Change

I survived my first week of student teaching! I’m in 3^rd grade special education at Lee’s Corner Elementary. It’s been so much fun. The teacher I’m assigned too is amazing, and the staff has been so welcoming. They put up with me asking “what’s that?” every 10 minutes and constantly getting lost in the school.

 

            Now this is not the special education where I am chasing students with Autism or getting bitten. I know some of you are thinking that’s what I’m doing. Although I do go down to those classrooms and see if they need help. I love being in those rooms. At Lees Corner I am in the general classroom helping students, or pulling them out of for extra help in certain subject areas. I bounce between three classes, so that is three classes of names to remember, about 85 students!

This is the last semester of school for me. I will be able to graduate in December and FINALLY say I have a BS… Yes, graduate school has crossed my mind, but one hurtle at a time.

Troy is back at Herndon Elementary for the third year. Only this year he has moved up to second grade. I joke with him that he passed first grade. He has stayed with this group of kids since Kindergarten, he’s enjoyed watching them grow and working with a new group of teachers every year.

First Day!

            While I am loving the experience, it’s been a HUGE change. I’m not crazy about change. In fact, generally, I avoid it when possible. I’m in a school building all day… With adults... In real clothes… Gone are days of wearing whatever I feel like wearing. And yes, sleeping in. I wake up at 6:30am, every day. Blech.

Went and got a new hair cut for school

Dad will be home, for the most part, with Gwen. Which is another big change. I don’t like not being the one to make sure he is home safe during a storm. Or randomly taking him out to buy peanut M&Ms.

Kelli is at day care every day. She loves it. She loves being with the other children. Although she does not like being woke at 7:30am. She usually glares at me and turns around hoping I will go away.

This is a great experience that I want for her. It’s just hard being away from her all day, every day. I’m no longer her primary caregiver, I’m not the one there when she trips or learns something new. She no longer gets to see her best friend almost every day. And being able to get all my errands, (and laundry!) done during the day.

BFF

There has already been days I haven’t seen her. I wake her up, leave, and get home after she has gone to bed. And it makes me sad. Yes, I have cried over this.

But we have bitten the bullet. All three of us are adjusting and trying, to get into the routine of things. We have pressed forward with the change that I have been avoiding.

There is no turning back!