Taking a quick breath of air

I had a pretty good experience at the first seminar.  I have two more seminars to attend in February, then a job fair in April, then a final celebration seminar in late April and graduation in May!

I was assigned to the high school that I really wanted to be at, which was a HUGE PRAISE!

My cooperating teacher (actual employee and teacher at the high school) has been a huge help.  He's young-- I think I'm two years older than him.  But his age means that he's more in tune with what might be expected of a teacher these days (ie, inserting technology into lesson plans, etc.).

I am staying SO BUSY.  I began teaching one period of the day last week.  I saw those students three times during the week and taught all of their lessons (leaning on what the cooperating teacher taught to the other periods).

Beginning in February, I will be responsible to create the lesson plan for that period and to begin teaching one extra period per week until I'm handling the full class load. 

In my spare time (what's that?) I'm steadily working on some INTENSE lesson plans for the university.  We have to write down super detailed plans about what we'll begin teaching students during that first week of February.  These plans have to include step by step details like Step 1. Turn on lights.  Step 2. Take out a pencil.  (Yes.  That detailed.)

I'm working on writing out all of these minute details, and I'll type them up and insert them into the appropriate template hopefully before I go back to the classroom on Tuesday. 

I have to film myself presenting these detailed plans to the class during the first week of February.

After this, I have to create an assessment to provide to the class.  When they're finished with the test or quiz, I will grade them and submit scanned versions to the university to show that I tested the students. 

This is all pretty intense and takes up alllll of my free time at home.  I'm scrambling during school hours to jot down all the information that the cooperating teacher wants his students to know so that I can present that information effectively to the period I'm in charge of.  Then when I get home, I give myself about a thirty minute break to sit down and do nothing (aside from being a mom, of course, which doesn't truly lend itself to being completely still for half and hour).  Then I work on dinner, feeding all kids, bathing whichever kids are due for a bath, getting kids ready for bed, providing a bottle or snack to kids (depending on appropriate age level), tuck all kids in, grab my books, sit on couch, crack open the books and continue lesson planning and searching for interesting activities to weave into these plans.  It's a full time full time job.

On the plus side, I'm sleeping super well!  Aside from doing CGM changes at 5:00am or comforting a child who's had a bad dream, or administering insulin at midnight, etc.  You know!

So, I write all this to say, I haven't forgotten about you, blog world!  I still am reading blogs as I eat lunch during a twenty-minute time frame during the week.  I'm still here.  I just have severe tunnel-vision at the moment, but I can see the light!

All in all, I'm happy and know that this is the right path for me.  I am working with a great group of kids and I'm satisfied in what I'm doing.  I come home each afternoon ready to see my own kids and jump head first into what it takes to be a godly mom.  I'm still learning and still trying.  Aaron had to work until 7:00pm or later all of last week until Friday night.  So hopefully this week will be even better with both of us at home each evening!

Until Next Time,
Much love, Reba