This last week has been awesome. I had a workshop on Tuesday that explained all of my requirements for student teaching for the rest of the semester... just what I've needed and been waiting for! I left the WISD that day feeling relieved and much more confident, which was awesome.
My workshop ended just in time for me to scuttle across the driveway and work the 3 hour shift at HCrizzle's aftercare. I've missed being there! More than my co-workers and the kids, I've missed feeling comfortable in what I'm doing. Student teaching's been going extremely well (more about that in a bit as I continue the week's update) but I still feel uncomfortable enough that I've been having some anxiety symptoms popping up in my life (jaw clenching, migraines, etc.). So, it was nice to be back in the swing of something I'm completely comfortable with for an afternoon. I think working that afternoon in aftercare was the shot in the arm I needed to assert myself a bit more in my classroom at Thurston too.
My birthday was on Thursday. My class sang me happy birthday and I got to wear a lei all day and choose a pencil and eraser from the birthday box! :) The kids presented me with a card they'd all signed on Tuesday when I was at my workshop. It was awesome. After school I went right to Kevin's to open presents from all those Korpals. We stopped by my apartment to take care of the Lu and then went to dinner at the Olive Garden. While perhaps not the best Italian food ever and obviously a chain restaurant (which I guess means it sucks... :)) the Olive Garden is where we've gone every year for the last... uh... 5 years(?) for my birthday. I love the tradition of going there and getting the same dish... it's just familiar and comfortable. It also makes for an extremely relaxing birthday experience. I got some great gifts and just had a wonderful time.
Yesterday was the best day of student teaching yet. I got to do some real individualized instruction and my students accomplished so much in one day! It seemed like every strategy I tried worked perfectly yesterday and I was so excited. I'm getting to know the kids so much better now and I really feel like they're my class as well as my cooperating teacher's which is so great.
I'm working on my unit all weekend and starting to prepare for my first observation on the 22nd. My unit is on Habitats. I'm so stinkin' excited to do well this semester and I'm starting to feel confident that I will.
In other news:
I got a tub of composting worms from Barbara Naess. They are currently hard at work making fabulous dirt that I will use next year for planting things! How exciting is that?! I think they're also going to make an appearance in my classroom... :)
Remember that student teacher friend I made my first week? She's been placed at Thurston by my supervisor too along with the other girl that's down the hall a ways. We're "required" to meet at lunch and discuss how things are going so we all have some support system in place for when things are difficult. Anyway, my new friend turns out to be a wealth of information when it comes to wedding planning and Kevin and I have added a caterer she recommended to our list of people to check out. She promised to bring in her planning book for me to peruse and get even more ideas!
Life's good sometimes, you know?
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4 comments:
It pleases me that you find life good and awesome as of late. And I love traditions, even if they are silly/not the greatest. Do you remember that tradition we started when you come to visit me every November? Yea, that was a good one. I hope we can keep it going!
Congratulations. Teaching days like that are the best!
Well, I'm glad you're having a good experience with the subbing. I know there was some anxiety going into it, but it seems like things are going okay. Stop clenching!
i forgot you had worms! see it's a good thing they're in your room...out of site out of mind you know!
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