Adventures of a Shockingly Average 30-Something

As promised, here are (some of) the pictures my grandfather took of me in my Rapunzel/Tangled dress.  We did 70 pictures; these are the ones that I think came out the best. If you want to see bigger versions of the pictures, click on them. :) LINKS: Dress: http://www.simplicity.com/p-8201-misses-costume.aspx (My grandma made it using this pattern, with some alterations)  Wig: http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Lady-Godiva-Wig-Adult/dp/B000H8J2CM Pascal (Chameleon): http://www.etsy.com/shop/HappySquidMuffin Photography by my grandfather, Stanley Wilcox.  March 2013.

I can't believe 4 weeks have flown by so quickly.  It really seems like just yesterday that I was in the classroom for the first time, nervous and excited to see what this experience would be like.  I'm so glad and so grateful that I had an amazing mentor teacher and that it was an amazing class to be in.  The kids were so great, and I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to have this classroom experience. The kids were all happy and hyper and in a great mood this morning, like they usually are.  But today, there was a sadness under the happy hyperness.  "Is it really your last day?  Do you really have to leave?" they asked me so many times today.  They got up from their seats so many times just to come over and give me a hug.  It's hard, you know?  I mean, it was only 8 days, but you get so attached to the kids and they get so attached to you.  I'm really going to miss being in the classroom and working with the kids. I made them ...

Oh my gosh today was SO great! So first off, I got there and was so nervous about presenting my lesson.  SO. NERVOUS.  My mentor teacher kept telling me not to be nervous and that I was going to be great, but I couldn't stop worrying.  I spent the morning making copies and going over my lesson (for about the million and tenth time).  I did some one-on-one math work with a struggling student, which I feel was beneficial for her as a student and for me as a future teacher.  I spent a lot of time correcting papers, grading tests, and recording grades in the grade-book this morning. I took the kids down to lunch and reminded them all to say "please" and "thank you," and today was the FIRST time that EVERY single student said please and thank you, and not only that, but the few students still in line from the class ahead of mine all said please and thank you as well.  I don't know if it actually makes a difference in the big scheme of things, but t...

Another near-sleepless night.  This time, I only waited until 1 in the morning to decide to take Nyquil just to sleep.  That can't be good for you, to take Nyquil just to get to sleep at night.. but I can't sleep lately.  I don't know why.  I don't drink caffeine (it gives me a headache.. so I don't drink most sodas, except for Sprite, and I very rarely ever drink coffee).  I don't eat candy before bed (I hardly ever do, actually).  I'm not doing anything differently from normal, but I just can't fall asleep.  Even when I take something to sleep, I'm still waking up every about hour and a half, which really sucks.  This entire week so far, I think I've gotten a total of about 12 hours of sleep.  I'm to the point where I'm running on empty.  I'm too tired to be tired anymore. Today was a lot better than Tuesday was.  (I don't think it could have possibly been worse than Tuesday) . In the morning, I took two students to ...

I didn't sleep at all last night.  Two thirty in the morning, I was still lying there, wide awake and staring at the ceiling.  I ended up getting up and taking Nyquil just so I could fall asleep, and even then I kept waking up.  Needless to say, when my alarm went off at 5:45, my only thought was "No." I knew from the moment I woke up that it was going to be a long  day today.  And it was. The students had attitude towards me, towards each other, and to the lunch ladies while they were in line to get lunch.  One student called me a bully.  My entire guided reading group (except for the one student in the group who was absent) was mad at me during guided reading.  Two students were really mad at me, and most of the class now thinks I'm mean. During guided reading, the boys in the group I lead are very... distracted by each other.  They goof around, play, and don't pay attention.  Usually their behavior gets them sent back to th...

Oh my goodness I can NOT believe I'm half way done being in the classroom for the semester.  I don't want to be half way done.  I'm going to miss this so much.  I've known these kids for 4 days.  I've been in this classroom for 4 days.  But it feels like so much longer, and I'm going to miss it so so so much once it's over with.  This is what I was born to do. Today was seriously the best day I've had in the classroom so far, and I can't even explain why.  I just had a really really great day, and couldn't stop smiling all day.  I feel like it's at the point where the kids are comfortable with me being there, and they're not trying to be on their best behavior to impress me anymore.  They're being themselves, and they're awesome little munchkins. My guided reading group had asked me for new sight word flash cards (the second grade level words were too easy for them!) so this weekend I'm going to make them 100 third grade l...

I am so  tired. And I had to tell a student " please  stop hitting the boy next to you with your ruler" more times than I can count. (Actually, it was probably only like 5 or 6 times.  But it felt like more.) And a student didn't believe that 102 is older than I am. Another commonly repeated sentence, "Maybe during recess." And "Not right now, ok?  I'm helping (name) right now." And "You need to be reading." And "We're not doing that right now." And I swear I sharpened every kids' pencil at least once because "oops it broke" and tied half of the kids' shoes again because for some reason everyone's shoes come untied during math and reading. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I know I've said it before, and I know you're probably getting tired of reading it, but I really do love this so much.  These kids are amazing, and so smart.  They really are great kids. There was a substi...