blogger

I have determined that I want to be a blogger. So Ty helped me figure this whole thing out and let me really make this mine. I think blogging is a great way to share what is going on in our lives. Granted, not much is going on in our lives right now...it is pretty much the same routine everyday. However, I want to find things in our lives to blog about. I hope this will include pictures and anecdotes and memories. At the very least, I hope it keeps people updated. Be watching for some great stuff....

Rethinking Education (by Natalia)

I have recently started a job as a permanent substitute in a 6th grade classroom (by permanent I mean I will be teaching there for the rest of the school year.) It has been an interesting experience and I wanted to share some thoughts.
First of all, there are many challenges with taking over a class in the middle of the year. The past couple of days I have been really drained and down and wondering if I can do this. The students wouldn't take me seriously, it felt like pulling teeth to be able to get them to do anything, etc.
When I was first assigned to the job, I was worried about creating normalcy for the students and consistency. I wanted to make things the way they were with their previous teacher. However, come to find out, I was failing miserably. I think the teacher I worked with during student teaching had rubbed off on me and I was actually doing things his way.
I realized that, now that this is my class for the rest of the year, I need to make it my own. I need to teach according to my teaching style, make the room mine, and be myself. I was too busy trying to be someone else before.
So this weekend I have been rethinking education. I have turned the room upside down (it is pretty empty right now) and will arrange the furniture and bulletin boards my way. I have also been thinking about my teaching style and how to implement that into my teaching this year.
I am really excited about some of my ideas and now I have new energy to do what I need to do. I also think that my attitude is reflected in the kids, so when I am more comfortable (and even happy) in what I am doing, they will be too.
I love teaching! And I am grateful for this challenging opportunity when I finally get to do things my way.

1 Year Anniversary

We have been married one year! Memories of "Our First Year"
- Thanksgiving in Oregon
- driving to our first apartment in a moving van (hauling Ty's car)
- Christmas and New Year's in California
- Gemma came to visit
- the most amazing Valentine's Day EVER! complete with flower pedals and candles and really good food
- Service Activities retreats
- having our single friends over for dinner, movies, and games
- moving and painting
- Bryce and Jamie's wedding
- Easter with our niece and nephew
- Easter photo shoot
- Charity's graduation
- Anthony David Wardle sealed to us for time and eternity
- a month away from each other as I worked in California
- camping in Utah
- my college graduation
- snuggling
- Sunday naps
- school
It has been a great year!

Keeping my Head Above Water

I just needed to get some thoughts out there and thought this way it would update people about how/what I am doing at the same time.
Student Teaching is hard. In fact, it's crazy hard. There is so much to do: plan, teach, make copies, grade papers, put scores in the gradebook, work sample, etc. Most of the time I feel like I am just trying to keep my head above water. I should be taking more care into planning everything I teach. However, I am so busy that I end up 'winging' some of the lessons. Then they aren't as well thought out or well delivered and turn into management nightmares because I didn't think and work out all the kinks ahead of time.
I feel like my students don't have any respect for me and they walk all over me. Even when I get mad and turn into the "dictator" (which I hate doing) they don't take me seriously. Yesterday, I just came home and cried. It is so stressful.
Because I am still a student I have assignments that I have to do myself, on top of planning and being a full time teacher. It's insane. I have been focusing on my work sample lately but then other lessons fall through the cracks. All I ever do is plan and schedule and plan and schedule because no matter how much I plan or schedule something gets in the way and I have to re-plan and reschedule.
Not to mention that my house is a mess and my dishes don't get done because I am so stressed out, focused on, and busy with everything else I have to do (including a religion class in order to get 12 credits because student teaching is only 10 credits and in order to get Financial Aid I have to be taking 12 credits.)
I am not really doing the best I can for the students. At this point I am just trying to survive and get through it. That is not a good place to be as a teacher. I wish I had more time to plan so we could do more fun activities without ensuing chaos.

On a brighter note:
I am going to be teaching "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen starting next week! This is a book I loved when I was in 6th grade and I am SO excited to teach it. I can't wait!
I also have the best husband in the world who will just hold me tight and let me know that he is there and that he loves me when I come home from school crying and there isn't anything he can do about it. I am so grateful for that.

Something happened to me header. AHHHHHHH.

AHHHHH.

Student Teaching (by Natalia)

I start student teaching tomorrow and wanted to share some thoughts. I will be student teaching in Idaho Falls in a 6th grade classroom. For the most part I am really excited about it. I understand that 6th grade may be tough, however there are also great things about the older grades as well. I have already met with my cooperating teacher and know that I can learn a lot from him.
However, I have had some job offers starting this fall and wish I could accept them rather than do student teaching. Hopefully there will be something available in the middle of the school year when I finish student teaching. If not I will substitute teach until the end of the year and get a regular teaching job in the fall. Either way it means I am moving on, into the 'real world'. I am so excited to be done with school.
Another drawback of student teaching is that Ty and I won't see much of each other this semester. I will be in Idaho Falls all day and by the time I get home, he will be at work. I have also played with the idea of working early morning custodial (as a custodian on campus from 4-7 am) again in order to make ends meet. I don't know if I can do it or if I even want to.
Wish me luck with the start of this semester.

Happy Graduation and Happy Birthday

Happy Graduation Natalia!
While I still have student teaching to complete I have completed all of my classes and walked in the graduation ceremony at Brigham Young University--Idaho on Thursday, July 23, 2009. It seemed anti-climactic to graduate before I have officially finished everything however I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. The magnitude of what I have accomplished didn't really hit me until I was marching into the auditorium and people were clapping. After 5 1/2 years of community college and university courses I will finally finish my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and be "out in the world." I look forward to being an elementary school teacher and to the many lives I can touch. But first I have to get through student teaching in a 6th grade classroom. I am looking forward to that as well, however I know it will be busy.
Happy Birthday Ty!
Ty turns 24 today! Our apartment doesn't have TV and Ty has missed being able to watch his favorite show, What Not to Wear. So I got him the Best Of DVD set for his birthday. Unfortunately he picked it up from the mailbox and new what it was so it wasn't really a surprise but he has been watching it most of the day so I hope that means he is happy with his gift. It is also a tradition of his to have a lemon meringue pie on his birthday. I have never made a lemon meringue pie before but I was determined to make it for him. It took some help and patience from my husband but we managed. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.