I'm Done!!

This post is a little delayed, but I am done with student teaching. April 11th was my last day teaching and I flew home on the 12th. I stayed in Twin Falls/Boise for the week and then moved back to Provo last Friday. It is really great to be back. I really can't believe that I'm graduating in 3 days!

My last day at Amidon was very bittersweet. The thought of not planning, not breaking up fights, not teaching lessons to students who really don't care, and moving close to family and friends again was the sweet part. Unfortunately (well not really) I have grown very close to the teachers and students at Amidon, so the last day was really, really, sad.

During the day, the three of us student teachers were honored at an assembly. We got our diplomas from Amidon and got to give a little speech to the school. In the afternoon, the fourth grade had a party which was a lot of fun... until about 3:00. As soon as my students had to start getting ready to leave, the concept that I was actually leaving finally hit them. A lot of them were sad, but hugged me and left. Some of them were acting really down and had teary eyes, but left without a struggle. Then came the hardest part. A few of my students fell apart. They were sobbing uncontrollably into me as I hugged them goodbye. Some refused to leave and just held on to me for about 10 minutes. I was flattered to know that they care, but upset because I felt like I was letting them down by leaving. They have experienced way more than any 9-10 year old ever should. Some have been abandoned by mothers or fathers. Coming to school is the one consistent thing in their life. They know what will happen every single day and they know that there will be a teacher there who loves them and works hard to help them. That's why it is so hard for them to have someone like me go. It changes the one consistent thing in their lives and removes one of the few people who really care about them and love them.

Here is most of my class including my mentor teacher Nikki. Two of my students were suspended that day, one was kicked out of class mid-day, one was permanently sent to an alternative school (he pushed a teacher to the ground, screamed profanities, and then brought a lighter to school the next day), and one leaves early on a bus because he has life-threatening asthma.

This is Xameina, Janay, Curtis, and I out at recess.

Aaliyah (on right) and a third grader dancing at recess.

Some of my students who stayed behind after class the last day.

The little guy in front was one of the students who was technically suspended that day. He is tiny. I was afraid Tyjzae was going to kill him before security got there.

Hillary was one who had a really tough time at the end of the day. At one point she said among her sobbing, "But who's...going...to..d-do...my...hair?!" As you can see, I just put it in a ponytail everyday so I'm sure she'll be just fine.

Nikita took it the hardest. This picture breaks my heart. I cried a little earlier in the day when I talked to her but I had to put a happy face on at the end of the day.

These are some of my favorite teachers at Amidon. Emily, on the far right, is the only white person in the school when we aren't there. Stephanie (far left), was a student teacher last semester. We had a fun dinner/game night our last night.

PS- I got a job!! Next fall I will be teaching 6th grade core at Forbes Elementary School in American Fork. I will also be the school's upper grade Social Studies Specialist so I will teach to all three uppper-grades!

Capitol Building

Our friend Joe took us on a tour of the Capitol Building today. He works there so he took us some cool places that the usual tour doesn't go. We tried to get on Nancy Pelosi's porch, but the cop was a greenie and didn't believe in bending the rules quite yet. We got to go Senate Chambers after turning over all food, drinks, electronics, keys, anything with a battery, etc... The cop made me turn my whole bag in after criticizing me for calling it a purse! She was a beast! We ran into a few senators but I honestly haven't got a clue which ones! I love the Capitol Building. It had been years since I had been there and I think it was a great site to see before leaving this week. Jessica and I had to run all the way from school to the Metro, to the other platform, to the building, and all the way around it to get there in time. It was like 2 miles in a dress with a heavy bag! It was worth it though. The first picture is Jodi, Jess, Steph, and I in front of the Brigham Young statue that represents Utah. The next picture is Jess and I in front of Philo T. Farnsworth. He invented the T.V. and he is from Idaho!

Neglectful No More!

As it turns out, my online journal (aka this blog) has thrived slightly better than any other journal I've ever had. Despite this fact, I have failed to post anything recently so here is the big update:

I only have 3 more days of student teaching. Three more days of college! I can't believe it. At one point, I didn't think that college would ever end. In fact, there was about a year of my life that I didn't think it would end but now, all of the sudden, it is over! Thinking about leaving D.C. and my class is very bittersweet. I am going to miss these kids so much. They all have larger than life, unforgetable personalities. At the same time, I am looking forward to moving on and having my own class.

Jodi, Jessica, Kami, and I spent our last weekend out here on a quick trip to New York City. We had so much fun! Here are the highlights of the trip in a photo journal format...

- The Bus: We took the Chinatown bus from DC's Chinatown to NYC's Chinatown. To paint a picture of what this is like, I just have to explain where the bus pickup was. The neon green bus pulled up right between two classic Chinatown restaurants, the Wok n' Roll and New Big Wong.


-Serendipity: I got to go back to one of my favorite spots in New York for frozen hot chocolate. It is a really popular place (especially after the Kate Beckinsale/John Cusack movie) but it is really worth all the hype. A waiter made fun of Jodi and I for sucking every last bit of our treats out of the glass before we left!


- FAO Schwartz: I love this place. If you are wondering why we all look so annoyed by "think green" it is because the principal at our school (who talks like Michael Jackson) says it ALL THE TIME! Green represents being proficient in standarized tests, and since Amidon... struggles... the big motivator for the last month or two has been to think green. It was sort of catchy at first, but now that it is on every newsletter, announcement, bulletin board, etc, it is just plain annoying. We were laughing so hard when randomly we saw this redundant phrase painted on the wall at the toy store. We also saw these awesome Harry Potter statues made all out of Legos. I wish they were my students. Maybe I could be the next Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher!



-Times Square: We had a lot of fun just hanging out in Times Square. I know, I know... almost every single picture in this entire blog I am wearing this dang green coat, but most of the time we take pictures outside and it is cold!


-Magnolia Bakery: I have been wanting to eat a cupcake from this place for a year and a half now since it was closed when I went to New York over Thanksgiving. It was well worth the wait! The cupcakes in this cute little bakery in the village are awesome! The picture is of our new friend who works there. Afterwards, we ate at a great authentic NY style pizza place called Johns.


-Subway!: Probably the funniest thing that happened on the trip happened on our way back from Chinatown. Chinatown is crazy in itself. The weirdness was heightened when we sat by a lady who had either gone crazy or was strung out on something. She kept "falling asleep" and almost falling out of the seat on the train. Then she would perk up, take a huge bit of licorice, drool a bunch of red spit, and then fall back asleep. When we got to our stop, we (meaning everyone but me) failed to remember that the doors close much faster in New York than in DC on the metro and they don't give you the friendly ding as a warning. Before I knew it, I was standing on the platform while all of my friends were on their way to the next stop. I tried for the next 20 minutes to not look like a crazy person laughing to myself while I waited for them to come back. Top top it all off, Kami almost got left out of the train again as they were trying to come back. Jodi and Jess had to wedge her in after the doors closed on her!