Horrible Blogger

Don't judge me. I know, I'm a horrible blogger. I guess it would be helpful to know that I haven't really been on a hiatus. In fact, I've been working my buns off! After being accepted to Virginia Tech's OLMA (Online Master of Arts) in Political Science program I have been constantly going since mid-January. I am enjoying the program immensely, although I am burning out. I'm starting to get restless and tired of writing paper after paper. Besides that, I still have all my responsibilities and duties teaching! And for re-certification purposes I'm having to take a course titled "Reading in the Content Area" - a grad school course offered through UVA on select Saturdays. That was the icing on the cake; those Saturday classes are the bane of my existence. Somehow it just doesn't seem right to have be up at the crack of dawn for an 8am class that lasts until 5pm those days. Honestly, I don't know how I manage it all. I wouldn't have if it weren't for my steady as a rock husband! He has been so good to me, helping out around the house where I'm slacking and even helping me dissect articles and books I've had to read and critique. Thankfully, I have approximately three weeks left and I'll be done pulling my first semester and in a little over six weeks, school will be out for summer! I am very thankful the Lord called me to teaching; I certainly need a vacation after all of this, and I certainly hope to be more productive than I've been this winter/spring so far! Welp it's back to work, I'll be seeing you (but hopefully sooner rather than later)!

Catch Up Time!

Wow! It has been incredibly too long since I last posted! I failed to post much due to the stress and overtake of my life because of my job: school! I got a job teaching World History II, Government, and Sociology at Charles City High School in Charles City, VA. It's located 30 minutes east of Richmond and 30 minutes west of Williamsburg. The school is extremely small; there are roughly 50 students that make up our senior class, altogether there are 298 students in the entire school! Because this is my first year teaching it has been more than stressful with the addition of having planned a wedding, too! However I don't think, well I know I could not have survived the rest of this year without my husband! (Catch up time on marriage is coming up shortly)!

Teaching has taught me so much about myself as a person, and it has truly pushed me out of my comfort zone. I remember thinking last summer that I would love for God to use me, and well He's definitely brought me to an area that needs His light. I am by no means perfect in attempting and facing this challenge, but it has been quite the challenge indeed and hasn't been the most pleasant experience. My students have toughened me up; I am no longer "fearful" of putting students in their place and writing referrals. But I have also learned to think WAY outside of the box so that I can bring new strategies to the table of differentiation. I so much desire to be a teacher that at the end of the year has students discussing how much they learned and enjoyed my class, but only time will tell. And thank the Lord above we only have 40 days left of school! I am overjoyed at the thought of having uninterrupted time to myself this summer without the worrying of creating lesson plans, developing and creating activities, etc.

But before I continue daydreaming of summer, as a little reminder or notification for those who do not know, SOLs are coming up in the next month so needless to say I'm a little anxious. I want all of my students to do well and pass 1) for themselves so they do not have to repeat this course and can earn an advanced diploma and 2) so it'll be a good reflection on me and all the hard work I've done this year! So please pray that on May 18th my students will not be intimidated and will achieve exceedingly good scores or simply put: will pass! What a joy it is to share my concerns! Until we catch up again, be blessed and rely on the Lord!