Just after I finished up my internship at Goza Middle School, they were able to hire me as a substitute teacher until the school year ends. These are the highlights (or occasionally "low"-lights)!
1) I've enjoyed seeing students that I taught during my internship, both from the high school and the middle school.
2) "Aww, they're lucky.. They get a sub." ... I've overheard this statement many times from students going to other classes. I consider this a compliment to their teacher, because it means they will be expected to work while in class ;)
3) "Miss Wright, you look like you're 12." ... Not exactly a compliment when I'm trying to establish authority with kids that I've never seen before.
4) "Oooh." ... I often hear this echo through the classroom when I get onto a student or when the class realizes that I'm not going to let them play during class.
5) Substitute teaching has given me my first taste of closing a classroom door and feeling alone... It's exciting to be at this point in my education/career, but it's also intimidating!
6) You learn something about a teacher's personality while sitting at their desk. I sometimes learn about their organization (or lack thereof), interests, family, or hobbies.
7) You learn something about a teacher's procedures by observing how students interact with each other and with me.
8) Although substitute teaching can be boring, it is refreshing to leave at the end of the day and know that I don't have to plan or prepare for the following day.
Summer is off to a great start :) Next week I'll begin training and Professional Development at Ouachita High School!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." -Confucius
I know that I must go and that God has prepared me for this time in my life, but I cannot go with all my heart... Sorry, Confucius. A piece of my heart will always be at Ouachita Baptist University. I have been incredibly blessed to spend all 4 years of my college education at such a beautiful place. I have built relationships that I believe will last a lifetime. My education has given me a solid foundation as I prepare to enter "the real world." And as an incredible addition to all of that, during my four years, God provided a man for me who will become my husband in only 60 days!!!
I still can't believe that it's over... My heart is torn between relief / pride and sadness / shock.
The week before we graduated, the head of our Mathematics department invited me and the other graduates from our department for an exit interview. I had the opportunity to share my opinions about my classes and the program in general. He asked my future plans and offered advice on getting my Masters. He also explained that he believes my personality is similar to his in this way - I tend to put lots of effort into the details of everything that I'm doing. I want things to be "just so." This quality can be valuable and important in many situations, but my Dean warned that I must be careful not to commit myself to too many "ventures." Knowing this quality in myself, if I become spread too thin, I might become frustrated and could often walk away feeling less successful. What great advice! He says that he is still trying to teach himself the same thing, but he hopes that I'll learn it sooner.
This is just one small example of how incredible my experience at Ouachita has been. God has blessed me abundantly. And I know that "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required" (Luke 12:48). I have big shoes to fill, but I have been prepared well. So here we go :)
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
I hope it's not selfish to blog about your own birthday... I just wanted to be sure and record today's events!
This morning I woke up to a text which read "Do: go look at your car when you get up. Don't: judge me if the dew gets to it before you do. :)" So I went outside to find this....
This morning I woke up to a text which read "Do: go look at your car when you get up. Don't: judge me if the dew gets to it before you do. :)" So I went outside to find this....
A couple of windows said "Happy B-day" and the other window pictured above reads "I'm getting married in 67 days!" It was very sweet :) Adam had written a very sweet Birthday letter for me and left it for me to find. I cried because it made me happy. It was a lovely way to begin my day!
Then I went for a morning walk, had some breakfast, read my Bible, and got ready for the day. Today was my last day in class as a college student... What a strange feeling! We listened to a couple of lectures this morning and after lunch we each presented our Teacher Work Samples. It was my last presentation as a college student... Once these were completed, our Professor so sweetly said "You are no longer my students. You are now my colleagues. My name is Kathy. It's nice to meet you, teachers." Ahh!!! We're teachers!!! What an exciting feeling! Our school day ended with a reception.
These are my math-y friends :) So proud of each of them!
This is Mrs. McGough, my Cooperating Teacher during my Second Rotation. I learned SO much!
My evening ended with dinner at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants with several of my sweet friends! Sadly, I forgot to take a picture to document...
It's been a fabulous day! I am so thankful for all that God has blessed me with!!! My friends and family have been so sweet. And I'm finished with college!!! How crazy!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Confessions of a Tired Senior
--- I only have 3ish assignments to finish before I graduate... I have no motivation for any of them.
--- The goal is to send out our wedding invitations next week... Only half of them are addressed, I don't have stamps, and we haven't stuffed envelopes yet.
--- I had to Google the correct spelling for "envelopes."
--- Graduation is less than two weeks away... I consider myself in complete denial that so many people are leaving, including three of my dearest and closest friends. It's easier not to think about it.
--- My graduation dress will look best with heels... But I'm seriously considering wearing sandals because I am TERRIFIED of falling on my face while walking across the stage.
--- Dreary weather + Monday = looong school day. I yawned while I was teaching :/ Not a good sign. Luckily (not so luckily?), my students were as out of it as I was.
--- I had to look up how many days until our wedding. There are only 75 :)
There you have it. I hope this doesn't sound like I'm being a debbie-downer... I'm not trying to be! It's been a pretty good day overall. I'm just feeling a little lackadaisical!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
10 hours sleep + 20 hours driving ... 3 days
Yes, that was our weekend a week ago. We're crazy people. :) The sweet ladies at Adam's home church were throwing us a wedding shower that Saturday afternoon in El Dorado, AR. Then we found out that Southern Seminary was hosting a Preview day on that Friday... in Louisville, KY. Eh, close enough. We decided to attempt both!
So! On Thursday afternoon, we made the 10 hour drive from school to Louisville, KY. We spent Friday at Southern Seminary where we met incredible professors and students. They began the day's events with worship and a message from Dr. Russell Moore. He is the first pastor I've heard in a long time who reminded me of Dr. Rogers. His style of preaching and friendly demeanor helped me feel very much at home. The rest of the day contained a faculty lecture, a tour of their beautiful campus, Q&A session with current students, info fair, faculty dinner (where we sat with their President, Dr. Mohler), and finally a Q&A with Dr. Mohler and Dr. Moore. To say the least, we were impressed! This was our first look into the Seminary life, so we have nothing to compare our experience to. For now we are just waiting to see what God has in store.
After the events at Southern, we drove to my Grandparents to spend the night Friday. I think we were at their house for a total of 7 hours, which included sleep, shower, re-packing, and a delicious homemade breakfast. We were exhausted, but God gave us the strength we needed. After breakfast, we left for El Dorado at 9:30. Our shower began at 3 o'clock and it takes 5 hours to get there. 30 minutes of "buffer time" turned out not to be enough to handle our 2-hour issue with the car. Grr. I hate feeling out of control. I hate being late to things. I learned yet another lesson in patience! Adam was gracious with me and God was gracious with us. We were both safe, the car issue was easily resolved, and we arrived to our shower an hour late. People were so sweet! They immediately told us not to worry and not to feel bad, etc. We were overwhelmed by their encouragement and generosity.
As a side note... This was our first wedding shower and they allowed both guys and girls. When Adam and I walked in, there was a long table filled with gifts. Adam quickly leaned over to whisper in my ear, "You didn't tell me there would be presents?!" Haha. It never occurred to me that he had never been to a shower and might not know! His grandmother later remarked, "Adam, what did you think they were going to shower you with? Rain?!" So priceless!
So! On Thursday afternoon, we made the 10 hour drive from school to Louisville, KY. We spent Friday at Southern Seminary where we met incredible professors and students. They began the day's events with worship and a message from Dr. Russell Moore. He is the first pastor I've heard in a long time who reminded me of Dr. Rogers. His style of preaching and friendly demeanor helped me feel very much at home. The rest of the day contained a faculty lecture, a tour of their beautiful campus, Q&A session with current students, info fair, faculty dinner (where we sat with their President, Dr. Mohler), and finally a Q&A with Dr. Mohler and Dr. Moore. To say the least, we were impressed! This was our first look into the Seminary life, so we have nothing to compare our experience to. For now we are just waiting to see what God has in store.
After the events at Southern, we drove to my Grandparents to spend the night Friday. I think we were at their house for a total of 7 hours, which included sleep, shower, re-packing, and a delicious homemade breakfast. We were exhausted, but God gave us the strength we needed. After breakfast, we left for El Dorado at 9:30. Our shower began at 3 o'clock and it takes 5 hours to get there. 30 minutes of "buffer time" turned out not to be enough to handle our 2-hour issue with the car. Grr. I hate feeling out of control. I hate being late to things. I learned yet another lesson in patience! Adam was gracious with me and God was gracious with us. We were both safe, the car issue was easily resolved, and we arrived to our shower an hour late. People were so sweet! They immediately told us not to worry and not to feel bad, etc. We were overwhelmed by their encouragement and generosity.
As a side note... This was our first wedding shower and they allowed both guys and girls. When Adam and I walked in, there was a long table filled with gifts. Adam quickly leaned over to whisper in my ear, "You didn't tell me there would be presents?!" Haha. It never occurred to me that he had never been to a shower and might not know! His grandmother later remarked, "Adam, what did you think they were going to shower you with? Rain?!" So priceless!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Never Once
Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
With tears in my eyes, I think about my past four years at Ouachita Baptist University... During my first semester, I questioned whether it was really God's will for me to be here. By my second semester, I couldn't have imagined being anywhere else. It has been a long road and I have worked very hard to get to this point. Graduation is upon us and my heart is full of bittersweet emotion. There are questions... Will I remain close with my friends? Will I see them often.. or ever? Am I really prepared to face "life after Ouachita"? Will I miss school? Have I made the most of my time here? Etc, etc. But beyond all of those questions, I look back at how far I've come and without hesitation I can claim that my God has been faithful. I have never walked alone... He was there when I wanted to go home, when people let me down, and when I almost gave up my math major. And He was also there when I passed each class, when I received scholarships, and when Adam and I were engaged. These lists goes on and on. He has been faithful through the hard times and through the good, through my tears and my victories... My God is faithful. Never once did I ever walk alone.
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
With tears in my eyes, I think about my past four years at Ouachita Baptist University... During my first semester, I questioned whether it was really God's will for me to be here. By my second semester, I couldn't have imagined being anywhere else. It has been a long road and I have worked very hard to get to this point. Graduation is upon us and my heart is full of bittersweet emotion. There are questions... Will I remain close with my friends? Will I see them often.. or ever? Am I really prepared to face "life after Ouachita"? Will I miss school? Have I made the most of my time here? Etc, etc. But beyond all of those questions, I look back at how far I've come and without hesitation I can claim that my God has been faithful. I have never walked alone... He was there when I wanted to go home, when people let me down, and when I almost gave up my math major. And He was also there when I passed each class, when I received scholarships, and when Adam and I were engaged. These lists goes on and on. He has been faithful through the hard times and through the good, through my tears and my victories... My God is faithful. Never once did I ever walk alone.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Officially Employed
I received a phone call several weeks ago on a Thursday night. The principal at Ouachita High School asked if he presented my name to the School Board and they approved my employment, would I accept a position there? I had thought about my interview and the possibility of teaching at his school for a couple of weeks by then and so I quickly told him yes! He reminded me, "It's not over until it's over" and said that he would call the following day to let me know how the Board meeting went. On Friday morning, I received official word that I had been accepted for employment as a Math teacher at Ouachita High School. What an incredible blessing!!! Praise the Lord!
I've been waiting to blog or say anything publicly about this blessing from the Lord until I received my contract. It came in the mail yesterday, so all I have to do is sign and send it back!
Ouachita High School has 7th-12th grades. My position will most likely be 7th and 8th grade Math and Algebra 1. Now... God knew what He was doing, but as usual, I was clueless. For the majority of my college career, I would have told you that I absolutely did not want to deal with middle school-ers, that it was too much drama, and that my place was definitely with 9th-12th graders. Then God gives me this job! And I was thrilled and thankful without a doubt, but I didn't realize just how good He was being until just this week...
My second rotation of student teaching is at Goza Middle School. I work in an 8th grade math classroom and I have grown to LOVE middle school! Who knew?! Clearly, God did. Yesterday, I stood in a room full of 8th graders (students that I would have tried to avoid a month ago) and thought "I'm so glad that I'm here. I truly can't imagine being anywhere else." Thank you, God!!! He is so good. He always knows what's best.
I've been waiting to blog or say anything publicly about this blessing from the Lord until I received my contract. It came in the mail yesterday, so all I have to do is sign and send it back!
Ouachita High School has 7th-12th grades. My position will most likely be 7th and 8th grade Math and Algebra 1. Now... God knew what He was doing, but as usual, I was clueless. For the majority of my college career, I would have told you that I absolutely did not want to deal with middle school-ers, that it was too much drama, and that my place was definitely with 9th-12th graders. Then God gives me this job! And I was thrilled and thankful without a doubt, but I didn't realize just how good He was being until just this week...
My second rotation of student teaching is at Goza Middle School. I work in an 8th grade math classroom and I have grown to LOVE middle school! Who knew?! Clearly, God did. Yesterday, I stood in a room full of 8th graders (students that I would have tried to avoid a month ago) and thought "I'm so glad that I'm here. I truly can't imagine being anywhere else." Thank you, God!!! He is so good. He always knows what's best.
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