Good Days and Bad Days

A lot has happened since the beginning of the school year. We have finally begun to re-adjust to the routine of being in a school every day. Our practicum is absolutely amazing...our cooperating teacher is one of the most caring and effective teachers I have met. She cares about her students, and cares about our future as educators. I really enjoy being in the class every day and look forward not only to teaching, but to learning something new from the students as well.

Class is taking a toll on me. I am learning some really great things that I will always carry with me into any classroom I enter, and some things that I really wouldn't use, or some practices that I really don't understand. I find myself praying about my classes quite often, and that's not a bad thing. Although I don't completely understand some of the situations presented by some of my professors, I trust that this is God's plan, and that someday I will fully understand it and learn an important lesson.

Today was a GREAT day. We taught our second lesson plan today, and it was the best lesson I have taught. We went over equivalent fractions, used fraction strips and played a relay game with Energizers. Every single student was engaged, learned about equivalent fractions, and the energizers got their energy out for the next assignment. Our practicum supervisor sat in on our lesson, and I feel that she was really impressed with our progress in teaching. Days like today make me confident that I have made the right decision to pursue education as my career.

Last week, we had our first student teaching meeting. We had to turn in a STOP packet, including a new essay, test scores, resume, etc. If our packet is approved, we will receive a student teaching placement at the end of November. Be praying that God's will be ultimately done, but also that we both receive placements and are successful in trying to graduate in May. We will also soon need to take our last NM education test, which will certify us to teach in NM.

A lot is going on, we have birthday celebrations, family visits, projects and life in general happening. Although our life is fast paced and leaves little time for rest and fun, but this semester has made us stronger as individuals, stronger together, and more dependent on our God to get us through. :)

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Practicum + School Lunch (breakfast)

We are going to start week 4 of our practicum for methods block B and so far it is going really well. Steven and I have been placed in a 6th grade self-contained dual-language classroom. Yes, we are working with the same class, but we really love it for a few reasons: we get to team teach our lesson plans for our classes, we get to discuss the same students after class, and we are both getting to work with upper elementary, bilingual students, which is what our first choice was for the semester. :) So far we have watched writing and math in our 2 hours/day in the classroom, and we have really learned a lot. Our cooperating teacher is an amazing teacher and we have really lucked out getting someone who truly cares about our future careers as teachers. Classes are going well, although some are more helpful and educational than others right now. Please pray we get as much knowledge as possible and retain as much as we can. We start student teaching next semester, and could use as much information and experience as possible to help things run smoothly. We turn in STOP packets in the next 3-4 weeks and go through a student teaching orientation, which will be the final meeting about student teaching before we actually begin in the spring. Be praying for us as we finish school and begin our experience as teachers in the next year.

Since last semester, I have been reading Mrs. Q's blog: Fed Up with School Lunch, watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and boy, has my perspective changed on both what I eat and what my future students will eat! School lunch has taken a turn for the worst, and this past week I had an opportunity to see in person what the students are eating for breakfast. Unfortunately, like Mrs. Q, what I saw was disappointing. This particular morning, the menu included a Chicken Biscuit, fruit juice and milk. I didn't taste it, because A) it looked disgusting - this can't be "real chicken" - it is probably processed chicken patty and B) I had already eaten breakfast, but was seriously bothered by this meal. Meals like this make kids tired within a few hours and the lack of fresh food or fruit doesn't really make this healthy. Here is a picture of the super amazing breakfast I was offered:

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a health nut and still eat my share of Taco Bell and Burger King, but I have become more educated when it comes to food and we are slowly making changes with the food we buy and cook. It truly makes a difference in how the food tastes and how you feel after you eat it. Without trying to sound like a fatty, food is an important part of everyone's life. I love cooking, and we eat lots of homemade meals, but lots of kids don't have that chance and depend on school for their meals. I know I'm only one person with a super small blog following, but something needs to be done to meals to make them better for these kids. I remember having cooked meals from a tray with real silverware, and the majority of these meals being good!

I will step down from my soap box now...lots going on in schools aside from school meals. Be thinking of Los Morgans as we take on our final year (for now) of school!

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)

Back to School

It's a weird feeling to (hopefully) start the last year of college...finally! We know we will be in methods practicum this semester and then we start student teaching in January! I am excited to finally get back to a routine of being in the classroom, but at the same time, I am a little nervous to go into the "real world." With the state of the economy affecting the educational field, we are a little bit worried to find teaching jobs within the same area. Please be praying for us this year, as we prepare to student teach, take our certification test and interview for possible jobs. We know God will take care of us, but not knowing where we will be and what we will be doing in a year is a bit crazy! Although it makes us nervous, the excitement of having our own classrooms and having our own full-time salaries and living our life outside of college is a blessing. :)

Yesterday was our one year anniversary!!! We did a few things to celebrate one year:

-took a trip to The Lodge in Cloudcroft...amazing memories!

-got lost in the Lincoln National Forest (thanks TomTom)

-ate unique food

-re-created our wedding cake and fed it to each other, just like our wedding day :)

-had Sonic - just like we did after our wedding, since we didn't really get to eat that day

Here is the album of pictures we took over the weekend:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024335&id=160200358&l=ede4ed20ac

We are so happy about getting to experience things that are up and coming this year; I will try to keep this updated as things happen :)