Life is a Math Equation

"Life is like a math equation.  In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert the negatives into positives."  

- Unknown Author

Week one has come and gone.  All the emotion, excitement, and nerves about meeting our mentors, working more closely with our MRC, being introduced to the teaching and administration staff at our new school, a new building, what should I wear, how should my hair be, what should I pack for lunch, how long will my commute be, who is going to be my go to person, should I bring anything like my computer and notebooks, what happens if I am late, will they like me...  has come and GONE!  NOT!  It's Sunday and week two is about to begin.  As I sit here running through all these questions with a little spin on them, the nerves, excitement, joy, and emotion all come back.  This week is a big week.  It is one thing to meet your mentor and enter a new school with new people, but it is a whole different world to mix students into the equation.

Last week went better than I could have imagined.  I walked up to Bradwell School of Excellence on Monday August 19th, 2013 at 7:45am with so much excitement that I forgot to lock my car doors, forgot my lunch in my smoking hot car, and was locked out of the building without knowing how to get in!  Luckily for me, another car pulled into the parking lot along with me and as I began to panic and I noticed the other teacher walking toward me.  In order to hold it together, I acted as though I needed to tie my shoe until she got to the platform.  I then stepped to the side so that she could lead the way.  She pushed the intercom button and "DING" the door was unlocked and in we went!  SUCCESS!  I took a walk around the school, found my classroom, and noticed that the door was closed with the lights off.  I decided to take advantage of the time so I went in and got situated.  I sat in the front corner of the classroom, unpacked my bag, and observed what was around.  As I read through the posters hanging in the room, skimmed through the schedule, and noticed the set up of the classroom, MY Classroom, I was overcome with joy.  Shortly after Ms. Faith Peddie entered our 7th grade Mathematics classroom and introduced herself.  We had a little time to get to know each other before getting down to business.

The week was full!  Erica, my co-resident, and I spent countless hours making signs, labels, and bulletin boards.  We cleaned, organized the library, and attended meeting after meeting where we were flooded with information.  Day in and day out we met new people who worked, served, or whose child attended Bradwell and it was about all my mind could take to try and remember the name and the face of these lovely people.  As Friday came around, it definitely got easier.  The room was becoming more and more put together and the information/data was beginning to make more sense rather than simply a jumbled mess in my brain.  As we left the building on Friday, I couldn't help but reflect back to Monday and how much progress had been made.  I am beginning to feel at home at Bradwell and I am beginning to build relationships with a new family that I really care about!  SUCCESS!

As I sit here and process the same emotions but about meeting our new students tomorrow, I am captivated by nerves but so thrilled to begin.  I am happy to be given the opportunity through AUSL to begin this program and actually get to put my knowledge into practice!  I am overjoyed to get to put faces with names and so very excited to begin a new year as staff at Bradwell School of Excellence.  I have high hopes for this year and I am expecting great things out of myself as well as our staff and students.  I know it is going to be a challenge and that we will have to overcome some big obstacles throughout the year, as we already have within this last week, but as I get to know the people on my staff, I know how able and awesome they are!  I have so much faith in our Bruin Family that worry is not even an option!  So... as Ms. Hampton likes to say, let's "turn up!"

Online vs. Face-to-Face

This past week was the last of our face-to-face classes at National-Louis.  We are not officially done with the term until September 1 but I am pretty much finished other than my Issue Paper which we have not gotten the corrections back.  Once that comes back, I can pound it out and be FINISHED with term one of my Master's!

After this term, we move to classes online.  I really hate online classes and I am not sure if it is simply because I had an awful experience with one before or if it is a legit dislike of mine.  When in undergrad I took a Statistics class online and it was extremely difficult.  I really enjoy being in a classroom with other students and teachers and I know I get more out of discussion and interaction than reading material and tests.  When it comes to school, I am not an independent, self-motivator type of person.  If I know that the teacher is not going to check it or actually care whether or not I do something, I often times do not do it.  I know that sounds bad but the reality is simply that I have a lot of work to do or a lot of opportunity every single day to do things that I feel would benefit me and that I actually enjoy and therefore I quickly resort to that.  Therefore I am a little worried that I will struggle the next few terms because everything is online.  We will be meeting on Friday's, but to my knowledge, that is more to check in and see how everyone is doing.  So what do you think?  How do online classes compare to traditional, present in school classes?  Do you feel that there is a benefit of one over the other?  What do you like?

Starting tomorrow we begin working at the schools, for me... Bradwell School of Excellence.  I have such a mix of emotions!  I am so excited and ready to start but at the same time I feel very nervous and not quite prepared to begin.  It helped a little bit that on Friday Nicki, Erica, and I went to Bradwell for the Welcome Back BBQ.  We met the principal, assistant principals, football coach, students, and other staff.  It was fun to be there and simply be able to observe the community and school interact.  This week has been a rough week for the South Shore and Bradwell community.  Two people were killed both Sunday and Tuesday and then our school was broken into on two different occasions.  I am interested to see what the school is like tomorrow after the week we have had.  I am really excited to take all the nervous I have built up and all the questions I have hoarded over the last few months and get answers.  I am super excited to meet our students and see how this all manifests itself and plays out. I can see myself becoming a great teacher and I hope that is not just a dream, but a reality.

I'm a Bruin!

This week has been such a crazy week.  We are beginning to wind down our time in the classroom at National-Louis and we will soon be stepping into our own classrooms as teachers!  Paper after paper after proposal after proposal...  things are coming due left and right!  Presentations are being prepared for and the excitement is beginning to stir up amongst the classes.

This week becomes even more crazy because last week Wednesday I left Chicago and headed to Seattle.  One of my best friends Kara was getting married and I was in the wedding.  I flew out to spend some time with her because 1) it has been over six months since I had seen her (because I was in Africa) and 2) there were a lot of last minute things to get done and organize for the wedding.  It was so great to see her and spend good quality time with her family.  They are so wonderful and they showed us a great time both in North Bend and in Seattle.  Then on Sunday we participated in the wedding; on Monday I spent time in Seattle with my friend G.G. Flint; and then flew back to Chicago, arriving super late Monday night.  Upon arrival in Chicago I got a text from a classmate Nicki saying that our school placements were finally posted.  I began to freak out and to calm the anxiety because I still had to take the train all the way home before being able to open my email, Nicki just text me my placement and co-resident.

I am happy to say that I got my number one choice school and in just two short weeks I will begin teaching 7th grade mathematics with Faith Peddie at

BRADWELL SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE!

I am so excited to get started and dig into what Bradwell and AUSL have for us.  I feel honored and excited that I will be working with MRC Jency Kanichirayil as she was the one who interviewed my back in the day and has now chosen me to be on her staff.  With that, I feel so ready and excited that I don't want to wait any longer!  I know it is going to be a lot of work and I am expecting to get my butt kicked a few times if not more than a few times, but it needs to happen sooner or later.  I am excited to learn and grow as a teacher for whatever the future holds.  I have enjoyed class so far, and I am not excited about going to online classes, but...  I am ready to be interacting with students, parents, and staff.  I don't know if I am going to LOVE 7th grade but that is why we are in it and working it out with the help of our mentors and coaches.  One thing I really wish I could do was coach.  I know that time will hopefully come sooner or later, but I wish that time was now!  I will have to free up my schedule a bit to go and watch some games and cheer on My BRUINS!  So... with all that to say, you may be hearing more and more about Bradwell in future blogs and/or how hard life may get!  Through it all, I am hoping to keep the bigger picture in mind and remember that I am human!  Good days and bad days are going to come and that is NORMAL, A OK!  I, along with my other residents, need to stay focused and working hard, and we will be just fine!  Let's Do This!