"but i am done with apple-picking now"

A blog detailing my days of student teaching has seemed more difficult to maintain than a chronicle of adventures abroad, as I have had no quasi-ethnic excursions to document - no gondolas, no floods, no socialist professors, no peristent bagpipers. I have had, instead, a labyrinth of echoing hallways, mountains of papers, and multitudes of procrastination and protestation and prom-invitations (just had to have that alliteration in there!). Every day was an entertaining enterprise, but anytime I thought to myself, "I should update my blog for my patient devotees," I simply didn't know what to write. Did people honestly want to read about how the literature circles inspired Tom and how his grades improved dramatically as a result? Or about how frustrated I was that a student didn't understand how to explain her thoughts through writing and will probably fail the Regents again? Or about Donny's inability to focus on anything academic if I was within a 20-foot radius? Or about the phenomenal job that Jewelyn, Janell, Emily, Amanda & Elise did with their group?

So, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?











What else to say?? I don't know. It still hasn't hit me that I'm... done.

still alive & well... most days!

It appears I have taken an unintentional hiatus from my blog updating! Needless to say (nevertheless, saying), things have been quite busy. I was writing an email the other day in which I wrote, "Aside from student teaching and wedding plans, not too much is going on!" After I had typed said statement, I realized just how absurd that line of thought was, as those two activities consume my existence lately. However, I came to the simultaneous revelation that, at this very point in my life, there is nothing I would rather be doing. Well, besides eating ice cream 24-7, but that's a given.

Student teaching has been treating me well, and some of my young chaps have been treating me a little too well! A gaggle of "gaga" seems to be continually present throughout each day... one has even tried to persuade me to attend prom with him. Thankfully, I have my graduation as an excuse (not to mention my age, status as a student teacher, fab fiance, and overall hatred of all things prom-esque).

The literature circles with Great Gatsby seem to be going fairly well, despite the original disinterest in the book. The biggest issue with the students is keeping their conversations "on task," but a hovering teacher typically seems to cure that disease.

It is strange to think that I will be graduating this upcoming Saturday. I already feel completely removed from campus, having only spent one month there this year. Besides, I still have 2 weeks of student teaching that remain after graduation, and one independent study to complete as well. College graduate... but I'll refrain from being overly grandiloquent or contemplative for now. :)

That's all for now - I just remembered I need to complete my online seminar assignment for the week.