Climbing and Laughing

Once upon a time, I graduated from college. Weird. As a celebration/ my mom's dream trip, we are tourons, using her word, through Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Yesterday, Hillary and I climbed up to Angel's Landing, where we were brave enough to take some pictures. Or stupid enough to take some pictures. I still can't decide. We hiked two miles on an easy, yet steep path, only to reach a ridge that we climbed to the landing. There were some chains. Some steep rocks to climb. And some incredible views.

My brother loathes hiking so he peppers our days with "yes! the hike is closed!" or "Mom, isn't this a good picture?" He's a funny kid.

My prediction for my mother is 2000 pictures. I've been playing a game. I say, "Mom, look at that!" She immediately "ooos" and snaps a picture. She fell for it every time, until I got to the point where I pointed at a stick on the ground. She looked at me for a minute and then realized I was having fun messing with her. But hey. Who can argue when you get to go horsebackriding in these red canyons. That's on the agenda first thing tomorrow. Thanks Mom.

The Last Day

I am done at BYU!! I finished student teaching today. Most people are excited for such life moments, but I shed a tear or two today. First when I said bye to my students. Then, when I said bye to my mentor teacher. Then, when I had my exit interview. And then, when I got home. Hmm... I really good at change. In all seriousness, I am going to miss my students so much. I get so attached. Two classes threw me parties. One girl made me lunch. They wrote me letters. I pretty much had the best kids ever!!

A Substitute Experience of Delight

**Yesterday, I filled in for a teacher who needed to leave school for an hour. What ensued left me laughing for the rest of the night. I was wonderfully entertained by adolescent thinking. This may only be funny for my fellow teachers, but I suspect any who remember the abstract thinking of American teenagers may smile.

Boy: But Mrs. Smith always let's me text.

Me: Nice try. Put it away. She's not here. I am.

Boy: (gets up in the middle of a class discussion to get tape) There's no tape. Can I get some from Mrs. Jones?

Me: No. She's teaching and I'm teaching. Get in your seat.

Same boy: (to a girl sitting next to him; with a strong American accent) Tu cuerpo es caliente.

Me: (looking right at him) Don't say that in here.

Scared boy: You speak Spanish?! You understood me?

Me: Yes. So don't say things like that.

Chorus of the class: OH!

During silent reading fifteen minutes later, this same boy, six feet tall, stands up, falls to the ground, and just lays there. And lays there.

Me: Get in your seat. I don't even have a word for you.

(He stayed there for another moment, then got in his seat and behaved for the rest of class.)

**This doesn't sound as funny as it was to experience, but it was so amusing to watch him trying to see what would happen. I didn't have problems with him or anyone else, but it was funny to see how they wanted to see, "what will she do..." :-P

What did I do? Laugh inside. A lot.

Another funny story:

So today, one of my students (we'll call her Amy) walked into class with a nice story. She said, "I just saw a student teacher in the hall who was taking deep breaths as she walked down the hall, saying 'okay, I can do this. I can do this.' " Needless to say, she was laughing, and I was laughing until I realized that if Amy was seeing that side of another student teacher, it wasn't going to help her confidence in me. :-) Of course I occasionally feel this way, but hopefully my students cant see it. And I hope that I'm not as dramatic visually.

My lessons today were a bit more complicated and frustrating; therefore, I solved my sorrows with Mr. Snickers the candy man. Later, I went to a professional development meeting that taught me to read more expressively. The presenter, Dr. Love (a name she hates) reminded me that there are many voices in my head. Apparently watching all those movies over and over in have created a store of voices that I can use when I read. She basically charged me to give life to words--to color them--when I read so that I can engage students. I now have permission to let all those voices and noises in my head escape! AH!!! HERE THEY COME!

A Love/Hate Relationship

I love running. Well, to be honest, I hate the first ten minutes of it, but once I get through that, there's nothing like the cool air paired with melting snow, a warm sun, and trickling water off the roofs as I jog through the old houses of south Provo. I love feeling active in the world. I hope that one day the hate part of the relationship will fade, but until then: Dear Diary, I'm working on it.

High school kids writing

I Love It When...

I love it when I find out that there are twins in my class, and that's why I couldn't figure out why I couldn't get David's name right. There were two of them!

I love it when students spend an entire journal entry writing about why they hate doing journals. they write to the last line so that they won't get points taken off; if I had to do that, I would be annoyed too.

I love it when students read a print-out of Sparksnotes just before a reading quiz. Like I wouldn't see him sitting in the front row.

I love when I hear them announce their dates for the girl's preference dance. "You're the Inspiration."

I love it when students ask sincere questions.