I am now OFFICIALLY a teacher!

(I actually wrote this blog post on Dec. 2. I waited to post it because...well, it didn't seem real. Things have finally sunk in...)

I got a job!

Today I found out that I have a job teaching 5th grade.

Okay, Sarah. Breathe for a second.

Slide #1 of my introduction Powerpoint... This one isn't for a college assignment...it's for REAL!

I have a TEACHING job. Oh. My. Gosh. They are actually going to pay me to do this? I would do it for free if I could. I would pay someone to let me do it. But they are going to pay ME. Wow.

It seems like a good time to look back at my journey. How did I get here? Where am I going next?

I'm counting on the fact that when I show the students I was as nerdy then as I am now, they will laugh WITH me, and not at me. I hope this doesn't backfire! :)

When I decided to go into education, I was already about ½ way through an associates degree program at JCCC. I thought I was going to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English from K.U. and then go on to law school. Friends finally convinced me that I should use my talent for working with kids and pursue a career in education. Their words finally stuck. I went to K.U. and spoke with someone from the education department about their program. Fort Hays ended up being my choice, though. I liked the format of their online program and I read some good reviews. The fall of 2011 saw me begin the FHSU coursework.

My favorite classes...Children’s Literature, Mathematics Methods, Social Studies Methods, and my absolute FAVORITE - Science Methods with Stephanie Muth. I loved other classes, too - but these classes got my creative juices flowing and gave me the opportunity to put into practice everything I had been reading and writing about. My mentor teachers were incredible and so supportive. I didn’t have a bad internship experience. The women I taught with were absolute professionals and loved working with kids.

My student teaching experience has been overall incredible. I will be honest, though. I put a LOT of pressure on myself. I wanted to be perfect and I took my students learning seriously. I realized that I couldn't allow the students to languish while I “got the hang of it.” I had to be ready for them each day, be prepared, be organized, and ensure that they were learning. There is a careful balance between being overly-reflective and too laid back. I leaned towards the overly-reflective side. My spirits soared when I saw growth; they sank when I didn’t. Luckily I had the best Cooperating Teacher I could have possibly hoped for and she saw this overly self-critical side of me. Her reassurance and gentle feedback got me to a place where I trusted myself more, looked at the big picture more, and then I was able to finally praise myself and tweak things a little at a time. I felt like I was fine tuning a violin. Each day I got a little bit better, and just when I felt like I had the hang of it...the internship was over!  I said goodbye to those 3rd graders today. Some of us cried (of course I did!). I told them I would carry them with me in my mind and my heart. That I had learned to teach from them and those lessons would now help other kids.

It has been a joy celebrating this next step in my journey with Andy and Mary Kate. I can't wait to share pictures and stories about her with my students. She is a positive role model for young people and I couldn't be more proud! 

The job search began about a month ago. I applied with 10 districts and have another 10 applications I never finished. I went to a Career Fair in early November and met with many schools. I was optimistic that I would be able to sub after the first of the year. A school about 20 miles from me had an immediate 5th grade job open; I applied but thought the opportunity was too good to be true. No way would this work out. My friend Annette always tells me to, “Ask the Universe for what you want.” So I did. I put it out there that this would be a dream job. And it really is. This is an amazing school with 1-to-1 technology coming down the pike. They are award winning and have a reputation for excellence. I wanted to teach intermediate grades - that was always my hope. When I got an interview, I couldn’t believe my luck. As I drove to the school last Monday for the interview, I kept thinking, “DON’T BLOW IT! DON’T STICK YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH. DON’T SEEM TOO GEEKED OUT ABOUT TEACHING HERE.” Somehow I managed to get a grip and keep my cool, because the interview went really well. I felt a positive, receptive vibe from the principal. And I walked away from the interview thinking, “Wow. I want this job more than ever because I really want to work for this guy.”

I think  Mary Kate's pet hamster Cleo will offer plenty of anecdotes and could even be a nice creative writing topic. WHY is she missing an ear? Hmmmmm?

And the last week has been agony. Agony! Every day I’ve poured over 5th grade resources, dreaming about what my classroom could be like. What will I do with my students? How will I initiate a relationship ½ way through the year? So, now the agony is over and I get to celebrate with my family. I graduate next week and I have about 8 assignments left to finish in the next 5 days. So I need to maintain a balance of pure exhilaration and calm composure and focus. This isn’t the end of road but I’m almost there!

I'm hoping that by sharing my passions with my students, they will think about the things that are meaningful to them...and share their ideas with me. I can't wait to learn all about them! 

~Sarah