Recap
Hey everybody (if anybody still reads my journal),
I know it's been forever (October) since I last wrote. Now, though, I have some time to reflect and LJ seemed like a pretty good place to put my thoughts. Now, I know everybody does a reflection this time of year, so you can skip past mine if you want.
2005 started with a bang. 8 weeks of Elementary internship: 1 week of hope, 6 weeks of sickness and sadness, 1 week of regret. In one of those sick weeks, I managed to attend AMEA, get my first 2 speeding tickets, and fall flat on my face while trying to teach. I also got in hot water for sending out Valentine's cards to fellow interns in the elementary school. I absolutely failed and bombed the elementary level. Then, engaged in a lengthy and tiresome battle about my grade with Dr. McGuire (which I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive).
I was offered three options after failing internship: stay in elementary and proceed to the secondary internship and repeat elementary later, switch education subjects, or leave education alltogether. I took a week off to recoup and 'cool down'.
I went on to a wonderful Middle School placement at Oak Mountain. Loved the teachers and Mr. Duran (the HS director) and the students. Some were like pulling teeth, but they mostly got into learning. I recieved As from my cooperating teachers and got in a small battle with Mr. Davis over my grade (which came out to a B).
This summer, I lived in the Wesley center and only locked myself out twice. (Those who have lived in Wesley understand.) I managed straight As (and an A+) in my computer classes, completed my minor, and worked 28 hours a week. I went directly from summer classes to an internship with only a week between. Also, somewhere in there, I passed the Praxis 2 test for teachers with flying colors (certified me in every state in the US).
Actually, I went into Remediation (8 weeks of watching, discussing, and team-teaching). That was followed by a very successful (many As and a final of B+) elementary internship. The teachers were great and helpful (and mostly my age) and the students (although most were poor and behaviorally challenged) were friendly, forgiving, and ready to learn.
Katrina hit home in more ways than one. It closed my schools for two days, knocked out the dorm's power (and air), took down several trees on campus, flooded the quad (ok, so every bit of rain does that), it sent me new students with new issues, it almost destroyed the home of jazz music (not to mention wiping out the Gulf Coast AGAIN), and redistributed much of Louisiana's population.
During the internship, I had a turnaround in my faith. I have been slowly backsliding since I went to college. It was mostly just my fault. However, with all that happened in the Spring, I knew there was only one person who could help me through another (equally intimidating) semester: Jesus. I learned how to pray again AND prayed in the lunchroom in front of my students. I learned the true meaning of "constant state of prayer". I read the Bible again as well. I failed to make my resolution of completing the Bible before the end of the year, but I'm only a few books away.
I finally walked the stage and graduated. I also passed the exit exam on the first try. While I'm glad college is done, I am also sad to see it go. I now have friends teaching all over the southeast (and Utah). I had to say goodbye to some great people who have left quite an impact (a drummer, a former student, a girlfriend, a grad student, a political activist, and an LSU fan). Though I know it's not goodbye for good, it's wierd to think that I can't just call them up and hang out.
As for me, I can look around now and glimpse the future. I am alone on New Year's Eve. My mom is at work, my brother and Brooke are in Dallas, the Clay-Chalkville band is in Arizona, and I am thinking about the future. A ton of things happened this year, but with a career looming and an active job search (which now includes Elba and Bay Minette), I can only imagine what this reflection may look like on 12-31-06. Until then, I'll keep my eyes on the sky, my heart after God, and my ear to the world.
Have a prosperous and blessed new year.
I know it's been forever (October) since I last wrote. Now, though, I have some time to reflect and LJ seemed like a pretty good place to put my thoughts. Now, I know everybody does a reflection this time of year, so you can skip past mine if you want.
2005 started with a bang. 8 weeks of Elementary internship: 1 week of hope, 6 weeks of sickness and sadness, 1 week of regret. In one of those sick weeks, I managed to attend AMEA, get my first 2 speeding tickets, and fall flat on my face while trying to teach. I also got in hot water for sending out Valentine's cards to fellow interns in the elementary school. I absolutely failed and bombed the elementary level. Then, engaged in a lengthy and tiresome battle about my grade with Dr. McGuire (which I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive).
I was offered three options after failing internship: stay in elementary and proceed to the secondary internship and repeat elementary later, switch education subjects, or leave education alltogether. I took a week off to recoup and 'cool down'.
I went on to a wonderful Middle School placement at Oak Mountain. Loved the teachers and Mr. Duran (the HS director) and the students. Some were like pulling teeth, but they mostly got into learning. I recieved As from my cooperating teachers and got in a small battle with Mr. Davis over my grade (which came out to a B).
This summer, I lived in the Wesley center and only locked myself out twice. (Those who have lived in Wesley understand.) I managed straight As (and an A+) in my computer classes, completed my minor, and worked 28 hours a week. I went directly from summer classes to an internship with only a week between. Also, somewhere in there, I passed the Praxis 2 test for teachers with flying colors (certified me in every state in the US).
Actually, I went into Remediation (8 weeks of watching, discussing, and team-teaching). That was followed by a very successful (many As and a final of B+) elementary internship. The teachers were great and helpful (and mostly my age) and the students (although most were poor and behaviorally challenged) were friendly, forgiving, and ready to learn.
Katrina hit home in more ways than one. It closed my schools for two days, knocked out the dorm's power (and air), took down several trees on campus, flooded the quad (ok, so every bit of rain does that), it sent me new students with new issues, it almost destroyed the home of jazz music (not to mention wiping out the Gulf Coast AGAIN), and redistributed much of Louisiana's population.
During the internship, I had a turnaround in my faith. I have been slowly backsliding since I went to college. It was mostly just my fault. However, with all that happened in the Spring, I knew there was only one person who could help me through another (equally intimidating) semester: Jesus. I learned how to pray again AND prayed in the lunchroom in front of my students. I learned the true meaning of "constant state of prayer". I read the Bible again as well. I failed to make my resolution of completing the Bible before the end of the year, but I'm only a few books away.
I finally walked the stage and graduated. I also passed the exit exam on the first try. While I'm glad college is done, I am also sad to see it go. I now have friends teaching all over the southeast (and Utah). I had to say goodbye to some great people who have left quite an impact (a drummer, a former student, a girlfriend, a grad student, a political activist, and an LSU fan). Though I know it's not goodbye for good, it's wierd to think that I can't just call them up and hang out.
As for me, I can look around now and glimpse the future. I am alone on New Year's Eve. My mom is at work, my brother and Brooke are in Dallas, the Clay-Chalkville band is in Arizona, and I am thinking about the future. A ton of things happened this year, but with a career looming and an active job search (which now includes Elba and Bay Minette), I can only imagine what this reflection may look like on 12-31-06. Until then, I'll keep my eyes on the sky, my heart after God, and my ear to the world.
Have a prosperous and blessed new year.