The End of College

This week was THE END OF STUDENT TEACHING!! It was pretty bittersweet, and filled with a LOT of work. On Thursday near the end of the day, the "boss" of the REC building asked me if I'd be willing to stay on as a long-term substitute teacher for the building when school starts again in January. I accepted! I have a paying, full time teaching job for the next few months and I am THRILLED. I feel like everything's falling into place!

This also means that I am officially 100% DONE with college. I can't believe it! It feels SO WEIRD!

Today we came home from church to find that Zoe had gotten into some milk chocolate chips and eaten quite a few...she's been throwing up a LOT and just plain miserable. We called the vet and he said to not give her any food or water, and to keep her up and walking around the house as much as possible. I had the pleasant experience of having her barf INTO MY LAP...oy vey. Thankfully she's doing better now!

Tis the Season!

The past few weeks have been crazy busy as usual, but I'm really feeling myself getting worn down. I'm stressed about so many different things that I feel like I don't have the energy to get through a full day. But this upcoming week is my LAST ONE of student teaching, and then I get a break!! I'm planning on substituting from January to the end of this current school year, and trying to get a full time position for this upcoming school year.

Last week I had my final evaluation by my BYU-Idaho supervisor to grade me on my teaching  The feedback that I received means that I'm the best I can be, at the point I am currently--not a well-experienced full time teacher. So I was pretty happy. My supervisor wrote things on my form like "Jessica is a natural teacher, with the aura of a professional." SO awesome to hear! 

This past Saturday night we had our ward Christmas party! Jake had the day off from work, and we spent the ENTIRE day preparing. We got to the church at 10:30 and didn't leave until 9 pm. It was a LONG day, but it was so worth it! Our ward LOVED the work we did (see the photos I've attached, I think my hymn book tree is INCREDIBLE) and everyone had a great time. 

End of the Trimester

This past week was the last one of the trimester at Rigby Middle School, so it was pretty hectic! Since my Creativity class changes every trimester, Friday was my last day with my current students. It was pretty bittersweet, I'm not gonna lie. Having a class of 33 students in such a small room has been a challenge for sure, but I've grown to know each of them pretty well and it was sad to say goodbye. These kids have been such a memorable headache, lemme tell ya!

Friday night Jake and I went and saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and it was SO. GOOD. I was trying not to get my hopes up because I knew it wasn't gonna be the same as Harry Potter, but it was so fantastic! See what I did there? ;)

I have what's called a Professional Development Day this upcoming Monday. It's a day that as students, we would have had off as a holiday. Teachers from the district get together and go to special workshops about different topics within education, and I know it's dorky but I'm RIDICULOUSLY excited about it. The workshops seem really interesting so I can't wait to learn more about being a good teacher!

Children of God

HAPPY NOVEMBER!! I can't believe the year is almost over, it's so crazy. 2017 cannot get here fast enough!! 

Something I've been thinking about a lot lately when I get frustrated with how things are going as I'm student teaching is that we're all brothers and sisters, and children of God. It's easy for me to get so frustrated with a kid for how they're acting/the work they're giving me (or not giving me). Not to their face of course, because I don't wanna make any kids cry haha, but I'll come home and rant to Jake or sit there and just let the angry thoughts stew in my head, and be ready to just throw in the towel. And when I get to that point, I try to remember that these kids are, first of all, KIDS. For me, 8th grade was 10 years ago. So it's been a while, but I can still think back and remember what I was like and the things I cared about when I was 13-14. And it helps me be more patient with my students. Second of all, remembering that they're children of God really helps me have patience. 

These kids, whether they're LDS or not, are important to Heavenly Father. He cares about them SO MUCH! And He put them in a place where they'd have the experiences they're having, because He knew they needed them to become the people they're supposed to be. And who knows, maybe I was given this position at Rigby Middle School because there is one kid who I'll really be able to touch, or who really needs ME. Not any old teacher, but me specifically. How cool is that? When I try to think about my career like that, and about the kids I'm working with, I become so much stronger. Not that the problems go away, because kids are kids and MAN OH MAN can they test your patience, but I feel like I'm capable of handling the challenges I'm presented with. 

I go through this cycle of frustration to exasperation to "spiritual patience" roughly 3-6 times a week, though, so don't think I'm some amazing person or anything haha. I have to "talk myself off the ledge" so to speak on a regular basis. I know it's worth it, though, because I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be. I'm learning a ton and having some overwhelming and stressful experiences basically every day that I'm in the classroom, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

What's a blog post without a

cute Zoe photo?!

Halloweenie 2016

The weekend before Halloween, Jake and I spent a TON of time getting our ward Halloween party ready to go. We're the co chairs of the activities committee, and we had quite a lot to do. But it turned out SO FUN! We had different stations set up around our cultural hall with Halloween-themed minute-to-win-it games, and we asked ward members to bring their favorite Halloween treats. Everyone had a blast, and kept telling us how awesome we did at getting everything put together. It made us feel pretty great! I attached a picture of Jake, Zoe and I in our costumes before the party. 

Sadly we couldn't bring Zoe with us, but Jake and I still looked pretty cute without her! ;)

On actual Halloween night, we stayed in and relaxed in our jammies. We had a grand total of ONE trick-or-treater. Mainly because we live in the very back of our apartment complex and on the second floor I think, so kids would have had quite a hike to get to us. Jake wasn't too disappointed about it though, since that meant we had a good amount of candy all to ourselves...haha!