Probably the biggest struggle as a first year teacher is learning how to be an advocate for myself and my students.
For example, the air condition doesn't really work in my room. And in the past 6 school days, my classroom has been worked in during only 1 day! One of my students needs to go out into the general education classrooms, but in order for that to happen, I need to send an aide with him (which would mean giving up my only aide for at least 140 mins a day). None of the computers in my classroom work consistently.
I'm trying to learn how to fight for what I (and my students) need. They say that "a squeaky wheel gets the grease" but sometimes the squeaky wheel just makes everyone want to scream. I'm trying to learn how to be the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, not the one that drives everyone bonkers!
If you have any tips...feel free to share!
I would really appreciate any/all prayers as I try to find the balance between getting some needs met in my classroom and trying to keep a good relationship with everyone at the school.
Thanks!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
11 Days!
I have survived 11 days as a real teacher!
(this is in our library area)
It hasn't been easy. The construction on my classroom didn't start until a week and a half before school started. Two days before school started, they figured out which room I would be in temporarily. 18 hours before my kids arrived, I was allowed into my classroom. Needless to say, it was not the smoothest start to the school year.
God has entrusted me with 7 kids to take care of and teach for the year. I have an assistant and an ASL interpreter that I work with every day. Some days, I've felt like we are struggling to make it to the end of the day. Some days we survive. This past Friday, we had a really good day.
It has been a huge learning experience! I've had to deal with difficult parents, teachers who don't understand/appreciate/respect my job. I've had to decide what my classroom management would look like. I've struggled with the switch from a wealthier school district where I did observations/student teaching to a high poverty school. (It took 2+ days to get my computer working and another week to get a working computer for the students.)
When you go to college, you are told that you should befriend the school secretary and the school custodian. Another important group of people are the cafeteria ladies. At the end of the 2nd day of school, the secretary showed me the supply closet! The custodian has brought and rearranged all of the furniture in my room. The lunch ladies have allowed my kids to come 10 minutes early to lunch, given us breakfast when the bus was late in the morning, and been really flexible with the chaotic-ness of our schedule. I am thankful for the wonderful people that have been in my life. Between these three groups of ladies, the resource room special education teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, those in charge of assistive technology, special education specialists, and our school's special education coordinator, there have been a number of great people in my life. God has blessed me with working with a number of Christians. I'm thankful for that!
I had someone tell me that I can encourage myself on the tough days by reminding myself that even if nothing academic got accomplished, we provided much needed respite to parents. My goal is to help these kids learn as much as possible to help them be as independent as possible, but some of my kids will spend the majority of their lives living with their parents.
My class is never boring. I had to get kids out from under the bleachers after getting stuck. I had 10 minute conversations with students on why to use the bathroom instead of wetting their pants. I had a kid pass gas in my face when I was sitting with him and trying to process why he was in trouble. I had a kid pretend to pass out. There is never a dull moment in my class.
This week is going to bring some new adventures with a behavior specialist and going bowling.
Just because... here are a couple posters I have hanging in my classroom :)
(this is in our library area)
Thanks for sticking through my rambling update of the past couple weeks! :)
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Happy Birthday to Me!
For those who may be worried that you forgot/missed my birthday. Have no fear... You didn't really. Today is my 16th spiritual birthday! Sixteen years ago, I interrupted my mom who was folding laundry and after talking for a bit, I prayed that Jesus would forgive my sins and help me live like Him.
It's been a work in progress. I have definitely grown and changed a lot in the past years, but I still have a long way to grow in my relationship with God. I look forward to seeing how God works in and through me for the next year.
P.S. For those wondering, my birthday is September 18th :)
It's been a work in progress. I have definitely grown and changed a lot in the past years, but I still have a long way to grow in my relationship with God. I look forward to seeing how God works in and through me for the next year.
P.S. For those wondering, my birthday is September 18th :)
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Anxiety
I woke up this morning at 5am nearly jumping out of bed due to a dream turned nightmare about my classroom. In my dream, not only were my classroom renovations not completed by the beginning of the school year, but the size of the room was cut in half and I was missing furniture. At the end of the first day of school, I was fired because I didn't complete the correct paperwork.
The first thing I did when I had calmed down enough to realize that it was just a dream... I googled some paperwork that I'm still waiting on -just to make sure that I hadn't dropped the ball on it. Thankfully, it's something the state has to take care of and that I have no control over.
The problem with a day starting like that is that a feeling of anxiety is at the back of my mind constantly. Every time I hear a little "ding" signifying a new email, my stress level increases. Is it a message saying that my classroom won't be renovated by the beginning of the school year? Is it an email that I missed some training for school? Is it an email that I actually am not certified to teach a transition classroom? Is it bad news that isn't related to my job, but about something completely different? The questions multiply and my anxiety increases until I have enough courage to actually look at the email. And 99% of the time, it's junk mail. So I breathe a huge sigh of relief and try not to let the anxiety consume me. And then, I hear that awful "ding" again, and the cycle repeats. (In fact, this process happened 4 times, just while writing this post.)
I recently competed a numerical stress test (from one of my textbooks from college. you can find a similar one here http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_82.htm). According to the one I completed, I have a 95% chance of getting a stress related illness in the next year, and that didn't even figure in my international travel this spring! I've gotten knots in my back that are so numerous and tight that my arms start tingling. I can't let the fear of getting sick keep me from living my life, but I also can't ignore the stress and anxiety in my life.
I know what the Bible says about anxiety and worry, and I'm trying to pray through it, but it is still unfortunately something I'm dealing with. So that is how you can be praying for me today/this week/this school year.
Here are some verses (from the ESV translation) that I am reminding myself of. Hopefully they'll be a good reminder for you too.
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more that food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
(The context of this passage refer to the Holy Spirit coming to all who believe. The Holy Spirit, who is in me, is present to help provide peace.)
Psalm 55:22a
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.
1 Peter 5:6-8
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
And one last verse:
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
Thank you to everyone who has written notes of encouragement the past few weeks. Even though you may not have realized the impact of your words (and I might not have shown my appreciation) 'a good word' really does help!
The first thing I did when I had calmed down enough to realize that it was just a dream... I googled some paperwork that I'm still waiting on -just to make sure that I hadn't dropped the ball on it. Thankfully, it's something the state has to take care of and that I have no control over.
The problem with a day starting like that is that a feeling of anxiety is at the back of my mind constantly. Every time I hear a little "ding" signifying a new email, my stress level increases. Is it a message saying that my classroom won't be renovated by the beginning of the school year? Is it an email that I missed some training for school? Is it an email that I actually am not certified to teach a transition classroom? Is it bad news that isn't related to my job, but about something completely different? The questions multiply and my anxiety increases until I have enough courage to actually look at the email. And 99% of the time, it's junk mail. So I breathe a huge sigh of relief and try not to let the anxiety consume me. And then, I hear that awful "ding" again, and the cycle repeats. (In fact, this process happened 4 times, just while writing this post.)
I recently competed a numerical stress test (from one of my textbooks from college. you can find a similar one here http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_82.htm). According to the one I completed, I have a 95% chance of getting a stress related illness in the next year, and that didn't even figure in my international travel this spring! I've gotten knots in my back that are so numerous and tight that my arms start tingling. I can't let the fear of getting sick keep me from living my life, but I also can't ignore the stress and anxiety in my life.
I know what the Bible says about anxiety and worry, and I'm trying to pray through it, but it is still unfortunately something I'm dealing with. So that is how you can be praying for me today/this week/this school year.
Here are some verses (from the ESV translation) that I am reminding myself of. Hopefully they'll be a good reminder for you too.
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more that food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
(The context of this passage refer to the Holy Spirit coming to all who believe. The Holy Spirit, who is in me, is present to help provide peace.)
Psalm 55:22a
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you.
1 Peter 5:6-8
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
And one last verse:
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
Thank you to everyone who has written notes of encouragement the past few weeks. Even though you may not have realized the impact of your words (and I might not have shown my appreciation) 'a good word' really does help!
Monday, July 29, 2013
What's in a Name?
Why did I choose "Blessed Adventures in Transition" for the name of my blog?
In everything that has been going on in my life, God has shown His blessings and provisions in numerous ways! I have 4 bracelets made by Mudlove. The one I have been wearing most often in the past few months is the bracelet "blessed". It is a constant reminder for me to have an attitude of thankfulness for God's constant blessings.
As I student taught abroad this spring (which will be a story for a different day), I told everyone that it was "My Grand Adventure" and an adventure it was!
"Transition" began as an obvious choice with my life feeling like its in transition with all of the changes. The most recent irony (and further proving why the word "transition" is perfect) is that my official title is a transition teacher (special education) at a junior high school.
It just works out perfectly that the three words that were most prevalent in my life the past year fit together into a catchy blog title! :)
I look forward to sharing my adventures and hope that you will be blessed and encouraged by them!
In everything that has been going on in my life, God has shown His blessings and provisions in numerous ways! I have 4 bracelets made by Mudlove. The one I have been wearing most often in the past few months is the bracelet "blessed". It is a constant reminder for me to have an attitude of thankfulness for God's constant blessings.
As I student taught abroad this spring (which will be a story for a different day), I told everyone that it was "My Grand Adventure" and an adventure it was!
"Transition" began as an obvious choice with my life feeling like its in transition with all of the changes. The most recent irony (and further proving why the word "transition" is perfect) is that my official title is a transition teacher (special education) at a junior high school.
It just works out perfectly that the three words that were most prevalent in my life the past year fit together into a catchy blog title! :)
I look forward to sharing my adventures and hope that you will be blessed and encouraged by them!
Beginnings
This entire year has been an "Adventure in Transition".
In the last 15 months, I have:
-moved to 5 different apartments/houses
-babysat for 6 different families
-gained a brother in law
-graduated from college
-stepped foot into 3 countries and 5 different airports
-completed student teaching in 3 separate schools
-applied to 6 school districts
-interviewed with 2 school districts
-was offered and accepted 1 job
-cooked countless meals
-took a countless number of pictures
-and soooo much more!
If I had to choose one word to describe the past year, it would be "transition". I feel like there hasn't been much consistency in my life in over a year! Things are always changing. Changing isn't bad... it's good. But sometimes... change is scary.
As I finished my final move last week, I cleaned out my old apartment, said goodbye to my roommates, and moved into an apartment that I don't have to share with anyone. I know no one in this city. I don't know anyone who lives in the same building as me. I don't know where any of the good parks are to relax outside. I don't have a church within an hour drive. The only thing that has stayed the same is God. God has been with me in every move, every traveling adventure, and every step of daily life.
I've been pondering whether or not to start a blog for a long time. The biggest thing holding me back was whether or not anyone would read it and if I would be consistent in writing... well, basically, if it would really be worth starting to blog. With all these changes in my life, there are people back home, where I went to college, and other friends around the world who I want to keep up with/want to keep up with me. I figured that starting a blog would be the best way to address that!
So here goes nothing... I'm starting a blog.
My hopes/dreams are that this blog will:
-provide an opportunity to share about the adventures in my classroom
-share what I've been learning through time with God - Bible verses, prayer requests, answers to prayer, and just overall really cool "God Things"
-show some of my cooking adventures
-be a platform to share some of my favorite pictures
-and just keep people up to date on big things happening in my life
In the last 15 months, I have:
-moved to 5 different apartments/houses
-babysat for 6 different families
-gained a brother in law
-graduated from college
-stepped foot into 3 countries and 5 different airports
-completed student teaching in 3 separate schools
-applied to 6 school districts
-interviewed with 2 school districts
-was offered and accepted 1 job
-cooked countless meals
-took a countless number of pictures
-and soooo much more!
If I had to choose one word to describe the past year, it would be "transition". I feel like there hasn't been much consistency in my life in over a year! Things are always changing. Changing isn't bad... it's good. But sometimes... change is scary.
As I finished my final move last week, I cleaned out my old apartment, said goodbye to my roommates, and moved into an apartment that I don't have to share with anyone. I know no one in this city. I don't know anyone who lives in the same building as me. I don't know where any of the good parks are to relax outside. I don't have a church within an hour drive. The only thing that has stayed the same is God. God has been with me in every move, every traveling adventure, and every step of daily life.
I've been pondering whether or not to start a blog for a long time. The biggest thing holding me back was whether or not anyone would read it and if I would be consistent in writing... well, basically, if it would really be worth starting to blog. With all these changes in my life, there are people back home, where I went to college, and other friends around the world who I want to keep up with/want to keep up with me. I figured that starting a blog would be the best way to address that!
So here goes nothing... I'm starting a blog.
My hopes/dreams are that this blog will:
-provide an opportunity to share about the adventures in my classroom
-share what I've been learning through time with God - Bible verses, prayer requests, answers to prayer, and just overall really cool "God Things"
-show some of my cooking adventures
-be a platform to share some of my favorite pictures
-and just keep people up to date on big things happening in my life
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