Student Teaching

It is now September and my first student teaching placement is almost done! Hard to believe that there are only a few more weeks left in first grade.

In what has been somewhat overwhelming, tiring, and the days haven't always been short. But all in all, it has been a good experience!

It has been a tough adjustment getting used to teaching and now being in college. I still feel like I should be hitting the library late at night finishing up my school work instead of lesson planning and teaching kids for eight hours everyday. I'm not sure if it was a lack of mental preparation or just trying to figure out the unknown of being in the 'real world', but it has certainly been a challenge this semester. It is strange not being social 24/7 with friends. Without college this semester, I think it will make me enjoy Spring Semester that much more!!

Being in Colorado this semester has had so many perks! I am living with family which includes two adorable little girls, Lizzie and Jennie. They always bring a smile to everyone around them!!

I have been able to go on several adventures the past few weekends. This has included doing trail maintenance on Mt. Quandary, a fourteener in the state. It was beautiful weather, and some tough work! I definitely have a huge respect for those that do this work all the time. We were hauling boulders at 12,000' and building walls to prevent erosion on the trail.

This past weekend I was able to see one of my dear friends, Rachel!! It was so great to catch up and hang out in Golden, Colorado. Such a beautiful place with an awesome friend! We discovered this incredibly authentic Mediterranean food restaurant for incredibly cheap. Yum.

Despite distance, I have loved connecting with people. It makes me even more grateful for each time I get to talk to people! Nothing like a little perspective. :)

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Family Road/Flying Trips

This weekend was a fun-filled Family Road/Flying Trip to the Midwest. 

On Thursday evening, I drove down to Littleton from Boulder, to find my brother packing for college, and everyone preparing for our early flight the next morning.
Friday morning dawned bright and early at 3:30am and we were off to a 6:30am flight! What a rush. We flew into Minneapolis, and made the five hour drive up to Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Hello Twin Cities!!

It was truly wonderful to be back in the Midwest, knowing that so many of my dear friends were nearby.

Friday was spent gathering more necessary supplies for Steven and his year. We toured around campus, and prepared to get ready for move-in the next day!

It was a privilege to spend time with my brother as he lead me through some of the aviation buildings on Friday night. His wealth of knowledge about flight amazes me. He is so passionate about flight, and I know he will do well!

Saying I'm proud of my brother is an understatement. I feel blessed to be his sister. I know he will do so well! That much was evident as he was moving in all of his things on Saturday and we were making multiple trips to Target as well as every single other UND student.

Inside the hockey arena

I couldn't imagine not being there for Steven that day and with my parents. It was a pretty exciting day! I feel fortunate that I was able to spend time with my family this weekend.

 

In the afternoon we said goodbye, and headed back to Minnesota for the night.

On Sunday morning, we packed up early and drove to Decorah to surprise some people at Luther!! It was a much-needed trip, and I am so grateful my parents were willing to drive the additional seven hours down to Luther from Grand Forks.

Our drive down to Luther included a stop in Fargo.

It was so good to be back on campus and see some dear friends!!

Amazing how large of an impact a place and it's people can have on you. I am so grateful to call Luther home. I dearly miss it, and cannot wait to be there in October to visit.

We rounded out our trip with one last drive back to the Twin Cities, and headed home that night.
It was certainly one blessing of a trip.
With our trip home, it was a strange hollow feeling to leave so many people that I loved behind. My brother, and friends at school.

Distance does have a way of proving how much people and places mean to you. 
To everyone at school, I wish you all the best!

Student Teaching

Well, here begins a new chapter...Student Teaching!

I am currently in a first grade classroom in Erie, Colorado and living with dear family up here as well. It is exciting to be at this point in life.

Last week I was in the building for three days for the teacher contract days. It was full of prep for the school year, meetings, and lots of name-labelling.
I plan to blog all about my experiences on my education blog which can be found at this link: Educational Musings.
Let's just say that although I have only been in the building for five days, I have certainly learned alot! Teachers do so incredibly much and deserve the heartiest pat on the back for what they do. I think this semester will definitely help me to build up my stamina being in the classroom, and it will require quite a bit of reflection, lots of writing, and lesson planning! It is exciting.

Freshman year of college, I definitely didn't forsee all of this (student teaching), but that goes for most of college. Amazing how many good plans God has for your life. Many of them unforseen. Changes that turn out to be the best.

For instance, I never thought that I would be going to a small, private, Lutheran school fourteen hours from home in high school. But Luther has turned out to be the best possible place for me. And I am so grateful for all of the experiences I have had at Luther and the opportunities that have come because of Luther.

I am very grateful for the many places that I have come to call "home" in life. And truly, home has become a place where the dearest of people are. Being in such a place of transition in life, I have definitely come to appreciate so much more, the people that I spend time with. I count it a blessing that I want to be in so many places at once so that I could spend time with every wonderful person!

My new playlist for the end of this summer and the beginning of this year has been the "Safe Haven" soundtrack. Yes, back to a soundtrack. But I absolutely love the music. It's acoustic and upbeat. It's good reflective music. (The movie is wonderful as well!)

As I have gotten more and more in to student teaching, I know and feel that teaching is the right place for me. I love working with kids and knowing that I can pass on a love for learning to so many littles. I am grateful for this time in life, even as crazy, and busy, and tired as I may be!

So here is an ode to every teacher in the world...thank you for all you do. You have such a profound influence upon so many people. My highest respect is given to you!