Becoming Anglican

When we first visited Christ The Redeemer Anglican Church (CTR), I remember telling Adam, "I don't know if I could do this every week." The service felt much like a Catholic service - Priests, vestments, kneeling, bells, etc. This type of worship was new to me. I was so worried about whether I was supposed to be kneeling or standing, speaking aloud or listening, so distracted by the "bells and smells" that I couldn't worship.

As the certificate above shows, I figured it out :) After that first service, we were invited to the church picnic, but we chose not to attend. Then Adam chatted with Father Tim (the head priest) one day on campus and we visited CTR again. We were then invited to Father Tim's home for a "Get-to-Know CTR" gathering. It was at this gathering that God first began to change my heart regarding the idea of attending Christ the Redeemer. I ended up in a discussion with a small group of women and as they talked, the conversation turned to CTR services. The phrase "You encounter God every week" stirred my heart and I found the idea of walking away from a conversation like that and NOT attending their church very difficult.

So we began attending. Adam was head over heels for the Anglican order of worship, but I found myself still hesitant. Although I learned quickly when to stand and kneel, speak aloud and listen, I still felt isolated from the richness of worship that I heard others speak of. It took a long time... But as time passed, I slowly began to understand and God continued the work of softening my heart toward the Anglicans. I learned how our process for receiving communion reflected the story of salvation. I began to appreciate saying the Nicene Creed every week, renewing our belief in God. I learned that the bells remind us of celebrating the resurrection. I began to appreciate the rich theology of work and calling. I learned that the asperging of water reminds us of our baptism. I finally began to worship well with the Anglicans.

So here we are! Today, Adam and I were confirmed. In short, confirmation is a laying on of hands, an ordination for the lay person. The bishop prayed for each of us and then for our marriage, commissioning us to do the work of the Lord in our every day lives. It was awesome! We are blessed to be a part of this church and blessed to be a part of the service of the Lord. Peace be with you.

Every Day Life: November 7, 2014

The alarm on my phone goes off at 5:13 a.m. I shut it off, knowing that another one will sound in seven minutes. The second alarm goes off at 5:20 a.m. I press snooze without really thinking about it. Another alarm sounds and I hit snooze again. I don't HAVE to be up right now... And it's Friday, so I can wear jeans anyways. Why the idea of wearing jeans is synonymous with getting ready in less time, I can't really explain. Finally, I'm up at 5:38 a.m.

For the next hour and twenty minutes, I shower and dress, pack my lunch (tuna, crackers, cheese, carrots w/ ranch, & a granola bar for snack), eat a bowl of cereal, and head out the door. Oh, I also move Adam's phone to beside the bed and check that he has an alarm set. He stayed up late the night before and left it in the living room.

On the way to work, I listen to K-Love. It takes me around 20 minutes to get to work in the mornings and I arrive at 7:25. At 7:35, I meet with several other upper school faculty members for morning prayer. I haven't been to morning prayer for one reason or another this week, so I make a point to go this morning. Homeroom begins at 7:55. It's amazing to me how awake and talkative 13-year-olds are before 8 a.m. The students comment that many of us are wearing the same t-shirt (We wear Spirit Wear every Friday). My colleague and I get distracted catching up with students, so we skip our usual devotional and he says a quick prayer over the students' day.

I teach Algebra 1 during first period today. My lesson feels disjointed. I find myself frustrated that students need help with an assignment. When students are almost finished, I realize that I've misread the question and given them poor directions. They were still able to practice finding the slope of a line, so I decide not to fix my misreading and try to move on to the next thing. We finish the lesson a smidge early and play a game called "Rule" for the last three or four minutes.

I have second period free and then teach different levels of Geometry during third and fourth period. My students tell me they don't like Geometry, but they like my class - I'll take that as a compliment :) They also like folding and cutting, so I try to trick them into learning as often as possible. One minute they're cutting up paper and the next minute, they prove that the interior angles of a triangle have a sum of 180 degrees. This is one thing I enjoy about teaching Geometry - it's easier to find hands-on things for my students to do.

I'll stop here for now because this post is becoming rather lengthy. Why do I tell you about my day in this much detail? Do you really care what I listen to on the radio every morning or when my Geometry classes meet on Friday? Maybe not, but this is normal life for me. This is the day in and day out. There are days (like Tuesday) when I allow my frustration from first period to carry into the rest of my day, when I come home questioning my career choice, when I'm emotionally vulnerable because all I can think about is my soul friend's new baby 1,000 miles away... But there are also days like November 7 that begin with prayer, days when my students recognize community because we're all wearing the same t-shirt, and when my frustration from first period is eclipsed by success a couple of periods later. Days like these are the days worth remembering.

Praying for the Persecuted

I don't understand persecution. I wonder if anyone living within the United States really can. One of the most important things we can do for the persecuted preach is pray... At least that's what I've heard. My head knows that this is true - that praying is the right answer to the anguish we feel for our brothers and sisters in Christ right now. But I'll be honest - sometimes my heart doesn't feel like praying can really help. Thankfully our God is gracious and He hears me despite my lack of faith.

I believe that the Holy Spirit takes my doubts and weakness and turns them into something beautiful. But it's powerful when someone takes your anguish and your confusion and puts words to it. That's what happened to me on Sunday. Our Archbishop (remember that Adam and I are attending an Anglican church) has called the Anglican community to pray and support our brothers and sisters in Christ (especially in Iraq and Syria). Our clergy wore red in recognition of the martyrs and we prayed special prayers for those persecuted. I've been using these prayers on my own this week and I've found them extremely helpful, so I thought someone else might as well. The opening prayer is written below. If you'd like to see the call to prayer from our Archbishop or if you'd like to have a copy of all the prayers we prayed on Sunday, you can visit the website for the Anglican Church in North America.

Heavenly Father, we bring before you today the people of Syria and Iraq, asking you to be their defender and help in their time of need. Walk with them in their suffering and loss, and give them strength to face the days ahead. We pray for release of the captives, and freedom for those held hostage. We pray that you would intervene against the violence and evil your people suffer. We pray for your provision for the hungry, the homeless, and the bereaved. We pray you to aid your people who are called by your Name, Jesus' Name, and is is in his Name we ask these things. Amen.

Stop, Continue, Start: 2014-2015 School Year Goals

It's that time of year again! Teachers begin in-service on August 25th and the first day of school will be September 3rd. It's been a great Summer, but I'm excited to see my kids and to get back into a daily routine! I'm again using the "Stop, Continue, Start" method for thinking through my school year goals. (You can read last year's goals here.) One thing I love (and hate!) about teaching is that you will never "arrive." There is always room to grow! So here we go...

Stop

• Allowing my students to give less than their best - specifically regarding their academics and behavior in class.
• Working from home. Well... at least not as much!

Continue

• Writing "main idea notes" on the white board and practice problems on the Smart board. I started doing this at the very end of last year. My purpose is that I want students to know where to look for certain types of information. There are certain things that I expect them to write in their notes word-for-word, so I want these things on the white board so that they are visible throughout the entire lesson.
• Math Games/Activities ... I do my best to keep our lessons as interesting as possible! This might include doing math on note cards posted around the room, Vocabulary Spin game, Round Robin practice, Math Toss, etc.

Start

• Unit Planning ... I am a lesson-by-lesson girl right now, but it has come back to bite me more than once. I don't expect that I'll plan every lesson from a unit before it starts, but I want to do a better job of looking at the big picture before diving in.
• Focusing each prep period on ONE thing. I'm working on assigning each prep period a task. There will always be fires to put out throughout the day, but I'm hoping that I can manage my time better by having these goals in place.

My classroom will be ready on Monday (we had renters all Summer and they've cleaned our floors), so I'm excited to put it back together and start decorating!

Why I want to Be a Runner

Earlier this Summer my sister, Kayla, sent me a text. It read something like "Download the 'Get Running' app now! Start running with me." My response was along the lines of "Uhh... Have you met me?!" I have never been a runner... Ever. I never even ran the typical mile in my middle or high school years. But, alas, what's one to do when her sister (who is quite literally a thousand miles away) asks for a partner and encourager? Well, in my case, you download the app and start running of course! The app talks you through a Couch to 5K program - three workouts every week. There's a wonderful British woman who tells you when to warm up, run, walk, etc. She even tells you when the halfway point is so that you can turn around if necessary. And she's awesome! Did I mention she's British?! So we started off week 1 with eight runs - 1 minute a piece with walking in between each one. Now I've completed week 5 which ended this morning with a 20 minute run - no walking in between. I'm really excited as this was a huge step for me!

As I've been going through each week, I started thinking about whether I even wanted to run or not. There are other ways to exercise, so was this really how I wanted to spend my time? Here are the reasons that I think I want to be a runner...

1. I want to be in shape.
2. It's cheap! -> Until it gets cold, I can run outside with no cost. Score!
3. My muscle tone is improving.
4. I can spice it up. -> There are a TON of trails and paths around here. And although I run close to home most of the time, running is a sport that can have virtually any scenery.
5. I can run almost anywhere. -> Visiting family?  Weekend away? No problem. I can still run.
6. I want to run with others. -> I've typically wanted to hide when I thought someone might ask me to run with them! I have always been afraid that someone could figure out how weak I was (notice the past tense ;)).
7. I want to BE a RUNNER. -> I know that sounds silly, but there's a certain respect that I've had for runners. I'm sure that respect is partially due to the fact that I felt like I couldn't run, but even still. It's a reason for me.

Writing out this post and thinking through these reasons is positive motivation for me. I can think about these things when the workouts get tough or the couch threatens to pull me back. Adam and I have learned a lot over the past few months about how our bodies and minds work together - either for good or for evil - so I hope I'm putting that into practice by completing this post. Week 6, bring it on!

#summerloving

There are just over two weeks until teachers return to CCA, which means my Summer is almost over! I can hardly believe it! Adam encouraged me to take the Summer completely off (i.e. not to take a part time job), so here's what I've been up to...

• Boston Outings: One day we rented bikes to ride along the Charles river. Another day we rented bikes again and rode to the Arnold Arboretum and Forest Hills cemetery. Then last week we visited the Museum of Fine Arts (free on Wednesdays after 4 p.m. -> score!).

• Trips: We met our Gosnell family in IN/IL to see extended family over 4th of July weekend. I also traveled to TN to help throw one of my best friend's bridal shower. I'm thankful to have been able to see both families this Summer and I'm already looking forward to seeing everyone again at Christmas! (Also, I'll be back to TN in September for the WEDDING!)

• Crafting (all for school, haha): I recovered several canisters for storage, made a poster for birthdays, and I'm working on a door decoration. I'll probably take pictures of everything once I get my classroom set up!

• Running: Kayla asked me to start running "with" her, so we're doing the same program from afar :) It's the "Get Running" app (literally the only app I've ever paid for) which follows the Couch to 5K program. I've completed the first four weeks and week 5 begins today.

• School-related: During June, I attended a week-long math conference. And one week in July, I taught part of a Summer class for a few of our incoming 9th graders. I've also planned the first couple of days of school, updated most of my 10-month plans, and created my syllabi. I've also worked on some changes to my lesson plan template,  HW policy, and grading.

• Reading: I haven't done as much reading as I probably should have. I finished "The Picture of Dorian Gray," by Oscar Wilde today and I'm hoping to finish "Adopted for Life," by Russell Moore before school starts.

Overall, it's been a great Summer! When all my activities are listed like this it makes me feel like I've accomplished something :)

God Doesn't Need An "Out"

(Note: I had outlined this post during the Fall, but it never made it to the blog for one reason or another. I hesitated to share because it seems so late, but God deserves continual praise AND he's brought this lesson back to my mine recently. More on that part at a different time.)

Last August, I shared that God had provided a job for me at Covenant Christian Academy, but God taught me something as I thought back through the series of events that led to my job. During the months of April and May of 2013, Adam and I officially announced that we were moving to MA. I began praying and searching for a teaching job. I was told that obtaining a MA teaching license could take up to 38 weeks.... This was devastating to me. After finishing one year of teaching, I felt so ready for a second year! I couldn't (and still can't!) imagine doing anything else.

In June, I began praying and searching for ANY job. A position opened up in financial services at Gordon Conwell (G-C). So I applied and changed my prayer... I stopped praying for a teaching job and began praying for this job in financial services. My prayers went something like this: I know I can't teach, so at least give me this job on campus so that I can be close to home and meet people at the seminary. I tried to give God some sort of "out." If you can't/won't provide a teaching job, then given me this one and I'll still praise you for answering my prayers. Eek!

Well the position in financial services was a no-go and I continued looking at other jobs. My sweet friend, Kaitlin, told me, "I'm still praying that you'll find a teaching job." "Thanks, but it's pretty hopeless," I thought to myself.

Adam's admissions counselor at G-C suggested that I contact his friend who was a high school principal at CCA, saying "I don't think they have any openings, but it won't hurt for him to see your resume." Well at some point during the week or so before I e-mailed the principal, CCA lost a math teacher. The principal was quick to respond to my e-mail and asked me to come in for an interview that same week. I just knew that God was going to give me this job! And He did. Within 10 days of my first e-mail to CCA, they offered me the position and I accepted.

God is so good! I am so thankful that He chose to provide for us through a job that I love so much. In looking back, I am reminded that God doesn't need an "out." He doesn't need for me to change my prayer when it doesn't look like He's going to answer the way I wanted. Even if He had chosen to say "no" to my prayer for a teaching job! He deserves the glory in ALL answers. Part of the beauty of prayer is the opportunity to "work out my faith," to grow my trust in God's sovereignty. I didn't do that with this situation. I'm so thankful He chose to say "yes" anyways.

Jesus Above All

Several weeks ago, the women's Bible study that I am apart of here on campus studied John 5:1 - 17. John 5 recounts the story of a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years... Longer than I've been alive he had been lying on a mat. This man spent his days stretched out beside "the Sheep Gate a pool... called Bethesda," hoping and waiting for someone to put him inside while the water was stirred. But then came JESUS. Jesus enters the scene, asks the man if he wants to be healed, then says, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." "And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and WALKED." He WALKED. After thirty-eight years, Jesus enters the scene and the man WALKS. After people passed him by over and over again, Jesus enters the scene and the man WALKS. Oh and did I mention this was the Sabbath? Sabbath or no Sabbath, Jesus enters the scene and the man WALKS.

Jesus is above all.

8th Grade Trip: Washington, DC

It feels like forever ago when Kim mentioned that I should accompany the 8th grade to Washington, DC. Yet before I knew it, we were on our way! Two and half years ago I was the girl who never wanted to teach Middle School and now I willingly travel out of state with 17 of them for five days of touring and fun. God is so good!

We stayed in Arlington, VA and traveled to and from the city by Metro. Each chaperone (there were 4 of us) was assigned 4-5 kids that we were in charge of throughout the trip. We flew into DC on Thursday morning, May 1 and stayed until Monday evening, May 5. We were also given the day off on Tuesday to recover (THANK YOU, CCA!). Here are a few highlights...

* Touring the White House (pictured below) ... It's truly beautiful! Just thinking about the people from history that have sat in those rooms is awesome. The tour is self-guided, but the Secret Service posted in each room are very willing to talk to you and we found them to be quite knowledgeable!

 Kim is our Middle School team leader and my best buddy at work. She took care of me when I first arrived and we've found a wonderful friendship. She did a great job of putting this trip together and making sure it ran smoothly. I'm so thankful for her!


* Newseum. A museum of news and journalism. We learned about the photographers and writers who capture history in the making. There was so much to see and do here - pictures, videos, etc. Our students had the chance to be news reporters, to think through the ethics of journalism, to see hundreds of pictures and videos, etc. This is a "must see" on my list!

 

 The picture above and on the left is of the four chaperones. Kim, Tim, Andrew, and I made a great team. I enjoyed getting to know each of them a little better! The picture to its right is of our whole group (minus myself because I was taking picture) sitting in a box at the Washington Nationals ballpark with our personal tour guide, Bob (man on the top left, wearing a white shirt). This particular box is where the news reporters sit. The ballpark was another highlight of our trip - such a fun place!

* Ford's Theater ... The theater was also one of my favorite places. We saw a one act play that described the night Lincoln was assassinated from the point of view of the theater's owners and the actors performing that night.

It is impossible to detail all of the many highlights from this trip. I've left out the Botanical Garden, the memorials, Arlington National cemetery, the Capitol, etc. We packed a lot into a short time! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go on this trip and the memories I brought home. Many thanks to Kim for planning and leading our trip, to our students for being so well behaved, and to God for providing energy and beautiful weather for us!

Fridays, 7th period

We have seven periods in our school day. 7th period on Fridays wraps up our week which can make it one of the most difficult periods for me to focus through - especially when I have 7th graders! As much as I love teaching middle school, 7th period on Friday is a lot to ask. For me and for them. So I'll be honest, I began to dread 7th period on Fridays.

But today was different. After a couple of conversations with other teachers, I had resolved to better address inappropriate behavior in general, but specifically with this class of 7th graders. Today, I announced at the beginning of class that each student had 20 participation points; I explained that any occasion when I had to get on to them, whether for talking out of turn or being off task, they would lose a point. Immediately, one student started arguing with me and I told him that he lost a point. And repeat previous sentence, haha. This student (although wrong) set the tone for how serious I was. Most students quickly took note and adjusted their usual behavior.

I loved this system! Because I had decided on a clear plan before class, I was more attentive to little issues that arose. I was also more willing to be firm because it was easier for me to be fair with every student. I made it clear when it was an appropriate time for students talk and when it was not. And you know what? We had a great day!

I don't plan to use this particular plan every day, but I do plan to be more firm. I want to make expectations clear and then hold my students to that. They deserve it (and so do I).

Currently

LISTENING ... Adam is doing the dishes. Both Adam and I have always had a dishwasher, so this part of seminary life has been quite an adjustment! It wasn't too bad during the Summer when we first moved here, but this semester particularly has been really busy for both of us, so washing dishes feels like one more thing on the to-do list that we never seem to have time for.

LOVING ... The fact that Spring break is only two weeks away.

THINKING ... About living so far away from family. We knew we would make sacrifices for Adam to attend seminary here, but it's still tough sometimes.

WANTING ... More time and more money. Maybe that sounds selfish, but it's true.

NEEDING ... (Is it cheating to repeat "more time and more money"?) I probably need to be working... Lesson plans are calling my name and I'm trying my best to ignore them.

PRAYING ... For my friend, Mandi; their baby is due a week from tomorrow!

Race for Inequality Graphs

This is an activity to help my kids to practice recognizing the graph of an inequality solution. I love "kill and drill" practice disguised as an activity; I love it even more if I can get them up and moving around the classroom. This short activity does both.

Materials:
--3x5 notecards
Prep:
--Copy one inequality solution onto one notecard - I cut mine in half for this part. Copy the inequality graph on a separate notecard. (I have 5 students in this particular class, so I've made 10 pairs.)
--Tape the graphs around the classroom with masking tape.

Game Time:
--Pass out two solution cards to each student.
--Students are to find the inequality graphs that match their solution cards. I'm planning to have my students check their first match with me before moving on to their second.
--The first student to find both of their matches wins!

Short and sweet :)

Mrs. G versus Students

A couple of weeks ago, a student called me out on a mathematical mistake during class. I don't remember what the situation was exactly, but I was inspired by the way this student caught my mistake and then clearly articulated their correction. (For the record, I make mathematical mistakes all the time, but this particular situation sparked the following reflection.) So I began thinking about a way to reward this student and any other student who catch my mistakes.

During this time, I was also becoming increasingly frustrated by the number of irrelevant questions that my students were asking. Middle Schoolers are AWESOME at distracting themselves and others around them and even me... everything from "I like your hair" to "What's for lunch today?" They truly have a talent! In a close second to these types of questions are questions that should be irrelevant. "Please turn to pg. ___ and look at #___," I often say while I'm also writing the appropriate page and problem number on the board. **30 second pause** "Mrs. Gosnell, what page are we on?" **Insert groan.**

These two thought processes are what led to our new game! Right now I'm just calling it "Mrs. G versus Students." Please lend me any creativity you have to offer! Here are the rules:
--I (Mrs. G) score if a student asks an irrelevant question (including a question that I have answered in the past 5 minutes).
--The students score if they catch me in a mathematical error.
I keep a tally on the whiteboard divided by class. I'm winning in most classes, but my 9th grade Honors Geometry class is currently beating me by two or three points... I hope to quickly remedy that situation ;) We haven't decided what the reward will be for any class that beats me. I'll probably do ice cream sundaes or a pizza party at the end of the year, of course that is IF they beat me :)

My only issue has been that, in some classes, I apparently wasn't clear about what sort of "error" they get a point for. As soon as I stumble over a sentence or reword something, some students cause a scene trying to say they deserve a point. I point out that it's not mathematical and have even told a few students that they won't be allowed to continue playing if they use the game to distract from class time. Overall, it's been a success! The students are really on the lookout for me to make a mistake and they're getting better about catching themselves before asking an irrelevant question. We think it's fun!

What do you think? Any ideas for a better name?

Replying to a Wrong Answer

I recently discovered the mathtwitterblogosphere... you know, because I have nothing else to do ;) Anyways, through their site, I found this blogging initiation. I'm too late to join in on the actual initiation, but I decided to read through their prompts to get ideas. One of the options from week one was to take a picture of something in your classroom that you're proud of and then write about it. Clearly I don't have a picture, but I am proud of myself for thinking through this issue and finding a productive way to improve my teaching style.

When a student raises their hand in class, they're taking a risk. Whether they're asking a question or answering one, there is the potential that their classmates will think them particularly smart or particularly dumb. I've often struggled with how to respond to students in particular situations, but one that bothered me recently was what to say when a student answers incorrectly. I don't want to emphasize their wrong for fear of embarrassing them, but I'm obligated to make a point of clearing up any misconceptions.

So what's a teacher to do? Turn to google, of course. These are results of my search or results of my thought process that the search invoked. The most helpful reference was here.

When a student answers incorrectly...

• Emphasize any part of their answer that is correct: "I really like that you remembered to subtract first, but can someone else help us with what comes next?"
• Accept answers from other students: "Ok, thanks! Did others have a different response?" The idea here is to have several students answer and by the time I affirm the correct answer, the students have mostly forgotten about the original wrong answer.
• Affirm their thought process: "That's not quite what I'm looking for, but I understand why you think that." Sometimes I explain the misconception here, others times I move on to give a correct answer. It usually depends on how "popular" I think their misconception may be.
• Lead them to a correct response: "Are you remembering that trapezoids have only one pair of parallel sides?"

These have been immensely helpful to me and my students have benefited as well. I love discovering ways to be a better teacher! This idea will definitely be something I continue to mull over and seek to improve.

Does Life Require "Busy"?

I constantly struggle to maintain a healthy balance between my home and work life. My mental and physical energies lean towards the work side 95% of the time... We're on "Winter break" this week (a perk of living in the North) and I'm struggling to relax. I have a hard time slowing down. My mental to-do list is never ending and I often feel guilty for "resting." So I'm re-evaluating, I guess. I'm trying to learn what it means to "rest." This post is really me processing my thoughts; bear with me and feel free to offer any advice you may have.

When I was in high school, I assumed that I was busy because I chose to be involved in so many different things - church youth events, vocal ensemble, piano lessons, school plays, etc. During my years at Ouachita, I was still busy - double major, marching band, dating Adam, assisting in youth ministry, etc. Then we experienced our first year of marriage which doubled as my first year of teaching, so I was busy yet again. And now we've moved to "the North," Adam's in grad school, I'm teaching, and I am STILL busy.

I am beginning to think that business is a choice and I don't want it anymore. I want to enjoy my twenties; I want to enjoy my husband; I want to enjoy my life without feeling like I'm drowning in it. Yes, my job requires A LOT of me - ask any teacher you know. But let's be real - everyone's job requires a lot of them. My nurse friend works 12-hour night shifts, three or four nights in a row. My stay-at-home mom friend is on-call 24 hours a day for their one year old (oh, and she's growing baby #2 as a side job). Another friend has a chronic illness that consistently drains her emotional, physical, and mental energies. Life requires A LOT.

But my question is: Does life require "busy"?

For the Student Teacher

My little sister will begin student teaching in February! I am SO proud of her. She has worked so hard to get to this point and I can't wait for her to finally see all of that hard work pay off! As we talk about her student teaching, I find myself wanting to give her 5 million tips from my student teaching experience (and now 1.5 years teaching). I've held back because I know she doesn't need my help, but I decided to write a blog about it anyways. Now she can read them if she wants, but I'm not being her "second mother"... At least not this time. Here are a few things to consider:

• Teaching is exhausting in ways you may not be expecting. Your students quickly become your kids - you will love them, you will take care of them, you will desire their success, much like a parent might. I believe this is one of the best and hardest parts of teaching. Because just like every child does a parent, your students will let you down. Your students will not always appreciate your care, will not always meet expectations, etc. This part of teaching is what you can't prepare for - the emotional exhaustion - the part that refuses to let your heart rest.
• Teaching is exhausting physically. Your feet won't hurt so much after the first week or so :) But expect them to hurt again come January and again in August - it's amazing how quickly our bodies change and adapt. The same goes for your voice - it will be hoarse and scratchy at the beginning, but this too shall pass. On that note, invest in a good water bottle and USE IT!
• Some kids will love you (and want to please you) because you are young; others will test you (and want to make life more difficult) for the same reason. Be thankful for the priors and patient with the latters.
• You can't do a fancy project or activity EVERY lesson. One of my advisers suggested to have a goal of one "fancy thing" per week. Once you're keeping your boat afloat while doing that you can start adding more.
• Pick a lesson planning format and stick to it. I truly believe that colleges and teacher prep programs teach you "rules" for lesson planning SO that you can BREAK them. Your lesson plan has to work for YOU.
• Your "To Do" list is never ending. It doesn't matter if it's September or June, there is always "just one more thing." Learn to set boundaries and stick to them. Learn to take breaks and rest.

 Kayla is going to LOVE teaching, I just know it. Furthermore I think (in my professional opinion, haha) that she will be very good at it. There are some pre-K and 2nd grade kids who are in for a blessing and they don't even know her name yet! I can't wait to hear all about this fantastic journey! I love you, baby girl. I am so proud of you!