Teacher Workday

So today was a teacher workday and it is one of my favorite days of the school year.  I have been planning for this day for a few weeks now.  I had many lists prepared detailing things that needed to get done and I am delighted to inform you that I was able to accomplish all of the essentials on the list plus a few extra things that were just fun.

Top Reasons I Love Teacher Workdays:
1. I don't have to be to school until 8.  (Normally I am there by 6:15.)
2. I don't have to wear my 'teacher clothes".
3. I get to listen to music while I work.
4. I get to mark things off of my to-do lists.
5. I get to reorganize all the junk - I mean stuff - on my desks and bookshelves and closet.
6. I get to chat with other teachers I rarely get to see when I am trapped in my own classroom.
7. Maturity leave teachers bring their babies in to show them off.
8. I am at school working but there isn't a kid in sight.
9. We sometimes we have meetings where they buy us lunch.
10. I get to check things off my to-do lists.

I am sure there are way more things I love and they will all come to mind later but this gives you a bit of an idea.

This workday in particular comes at the end of the first nine weeks of school and is typically used as a day to get all of the grades posted for report cards, wrap up beginning of the year things and then prepare for the rest of the year.  At the end of each quarter we are asked to reflect on how things went.  Most people typically write a few sentences, these are the good things...these are the bad things.  Well for some reason today I felt as if it were necessary to write a book about the first nine weeks.  OK so it wasn't really a book but it was a single spaced page.

A lot of things have changed for me this year and I am having to get used to new roles and responsibilities.  I am now teaching math which is super stressful because it is tested and before when I was teaching social studies nobody really cared about the actual learning taking place.  I am also my team leader and 6th grade math PLC leader.  Both of which are jobs I have never had (or wanted) before and both require me to be on top of everything for everyone.  Oh yeah and not only that but I coached boys' soccer - everyday.  (So far we are 2-4 but we have a game next week that should be a fairly easy game for us so its not TOO bad.)  This first quarter has been extremely busy and therefore I felt it necessary to tell all about it.  Had I really took more time and thought about it longer, my reflection could have easily been 2 or more pages long but I was a little bit tired of writing and 2:30 was quickly approaching and I intended to be out the door as the bell rang.

I used to love teacher workdays because I got to stay at home all day.  Now I love teacher workdays because I still get to sleep in but I also get to go to school and be overly productive without children (or adults) constantly needing me for one thing or another.  Come Monday I am going to have another list and more junk that I need to do and so on and so forth but for right now, its Friday, I got home at 2:45, and I don't have to do anything until Monday!

Sorry for the delay...

Alrighty so school has started again and that means that I don't have a life.  Well I don't really have much of a social life in general but now if I wanted one, I might have some difficulties.

Anyways, this year I am teaching math for the first time.  For the past two years I have taught social studies (7th grade and 6th grade) and everyone has told me "Oh my gosh, you are such a math teacher".  I think it may be because of my over organization or my logical brain because I am not sure my patience and strength are up for this challenge.  I came in assuming (yeah, yeah I know that assuming is bad), anyway, I came in assuming that the students would know certain things - like multiplication facts, and how to add decimals, and how to use a pencil sharpener, and how to keep their snot and cooties to themselves.  Let me tell you, they don't know any of those things!!!!

I am only slightly kidding.  I did tell my kids that if they ever saw me having a heart attack or panic attack that they needed to know how to dial 221.  (That is the extension for the front office.  Haha!)  This was after we were "reviewing" multiplying with two digits and all I got were completely BLANK STARES.  But I had an epiphany the other day.  Instead of assuming the kids know how to do something and flipping out and over stressing when they don't, I will assume they know how to do nothing so that when they do understand something, or at least vaguely remember it, from the past I will be really excited.

Oh, did I also mention that I am teaching three 80-minute class periods of 6TH GRADERS?  And that one of those classes includes a high number of students that require special services? And that I am currently the only math teacher in 6th grade that actually taught at my school last year so I am the go-to person for the other 4 math teachers?  And that I am my team's leader?  And that I am the head, and only, coach of boys' soccer?  And that our first game is next Tuesday?  And that the boys' soccer team went undefeated last year - the only team in the county to ever do that? 

All of these things combined leave me running around like a chicken with its head cut off.  I never can get caught up.  The moment I think I am almost up-to-date I get another thing (or 5 things) thrown my way.  Stress and exhaustion are just barely touching the surface but are pretty good indicators of how I am feeling.

In the midst of all of this I also happen to be a part of a wonderful women's Bible study group at church.  These ladies come from every walk of life and walk with Jesus but are completely encouraging.  I am also reminded of several verses of Scripture that help me refocus my thoughts and motivations.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'  Jeremiah 29:11

As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.  2 Chronicles 26:56

So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  Isaiah 43:2-3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28

These are just a few of the awesome examples of how I can believe that God has a plan for my life and no matter what I am going through now, He is always with me.

So if you begin to wonder where I am and why I am not updating you with the wonders of my life, just know that I am in the middle of a craziness that I am not sure I can really describe or understand but I am loved by an AWESOME God who will see me through it!

When is it summertime again?

Spring Cleaning

BEWARE: Nostalgia and extremely long run-on sentences included in this post.  You have been warned!

I paid all of my new bills for the month and then organized and put away all of my bills and paperwork that have created an enormous pile on my desk and surrounding area for the last few months.  Oh the joy of a clean desk!

In general, my "office" area has been driving me crazy...basically since moving in almost 2 years ago!  I am known for keeping things - all kinds of things - but in particular school things.  I have a giant box at my mom's house in the attic that has junk in there from kindergarten - finger paintings, awards for 'clean cubbie' and 'student of the week,' mini coloring books, teacher evaluations on my ability to identify shapes and colors, etc. - all the way up to high school classes - the contents from just about every single class I took in high school including my "portfolio" from ART I (I use quotations around portfolio to signify that no one else in the world would qualify the art within the portfolio to be actual art - but hey I need an elective and so art it was.).  Like I said I keep EVERYTHING!

Somethings I brought with me to my big girl place are my notebooks from my college classes.  Now I don't have ALL of my notebooks just the ones from my education classes - a total of 7 complete notebooks plus random other things like lesson plans + junk to go with lesson plans and readings for classes - from 3.5 math classes - the half was from a Calc 2 class that I had a bad professor/I was doing HORRIBLE in the class and therefore dropped it but picked it back up the next semester with a different professor (Most of my math classes were INSANE and therefore when I looked back at the majority of my tests I wonder how I actually passed the classes.) - 4 books I used for my math ed classes - I am taking those with me to school Monday - from only 1 history class - not sure what happened to the other 5 or so classes (I probably did really bad in those classes and gave up hope of ever finding the nostalgia in them.  Although I didn't do too hot in the one class I still have so not sure why that one made the cut.  But alas, I have it.) - and from a drama class - senior year, fall semester, last semester of classes before student teaching; I loved the class and the professor and met lots of fun freshmen who were so cute when they asked if I lived in HJ.

So all of this is to say that I spent the good part of an hour (probably more than an hour) "reorganizing" my college stuff in the crates I have them in.  I was actually able to get rid of a small pile of stuff (plus I'm taking those math books to school) and did move some things around but no one would probably notice any real difference.  I also realized that looking at bad grades I got on calculus tests and history papers and discrete home works don't really have a whole lot of impact on me today.  I did well enough to pass the classes and I graduated on time and got my degree - which I am currently using.  Who really cares about my ending GPA?  No one!  Do I even know what it was?  Nope!  Do I care?  Nope!  I reference the notebooks and stuff every once in a while for an idea for my lessons but really the stuff is there to remind me of my small accomplishments and give me a laugh when I notice I got a 40 on a CALC 2 test (the first time around).

I still have lots of stuff in my office area that I could get rid of or put somewhere, I just need more organizing tools and apparatuses (?) (apparati?) to better organize them.  Summer project...check!

Next spring cleaning task - closet.  I need to get rid of clothes but once again I KEEP EVERYTHING!  "I wore that shirt that one time and I might be able to wear it again."  I think I need Stacy and Clinton to come in and tell me that everything in there is gross and give me $5000 to get a new wardrobe!  HINT HINT, WINK WINK to all those that read this for a nomination!

I think I am done for now - no need bombarding you with too much info!  hehehe

Wow...they never cease to amaze!

I was on for a workshop a few weeks ago and when I got back I had my students do a quick-write about how the 2 days went while I was gone.  I told them that the sub had written me a note detailing their behavior and general goings on so they shouldn't lie but tell me their side of the story.  I was expecting lots of "the sub was mean," "too much work," "I didn't do anything wrong," etc etc.  What I really got was "I was disrespectful to the sub and got sent to the office."  I also got "I did all of my work but I am not a rat.  I don't tell on people."  As well as "I was bad but the sub made me write sentences and then I got my work done."

What the kids didn't and still don't know is the sub had yet to leave me a note until the next day and I was surprised at how many actually told on themselves for even the smallest things.  Some of the behavior the students mentioned were little things that the sub didn't even tell me about.

It is very refreshing that even though I have A LOT of hard headed students that can't locate the Atlantic Ocean on a map or stay in their seat or bring a pencil or pen to class, they are honest about their poor decisions and bad behavior (most of the time).

If nothing else, they gave me a good laugh and restored a little of my faith in the future world.

Funny school story

Did you know that Joseph Stalin is from the COUNTRY of Mississippi?

I will leave you to ponder on that until I have the energy to elaborate!

-> Originally posted Feb 28...as of March 13, I still don't have the energy to really tell the whole story. Suffice to say, when asked what country Joseph Stalin was from, one of my wonderful - but clearly misinformed - students stated that he was from Mississippi. Oh the wonders of 6th grade.

Snow!

Ok I'm not gonna lie. I LOVE SNOW! I love that it gives me an excuse to be lazy and stay inside in front of the tv all day. (Do I really need an excuse though?) I think that it is beautiful - before people mess it up with their cars and walking through it. I love to watch people out having snowball fights and building snowmen.

I also enjoy the occasional Snow Day off from school. But for some reason right now I am not thrilled to be out of school. My students have a project that they are working on and some can't really get it done at home without resources we have at school. Also as I am a control freak I don't like to have to rearrange my lesson plans and schedules to accommodate interruptions. I mean, I have my plans set through March and into April already - that's how controlling I am.

But alas, I have today and most likely tomorrow off due to this winter storm. Can I be productive during this time? If so, what do I do?

So...it happened :(

My first bout of tears this school year. Granted it wasn't 'roll down the cheek' tears, just watery eyes but if I wasn't so prideful, I would have had a full-on tear fest.

So what made me have this SUPER AWESOME day?

Well it really did start out pretty well. I woke up from an 8 hour night sleep (something that never happens) and I got to wear jeans to work! My first few classes went really well, only small struggles due to seating rearranging adjustments. One of my students that hassled me to THE. END. of my patience the day before came to apologize and ask for a truce. I was having a slightly above average day.

That is...until my last class.

Then all of a sudden instead of 6th graders, I was transported into a class of kindergartners. Moving from one student to the next it was "sit down in your seat," "don't even think of throwing those scissors," "I don't care if he did it first," "can you stop flicking paper footballs?" REALLY?!?! This is not what I signed up for.

Once the kids were gone I got to talking with one of the other teachers and she told me about a questionable thing another teacher did that could potentially mean bad things for me. She is a new teacher and doesn't really know how some things are supposed to work and is someone that likes to tell on people - for no real reason - just so she can look good. REALLY?!?!

So now it is after 3 and I still have 5 things on my 'To Do' list before I can leave. I BS those things well enough to look like I cared and shut down my computers and walked out - not saying bye to anyone, not wishing anyone a great weekend. Nothing. I just had to get out.

On the way home is when I really let this last 2.5 hours sink in. My mind starts to go now. "I am 23 years old! I don't have to take crap from 11 yr olds. I don't have to take crap from 30 yr olds either. I don't have to teach. I know that I can find something else if I really had to. Am I even good at this job? Is this really a calling for me?" Now is when I make one of the last turns home and, having worked myself up really good now, start having watery eyes.

I come home upset and definitely not wanting to talk to anyone. I get in bed, fully clothed and lay in silence. Within this silence I remember the first 6 hours of my school day and realize that I am not horrible. I'm not the greatest teacher either. With my 1 yr and 2 month experience I am doing pretty good for myself. I also realize that in 2 weeks, we are getting an extra teacher to decrease my class sizes as well as the removal of several problem children.

At this point tears try to creep back into my eyes - grateful tears now - but I push those away as well.

Why would I question my abilities? I am human. I make mistakes. I am not good at everything, no matter how much that hurts my pride. I am fallible. I can be pressured into doing things that under other circumstances would never cross my mind. BUT I am also held in the hands of a God who loves me. A God that has set struggles in my life to help me learn. A God that really only wants good things for me. A God that will never leave me no matter how much I try to push Him away or ignore Him.

In times of struggle I seem to scream "why me? I don't deserve this." Yet when I am blessed why do I not also scream "why me? I don't deserve this?"

Oh wow!

It's been 18 days since my last post and I'm not really sure that you have missed much. Back to the same ol', same ol' - sleep, work, sleep, work. Although, you might be interested to know one of my "sleep" stories...so let's start there.

I have been having trouble getting up and going the past few weeks so sometimes I skip breakfast or just grab something (a pack of cookies) on the way out. So on Monday, before I went to bed I decided that I REALLY wanted cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next morning. In my head I knew I made the plan and there was no way I was backing down. I go to bed about 10ish, like normal. So here comes the weird "sleep" story part. I wake up and the look at the clock and see 12:00 and I get up. YEP, I see 12:00, as in midnight, and get up thinking it is 5:00am. It was like my brain was interchanging numbers to try to make this make sense. ANYWAYS...I get up and turn the oven on to start pre-heating. When I finally go to put the cinnamon rolls in the oven, I just set them in and close the door, look at the clock again and see 12:34. Double take, WHAT 12:34!!! What the heck? Why am I up? What in the world am I doing? A normal person may say "crap" and then just throw the cinnamon rolls out. NOT ME!! I REALLY wanted those cinnamon rolls so I stay up for 15 more minutes while they bake, buzzer goes off, I take them out and put them on the stove, turn oven off, and crawl back in bed. When I finally wake up at the actual 5:00am I warm them back up and put the icing on them. When I told a colleague at work this story she says "so you were like sleep-walking. Well sleep-cooking really." My roommate has told me that I can't plan to use the oven early in the morning any more just in case.

Now I have gotten up at a crazy time like 2:30, turn the shower on, recheck the clock and realize, turn the shower off and then go back to sleep. This time, not so much.

We have over 300 kids in 6th grade with only 10 teachers, sometimes our classes reach numbers of 34+ so we finally found out we would be getting relief - an extra Social Studies teacher (for 1 class period), Math teacher (for 2 class periods), and a Science teacher (for 1 class period). Yesterday (Friday) I see about 12 new schedules in my box to hand out to students on Monday to make these changes happen. So we will see what the 17th day of school looks like when these 6th graders worlds are turned upside down! More to come I am sure.

Also, did you realize what time I am posting this? Before 9am on a Saturday. That's because on Friday's I get up a 5, work all day, hang out with some work friends after school, come home and go to bed at normal time 10ish. At least my body gave me 2.5 extra hours of sleep. But seriously, I was hoping to sleep til 10 at least! Oh well...whomp whomp whomp.

Sixth graders are so funny :)

Ok so I'm sorry I haven't updated on all of the first few days of school yet but here goes.

As I said, 6th graders are so funny! They ask the craziest questions (well I think they are crazy but really they just don't know how middle school works).

"Do we have the same schedule everyday or does it change?"

At the end of the day a child comes up and doesn't know which bus he rides so I find one of the people in charge of buses to see if she could help and this is how the convo went...
Ms. C: Did you ride the bus this morning?
Student: (mumbled) Yes.
C: Was your bus driver a man or a woman?
S: (mumble AGAIN)Woman
C: Ok. Was she black or white?
S: (mumbled and totally serious) I don't know.
C: YOU DON'T KNOW?!?!
(I busted out laughing at that one.)

Parents walking students to homeroom on the first day.

Parents sneaking in the building a few yards behind their student to see them get into their homeroom and have a quick chat with teacher about lunch or some insecurity the parent has.

Student: UM...I think that person is in my seat.
Me: Yes he is but you don't come to my class until 6th period.

S: How does this planner work?
Me: Um...you find today's date and then you write your homework there?!

I feel like some of the best things I can't even remember but I know there will be more to come. All in all the first 5 days has been really good. They get chatty towards the end of the day but with the exception of maybe 10 out of 150 they are well mannered and follow directions pretty well.

Lesson planning is going really well too! I already have my lessons done for the 1st quarter - that means I don't have any lesson plans to write until NOVEMBER!!! Holla! Yay for working smarter and not harder and HOLLA to my Social Studies partner Jackie who is working with me.

Should I be knocking on wood in fear of being jinxed? NOPE! I am praising the Lord for His faithfulness, wisdom, and support already in the new school year! Lord You are good and Your mercy endureth forever!

All good things must come to an end

Well, I have detailed many of my summer adventures and now school is starting in 2 weeks! I went to work on my classroom yesterday and realized that I have a lot to do.

I am really excited about this new school year and all of the challenges I will face. I took a few minutes to look through some of my class rosters and noticed that a few of my students have many ailments that make everyday a challenge - almost total blindness and cerebral palsy are just a couple. I have never taught students with such issues but I know that these will be great learning experiences.

I also go into the new year prayful for loving on the students no matter what is going on in their lives. There were many times that I thought I would explode due to misbehavior or disrespect and then, even though I didn't want to, I continued to hold it against those students - they got no second chances with me. I can't do that to these kids, they have to know that in my class they are respected and safe.

To accomplish this goal I am going into the year with a new plan - management rather than discipline. I have to not only teach the students about the mountain ranges in Europe or the animals along the Amazon but how to be a productive citizen and member of the classroom. I realize now that just because they have been in school more than half of their life, the majority of students don't know proper classroom "etiquette". Examples include (1) raise your hand when you want to talk, (2) don't sharpen your pencil while I am teaching, (3) if it's not yours don't touch it, and the list goes on and on.

Anyway, I hope you are excited for more interesting anecdotes as the year progresses!

Well...I made it!

As I sit here I can now reflect on my first year teaching. Let me just say that if next year is like this year, I really will feel EXTREMELY incompetent and wonder how I ever graduated college!

- About 3/4 of the year, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I was doing it totally wrong. (Really, did I need 6 months to tell me that? No, but that is when I stopped being stubborn and realized I had to change my ways to survive.) I went into the school year under total illusionment. Who knew that 7th graders didn't know the appropriate times to get up from their seats to sharpen pencils or throw things away? Who knew that 7th graders will ask you totally inappropriate questions about your personal life? And then, when you don't answer them, they proceed to tell you about crazy things that they do that you never ever wanted to know? Now I realize you have to tell them how to do EVERYTHING or they are confused :(

- I know the value of my teammates! Without the support and assistance from them, I don't know how this year would have looked but I do know it would have been worse! Next year we are all mixed up throughout the school so I will only have one of the people next year. The rest of them are scattered throughout and really far away. It makes me sad to know I can't just poke my head in the door next to me for some reassurance or comic relief or a friendly smile.

- Patience! I thought I had a lot of it but I realize now that it is not limitless. After about 4 kids ask me the same question, I want to rip the head off of the next one to ask. I really don't think there is anything worse than having to repeat yourself 5 and 10 times a day! One part of it is inevitable because I teach the same thing 5 times a day but usually by the 3rd or 4th class I anticipate the questions that they will ask and try to answer them within the directions instead of waiting for them to ask.

- High point!!! At the end of each semester, the computer classes are working on correspondence and the students are asked to type letters to their favorite teachers. I got 4 of those letters this year!!! When I looked at other people's piles I got a bit sad because they had more but from what I hear it is unusual for 1st year teachers to get them so then I was happy again. I think I will cherish those letters - they almost made me cry because sometimes you really don't know how the kids feel about you.

All-in-all this year was a GIANT learning experience! It was really rocky at times and I didn't know how it would all work out but I think it was a really invaluable experience. Definitely not anything that anyone can really prepare you for. Now I know better for next year! Expect more blogs throughout the summer and I promise they won't be about school (at least not all of them!).

A wonderful hodge-podge (sp?)

So...it has been an interesting evening!

We had/are having torrential downpours outside plus severe thunderstorm warning plus tornado warning plus hail warning - which my new car (ahem truck) was so NOT excited about! So yeah - that was fun!

Also, LC and I were discussing new names for our balconies. She is going with the island feel so she is going to call hers a lanai. I watch my soaps all the time and they call there patios and balconies terraces so that is what I am going with. Now, even though I am online I have no desire slash time to look up the meanings of these terms to know if they are being used correctly. (It is already past my bedtime for a Sunday night.) So terrace it is!

Now on to the real reason for this post...school!

Of course I brought work home with me for the weekend and of course I waited until about 7 pm on Sunday to get started on it. My students are researching countries in Africa and Asia and are writing a short paper about those countries. Most of the papers start off with a line or two or five like this:

Hello! My name is (insert name) and I am going to tell you about the culture of Japan that I think was really fun to study about and I am really excited to tell you allot about it. So here we go!

Yep!

And then one of my kids wrote about the geography but his concluding line said this:

Hopefully one day in the future I will be able to study about the geography of Japan!

Well buddy, since your whole paper was already about the geography of Japan, I am so happy that I have been able to make that dream of your come true! I mean really. IDK!

Oh and of course I got many papers that were copied and pasted from several websites. Not only was the writing style and vocabulary waaaaaay over the head of a seventh grader, but its chunked in several different fonts and there are underlined portions that are probably hyperlinked. So, yeah! That's what I've got!

And also I just realized I have written - so, yeah - a few times in this post. Not really sure what that means but I'm thinking that things have been so ridiculous that there really hasn't been anything else to say.

Anyway - gotta get to bed 'cause this girl needs her beauty sleep FO' REAL!

School is a place for learning!

So...lots of things happened today at school.

Because this is my first year and apparently I am too nice and I let the kids run over me a bit, I have summer homework. It has been requested/strongly suggested/required for me to read a few books about classroom management and not really write a report but take notes on several of the strategies. So yippee! Both of the books seem like WONDERFUL summertime reading! I. Am. So. Excited. --Can you tell?-- I am hopeful that I will learn a few things that will help me out it just seems a bit silly that this is an assignment. Maintain Employment. Always say "yes ma'am" to the boss.

On to a lighter note, something I learned today from my students - they found a way to get by the server blockers to go to all of their favorite websites that are NOT school appropriate ie: facebook, myspace, youtube, wikipedia, etc. I WILL NOT tell you how they did it because I completely forgot...wink, wink. I am a bit wary of using it because I don't know if Central Office has some way of checking on that kind of thing and its really not that important to me that I would want to lose my job. Again...Maintain Employment! I just thought it was really interesting that these kids can't read and follow simple directions - Complete jump-start. Log-in to the computer but DO NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE on the computer - but they can find a way around a school system's entire computer security system.

So...those are things that I learned today...or will be learning in the near future.

22 school days left til summer!!!!

How bo-ring!

Um so basically any time I start to tell a fun anecdote or story it ends up being something that happened at school. If you get me in a room with one other teacher - namely the bff LC - I could go on and on. I am sure that anyone who is not a teacher and is listening is thinking to themselves "Why do I care? Why does she keep going on and on?" Well the answer to those questions is: I have no life and that is the one thing that basically fills my days, nights, thoughts, and sometimes - unfortunately - my dreams/nightmares.

Now don't get me wrong, I do other SUPER exciting things like watch TV, read fun books, sit on the balcony and see people in my neighborhood, and have a weekly dinner with some friends in town but even those things are not that exciting to other people.

I do get bored with my life every once in a while but most days it really exciting...definitely a fun adventure! If you can get past my quirky stories of 12 year olds at school, you may get a fun story about the hockey players that live in my neighborhood or the "snuggle buddies" C and I have. The decision is yours!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

At yesterday's faculty meeting it was announced that teachers would be mixed around - grade levels and possibly subjects - for next year. We were told not to lose sleep over it or worry about the changes, everything would work out for the best. When I heard this, all I could think about was making sure I got out of the meeting in time to drive 20 minutes for a professional development class. I was not worried in the least. Whatever...I am happy for the job!

At about 10 o'clock this morning - during my 3rd period class I was called to the office...for real. The walk down there was very calming as I prayed that wherever I was moved I would be okay with it - the Lord has a plan for me and my prayer was really that I willingly accepted it.

I walked into the principal's office...dun dun dun...and she asked me to sit down. Long story short, I am being moved from seventh grade social studies to sixth grade social studies. I don't know why but when I heard that, I released the breath I didn't even realize I was holding. Why I exhaled I don't know. What did I feel at this moment?

Sixth grade?! Is this good? Is this bad? What does this mean? Why was I moved? I haven't had any real experience with 6th graders. They are basically elementary kids still. They don't know how to work lockers. You have to baby them. Oh man now I have to re-do all of my lesson plans for the year - right now I have squat! Who are the other teachers that I am going to be working with? Can I really do another "first year?" All of these things were running through my head sitting in her office.

Well...after a few moments and encouraging words, I realized that 6th graders have no idea what middle school is like - they have never been there - so I have the opportunity to get them on the right track for the next 3 years. Since I have been dealing with 7th graders I now have a few strategies to "scare" them into submission muhahaha. I also found out that the other social studies teacher is one that is currently teaching the curriculum and he is an AWESOME teacher - the kids LOVE him! He will have so many ideas and already has his stuff made up.

Another thing that is really encouraging, one of my current teammates is also moving to 6th grade and she has a lot of pull with administration and has requested that I be on her team!! It is sooo exciting and comforting to be wanted - especially enough to truly fight for me to be on her team! God is so good!

I am REALLY excited about this new change. I think the Lord has a lot to teach me through this - I KNOW I still have a lot to learn about teaching and life in general. As I finish up this year and prepare for the next I am looking forward to some of His "wha-bam" moments where I can be humbled and taught and truly learn trust and compassion and honesty (with myself and others).

YAY for Ch-ch-ch-changes!!! :)