A Great Four Years

After four years of teaching, I officially quit my job. It still hasn't hit me emotionally, which is strange because I always get depressed at the end of each school year. But I guess I've just been too focused on the reason why I'm quitting, than what I'm actually saying goodbye to (if that makes any sense...). I'm sure it'll hit in the next week, or in August when everyone's going back to school without me.

I have been so blessed to work at such a FANTASTIC school, with wonderful students and a faculty/staff that can't be beat anywhere else. 

My classroom quickly became quiet and lifeless. I hate empty classrooms, they make me feel so...empty!

I suppose my new classroom will be my home as I go from 250 kids to just 1. :)

Field Trip!

Last week, I had the opportunity to take a group of my Spanish students to BYU's Foreign Language Fair (known as "Espanolandia"). BYU sponsors this every year for junior highs and high schools, but Alpine School District is usually unable to participate because it always falls on our spring break- but not this year! I remember how much I loved going when I was in junior high, and I wanted my students to have the same opportunity to attend.

The students were given a "passport" and left on their own to wander throughout "Espanolandia", going to the different booths (pharmacy, market, bookstore, post office, etc...) speaking nothing but Spanish! If they were caught speaking English, they would be "arrested", and taken to the "carcel" (jail). The students had to talk to people at these booths, and once they did, they would receive a stamp in their passport. They couldn't leave Espanolandia until their passport was full!

I also required my students to participate in different competitions, such as poetry, show and tells, and skits. They all did very well, especially the skit group. They all received "Superior" scores on a Spanish II level! And they're only in Spanish I! They were so excited to tell me their scores; I was so proud of them! (The picture above is me with the skit group, posted with their permission.) Travis was even able to walk over from work and take his lunch with us! It was kind of funny to see their stares as Travis and I held hands. One student said, "Wait, so, if you're her husband...that would make you...Mr. Anderson?" :)

Everyone had such a good time- unfortunately next year Espanolandia will fall on spring break. :( But maybe we'll organize a group and go anyway!

Ode To Being A Teacher

A couple years ago, I remember a BYU-Idaho professor asking those of us who were about to begin our semester student teaching, "Who here is becoming a teacher for the pay?" Of course, not a single hand went up. Teachers don't become a teachers for the pay (at least, not in Utah, anyway...). We do it for a better reward. The students are my reward. Just being around them every day has made my life so exciting, and "totally" fun! There's NEVER a dull moment, especially in a junior high! The students make me laugh so hard, there's so many times where I have to stop what I'm doing and write a funny quote down so I can take it home to share with Travis. (They always like it when a quote of theirs makes the "Things-to-share-with-my-husband" list.)

This is my third year teaching, and I can honestly say I have learned so incredibly much from my experiences over the past years. Earlier this month, one of my vice-principals came in to observe me and scored me from 0-5 in several different categories with 5 meaning, "you walk on water." I was very nervous because this vice-principal is pretty strict, very experienced, and detailed about everything. After her evaluation, we met to discuss how the lesson went. She had given me practically straight 5's in almost every category, including classroom management! I was so thrilled to hear this because it makes me realize how far I've come. My mind went back to when I was hired on at a Jr. High in West Jordan, the week after I finished student teaching at a nearby high school. These classes had no prior teacher, only substitutes the whole first semester. Obviously, there was no order and students were bouncing off the walls and swearing at the sight of me. I remember picking up crumpled notes off the floor, opening them up and seeing a student's artful depiction of me. It wasn't very flattering, to say the least. Things like this happened for weeks, but thanks to the support given by family and friends, and countless prayers to my Father in Heaven, by the end of the school year there was order and we finally saw eye-to-eye. They even wanted to help out with my upcoming wedding! :)

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do what I love most- to be around jr. highers (and all their drama), and teach them something I love dearly. I love to help them realize their potential, and raise themselves to my high levels of expectation. I must admit, however, that even though I am their "teacher", they are really the ones teaching me.

(In the photo above, we're playing our "bow and arrow" review game, where someone calls out an English word, and we search for and shoot the Spanish translation on the board- I never play unless I'm challenged... And I haven't been beaten yet! :) All credit goes to Travis for coming up with the bow and arrow part of the game.)