Post-Graduate Life

Since finishing my worksample, I spent this past weekend doing absolutely nothing. Jason was sick on Saturday, so we basically sat around the house. I have been very fatigued so I tried to sleep most of the day, but to no avail. Same Sunday. Tried to sleep, couldn't. The most productive thing I did was clean Alice and Hazel's cage and take the dogs to the dog park. We had Laura's Pittie Diesel, and it was his first time at the dog park and he did fabulous. Extremely well behaved and kind to the other dogs. Two dogs got into a fight right next to him and he backed away, ears back, and laid down, pretty much terrified. That was the real test. Pitties hardly start the fight, but they always end it.

Today, however, I taught all day, went to the gym, went to the library to get my kiddos a video on westward expansion, and then cleaned the house. We are trying to get ready for camping on Friday, and I am hyper-organized, so of course I have to start the week before. That's all. I do have a teaching tidbit of the day, however:

Me: Elliot, I really enjoyed reading your persuasive letter. You have excellent voice in your writing!
Elliot: Really?
Me: Yes!
Elliot: Oh. I didn't know I had a voice.

Ta da!

Baby Name of the Day: Delilah. Jason loves it, as do I. However, I would want to call her Lilah, and Jason doesn't really care for that nickname. It means "delicate." I am not sure a girl of ours will ever be delicate, but at least it has a nice meaning. What do you think?

Teaching Tidbit

Conversation with one of my kids:

Child: Mrs. F, I thought you weren't wearing any makeup today, then I looked closer and saw that the reason you didn't look good was that your eyes are all bloodshot.

Me: Yea, that would be my allergies.

Child: Oh.

Awesome.

Affirmation Anteater

Okay. So on Wednesday I am going to go out to my old elementary school to be observed by the principal there and also to observe in one of my parent's friend's classroom. Cheri is a phenomenal teacher so I can't wait to watch her in action again (I did my undergraduate practicums with her) with the lense of a budding teacher. I would LOVE to teach in Cedaroak, as West Linn is a very constructivist district and shares a similar teaching philosophy. I am going to do this infectious disease lesson that I did with my third graders and it is so engaging and challenging and very hands-on. I am a little freaked out about getting observed, but lately I have felt that I will end up right where I am supposed to be next year and I have become more peaceful with it. I think part of my restfulness comes from knowing that I truly am an excellent teacher. I am not one to talk about my accomplishments or share them with anyone but Jason or my family, because I sometimes feel that if I do talk about my successes it might make others feel bad so I generally keep them to myself. But this is my blog, and we talked in our class last week about developing "Affirmation Anteaters" and trying to recognize our strengths and gifts, so I am going to spill a bit and if people don't like it, they don't have to read! So there.

I know I am an excellent teacher because I feel in my deepest heart that I am. I feel like I bring an energy and passion and happiness to teaching that I don't see many teachers have. I am happy EVERY DAY and thankful to be around my kids, and I think that they feel this and know it. I also take the time to care about my students and love on them and find out what is going on in their heads and hearts, and to me, that is priceless. They know that I love them and think they are hilarious and truly enjoy being with them and I think it makes them feel valued.

I also know I am a good teacher because others have told me. I have been told that I am an excellent teacher over many years and by many people, but this year has solidified this and internalized it for me. I have had trouble believing this in the past, but having enough teachers and principals and professors this year tell me that I am exceptionally strong has some how made me believe it must be true. I am so hard on myself and even though I know I am a good teacher, I beat myself up continually if little things go wrong or kids miss a concept. Anyway, I am already getting uncomfortable writing this, so I have said as much as I will for right now. Maybe I'll elaborate later...