So, lately, I have been disenchanted and unmotivated in most every aspect of my life. I was going through a "poor me" and "feel sorry for me", selfish stage for a few weeks. Yes, there were things going on that I was less than pleased about, but I wasn't taking advantage of the opportunities to grow and learn. Instead, I was whining, complaining and generally being an unpleasant person. True, I could not change many of the things that were making me unhappy, so instead, I decided (with a little help from the Big Guy upstairs) to change me.
School has been rougher for me than I anticipated. The kids are rough, but I just wasn't taking advantage of teaching them and loving them. I complained nearly every day about how I felt that I was failing them and not living up to my potential. They weren't succeeding and it was my fault. Through some kind words and encouragement from my family, friends and roommates, I was able to feel a little better, but not much. I wanted to cry everyday, but never could. I have never not been able to cry, so this dilemma was particularly confusing and hard to deal with. However, as always, I have found my answers in God.
God showed me the answers to my problems through some fantastic ministries and quiet time. It didn't happen in one setting, but it definitely showed me that I am blessed beyond what I deserve. He showed me that I need to take full advantage of the beauty of my life. I get to go to work everyday and do the work I love. I read, write and teach for 10-12 hours a day and get PAID to do it! Plus, I get to dress basically however I want to, plan with great teammates and hang out with crazy 7th graders all day. Additionally, I get to be a role model and make a difference in the lives of students who have little to look forward to in life. They are broken and hurting and I am there to help them. That is such a rewarding and blessed feeling. I can't describe it.
Additionally, I still have time to do all the things I love. I get to read great novels, play with my puppy, enjoy video games and spend time with the people I love every day. I get home and get to spend 3-5 hours enjoying my day before bed. I have the world's greatest puppy who I walk every day and get to train. He has been such a joy and is so much fun to have around.
Finally, all the people I love and care about are around me all the time and in great health. Seriously, I have no worries in life and live a beyond blessed existence. I have nothing to whine or complain about. Thanks, God, for forcing me to look at things with a new perspective and understand how good I have it.
"I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned in awe of the One who gave it all. I'll stand my soul, Lord, to you surrendered. All I have is Yours."
-Tracey
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
7 weeks in...Many, many more to go!
It has been a while since I've written. Primarily, this is due to my busy-ness with work, school, Jack and other, fun activities.
I have successfully completed my first 6-weeks as a full time teacher. It was exciting, tough, exhausting and fun. Teaching 7th graders is far more difficult and more challenging than I could have imagined. Especially, my 7th graders. My 7th graders are especially difficult to handle and "rough". I love them dearly, but I am exhausted all the time, and I often wonder if they are learning anything from me. Then, when I feel hopeless and like I can't do this, they surprise me. They are quite special and I care about them dearly. I hope they learn as much from me as I do from them in the next 32 weeks.
Graduate school is going well. I am working on 2 research projects plus an independent research project and one class. It is keeping me very busy reading and writing. I will be applying to the PhD program later this semester (once the department gets organized and releases the application). I am excited about that and know it will be challenging but rewarding. Additionally, I am in the process of deciding what courses to take in the spring. I have 9 hours left to finish and am considering whether I would like to graduate in May or August. May would be rushing it and would be difficult but I think it will be nice to have a summer with no worries or course work to complete.
Jack is great as usual. Earlier this semester, he graduated from intermediate puppy training class! I was so proud of him and what he accomplished. He really is a hard-working and neat puppy. We will beginning an Advanced training class soon. I'm excited to continue his training. It is great for him to be able to learn things and socialize with other dogs and it helps me be a better owner, too. I love that he will be so well trained as well. It will make our life together easier and more enjoyable. Above is a picture of Jack (left) and his friend (Ari) at their graduation. Ari's mama is a PhD student with me and they will be in the advanced training class as well.
In addition to all of the above, I am just trying to enjoy my first-year teaching. I try to find plenty of time to go out with friends, play Wii, read, write and exercise. Last weekend, I went to visit my family for the first time in 3 months. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. I rode the 4-wheeler, cooked at the deer lease and was pampered incesantly by my family. It was so nice. I forgot how nice it can be to just go visit family. Life at the house is good. I finally began decorating my living room and put up curtains. I still have a long way to go before my house is completely put together, but it is slowly but surely getting there. Give me another year or so and it will feel the way it should. Much to my dismay, I have not had as much time for reading lately as I would like. I am too busy and too exhausted at the end of the day to read. I lay in bed and just fall asleep quickly.
Recent Reads:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
In the Fall by Jefferey Lent
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Stay tuned for more adventures of a 7th-grade teacher!
-Tracey
I have successfully completed my first 6-weeks as a full time teacher. It was exciting, tough, exhausting and fun. Teaching 7th graders is far more difficult and more challenging than I could have imagined. Especially, my 7th graders. My 7th graders are especially difficult to handle and "rough". I love them dearly, but I am exhausted all the time, and I often wonder if they are learning anything from me. Then, when I feel hopeless and like I can't do this, they surprise me. They are quite special and I care about them dearly. I hope they learn as much from me as I do from them in the next 32 weeks.
Graduate school is going well. I am working on 2 research projects plus an independent research project and one class. It is keeping me very busy reading and writing. I will be applying to the PhD program later this semester (once the department gets organized and releases the application). I am excited about that and know it will be challenging but rewarding. Additionally, I am in the process of deciding what courses to take in the spring. I have 9 hours left to finish and am considering whether I would like to graduate in May or August. May would be rushing it and would be difficult but I think it will be nice to have a summer with no worries or course work to complete.
In addition to all of the above, I am just trying to enjoy my first-year teaching. I try to find plenty of time to go out with friends, play Wii, read, write and exercise. Last weekend, I went to visit my family for the first time in 3 months. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. I rode the 4-wheeler, cooked at the deer lease and was pampered incesantly by my family. It was so nice. I forgot how nice it can be to just go visit family. Life at the house is good. I finally began decorating my living room and put up curtains. I still have a long way to go before my house is completely put together, but it is slowly but surely getting there. Give me another year or so and it will feel the way it should. Much to my dismay, I have not had as much time for reading lately as I would like. I am too busy and too exhausted at the end of the day to read. I lay in bed and just fall asleep quickly.
Recent Reads:
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
In the Fall by Jefferey Lent
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Stay tuned for more adventures of a 7th-grade teacher!
-Tracey
Sunday, August 29, 2010
First week success!
Wow! I have successfully finished my first week as a middle school English/Language Arts teacher. :) It was a great success, and I've learned so much already. I have made some mistakes already, but I have a great team that is supportive and helping me learn what I need to do. I have already learned a great deal about my students and feel great compassion for them. I hope that I will be able to teach them skills that will lead them to better lives in the future. I'm so excited to see them every day (even though they are far from perfect angels).
This week was also my birthday. Looking back, I realize that I have experienced the best year of my life. I have very high hopes for this coming year. It will be even better as I learn to be a good teacher and finish my master's degree.
Tracey
This week was also my birthday. Looking back, I realize that I have experienced the best year of my life. I have very high hopes for this coming year. It will be even better as I learn to be a good teacher and finish my master's degree.
Tracey
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
As the last rays of summer sunshine pass me by...
I just wanted to update the blog with the last little bit of happenings and readings from my summer. I started work, officially, last week in the form of "new teacher training" and have spent this week at teacher inservice. The students come to school on Monday, which is less than 5 days away. I am getting so silly excited waiting for them. I have been hard at work fixing up my classroom, planning lessons and basically dotting every "i" and crossing every "t". It has been a ton of work, but it will all be worth it when I see those bright and shiny faces walk through my door!
Last minute summer reads:
I finished the summer off with a few more books. Ask me if you have any questions.
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
The Count of Monte Cristo
Three Cups of Tea
The Angel Experiment
I'm not near my bedside table, so I can't list the authors right now. I am currently reading Columbine by Dave Cullen which is a real-life account of what led to the Columbine Shooting in 1999. All of the books above were recommended to me, including Columbine.
I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. The book is the final one and I can't wait to see what happens to the characters. It comes out on August 24th (the day after I meet my kiddos!) and I already pre-ordered it, so it should be here shortly after my birthday. I'm hoping I can spend that weekend reading it. :)
In other news, Jack has been doing wonderfully at his intermediate puppy class. He tries and works so hard that it really makes me proud. Right now, I am trying to get him adjusted to his new schedule with me teaching every day. We have a few weeks still before my classes start at A&M, so I still come home at a decent hour. When I get home in the afternoons, we go for walks and play until bedtime. I have to get rid of all of his stored-up energy from the day. :)
Tracey
Last minute summer reads:
I finished the summer off with a few more books. Ask me if you have any questions.
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
The Count of Monte Cristo
Three Cups of Tea
The Angel Experiment
I'm not near my bedside table, so I can't list the authors right now. I am currently reading Columbine by Dave Cullen which is a real-life account of what led to the Columbine Shooting in 1999. All of the books above were recommended to me, including Columbine.
I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. The book is the final one and I can't wait to see what happens to the characters. It comes out on August 24th (the day after I meet my kiddos!) and I already pre-ordered it, so it should be here shortly after my birthday. I'm hoping I can spend that weekend reading it. :)
In other news, Jack has been doing wonderfully at his intermediate puppy class. He tries and works so hard that it really makes me proud. Right now, I am trying to get him adjusted to his new schedule with me teaching every day. We have a few weeks still before my classes start at A&M, so I still come home at a decent hour. When I get home in the afternoons, we go for walks and play until bedtime. I have to get rid of all of his stored-up energy from the day. :)
Tracey
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Is it me or the real world?
Lately, I've found that many of my interests have changed and I'm wondering, is it me or is it the real world that has been creating all of this change? I guess to fully answer that question, I have to consider the things about me that have changed.
1. I cook. Not only do I cook, I kind of like it and think about experimenting with it.
This is strange because I have never been one of those people who enjoys creating a meal. I only like eating. However, I have been trying to cook more to save money and eat healthier. I have found that I don't only like cooking, but I like thinking about cooking and figuring out new ways to cook something. I like experimenting with cooking techniques and adding seasonings. And, I must say, I'm not half bad, either.
2. I'm becoming somewhat crafty.
Just like I've never been one to cook, I've never been one to make things. I'd rather buy it already done. I don't have the patience to make pretty things nor do I enjoy the process and it NEVER looks half as good as what I can buy. Well, this changed since I've been decorating my classroom. I've become crafty making posters, banners, bulletin boards and other things to teach my kiddos with. My mom made some photo boards for me by covering bulletin boards with fabric. That gave me the idea to cover my bulletin boards in my bedroom to make them look nicer. Cheap and way cuter than what was already there. I've been thinking I might want to make some cute pillows with the left-over fabric (because I love the fabric so much) but that will require learning to sew...and I'm actually considering doing it. In addition to making cute crafty things, I want to refinish my kitchen table and chairs when I find the time. I don't like the color of the table and chairs but love the style and how sturdy they are. Again, cheaper than buying new furniture and it gets to be exactly the way I want it. I also want to look into making some new bedroom furniture for my room, including a bed and bookshelf. We'll see what happens. :)
3. I want to plant flowers and pretty things in pots for my back porch.
Once again, I've never been interested in gardening, but I find myself wanting to plant things in pots and containers on my back porch to liven it up and make it look pretty. I don't know much about gardening so right now I'm researching what will look good and grow well in containers in the heat. And, what grows well with relatively little care (because I have a feeling I'll forget to water from time-to-time). I also need things that are cheap.
4. I only buy things on sale.
I used to not care so much if something was on sale or not. If I wanted it, I bought it. Now, I look at price first and no matter how much I want it, if the price isn't right, it's a no go. I like sales, and clearances are even better. I also make lists of things I want to buy when I get paid. I doubt I'll buy most of the things on those lists.
5. Finally, as is obvious by now, I'm very aware of money.
I want things that are cheap or on sale. If I can make it for cheap, even better. I'm constantly thinking about money and live by a strict budget. I've actually turned down doing things with friends (dinner or ice cream) to save money.
I still love to read, watch movies and play Wii. I still like going out and doing things with my friends. And, I still love doing anything with Jack or my family. Teaching and being a student still consume a great amount of my time. Ok, so the question is, are all of these changes brought about by the real world or me becoming an adult? The verdict is still out.
-Tracey
1. I cook. Not only do I cook, I kind of like it and think about experimenting with it.
This is strange because I have never been one of those people who enjoys creating a meal. I only like eating. However, I have been trying to cook more to save money and eat healthier. I have found that I don't only like cooking, but I like thinking about cooking and figuring out new ways to cook something. I like experimenting with cooking techniques and adding seasonings. And, I must say, I'm not half bad, either.
2. I'm becoming somewhat crafty.
Just like I've never been one to cook, I've never been one to make things. I'd rather buy it already done. I don't have the patience to make pretty things nor do I enjoy the process and it NEVER looks half as good as what I can buy. Well, this changed since I've been decorating my classroom. I've become crafty making posters, banners, bulletin boards and other things to teach my kiddos with. My mom made some photo boards for me by covering bulletin boards with fabric. That gave me the idea to cover my bulletin boards in my bedroom to make them look nicer. Cheap and way cuter than what was already there. I've been thinking I might want to make some cute pillows with the left-over fabric (because I love the fabric so much) but that will require learning to sew...and I'm actually considering doing it. In addition to making cute crafty things, I want to refinish my kitchen table and chairs when I find the time. I don't like the color of the table and chairs but love the style and how sturdy they are. Again, cheaper than buying new furniture and it gets to be exactly the way I want it. I also want to look into making some new bedroom furniture for my room, including a bed and bookshelf. We'll see what happens. :)
3. I want to plant flowers and pretty things in pots for my back porch.
Once again, I've never been interested in gardening, but I find myself wanting to plant things in pots and containers on my back porch to liven it up and make it look pretty. I don't know much about gardening so right now I'm researching what will look good and grow well in containers in the heat. And, what grows well with relatively little care (because I have a feeling I'll forget to water from time-to-time). I also need things that are cheap.
4. I only buy things on sale.
I used to not care so much if something was on sale or not. If I wanted it, I bought it. Now, I look at price first and no matter how much I want it, if the price isn't right, it's a no go. I like sales, and clearances are even better. I also make lists of things I want to buy when I get paid. I doubt I'll buy most of the things on those lists.
5. Finally, as is obvious by now, I'm very aware of money.
I want things that are cheap or on sale. If I can make it for cheap, even better. I'm constantly thinking about money and live by a strict budget. I've actually turned down doing things with friends (dinner or ice cream) to save money.
I still love to read, watch movies and play Wii. I still like going out and doing things with my friends. And, I still love doing anything with Jack or my family. Teaching and being a student still consume a great amount of my time. Ok, so the question is, are all of these changes brought about by the real world or me becoming an adult? The verdict is still out.
-Tracey
Friday, August 6, 2010
Welcome to the "real world"
As a recent college graduate, I have always heard about what the "real world" would be like. The "real world" represented this illusive vision of what life would be like when I had a job, bills to pay, possibly a family...basically, responsibility without the luxury of blaming all of my stress on school and a lack of money, food and sleep. This "real world" always sounded like a great place to me, someplace where people took responsibility and everything fell into place according to a direct plan. Well, I'm here to say that is the farthest thing from what the "real world" is really like.
In May, I got offered a fantastic job. I was so fortunate and lucky to get a job early in the year. That meant that I would get to spend my entire summer "playing" and not worrying about getting a job before August. While I didn't know what level I would be teaching, I was still excited. In July, I found out I would be teaching 8th grade (the grade I secretly wanted the most!). I spent the next month planning to be an 8th grade teacher. Then, in early August the coveted "room assignment and master schedule" list was released. I was so thrilled to see my name with a room next to it! Yay, for not being a floater and for getting my own space. Then, I went to the 8th grade tab to see my schedule. I wasn't there! So, I looked at the 7th grade listing, and there was my name. 3 weeks before school starts, I'm now placed in a new grade, with the possibility that it might change again before August 23rd arrives. While I am still over-the-moon excited to be teaching, and know I will love 7th grade, I am learning to be flexible. The "real world" follows anything but a well-laid-out plan. The "real world" is more messy and unorganized than college could ever dream of being. However, so far, I'm really loving it out here!
-Tracey
In May, I got offered a fantastic job. I was so fortunate and lucky to get a job early in the year. That meant that I would get to spend my entire summer "playing" and not worrying about getting a job before August. While I didn't know what level I would be teaching, I was still excited. In July, I found out I would be teaching 8th grade (the grade I secretly wanted the most!). I spent the next month planning to be an 8th grade teacher. Then, in early August the coveted "room assignment and master schedule" list was released. I was so thrilled to see my name with a room next to it! Yay, for not being a floater and for getting my own space. Then, I went to the 8th grade tab to see my schedule. I wasn't there! So, I looked at the 7th grade listing, and there was my name. 3 weeks before school starts, I'm now placed in a new grade, with the possibility that it might change again before August 23rd arrives. While I am still over-the-moon excited to be teaching, and know I will love 7th grade, I am learning to be flexible. The "real world" follows anything but a well-laid-out plan. The "real world" is more messy and unorganized than college could ever dream of being. However, so far, I'm really loving it out here!
-Tracey
Sunday, August 1, 2010
August is here!
So, my favorite month of the year has finally arrived! I know this particular August will be especially memorable. 2010 has already surpassed any other year of my life in terms of how wonderful it has been, and I'm sure August will just continue to pour the blessings forward. For me, August has always meant two things: school starting and birthday. It's a really good thing that I love both of those events! However, this August is even more special than ever before because "school starting" means me being the teacher. I officially begin my duties as a teacher in 11 days (orientation and stuff), then meet my kiddos in 22 days and turn 23 in 25 days! :) Bring on the greatest August to date!
-Tracey
-Tracey
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