorrow, but I just have to get through it before I will really know that. I will do my best and that will have to be good enough.

My class is going well, it is just quite a bit of work. It is mostly reading right now, but I know it is going to get a little more crazy in the next couple of weeks. I have capstone class also, which is a TON of work. It is all online and I have to read, write reflections and discussions every week, and stay on top of my portfolio which is much more work than it should be. I have to have descriptions of everything, images for every page and every section... just a lot of unnecessary work. I'm not looking forward to it, and I know I need to stay on top of the work but I have so much going on that it is starting to pile up on me.

I love going home every weekend and I am so glad that I get to do that. The only issue is I don't have much time over the weekend to get stuff done. I have a little while at both airports and on the plane both directions, but other than that I am pretty busy during the weekend and I can't get much homework done. I thought I would be able to do my work on Fridays, but so far I have just wanted to rest on Fridays and not do any work. I think that is going to have to change because I am starting to sink a little.

Ok, so that is the update. I'll admit, it is much longer than I expected. Oh, and I found out that I will be student teaching at the elementary school Jason went to when he was little, and I will possibly be with a former teacher of his. I will be in a 3rd grade class and I have been told I will love this teacher, so hopefully I will. I also have to start thinking about filling out applications for jobs in January, another thing I am not looking forward to starting. Ugh... OK, until next time. God bless and I wish you well.

Yikes!

Ok, in all honesty I did not think student teaching would be this crazy. I am one week and one day in and I am absolutely exhausted. No matter when I go to bed I am drained during the day, kids are germ factories and I am already sick, and my supervisor requires a lot of work to be done on top of just being with 5th graders all day long and hearing Spanish constantly (which still makes my head hurt a little). I taught a lesson today out of the blue. Actually I taught one that was kinda planned (by me anyway) and one that was spur of the moment. Math was a reteach of Friday's lesson but Mrs. D didn't remember how we decided to reteach it, so I ended up doing it. The only problem is math is a Spanish subject and since I didn't have time to prepare I wasn't able to do it in Spanish, I had to teach in English and the kids had to respond in Spanish. I think it was a good lesson, though, and I am glad I am getting the experience I am getting so far. By the end of next week I will be teaching every subject, in English and Spanish, all day long. I am so scared! But, I know there is a reason God put me in this classroom with these kids and hopefully I will be able to impact some lives during these next few weeks, and for the rest of my teaching career for that matter.

This weekend I will be heading home, yet again, for a visit. Actually, my sister's baby shower is this weekend, at my house, so I kinda have to be there. It is just going to be a small event, mostly family, and they will be bringing mostly necessities. I was going to make her a baby blanket but the summer got away from me and I am way too busy right now. Fear not, she will have a baby blanket, it may just have to be after she is born and is about 4 months old. She'll never know, right? lol.

For those of you who are wondering, my sister is doing well. I think I mentioned that my parents bought her a house recently (she moved in less than a week after we got our house) and she is just living there with Jordan. She is looking for a roommate, but not many college students want to live with a toddler and an infant. She may have a friend that is interested but it is very tentative right now. The baby weighs about 4 lbs right now and is super healthy. My sister hasn't had any more heath issues, which we are thankful for, and now we are just awaiting the arrival of this newest addition to the chaos that is our family. This baby's dad is still in the picture (not Jordan's dad) although I am not sure he and my sister are officially "dating." We are pretty much fine with that seeing as they make each other miserable when they are together, but they feel like they have to work it out for the baby's sake. Whatever, that is a decision they are going to have to make and no amount of persuading or advice-giving will help them make their mind up one way or the other, so we are all just going with the flow right now. My sister has started going to church again, which we are thankful for, and Jordan LOVES Sunday School. He talks about it all week long and will barely come to the door when it is over. It is super cute.

Anyway, that is the update. I am mostly swamped with school but I am still making time to go home and see my amazing husband and wonderful family every chance I get. I am ready for this half of the semester to be over with so I can be home for good, but I know my time will come and I know there is a reason I am in this situation to begin with (although I have no idea what that reason is, only He knows). Hopefully I will have time to write again soon, but no promises! God bless.

Week of ups and downs

Maybe it should be titled more like "week of downs and ups" because that is more what it was. It started out with my first day in the classroom. I was terrified that my teacher wouldn't like me, that the kids would ignore me, and that I would be miserable. I was supposed to be in kindergarten but ended up in 5th grade at a different school, so I was completely unprepared, mentally. Well, my teacher was unprepared as well so it kinda took us a few days to warm up to each other. The students started out really shy, but they were really kind and respectful at the same time.

In the middle of the week I got some terrible news (see previous post) and was kinda knocked down. And on top of that, my mom had a little health issues (also see previous post). It made for a very interesting evening.

The day after that I got a very harsh and hateful email about my blog (and more specifically my faith). It was very disturbing and all I can do is pray for this person. He has obviously been hurt by someone in the past and he is now taking it out on me (or Christ in me, actually, because I don't know this person). I will pray for his health and happiness, though, and since I have gotten that email I have been so encouraged by my friends and family. I will not go into the details, but I am so thankful that I have Christ in my life and that He has enabled me to do the things I do and to know that I will be with Him forever. I know I will be persecuted, but God only allows that when He knows we can handle it.

And finally, today was a great day. My cooperating teacher and I are really getting along well and the students are starting to open up and joke around with me. I got thrown into a lesson today when my teacher asked me to explain a math problem because she was confused by it. I didn't do a great job, but I did a decent job. We are going to have to reteach the material anyway because both of us were a little confused, but it was a good learning experience for me. We had fun planning for next week and I look forward to starting to teach some lessons!

So that was my week. I head home tomorrow for the long weekend and hopefully we will be able to get the bathroom almost finished! We have to hurry because my sister's shower is next weekend at my house. Yikes! Ok, gotta go pack.

Oh my oh my

Where to start with today? I guess just the beginning.

It was a great day in the classroom. I was finally able to participate a little in the lessons and I am starting to figure out what I am going to teach next week. I am going to take over the English subjects next week then pick up the Spanish subjects the following week. I will teach everything for a whole week, then slowly give back all of the subjects over the following two weeks. It is going to be crazy, and quick, and difficult, but I think I can handle it with the help of my cooperating teacher, the support of my supervisor, and the ability given to me by my Lord and Savior. I just pray He doesn't make me stumble too much while I am teaching these precious kids!

This afternoon my dad called me to ask me how to suspend my mom's pump (she is diabetic). Well he didn't give me any details because he was trying to get her to wake up. Apparently, I found out after talking to her later, she remembers going to the store and putting the groceries away, but then doesn't remember anything else until 2 hours later. It is always a little scary when she has low blood sugar, even though I know she will come out of it. I guess she kinda passed out on the couch and had some horrible dreams. Thankfully my dad was able to show the boys how to take care of her if she happens to have low blood sugar and they are not around. They have never seen her low before, so this was a really good learning experience for them. Not so good for mom, but she is doing well now. It just takes her a while to get to feeling good again.

And, to round out the day, I found out that Jason's aunt passed away this afternoon. She had been battling cancer for 2 years and it finally caught up to her today. We all knew it was going to happen, but while it wasn't a shock we are still very sad to see her go. I honestly can't say if she is in heaven or not, but I sincerely hope she is and that I will be able to see her again some day. I think Jason and his parents are handling it pretty well, seeing as we all expected this to happen, but it is still difficult to lose a family member. This was Jason's dad's little sister. If you think about it, please pray for her family, and that they would somehow come to know Christ through all of this. Anne Marie, you will be missed.

So my day was full of ups and downs. Overall it was pretty good, but kind of emotionally taxing, so I think I am just going to go to bed. Thank you for the prayers.