The many adventures of being a Student Intern....

All throughout college, I knew what I was studying to become....an Elementary Teacher. The first year and a half was a challenge academically, socially, and emotionally. Yet, amid all the chaos, I never gave up. During each obstacle, I wondered if God was punishing me or trying to make me give up. Through all of the trials and struggles, I have realized He has only made me stronger and more determined than ever to follow the path He has placed me on. As I reached the point of becoming a student teacher/intern, it was like the light at the end of the tunnel was finally being illuminated. It had been a long and daunting process but before long, January, 2014 had come and it was time for orientation for my student teaching semester. The semester started out wonderfully. I was thrilled to be in a kindergarten classroom and honestly, thrilled to be in my final semester of college. As the internship began, I felt like it was the best placement I could have imagined. I had a wonderful cooperating teacher, wonderful students, a wonderful support system, and I got along with the other kindergarten teachers as well. Those eight weeks went by as if it were only two weeks. The roughest part of my first rotation was when I got news my grandfather had passed away. He was a wonderful man and someone I looked up to greatly. Just this past Christmas, my parents and I had had a disagreement and I was in my grandparent's kitchen when Grandpa came up to me asking if I was sorry and wanted forgiveness. He encouraged me to talk to my mom mainly but ultimately both parents. The next day was when we left to go to our next location and I hugged Grandpa tightly and thanked him for helping me apologize and seek forgiveness. I will always remember some of his jokes with me and how kind-hearted he was. One thing he would do with me was when we would play chicken foot and I would sit next to him, he would joke telling me he thought I was cheating or looking at his dominoes. And I would sometimes pick out his 7 dominoes just to be silly and he would push them away. I drove up by myself to Oklahoma for the funeral and drove back. The drive there wasn't hard; it was the drive back. I wanted to turn around and go back to my family at Grandma's. The week after the funeral was my last week in my first rotation and I admit, I didn't want to leave. But I knew that I would be walking down the K-1 hallway at least once a day during my second rotation. And so, my second rotation began. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I was making the change from kindergarten to second grade. The start was rough as I was met with some challenges. Over the course of the past few weeks, things have become a consistent schedule and I know what to expect. Spring break came a just the right time, although, I wish we were still on break. Over the break I was able to fellowship with others around Arkadelphia due to the Arkansas Spring Break through Campus Ministries. I got to know a WWII POW/MIA soldier who happened to fight in Korea as well (Just like my grandpa). I also planted a garden at a nursing home. And on the weekend, I spent my time with my family. My sister and I watched movies, talked, and had a beauty night. My mom and I had an intelligent conversation about common core and my family as a whole had a nice conversation after church on Sunday about different issues in the world over a nice home cooked meal. And now, the time has come to where there are only  26 full days of school left until graduation. The semester seems daunting and chaotic as I prepare for life in the "real world." Combine one foot in the real world, one foot at Ouachita, job searching, taking the PLT, getting certified, lesson plans, grading papers, family life, social life, and more group projects, and I am ready to be finished. However, I think I am content with staying in school and under my parents provisions as long as I can. ;) Now to prepare for senior banquet tomorrow night and finish this week. Thanks for reading!