School/Work
My patience was tested and grew coming back from fall break and trying to get the kids all back on the same page that we were on before fall break. I had to be the "mean" teacher for awhile to let me kids know I mean it when I tell them to do something :) But we are all falling nicely back into the routine of things.
It is so much fun being a teacher. I love getting to know these kids more and more as the year goes on and they bring me such joy every day! It still surprises me sometimes that I have my very own classroom full of first graders and I am their teacher!
My adorable first grade class!
My very first staff picture as a first grade teacher!
I have been given some very nice compliments from people about my teaching ability which have really helped me to see that this really is what God has called me to do at this time in my life! I was talking with one of the Kindergarten teachers during our open house and she asked me if I was planning on being here next year. I told her as of right now I could see myself next year. She said "Good I already have a student that I want to recommend you to be his teacher!" I told her "Thank you that means a lot that you would think of me!" She laughed and said, "Well don't thank me just yet, he is my difficult student and I think he is going to need a teacher who is really on top of him and doesn't let him get away with anything. But I think you would be able to handle him!"
Then a couple of days later the other Kindergarten teacher told me that she thinks that I would be a really good fit for her difficult student. This student has a specialist that his parents hired to help him through out the day because he has so much trouble with his behavior! She told me that his parents were worried about next year and having a teacher that was going to be on top of him and keep a tight rein on him.She said I think you would be a good fit for him because you will keep control of him and be a good influence for him.
It was quite the compliment that two of the teachers who have been here the longest (something like 25 years) think that I am a good enough teacher and would help to make a difference for these students that are the more difficult students! But now that I am thinking a little bit more about it I can see that next years class is probably going to be a lot more difficult :) I will have all the 'bad' kids because I can handle it! :)
Our vice principal also asked me to think about running their summer fun program, which is basically summer camp. I would be in charge of planning and running three weeks of summer fun. There would be 30 kids and I would have two helpers. She said I could pick and choose if I didn't want to do all three weeks. I haven't decided what I am going to do yet, it would be good experience and good pay and something to put on my resume but I don't know yet if I am willing to give up three weeks of my summer vacation and being back home. I will keep you posted on what I decide to do :)
We are beginning to get into the holiday season at school so things are going to start getting and busy with all the things we have to get done before Christmas break. I am working on report cards this weekend, which is probably my least favorite thing about teaching. I feel like I was just doing progress reports! But I love the holiday season so bring on the madness!
Home/Roomies
What have I been doing outside of school and work you ask?? Well, sometimes I wonder the same thing :) Work has been keeping me pretty busy but I have found time to have some fun also.
This may be shocking for some of you who know me well and know how much I love the sun and the warmth, but I have actually found myself missing fall a little bit! I miss the colors and the changing of the seasons! I know... crazy! So toe help some of that missing fall feeling Laura and I decided to buy fall smelling candle, make molasses cookies and get pumpkins to carve!
Well, seeing as we live in Hawaii there are no pumpkin patches here so instead we just went to Safeway! (almost as fun) After laboring over finding the perfect pumpkins we left the store with what we thought were two perfect pumpkins! We searched on our best friend, the Internet for what amazing designs we could find for our pumpkins. Finally we prepared out kitchen to start surgery on our pumpkins. I made my first cut into the top of my pumpkin and was dismayed to find out that my pumpkin was rotten the inside!! I didn't think it would matter that much and continued to move forward on making my masterpiece of a pumpkin! Well, after just a few carves into my pumpkin it caved in!! I now had a huge side of my pumpkin! After much lamenting I decided to forget it and just make a dumb face on the other side my of pumpkin!
Laura doing surgery!
My pitiful Frederick!
Yes, I know Laura's is much better than mine!
We look like 12 year old girls!
In other news:
We finally have a table! Which I am very excited about.
I miss my adorable nephews! I can't believe they are one!!
I mean seriously! How could I not miss this! They are amazingly cute!
I need to quit doing this post and finish my report cards.
I think I am going to go to the beach tomorrow.
Alright I am done for real now. I miss you all and will see you in just a little over a month!
Jessica
