Almost, but not quite.

Today was that day where I thought I was going to cry.
The point where I felt like everything I was doing for this class goes in one ear and out the other.
43.
20.
67.
52.
These are the grades they got on a QUIZ they've known about for over a week.
I am expecting too much. 
No;
I am the only one with expectations.
And I've done almost the exact same thing with them as all my other classes, and those grades were so telling:
100.
105.
98.
102.
I know I need to do something, but today I just became so frustrated.
And the disrespect...it's as if they are daring me to write referrals; I just did not want it to be that way. I refuse to deal with it anymore.
Things are going to change.
And it is NOT going to be just a one way change.


Lord,
Bless me with the strength and  endurance.
Remind me in the midst of trial (aka 6th block) that you have overcome!
I am a prodigy of teaching, because you live in me.
Because I have the Holy Spirit and you watch over me.
Give me the knowledge to teach, to love, and to encourage others to do the same.
I love you.
Sincerely.
I love you, sincerely.
In your rescuing name I pray.

Obstacles

I love Charlotte, NC! I do. I cannot even begin to think about what my favorite part was: 
Tim Hawkins? 
spending 48 hours with the Hobbles? 
the 90 degree weather? 
Elevation church? 
lunch at The Soda Shop with K and T? 
my brief encounter with the enchanting bronze book sculptures off of S Tryol? 
having a stand-off with "App-om-a-tax" the bear?
Oh, the competition is fierce, but the Hobbles wins.
(however the book sculpture is a close second).


The whole weekend was just brilliant! Charlotte has definitely redeemed itself; it is now one of my top 5 places to possibly inhabit.  
Tim Hawkins was quite funny.  There were a few less-than-tasteful jokes, but overall he was very funny.  Just watching him walk around the stage in that crazy way would have been enough entertainment for me.  But thank you, Tim for going the extra mile; looking funny and being funny is much more entertaining as a pair.


Elevation church was another gift from the Lord. I truly left feeling like I had just been fed the Word of God. 
Glory! Glory! Glory!
I was not sure how it was going to go when Sarah and I walked in and there was a DJ spinning in the hallway. My fear was that it was going to feel like a concert and not church, but our fears quickly subdued.  Upon entering the "sanctuary", we were greeted by an old movie theater setting with stained glass windows.  The worship was wonderful and evoked a sense of "home".
The pastor, although young, was very mature.  And I do not mean mature like "stuffy" or "sedated", but mature in the sense that he is clearly serious about his faith and God's calling in his life to lead others.  God really used him to speak to me.


Lunch at The Soda Shop with Kenz  and Tennant was fun. So fun. It was quaint and unassuming.  

Fact: when I feel like I do not have much to say, I often feel as if I have said too much.

But anyway, the Davidson campus is beautiful and inviting and makes me long for my college days again. Oh, sweet sweet memories :)


The drive to and fro was nothing short of adventurous.  We had to avoid a fallen tree in the road.  Bypass a hail bailing tractor. Endure the sight of a snake and a brood of dear. However, my favorite moment was when "App-om-a-tax" the Black bear came into our path. With clips from "Friends" as our soundtrack, maybe 100 ft in front of us appears a large wolf...wait, wait, wait...that's no wolf.
What.the.dump?
It was a bear. A very large bear.
And Sarah's response was to stop the car. My reaction to her reaction was to tell her to keep moving and do so with haste. It was a great moment in our trip and shall be a grand memory.


To quote Sarah, "If it was God's will for us to see a bear, praise God we were in the car!"
Amen.

A little "Earth-shake"

Oh, the events of today.
I got a whiteboard in my room!!! Glory! I can't finally write on a board and not worry about getting chalk all over me.  Such a small victory, but a victory.  


Then, during 7th block, we had an earthquake.
Yes. An Earthquake.
Earth.
Quake.
Earthquake.
As I was teaching, we heard a low rumble quickly crescendo to a noticeable shake.  It was very scary. And very surreal. We are very blessed that it did not rank higher on the scale.  However, 5.8 was enough for me.


The last and favorite event was that I was able to finish my lesson plans for tomorrow which means I did not have to bring my stuff home with me.  
Nice, relaxing night :)

Montag!

Montag, Montag.  Today is Montag!
Today was a little hectic, but I got through it. And I got my picture taken to get my ID badge; here I come teacher discounts.
Fun fact: I watched an episode of "3rd Rock from the Sun" while catching up on emails and it was the episode where John Lithgow speaks German; perfect.
I am finding some sort of rhythm.  Lesson plans are coming more easily, but it is still a learning process. 
Wade and Heather have been so great and helpful. They had me over for dinner on Friday and it was so nice just to spend time in their love-filled abode.  Saturday was a day full of Sarah, which is a really great day :) We watched "Something Borrowed" and I really enjoyed it.  Pretty much any movie with a synchronized dance rates high on my list...
Sunday was nice and relaxing.  Took in The G.A.M.E and got a LU scarf.  Kylie got some playing time and the Lancers beat Howard 2-0! It was a much needed retreat from obligation.
Meg-Weg and I are getting ready to Skype and I'm already done with my lesson plans for today.
This is good. Very good.

A Victory

Victory in Jesus! Today was a victory.

"I am responsible for the energy I bring into the space." 

Of course, my "energy" is the Holy Spirit, for He lives in me.  But that became so real to me today.

During my "less fun" block, I was able to control how I reacted; this is not to say that I get angry or loud with them, but the first few days I did give them the attitude they gave me.  However, I never felt good about how I reacted. So I knew I needed to change something and the biggest changes in my life take place by the good graces of my Lord.

He loves me so well :)

So yesterday and today I implemented the idea that no matter what I would continue to be the light (Matthew 5:14-16). And boy, I am just wallowing in joy! What a great gift from God that I was able to resist the temptation to give in to the darkness.

I feel good.

And that, my friends, is always a gift straight from the Lord.

The first Monday

This will be short due to my great need for sleep.
Today went well.  Last night I had time to just write out a schedule for what I wanted to do during the class; much like a lesson plan, but more my way and less the school's way.  I felt good that I had run through the time instead of just getting in there and "winging it."
I am currently sitting down doing the same thing for tomorrow.  Eventually, I would like to be able to do at least two days ahead.  Maybe even the entire week in one day: dream big!


This weekend was very short.  Sarah and I went to the outdoor movie (one reason I love the small town) and got dinner. Then I went home to get school supplies out of my storage unit and of course as soon as we got some boxes pulled out of the unit, it began to pour! But luckily we reached the box with my stuff in it before too much damage was done.


I am still enjoying being a teacher. I am just constantly feeling overwhelmed and scatter brained. But at least I know all the kids' names :)

Dead Battery

My car battery is dead. Boo.
An unfortunate discovery at 7:20 am. But a gift from the Lord in the form of Henry K. came to pick me up and take me to school.  Very nice boy, very nice.
     I am almost as exhausted as my battery; I have not quite gotten used to the sleep schedule. With time I know I will adjust, but for now I feel old and weary.
     Today was the first day I had to make lesson plans--that was quite the task.  The Lord has extended me another mercy in the form of Meda, the Spanish teacher with whom I share a room.  She has helped me above and beyond being just a good colleague; she has become a mentor and dear friend. She has shown me ways to engage students and always lets me know when I am missing something I need.  And if she can get it for me, she does!  She is brilliant and the Lord is making me a better teacher through her.
     Another new discovery: apparently one of my classes at the middle school is actually a "Foreign Culture" class and not German...I was never informed.  I am going to send an email to the principal to ask about this, but I am not sure how it is going to go.  I feel like they would not expect another teacher (especially a first year) to teach a subject without letting him/her know.  When I was hired, I was told I would be teaching German, not German and other classes.  It is not that I do not like culture; it is that I already have enough on my plate coming up with a first year curriculum for four German levels.


Overall today was a good day. I can see how and why teachers have favorite bells/blocks.  I am quickly discovering mine :)

Ja oder Nein

Today was the first day of school and it was great!
     My students seem to be excited to learn...most of them, anyway.  There are a few who I foresee giving me a little trouble, but not too much.  The biggest discovery of today was how little the students know.  For example, the German 3 & 4 students do not remember if they even learned how to use the past tense; GERMAN LEVEL 3 & 4!!! I cannot believe it!
     On one hand, I am sad that they have been wasting time in class watching movies, translating stories, and whatever else without soaking in any of it.  On the other hand, I am excited that I get to teach them so much! It seems that everyone is at a very beginner level where I can use the same curriculum for each class, just at a different pace; a gift for a first year teacher from the Lord :)
     My dear dear friend Sarah joined me at school after hours (4-715pm) to help me organize the still very messy room.  She is so brilliant! There is still plenty to do, but things are coming along nicely.  Hopefully, I will have time to actually order some materials to hang up and use in the class (i.e. calendar, maps, etc).  Just to "own" my space.
    My back hurts and I am very tired, but the Lord is good.
    And I have officially started my first year of teaching :)

Open House

     This year is my first year of teaching. I am very excited, yet very nervous. Interacting with experienced teachers and seeing my classroom for the first time has been positively daunting. I see the teacher I want to be. I see how I want my room to look. And I see how I want the year to go; the trouble is getting there.
     Knowing how forgetful I am and that I wouldn't remember all the details to tell my father, much less years from now when I reminisce on I have decided to blog; I want this first year to be an amaranthine memory.  So I will be as honest as possible as frequent as possible.
     Yesterday's open house was great! Although a very long day (7:45am-7:15pm), I was very encouraged by all the interaction I had.  A plethora of teachers and superintendents have extended a welcoming hand holding the gift of knowledge; all the help is so appreciated and needed! I have so much to learn, but I am enthusiastic to do so.  In attempts to not be overwhelmed by everything I have before me, I have decided to focus on simply cleaning my room.  Which sounds simple, but you haven't seen my room...
   At the high school, I share a room with Mrs Simon and Mrs Lupas so I do not have to worry about decorating over there (a welcomed omission).  However, my room at the middle school is terribly disgusting.  It is apparently the place where old overhead projectors go to die; there are currently three waiting for burial.  The place is not only disorganized, but dirty, which is even worse. For example, I picked up a teacher's edition yesterday and my hand was sticky.  But I have come prepared today; I am ready to attack the dust bunnies and sticky amoebas with a great vengeance! They are no match for Lysol and Windex.
     Also, on the agenda: learn how to use a grade book.