An update on my most recent educational lessons

Also entitled- Things you don’t learn during student teaching

• Timing is really hard. If you plan an activity that you think will be short and sweet it will inevitably take about 25 minuets longer then you though. In the same fashion if you think the activity will take most of your small group block you will finish with 10 minuets left to fill with something meaningful.

• All three of the copiers breaking in the workroom on a Friday is also known as Armageddon in Teacher World.

• Students throw up in pairs.

• If those two students happen to get sick within the first hour of school you have basically lost the entire class for the rest of the day.

• My preconceived, Covenant influenced, notions of what are “best teaching practices” are being challenged. In fact, I use worksheets and put my desks into rows. *gasp*

• If my desk does not have some semblance of organization I tend to go slowly insane.

• Being invested in a career that you actually care about makes you really start paying attention to the news/politics and causes you to evaluate why you think the way you do, especially in an election year.

• Some days you come home and fall asleep on top of you lesson plans at 7:30pm.

• It’s hard to be a fun teacher.

• When parents don’t show up for SEP conferences it’s hard not to be disappointed and take it a little personally.

• I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing 90% if the time.

• 2nd graders don’t seem to care if I don’t know the best way to implement writer’s workshop or how to deal with defiant students, or tell them the long e spelling in evening is e_e (come to find out that second e isn’t silent). They still give me a hug on the way out the door at the end of the day.

Books, bedrooms, and mines, oh my!

Today I find myself at the end of my vacation. It’s time to hang up the sunglasses, put away the summer reading and (as my Aunt says) enter the real world again. But first hang with me as I share a bit of what a teacher does with three weeks on her hands.

First there was the chance to do some non-school related reading.
Sub note- (I thought that when I graduated I was done with the textbooks, that was not true. Lately my reading of choice has been various teacher manuals and textbooks for my reading endorsement class.)
I picked up a history of Salt Lake City to familiarize myself with where my new city came from. And, since I have an inability to read just on book at a time, I also got The Monk (I really wanted to see what all the scandal was about after I finished Northanger Abby) and Three Cups of Tea. I have yet to actually finish any of these (the curse of multiple book syndrome) so I’ll have to refrain from reviews just yet.

The next project I undertook to fill my time was settling into my new house.

I’ve basically become a poster child for the Ikea redo.

Before Ikea
After Ikea





And last but not least-



I have discovered that a pretty sure-fire cure for the “I miss Chattanooga blues” is a trip to one of the many canyons that surround the city. Here are some pictures of my latest trip to Big Cottonwood Canyon.



I got to the trial at about 8:30am and it was amazing weather with the temptuer in the mid 50’s. It felt like fall was here!


There was this old mine at the bottom of the trail. To be honest it was kind of eerie. It was dark inside, cold, I was all alone, it was dark, and I kept envisioning an old, toothless miner coming out, oh and it was dark. Needless to say I didn’t get to close. Yes… I am a wimp.


Pretty amazing isn’t it.

And I’m sure that right now you are all wishing that you too could see old mines and hidden water falls. Guess what… you can! For just the mere cost of a plane ticket I will personally show you all the sights of the city. So book your flights now, I’ll keep the couch clear for you.