Let's try this again...

It has been over 6 months since I wrote a post. My life has changed so much since then!

I finished student teaching, I barely passed my CAPstone project, I graduated from college, I moved home, I'm coaching club volleyball, I travelled to Florida for vacation, I'm a substitute teacher and I was offered half of my dream job. Really that has been my life in a nutshell.

Let's rewind to about a week ago. I had my first sub job in LPS (Lincoln Public Schools) at Lincoln North Star High School. First of all I was blown away by the size of the school. Yes, I've been there before, many times, for volleyball and student council activities. But I was also blown away by the size of the students. They were all pretty much taller than I am (not hard to do). I'm so used to teaching students who are half my size or are at least shorter than me.

ANYWAYS. I had a real eye-opening experience while I was there. Even though I was just subbing for PE, I couldn't believe the disrespect the students have for their peers and their teachers. Yes, I know that I'm just a sub and I went in knowing I would get treated badly. I just didn't think it would go so far. It also made me realize how important my job as an elementary teacher is. One student, while taking a test, couldn't read it. It was just a real shock. Hopefully students from my future classroom will be able to read by high school, if not, then I shouldn't be teaching anymore.

In other things, after being truly devastated by not being offered the freshman coaching position at Waverly, something happened in my favor. I aced my interview for Lincoln Southeast JV coach. 2 weeks later, I was offered the job. As I was speaking with the AD (a former Husker volleyballer) I must not have made sense, but I did end the conversation with a Yes! I'll take it! Haha. I have never been sooooo excited to be part of a new/re-vamped program. They have a new head coach, a new jv coach and a new freshman coach. It's going to be quite an experience!

I hope to keep this updated more throughout my subbing experiences and my job hunting experiences. I have now been limited to accepting a job in Lincoln Public Schools, but I'm ok with that. If I don't get offered a position, I will probably sub all of next year. Again, I am ok with it! It will give me MUCH more insight into how to teach.

Ciao!

Uhm yeah.. we're gunna need a bigger boat.

Holy cow! It's been a month since I've started teaching. I am loving every single minute of it too. I have overcome many challenges such as getting the students to put their names on their papers, girl drama, tattling, physical violence, in school suspensions and nouns.

My biggest challenge right now is nouns. They just don't get it. It is a 3rd grade concept too. I broke down this morning grading papers. I had to quit half way through. It just kills me tht after reading the directions 3 times, working 6 or 7 problems together and then going over the directions one more time - I have 9 students who completely did the worksheet wrong. I don't know what to do. I am trying to put together a noun cheat sheet so that they can look at that, but I don't think it is going to help. Dr. Dub (an old professor) suggested to use a graphic organizer to break down why nouns are nouns. Idk. Maybe I'll try both.

Volleyball is off to a 500 start. We got 4th/12 at Beatrice we beat Columbus I believe, lost to Pius, GINW and Skutt. It was some great volleyball. We beat Blair last Tuesday. Lost to Gretna on Thursday. It was heartbreaking, but Gretna is GOOD. We went to Norris yesterday and smoked Blair AGAIN, but had some mental errors and lost to Norris. I wanted to beat them so that we would have a chance to play Gretna again. Oh well, we then beat Ralston soundly.

I am spending the day at my parents, so it has been relaxing with the new kitchen and beautiful weather, windows open, ribs smoking and soon to be beer drinking.

I need to keep this updated better!

2-a-days? enough said.


We are looking decent right now. Can't wait to see what the season holds!

The 4th graders I have are amazing. I have 25 very bright students and it helps when 23 of them have been together since Kindergarten.

Off to practice!

Day 1.

I don't think I've been this happy since the beginning of March.

I have never fit in so well somewhere. These crazy teachers have the same personality and humor as myself. Not to mention all of the administration (minus one female) are middle aged men who are very easy on the eyes to say the least. Needless to say, my first day was great and the kids aren't even in the classroom yet!

We had meetings all day and it was cool to be in on the School Improvement meeting as well as the Toolbox meeting which is essentially curriculum. I also attended the faculty meeting where we talked about relationships, commitments and engagement. It sounds like a marriage, I know. But I promise it was all about the kids!

Volleyball was interesting. The school's gym was ruined this summer when the water table crept up into the floor. Not even kidding. The school is located on some old farm land. Haha. It sucks that we don't have a main gym, but I will say that the auxillary gym is very nice. I got to be reunited with a bunch of NVA girls and I know the Varisty and JV coaches from NVA as well. I was also asked if I was in high school. I was a bit offended, but I do have a height disadvantage on these girls. I'm definitely looking forward to the season! We will just need to work on their lifting form. It's absolutely awful and with me being a former lifter, it really irked me to see almost all of the girls lifting wrong. Oh well.. it's a goal that can be accomplished by the end of the season!

Need sleep, but I'm so happy!
Rach

T-Minus 15 hours

I've been at my parents' this weekend and its been a lazy few days. The last lazy few days I will have for 16 weeks! I am so nervous, but ready to finally do the damn thing. I start bright and early tomorrow and I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep. I have received so much love and support from family/friends this weekend.

It's the new start that I've needed for 4 months. It's the beginning to my future.

I get to do what I love for the rest of my life!

-Rachel

prepping to be a student teacher.

I figured I could keep everyone in the know about what's going on in my life, in my classroom and on the volleyball court throughout the fall semester. I can't wait to start this experience and I have never been such a ball of nervous excitement! I start Monday August 9 with a whole bunch of meetings through Wednesday. We get to set up the classroom Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday night is an open house so that I can meet my students and their families. Friday is the day I have been waiting for: THE KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL! YaY

Check back frequently :)
XoXo Rach