The first day of Finals Week is tomorrow! (yuck.)
I'm actually done with my finals on Wednesday, but my mom can't get up to Potsdam to pick me up until Saturday, so I'll be at school doing basically nothing (watching The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, probably...) from Wednesday night until Saturday morning.
But anyway. My finals schedule is actually really not that bad. Tomorrow, I've got Literacy Foundations and Math Methods. Tuesday is just Spanish, and then a review session for Teaching Students with Special Needs. Then, Wednesday, I have Teaching Students with Special Needs and Spanish.
Literacy isn't even really a final. We had final projects to do, and I've already presented mine so I just have to sit through other people's presentations. So that's literally nothing.
Math... Ok, I'm a bit nervous about math. I was REALLY nervous, but the teacher did a review session in class last week and then, today, I went to a study session that one of the girls in my class had organized. So I'm not nearly as nervous as I was before. My main problem is going to be on writing story problems (word problems), but I think I'll be able to handle it pretty well, especially after today's study session. Still though, even if I get a 100 on the final, the best I'd be able to get in the class is a 3.7. So a 4.0 isn't happening for that class...
Spanish will be easy. I love languages. I'm good at languages. They're logic puzzles, really, if you just sit down and think about it. And I already know I got a 100 on the first part of the exam because we did it in class last week and he told everyone right after they went what they got, and I got 10 out of 10 points. So knowing that already has made me completely not worried at all about this final.
Teaching Students with Special Needs is the only final I'm actually really worried about. The only one I'm stressing over. And it's because she puts SO MUCH information on the test that it's kind of... scary. There's a lot of memorization and you either know it or you don't. And I feel like I fit in the "don't" category right now. But there's a study session on Tuesday that I'm going to go to if I can. It's during the same two-hour block that my Spanish final is. I'm thinking that Spanish won't take me longer than an hour; it's 4 pages long, but most of it is "50/50" (like... it's either one word or the other, you have to circle the right one), with some writing at the end. I'm thinking I'll be out of there after maybe an hour, then I'll be able to get an hour of group review for Teaching Students with Special Needs.
Then, finally, Wednesday afternoon is my Social Studies Methods final, which isn't even really a final. We're doing a class collaboration with Crane (the music school). Not a final. No grade for it. Nothing to worry about or stress over.
And then I'm done with my second year here. Wow. Another school year, over.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Healing Stones
Back a couple months ago (February), I went to a 30 hour famine to protest world hunger with one of the clubs I'm in at school and a local youth group. It was a ton of fun, and one of the things we did in the morning was make healing stones. They're these clear stones with a word glued to to bottom, so you see the word through the stone. They have words like "faith," "hope," "love," and others like that. We made just over 200 stones to give to people in hospice, and we each made a few for ourselves. I made two for my (ex)neighbor's little girls, with their names written. I sent them down to Candis for her birthday, along with a few books I'd bought for her at the book fair (my college hosted a scholastic book fair back in March). I also made one for my roommate.
The one I made to keep for myself says "Fearless." And yes, that is the title of a Taylor Swift song and album, but that's not (entirely) what I made it for. I made it with that word specifically because I am such a shy person. I can be so quiet. I get so afraid of everything, and sometimes I really just need to be reminded to just be fearless, even if it's just for a minute.
Honestly when I first made it, I was kind of like "meh, whatever" about it, not thinking at all that a little stone with a hand-written word written on paper and glued to the bottom of a dollar-store stone would make any sort of difference in my life. I didn't think I would ever even look at the stone after the fast ended. To be completely honest, I made it because others in the club I'm in were doing it. It seemed like a good idea to make them for other people, but for myself? I just couldn't see it.
And yet, I carry that stone in my backpack. The end of February and all through March, during the four weeks I was in that first grade classroom, I carried that stone with me each day that I was in the classroom. I don't know why, but I felt comforted just having in in my pocket, having it with me. The day that I presented my lesson to the class, I was so indescribably nervous. Do you know the kind of nervous where you're so sure you're just going to break down and cry for any little reason? But you can't break down because you have twenty 7-year-olds depending on you? I was that kind of nervous on that day. Before I presented my lesson, when I was alone in the classroom for a minute before the students go back from lunch, I took my healing stone out of my pocket and just squeezed my hand around it as tight as I could, and I swear it was like I could feel something come over me. I looked down at the word and remembered to be Fearless. And I made it through that lesson just fine. I actually had a great time, and despite the fact that I was still nervous, I was also Fearless.
I need to take a course over the summer. I don't know if you guys know this, but I can not talk on the phone unless it's, like, to my parents or my grandma. I get so ridiculously nervous that it is pathetic -- Even when my mom used to work at KAZ, and I would call her to ask her something, the person would answer the phone and even though I knew my mom's extension number, I would be like "Um, hi. Can I, um.. I mean, I'm calling... I, um... Extension 295 please?". I stutter a bit and say "um" way too much; it's bad. But I had to call to register for that class. I held the stone the entire time I was on the phone, and I was fine. I wasn't nervous or anything, and I was actually able to talk to someone who I didn't know.
I'm applying to student teach in Australia, and I need two letters of recommendation. Both of the teachers who I asked if they would write a letter of recommendation for me, they said they would be happy to. But both times before asking, I was kind of nervous and uncomfortable about asking (the "what if they say no?" thought wouldn't leave my mind) but I took the stone from my backpack, squeezed it in my hand, then put it in my pocket to remind myself to be Fearless. Both times, with the stone in my pocket, I was fine asking them about the letter. And I know that if I do get selected to go to Australia, I will bring the stone with me.
At first, the idea of healing stones seemed a bit... strange to me. I just couldn't see it. I just didn't get it. But I swear there is something about them. I'm so glad I kept the Fearless stone. It's a word I need. Taylor has a quote where she says that Fearless isn't the absence of fear; it's being terrified, but jumping anyway. And that's what I need to remember. That's what my Fearless stone reminds me.
I am so glad I made that stone.
The one I made to keep for myself says "Fearless." And yes, that is the title of a Taylor Swift song and album, but that's not (entirely) what I made it for. I made it with that word specifically because I am such a shy person. I can be so quiet. I get so afraid of everything, and sometimes I really just need to be reminded to just be fearless, even if it's just for a minute.
Honestly when I first made it, I was kind of like "meh, whatever" about it, not thinking at all that a little stone with a hand-written word written on paper and glued to the bottom of a dollar-store stone would make any sort of difference in my life. I didn't think I would ever even look at the stone after the fast ended. To be completely honest, I made it because others in the club I'm in were doing it. It seemed like a good idea to make them for other people, but for myself? I just couldn't see it.
And yet, I carry that stone in my backpack. The end of February and all through March, during the four weeks I was in that first grade classroom, I carried that stone with me each day that I was in the classroom. I don't know why, but I felt comforted just having in in my pocket, having it with me. The day that I presented my lesson to the class, I was so indescribably nervous. Do you know the kind of nervous where you're so sure you're just going to break down and cry for any little reason? But you can't break down because you have twenty 7-year-olds depending on you? I was that kind of nervous on that day. Before I presented my lesson, when I was alone in the classroom for a minute before the students go back from lunch, I took my healing stone out of my pocket and just squeezed my hand around it as tight as I could, and I swear it was like I could feel something come over me. I looked down at the word and remembered to be Fearless. And I made it through that lesson just fine. I actually had a great time, and despite the fact that I was still nervous, I was also Fearless.
I need to take a course over the summer. I don't know if you guys know this, but I can not talk on the phone unless it's, like, to my parents or my grandma. I get so ridiculously nervous that it is pathetic -- Even when my mom used to work at KAZ, and I would call her to ask her something, the person would answer the phone and even though I knew my mom's extension number, I would be like "Um, hi. Can I, um.. I mean, I'm calling... I, um... Extension 295 please?". I stutter a bit and say "um" way too much; it's bad. But I had to call to register for that class. I held the stone the entire time I was on the phone, and I was fine. I wasn't nervous or anything, and I was actually able to talk to someone who I didn't know.
I'm applying to student teach in Australia, and I need two letters of recommendation. Both of the teachers who I asked if they would write a letter of recommendation for me, they said they would be happy to. But both times before asking, I was kind of nervous and uncomfortable about asking (the "what if they say no?" thought wouldn't leave my mind) but I took the stone from my backpack, squeezed it in my hand, then put it in my pocket to remind myself to be Fearless. Both times, with the stone in my pocket, I was fine asking them about the letter. And I know that if I do get selected to go to Australia, I will bring the stone with me.
At first, the idea of healing stones seemed a bit... strange to me. I just couldn't see it. I just didn't get it. But I swear there is something about them. I'm so glad I kept the Fearless stone. It's a word I need. Taylor has a quote where she says that Fearless isn't the absence of fear; it's being terrified, but jumping anyway. And that's what I need to remember. That's what my Fearless stone reminds me.
I am so glad I made that stone.
Monday, May 6, 2013
First day of the last week of classes!
Where did the semester go?! Somehow, the last week of classes was TODAY. I mean, wait, what? Didn't Spring Break just end, like... a week ago? This semester, especially after Spring Break, flew by exceedingly fast.
But first I want to talk about this weekend. Now that the weather is PERFECT, I've been outside as much as possible. I don't want to miss a second of the amazing perfection that has been Potsdam's weather for the past week or so. I'm definitely a few shades darker, thankfully. I hate being so vampire/Snow White pale; it's gross.
Friday night was my school's annual Gay Prom. This year, it was Disney themed (and called Enchanted Ball). I went dressed as Rapunzel, in the dress my grandma made me, and my friend Steven (one of my best/closest friends here at school) went as Flynn Rider. Rapunzel and Flynn won for best couple, which I was so so so happy about! I was SO determined to win one of the costume contests this year. AND there was a cake decorating contest, and the team I was on came in as the runners up (by ONE vote!!).
I'm pretty sure I've said on here before, but I tend to be shy around a lot of people (even if I know all of them) and around people who I don't know. At dances, I tend to stay off to the side and just watch people dancing and having fun. At dances, I think it's fun to see other people having fun. But part of the reason I love the dances that LGBTAA hosts is because really, not that many people go. I think the most people there at one point on Friday was maybe about 20 or 25. I know other people would want more people there, but me personally? I love the fact that there's not a lot of people there because I'm so much more comfortable with fewer people around. Steven and I spend nearly the entire four hours of the dance in the middle of the dance floor, having a grand time.
The dance ended at midnight, then Steven, 2 of my other friends, and I went to go get dinner (yes at midnight. What?) And we hung out in the Union until they closed at 1 and kicked everyone out. Steven was tired and wanted to go to bed, so he left us then, but the rest of us didn't want to go back to our dorm rooms so we decided to go stargazing in Lehman Park, across the road from campus. I don't remember if I wrote about Gay Prom on here last year, but after it ended last year, I went stargazing with friends too. We stayed out until a little after 3, when it started to get too cold. During the couple of hours we were out there, I saw SEVEN shooting stars, which was literally the most magical thing ever. It was truly an enchanted evening.
Saturday was Mayfaire (which I thought was kind of boring... it's just not something I'm really into.) and the CLASS carnival (which really wasn't that fun, but they had free food so..)
Then Sunday, Steven and I went geocaching and found two that were close to campus. I absolutely love geocaching; it's my favorite nice-weather activity (with frisbee as a VERY close second). It was really fun; he had never gone before, and (he said) he really liked doing it. So that was cool. We went star gazing again, and I saw two more shooting stars, which was pretty awesome.
And then, finally, today. The first day of the last week of classes before finals week. It was a really good day, which sped by in the blink of an eye. After classes ended, I had a club meeting to go to (the English and Communication Students Organization; ECSO) and then I ended up hanging out with one of my friends from that club for a while, playing frisbee.
I love this nice weather. So much. I hate the winter; cold weather and I do NOT get along very well. This sunny, 80 degree weather we've had for the past few days makes me so happy.
But first I want to talk about this weekend. Now that the weather is PERFECT, I've been outside as much as possible. I don't want to miss a second of the amazing perfection that has been Potsdam's weather for the past week or so. I'm definitely a few shades darker, thankfully. I hate being so vampire/Snow White pale; it's gross.
Friday night was my school's annual Gay Prom. This year, it was Disney themed (and called Enchanted Ball). I went dressed as Rapunzel, in the dress my grandma made me, and my friend Steven (one of my best/closest friends here at school) went as Flynn Rider. Rapunzel and Flynn won for best couple, which I was so so so happy about! I was SO determined to win one of the costume contests this year. AND there was a cake decorating contest, and the team I was on came in as the runners up (by ONE vote!!).
I'm pretty sure I've said on here before, but I tend to be shy around a lot of people (even if I know all of them) and around people who I don't know. At dances, I tend to stay off to the side and just watch people dancing and having fun. At dances, I think it's fun to see other people having fun. But part of the reason I love the dances that LGBTAA hosts is because really, not that many people go. I think the most people there at one point on Friday was maybe about 20 or 25. I know other people would want more people there, but me personally? I love the fact that there's not a lot of people there because I'm so much more comfortable with fewer people around. Steven and I spend nearly the entire four hours of the dance in the middle of the dance floor, having a grand time.
Saturday was Mayfaire (which I thought was kind of boring... it's just not something I'm really into.) and the CLASS carnival (which really wasn't that fun, but they had free food so..)
Then Sunday, Steven and I went geocaching and found two that were close to campus. I absolutely love geocaching; it's my favorite nice-weather activity (with frisbee as a VERY close second). It was really fun; he had never gone before, and (he said) he really liked doing it. So that was cool. We went star gazing again, and I saw two more shooting stars, which was pretty awesome.
And then, finally, today. The first day of the last week of classes before finals week. It was a really good day, which sped by in the blink of an eye. After classes ended, I had a club meeting to go to (the English and Communication Students Organization; ECSO) and then I ended up hanging out with one of my friends from that club for a while, playing frisbee.
I love this nice weather. So much. I hate the winter; cold weather and I do NOT get along very well. This sunny, 80 degree weather we've had for the past few days makes me so happy.
Monday, April 8, 2013
What a weekend!
Wow, what a weekend this was!!
Friday night started off Relay For Life. This was my first time participating in a Relay event, and I will definitely be participating again in the future! The team that I was on raised $1,157.33 - beating our goal of $1,000!! - and the school as a whole raised a little over $53,000, beating our goal of $52,000! Very, very, very impressive! I think they said this was the most the school has ever raised in a Relay event, and also there was a record (for the school) number of people there -- around 800 people, with 63 different teams/organizations there!
My team set up our campsite and hung out together before the event started (it started at 7). There had to be at least one person from each team walking for the entire 12 hours of the event; I walked for most of it because I just wanted to. One of my friends and I, we didn't really like the music that they were playing, so we used my iPod and listened to our own music (with headphones so we didn't annoy anyone, obviously). We made such fools of ourselves, skipping and dancing around the track, but it was really so much fun.
Funny story! Well, maybe it was only funny if you were there... but anyway. The faculty advisor for our club was there with her daughter, who is 6. Her daughter was wearing Spiderman gloves and had on a Spiderman t-shirt. She got her face painted as Spiderman. We were playing Hedbanz, and the card we grabbed out of the pile for her to be was.... you guessed it - Spiderman! It was funny; we were all laughing, but then we had to be like "No, no, no it's a good one!! We promise!!" because she thought she got something bad. It was cute.
There were performances by all four of the school's a'capella groups - The A Sharp Arrangement, The Potsdam Pitches, The Potsdam Pointercounts, and our newest group (which I think JUST formed last semester!) Stay Tuned. The Pointercounts have been my favorite for quite a while; I even have their CD. So obviously, I knew they would be good. I hadn't ever heard Stay Tuned before, but I have two friends in that group, so I had to be a good friend a pay attention to them. And OH MY GOD they were SO good. I'm not just saying that either! They were amazing! Stay Tuned and the Pointercounts are definitly my favorites. I'm not a big fan of A Sharp Arrangement or of the Pitches.. A local band called The Homewreckers performed and ruined some good songs with their not-so-great performances of them. The original song they played was decent, but the rest was... not. However, this also could have been because of the crappy microphones and everything in the fieldhouse (where the event was held).
The luminaria ceremony was really emotional, as were the speeches given during the night. A lot of people cried, but I expected that. I really love the fact that I was there with the clubs I was there with. The team I was on was the Potsdam Harry Potter Alliance and the Renaissance and Medieval Studies Association. PHPA is like a family. We're all close to each other, and I feel like doing Relay together brought us all closer. I really do feel like a really tight emotional bond formed between those of us there. We all care about each other, and we're all there for each other, and really, that's what family is. That's what family does. Those people, that club, they mean so much to me.
Two of my guy friends ended up giving me piggyback rides at various points throughout the night because I was tired! I eventually got to the point where I was literally too tired to be tired. By the end of Relay, I was exhausted and my legs were KILLING me. It was so much fun though, and such an amazing experience. The feeling is indescribable, but I just felt... really good about participating in it.
My roommate and I got back to our room a little after 6:30 in the morning. I climbed into bed and fell asleep in the clothes I was wearing. I had set my alarm to go off at 10 in the morning because I had things to do and couldn't waste away the day sleeping. But when the alarm went off, my response was "no." I set it for 11, and went back to sleep for another hour.
I woke up at 11, took a shower, got dressed, and was mostly awake by 12:30 in the afternoon. One of my friends texted me and asked me to go over to her suite because her sister was there and wanted to see me. So I went over there because I missed her and wanted to see her again too. 1:50, I look at my phone and realize the time. It was 1:50, and I promised my friend that I would go to the Poetry Jam one of the clubs he is in was hosting from 2 to 4! I got there right at 2, so right on time. It was really interesting; I liked listening to other people's poems, short stories, and excerpts (it just took me like 5 tries to even get that word spelled close enough that spell-check knew what word it was) from books or other works they were working on. I didn't share anything, but I kind of wish I had. I would have shared the intro to Break Me.
My roommate and I did a movie night, and I got to bed around 12:30, then had to wake up at 9 this morning to work on a group project with my group from Literacy Foundations at 10. I spent most of the day drawing and colouring for that project. And I went on an Easter egg hunt. I wasn't going to go at first, but it was my friend's event, so I figured "ey, why not?"
Today was a really relaxing day, which I needed after being so busy at the beginning of the weekend.
But now, it is one in the morning, and another busy week starts in a few short hours. And so I shall stop writing and go to sleep. Night!
Friday night started off Relay For Life. This was my first time participating in a Relay event, and I will definitely be participating again in the future! The team that I was on raised $1,157.33 - beating our goal of $1,000!! - and the school as a whole raised a little over $53,000, beating our goal of $52,000! Very, very, very impressive! I think they said this was the most the school has ever raised in a Relay event, and also there was a record (for the school) number of people there -- around 800 people, with 63 different teams/organizations there!
My team set up our campsite and hung out together before the event started (it started at 7). There had to be at least one person from each team walking for the entire 12 hours of the event; I walked for most of it because I just wanted to. One of my friends and I, we didn't really like the music that they were playing, so we used my iPod and listened to our own music (with headphones so we didn't annoy anyone, obviously). We made such fools of ourselves, skipping and dancing around the track, but it was really so much fun.
Funny story! Well, maybe it was only funny if you were there... but anyway. The faculty advisor for our club was there with her daughter, who is 6. Her daughter was wearing Spiderman gloves and had on a Spiderman t-shirt. She got her face painted as Spiderman. We were playing Hedbanz, and the card we grabbed out of the pile for her to be was.... you guessed it - Spiderman! It was funny; we were all laughing, but then we had to be like "No, no, no it's a good one!! We promise!!" because she thought she got something bad. It was cute.
There were performances by all four of the school's a'capella groups - The A Sharp Arrangement, The Potsdam Pitches, The Potsdam Pointercounts, and our newest group (which I think JUST formed last semester!) Stay Tuned. The Pointercounts have been my favorite for quite a while; I even have their CD. So obviously, I knew they would be good. I hadn't ever heard Stay Tuned before, but I have two friends in that group, so I had to be a good friend a pay attention to them. And OH MY GOD they were SO good. I'm not just saying that either! They were amazing! Stay Tuned and the Pointercounts are definitly my favorites. I'm not a big fan of A Sharp Arrangement or of the Pitches.. A local band called The Homewreckers performed and ruined some good songs with their not-so-great performances of them. The original song they played was decent, but the rest was... not. However, this also could have been because of the crappy microphones and everything in the fieldhouse (where the event was held).
The luminaria ceremony was really emotional, as were the speeches given during the night. A lot of people cried, but I expected that. I really love the fact that I was there with the clubs I was there with. The team I was on was the Potsdam Harry Potter Alliance and the Renaissance and Medieval Studies Association. PHPA is like a family. We're all close to each other, and I feel like doing Relay together brought us all closer. I really do feel like a really tight emotional bond formed between those of us there. We all care about each other, and we're all there for each other, and really, that's what family is. That's what family does. Those people, that club, they mean so much to me.
Two of my guy friends ended up giving me piggyback rides at various points throughout the night because I was tired! I eventually got to the point where I was literally too tired to be tired. By the end of Relay, I was exhausted and my legs were KILLING me. It was so much fun though, and such an amazing experience. The feeling is indescribable, but I just felt... really good about participating in it.
My roommate and I got back to our room a little after 6:30 in the morning. I climbed into bed and fell asleep in the clothes I was wearing. I had set my alarm to go off at 10 in the morning because I had things to do and couldn't waste away the day sleeping. But when the alarm went off, my response was "no." I set it for 11, and went back to sleep for another hour.
I woke up at 11, took a shower, got dressed, and was mostly awake by 12:30 in the afternoon. One of my friends texted me and asked me to go over to her suite because her sister was there and wanted to see me. So I went over there because I missed her and wanted to see her again too. 1:50, I look at my phone and realize the time. It was 1:50, and I promised my friend that I would go to the Poetry Jam one of the clubs he is in was hosting from 2 to 4! I got there right at 2, so right on time. It was really interesting; I liked listening to other people's poems, short stories, and excerpts (it just took me like 5 tries to even get that word spelled close enough that spell-check knew what word it was) from books or other works they were working on. I didn't share anything, but I kind of wish I had. I would have shared the intro to Break Me.
My roommate and I did a movie night, and I got to bed around 12:30, then had to wake up at 9 this morning to work on a group project with my group from Literacy Foundations at 10. I spent most of the day drawing and colouring for that project. And I went on an Easter egg hunt. I wasn't going to go at first, but it was my friend's event, so I figured "ey, why not?"
Today was a really relaxing day, which I needed after being so busy at the beginning of the weekend.
But now, it is one in the morning, and another busy week starts in a few short hours. And so I shall stop writing and go to sleep. Night!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Back in classes
Well, break is over and being in the classroom is over, so I'm back to being in regular classes again. NOT someplace I'd rather be, and it felt weird waking up at 6:30 (instead of 5:30) this morning. Being in the classroom, I was there from 7:50 in the morning until 3:10 in the afternoon, yet that felt like a shorter day than being in classes. It's just weird to be in classes again. I mean, I just spent four weeks (8 days...) in basically a teacher role, and now I'm playing the part of student again. I'd rather be the teacher. It's more challenging, but more fun, more enjoyable.
Six weeks of classes.
Finals week.
Summer break.
Six weeks of classes.
Finals week.
Summer break.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Rapunzel/Tangled Dress!
As promised, here are (some of) the pictures my grandfather took of me in my Rapunzel/Tangled dress. We did 70 pictures; these are the ones that I think came out the best.
If you want to see bigger versions of the pictures, click on them. :)
LINKS:
Dress: http://www.simplicity.com/p-8201-misses-costume.aspx (My grandma made it using this pattern, with some alterations)
Pascal (Chameleon): http://www.etsy.com/shop/HappySquidMuffin
Photography by my grandfather, Stanley Wilcox. March 2013.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Day 8 in the classroom
I can't believe 4 weeks have flown by so quickly. It really seems like just yesterday that I was in the classroom for the first time, nervous and excited to see what this experience would be like. I'm so glad and so grateful that I had an amazing mentor teacher and that it was an amazing class to be in. The kids were so great, and I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to have this classroom experience.
The kids were all happy and hyper and in a great mood this morning, like they usually are. But today, there was a sadness under the happy hyperness. "Is it really your last day? Do you really have to leave?" they asked me so many times today. They got up from their seats so many times just to come over and give me a hug. It's hard, you know? I mean, it was only 8 days, but you get so attached to the kids and they get so attached to you. I'm really going to miss being in the classroom and working with the kids.
I made them goody bags and brought in oreos for them for snack for today because I wanted to make my last day with them special. I gave them the bags right before recess so that the candy and little toys wouldn't be a distraction during class time. They made me cards saying how much they would miss me and how much they loved having me in their classroom, and for journals today, their topic to write on was "My favorite memory with Miss Wilcox is..." A few of them gave me their journal entries from today. Reading through the cards, and listening to them read their journal entries, I honestly thought I was going to cry. My eyes wear tear-filled, but I couldn't let the tears fall. Not in front of the kids.
At the end of the day, after the students had all left, I just kind of stood there in the middle of the classroom with my eyes full of tears and just said aloud, "I can't believe... it's... over." Where did the time go? It went by too quickly; I would have loved to have another week or two in the classroom. Even if it meant having to do more assignments, it would be so worth it. I've learned so much these past four weeks, and more time would mean learning more. I learned more about what it means to be a teacher during my time in the classroom than I have from sitting in class at college.
But about today. It was, overall, a pretty good day. As usual, I spent the morning checking off who'd done homework, helping students with morning work, correcting work, and making copies. Though I was sad to be leaving, everything made me smile today. When they review phonics, it makes me happy to see them knowing the sounds the different vowel blends and digraphs make because they're learning to read and learning to love reading. I loved hearing them come up with "question sentences" and "telling sentences."
Today's math topic was really difficult for most of the students -- Usually math goes from 12:20 to 1:00, but today it wasn't over until a little after 1:30. They were working on regrouping numbers - like, if you're added 28 plus 6, you have 2 tens and 8 ones and you're adding another 6 ones to it. So you have 2 tens and 14 ones. Since 14 is 10 or more, you can take a group of ten from it, making it so you have 3 tens and 4 ones (so 28 + 6 = 34). It's a confusing topic to try and explain, and a confusing topic for children so young to try to understand. It did click for some of them though, and I couldn't help but to smile and be so proud of them, watching them get the right answer and, not only that, but also being able to explain their answer!
And I know I've mentioned lunch in every single one of the classroom posts, but I love hearing them using their pleases and thank yous. I love seeing them being polite to other people. I love the smiles on the lunch ladies' faces when they hear student after student saying please and thank you when getting their lunch. They care about these kids just as much as the teachers do. They don't have to, but the take the time to learn the students' names and they talk to the students and ask about things going on in their lives. I'm not sure, but I think that is a pretty big deal to the students, especially the younger students. And I think that the students being so polite to the lunch ladies is a big deal for them as well.
And now time for a cute conversation!
First grader: What's your name?
Me: Miss Wilcox. You know that...
First grader: No, but your real name?
So I think, "what the heck? It's the last day, I'll tell them." I show her my ID card.
First grader: Kimberly. That's how you say it, right? Kimberly?
Me: Yup.
First grader: Well that's a pretty name. Your parents did a good job naming you.
Me: Well thank you sweetie.
First grader: I think I'm gonna name my kids Kimberly too.
I don't think it's entirely hit me yet that this is over. I mean, I know it is... but I don't think it's going to fully hit me until Tuesday morning when I don't wake up at 5:30 in the morning. As much as I'm going to love being able to sleep in again, I'm kind of going to miss waking up and going to "my" classroom to see "my" students for the day.
The kids were all happy and hyper and in a great mood this morning, like they usually are. But today, there was a sadness under the happy hyperness. "Is it really your last day? Do you really have to leave?" they asked me so many times today. They got up from their seats so many times just to come over and give me a hug. It's hard, you know? I mean, it was only 8 days, but you get so attached to the kids and they get so attached to you. I'm really going to miss being in the classroom and working with the kids.
I made them goody bags and brought in oreos for them for snack for today because I wanted to make my last day with them special. I gave them the bags right before recess so that the candy and little toys wouldn't be a distraction during class time. They made me cards saying how much they would miss me and how much they loved having me in their classroom, and for journals today, their topic to write on was "My favorite memory with Miss Wilcox is..." A few of them gave me their journal entries from today. Reading through the cards, and listening to them read their journal entries, I honestly thought I was going to cry. My eyes wear tear-filled, but I couldn't let the tears fall. Not in front of the kids.
At the end of the day, after the students had all left, I just kind of stood there in the middle of the classroom with my eyes full of tears and just said aloud, "I can't believe... it's... over." Where did the time go? It went by too quickly; I would have loved to have another week or two in the classroom. Even if it meant having to do more assignments, it would be so worth it. I've learned so much these past four weeks, and more time would mean learning more. I learned more about what it means to be a teacher during my time in the classroom than I have from sitting in class at college.
But about today. It was, overall, a pretty good day. As usual, I spent the morning checking off who'd done homework, helping students with morning work, correcting work, and making copies. Though I was sad to be leaving, everything made me smile today. When they review phonics, it makes me happy to see them knowing the sounds the different vowel blends and digraphs make because they're learning to read and learning to love reading. I loved hearing them come up with "question sentences" and "telling sentences."
Today's math topic was really difficult for most of the students -- Usually math goes from 12:20 to 1:00, but today it wasn't over until a little after 1:30. They were working on regrouping numbers - like, if you're added 28 plus 6, you have 2 tens and 8 ones and you're adding another 6 ones to it. So you have 2 tens and 14 ones. Since 14 is 10 or more, you can take a group of ten from it, making it so you have 3 tens and 4 ones (so 28 + 6 = 34). It's a confusing topic to try and explain, and a confusing topic for children so young to try to understand. It did click for some of them though, and I couldn't help but to smile and be so proud of them, watching them get the right answer and, not only that, but also being able to explain their answer!
And I know I've mentioned lunch in every single one of the classroom posts, but I love hearing them using their pleases and thank yous. I love seeing them being polite to other people. I love the smiles on the lunch ladies' faces when they hear student after student saying please and thank you when getting their lunch. They care about these kids just as much as the teachers do. They don't have to, but the take the time to learn the students' names and they talk to the students and ask about things going on in their lives. I'm not sure, but I think that is a pretty big deal to the students, especially the younger students. And I think that the students being so polite to the lunch ladies is a big deal for them as well.
And now time for a cute conversation!
First grader: What's your name?
Me: Miss Wilcox. You know that...
First grader: No, but your real name?
So I think, "what the heck? It's the last day, I'll tell them." I show her my ID card.
First grader: Kimberly. That's how you say it, right? Kimberly?
Me: Yup.
First grader: Well that's a pretty name. Your parents did a good job naming you.
Me: Well thank you sweetie.
First grader: I think I'm gonna name my kids Kimberly too.
I don't think it's entirely hit me yet that this is over. I mean, I know it is... but I don't think it's going to fully hit me until Tuesday morning when I don't wake up at 5:30 in the morning. As much as I'm going to love being able to sleep in again, I'm kind of going to miss waking up and going to "my" classroom to see "my" students for the day.
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