I'm Basically a Professor Now

I got to class really early today.  While I was finishing up some things for class, my professor came into the room I was in. 

She was so excited to see me before class.  Yes, that's weird.  She started gushing about the project I presented in the last class.  She now wants me to teach the same thing to her undergraduate classes next semester.

I'm pretty stoked about it.  One day I hope that I can teach some college classes.  I think this will be good practice for me.

Free at Last!

Hallelujah!  I'm done with the endorsement part of my MEd.

I'm taking at least 1 semester off.  I was burnt out before this semester even started but I made it through and get to enjoy the rest of the school year not doing homework.

Life will be good from January to May.  I'm so stoked.

Waffles & Frites

I did a trade day with another teacher earlier this year and had her sub for me today so I could finish some work for school tonight. (Had I known of this "huge storm" I wouldn't have used it today).

Courtney and I decided that since I didn't have to be anywhere early in the morning and neither did she that I'd take her to a delicious waffle place.  I went to this amazing place on Saturday with Anthony, his friend from work, Kirsten, and her husband.  I was blown away by the deliciousness and craved them everyday.  Yes, I understand that's only 2 days without waffles but they are that good!

This amazing place is called Bruges Waffles and Frites.  It's on 336 W. Broadway in Salt Lake.   You need to go eat there.  It's freaking delicious! 

**To see pictures of this day and the delicious waffles, go to Court's blog.  For some reason I can't make the pictures work on my computer.**

I'm Thankful for Winter Storms

Winter came on Monday.  We were blasted with an estimated 12 inches of snow.  I love snow but hate driving in it.  It's a ugh and a yippee situation. 

Apparently, there is another storm coming today.  Everyone is talking about it.  Sounds like it's going to be one of the worst in a long time.  I'm a bit nervous to try to go anywhere today so I'm not going to.  I'm thinking about Anthony and his long drive from Orem and my parents and other friends and family members who have long drives tonight I hope they all make it home safely.  I'm kind of anxious.

But here's the best part. . .




MY CLASS TONIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELED!!!  I was not wanting to go, my homework isn't quite done, and I'm just a bit burnt out.  So I am thankful today for this giant storm. . .as long as everyone gets home safe.

Please drive safe, Utahns. 

Cue the Water Works

I have a lot on my plate right now...even more than I've mentioned on the blog but those awesome tidbits are coming soon.

Because I'm supposed to be doing so much, everything gets done halfheartedly.  The thing that got done halfheartedly today?  MEd. homework.  Actually it didn't get done at all.  (I know I said I already did it but turns out there was much more than I thought there was.)  Due to the fact that I didn't read what I was supposed to read, I tried to just sit back and not participate without looking like a total idiot (by the way, it's a very hard thing to do when you're me and there are only 6 other people in your class).  I thought I did it pretty well.  Turns out I didn't.

As class gets out my professor asks me if she can talk to me for a bit.  Sure.  No problem. 

All she asked was how I was.  That's it.  A simple, "How are you?"  Is this a question that usually makes you cry?  Me either, but today it did.

I sat and cried with her for 30 minutes.  By "with her" I mean I cried and she told me it was okay to fall apart sometimes.

Golly.  I hate crying in front of people when nothing is really wrong.  I hate making people worry about me.  I hate feeling like this. 

Really, truly, I am okay.  Don't worry about me.

Good Things Happen Sometimes

You know how I was whining about being super busy? 

As I worked from 8am to 10:30pm I was contemplating how I was going to get all the reading done for my MEd. class tomorrow.  My final decision was that I would just stay up ridiculously late and read until my eyeballs fell out.

I came home and pulled out my syllabus.  Guess what.  Turns out I've already done the homework for tomorrow.  What the what?  Ash J. has her homework done early?  Yes, yes I do. 

I'm off to bed...yippee for getting to sleep before midnight. 

Up to My Eyeballs in Lists

Things That Should Get Done Tonight:

• Prepare my lesson for Sunday
• Laundry
• Make phone calls about dinner groups
• Decide what to have for said dinner
• Go grocery shopping
• Create sub plans for tomorrow
• Shave legs
• Make tomorrow's lunch
• Clean the kitchen
• Read chapters for MEd. class
• Do homework for my math class
• Plan math for tomorrow
• Go to Institute

Things That Will Get Done Tonight:

• Begin writing Sunday's lesson (read as look up talks online...decide which are worth reading...keep on desktop and hope to read them throughout the week.)
• Shave from the shin down
• Go to Institute

I have a feeling this semester is going to kill me. Let's look at all the things that are expected of me this semester (I am not writing this so you feel bad for me...please don't.  I'm just hoping that I can get everything out that I need to accomplish this semester and hopefully it will make it a bit more doable.):

• MEd. class on early childhood literacy...yes, I teach 6th grade...yes, early childhood is kindergarten-3rd grade...yes, I have to take this class any way
• Math professional development classes through my work school (this is a lot like my MEd. class but I don't go every week...I still have way too much homework though)
• Fulfill my calling
• Be a fabulous teacher
• Spend time with family and friends
• Schedule and go to dentist and doctor appointments (it's been awhile, okay...)
• Continue to be awesome
• Keep my house from being featured on Clean House
• Work a full-time job and a part-time job and still fulfill everything on this list

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Remember how I told you I needed to drop out of the MEd. program?  Well, I almost did.  I'm still taking one class per semester for the next year and then I'll decide on the Master's part.  Maybe I'll be ready in a year.  Maybe not.  Well see how it goes. 

Anyway, I'm writing this to just say that I'm glad I did because changes are a coming to my life.  I can't tell until Sunday but I'll let you know then.  Oh, wow.  I can do this.

Drop Out

I think I need to drop out of my MEd. program. 

I'm feeling overwhelmed.  I'm feeling like I don't know what I'm doing.  I'm feeling like my social life and I are more important at the moment.  But mostly I'm feeling upset.  I'm upset because I should get a raise from putting myself through the hell that was my first year of classes but because of the district split and lack of money, I won't get it.  I should be earning $2600 more a year (I know that's not a lot but think about what you could do with about $216 a month.  I know a lot of things I could do. 

Ugh.  I hate being a grown up.  Will someone please make my decisions for me?  And while you're at it...find me a handy, handsome husband.

Miss J. the Rock Star

On the way to library today, I told my class that I finished my M.Ed. classes for the semester.

They clapped and cheered and gave me high fives. I felt like a rock star.

Two Things

1. I just finished my first year of master's classes. Feel free to give me a round of applause or mounds of cash.

2. High wind + being allergic to almost everything = wanting to punch the world.

The Semester is Winding Down

I only have 3 more classes this semester. Woot!

The only thing is that I hate doing my homework. I should be doing it right now but I just can't make myself. Doing things late at night seems to make for really good papers though (for real, I have waited until the last minute on everything this semester and done great. Weird but why change something that's working?)

Say What?!

I just realized this as I was putting off finishing a project for one of my classes...

I will have my MASTER'S in one year and 1 month!

Holy crap-balls, Batman! That's so soon! One stinking year...I can make it through! Go team, go!

If you'd like to find out about the most amazing school you could ever hope to go to, click here.

What I Love...Day 2

I love...

...having a nice quiet place to study. I would equally love a mentality that wanted to study but beggars can't be choosers.

Change of Plans

You know how I said I'm off track and I'm going to have a super lazy first day off? Well, change of plans.



The A track teacher called me earlier to tell me that over the weekend she fell off a curb and sprained her right ankle and broke her left in 3 places. So she has to stay off her feet for 6-8 weeks.



So I'm subbing for her this next week. I can't decide if I want to do it the whole time I'm off track or just this coming week. Decisions, decisions. So I may or may not have any time off this off track time.

I better do my homework tonight. Oh! I forgot to mention this! I decided to take one MEd class this semester. I don't know if I'm crazy or not but it seems like I can handle it even with the craziness that is my first year teaching.

Beautiful Russian Poems

My writing class is seeping into my dreams.

Last night I had a dream that I was writing poems with Kara DioGuardi (new American Idol judge)

and a very tall, very blond Russian man.

He was having a lot of difficulty writing his poem and I was trying to help my hugging him as he wrote (what?!?).

Kara was getting annoyed with him because he was such a downer and kept saying how much he hated writing poems. She gave him a beautiful line as an example and in my dream I wrote it in my Writer's Notebook (a journal you're supposed to keep with you at all times and write things that interest you, are beautiful, thoughtful...so you can live "a writer's life." I don't really have one but just gave a presentation on it on Wednesday). I wish I could remember the line to see if it really is a beautiful line.

We then change scenes and this Russian is someone's manny and I'm in love with him and so is the mom/wife in the story. The rest is a bit fuzzy but I'm pretty sure I broke up that affair.

Words to Build a Life Upon

I just read an article for my Writing in the Classroom class. I guess it's a chapter from the book Wondrous Words: Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom by Katie Wood Ray not an article. The last paragraph of the chapter blew me away. Here it is:

"I stand in awe at the power our words as teachers can have in students' lives. I am fearful of the strength of one negative word and how it can live with someone forever. But I rejoice at the idea that just a few simple, honest words of support and belief can also stay with someone for a very long time." (p. 298)

Summer Dreams

I finally came to the decision that I had to drop my July MEd. class. I'm super bummed about it because it was with one of my favorite professors and I know I would learn a lot with her.

But alas, being hired at a year-round school has squashed my dreams of spending every summer hour improving my teaching abilities. Instead, I now have to spend July soaking up the sun and sleeping in (at least until mid-July when orientation starts).

Dreams from last night:

I had a dream that I was at Bear Lake. I know there were a few people there with me but I'm not sure who they were any more. The only person I remember is a very blond toddler. The beach was rocks then sand then water. We began playing in the sand and the toddler was playing in the shallow water right by the edge of the sand. As we were playing on the sand we noticed the tide was coming in really fast (do all bodies of water have tides or just the ocean? I don't know but in my dream Bear Lake had a tide). The water soon came all the way up to the rock part of the beach (there is no more sand, it's all under water). We're all trying to figure out why the tide came in so fast as we see the toddler walking back to where he was playing before, which is now under water. He quickly slips under the water to the bottom and we can see him because the water is crystal clear. He's struggling to get to the top but is unable to. We all swim out to get him and I grab him and pull him to the surface.

What does that mean? I was so scared for that baby!

I am officially crazy!

I love going to school and learning...I hate doing homework. I don't want to do it. I hate to read long articles that talk themselves in circles. I have so much to do to get ready for school and can't really get started because of all the homework I have to do. Maybe if my time management was a little better and I didn't procrastinate by writing this blog, I would get things done sooner but that's beside the point. The point is I hate reading research articles and trying to apply them to my experiences. My experience is student teaching. 16 weeks of trying to keep my head above water. I was at most a day ahead of my students, usually more like 1/2 an hour ahead. Now I'm supposed to take that and apply it to something? Ugh. What was a thinking when I signed up for a Master's program this early in my career? But I guess it will all get done. Wish me luck!

I checked on that D track opening at my school, like I said I would, and my principal said it was wrong on the web site and should say C track. Darn. But she did say if it opens up I will be the first one she'll call.

The 3 Rs: Recycling, Recap, and Rethinking

Ok, the 45 books in how ever many days I have now is falling flat. I've been reading the same book for over a week now and though it is really good, I just don't have the time to sit and read it. I just feel like I have so many other things that NEED to get done right now that I haven't given myself the time to really read it. I am going to keep trying but I don't know if I can get through 30 books in less than 30 days.

Let's recap what's been going on since last time I wrote about what was going on...

Thursday: Though I blogged this day, I don't think I mentioned going to my school to meet my team. I was a bit overwhelmed but confident that with the help of my team I can do a fantastic job. It sounds like I may be doing student council along with my mentor teacher which will be super fun considering the fact I was not into student council as a student.

Friday: This was my last Children's Literature class. It went well. I think (and hope) I got an A but I'll find out soon enough. After class, I went to a Bee's game which went to 11 innings (that's 2 extra innings for those of you who don't follow baseball). It was a long night and I had to leave for work at 7:40 the next morning.

Saturday: Work. It was ok but I have to tell a story about a little boy at the group home. It's going to be long but it's so good. Here goes:

I arrive at work one Saturday morning to learn that all the children are COVERED in mosquito bites. One boy in particular seems to be very allergic to the bites and his arm is swelling.

Before I go any further, you have to know that this little boy in particular looks like a mini version of Conan O'Brien. Honestly, take Conan, shrink him down to 6-year-old size, give him a slight lisp, and take away the swoopy hair and you have this little boy. It's fantastic!

Anyway, I end up taking him to the doctor to get his arm checked because it is so swollen and he's saying he's having a difficult time breathing. We get there,the doctor checks him out and says that his arm is really infected so he'll need to give him a strong antibiotic and a S-H-O-T.

Ok, I think. Do I tell him and prepare him for the shot or do I let the nurse ambush him? I decide, in my infinite child development wisdom, to tell him. This launches him into hysterics. He's screaming "I don't want a shot!" "Let's just leave!" etc. I calm him down and tell him how it's not going to be that bad and we need to help his infection get better.

He finally calms down when the doctor opens the door which launches him back into hysterics. "I don't want a shot!" Doctor: "This is just a prescription." Boy pants and seems to not trust doctor. I again take about 10 minutes to calm him down.

We sit and wait in the room for about another 20 minutes (40 minutes total after I had told him he was going to get a shot). Finally, two nurses came in (they must have heard him screaming and knew I'd need reinforcements). One is telling me to put him on the table and the other is trying to hide the 2--not one, but 2-- needles. At this point he is screaming "You're a bad doctor! I don't want a shot!" over and over again.

You need to know another side note. The kids I work with get violent at times. Some are very strong and hard to hold, especially when frightened or angry. This little boy is not one of those ridiculously strong kids.

Back to the story...I put him up on the table to which he responds by trying to push himself off the table. He's pushing so hard that I can't get his arms to move. Finally my brute strength wins out and I get his arms above his head. He's still quite wiggly so I tell the nurses that I'm just going to straddle him (I know, sounds weird but it worked). One nurse holds his legs while the other prepares his legs. As she is cleaning he begins saying "That's it?" in an amazed voice. In order to calm him more I say "Yep, that's it. Wasn't so bad was it?" Then they stick him. His face was priceless and if you want me to recreate it for you I will.

The nurses leave but tell us we have to stay for about 10 more minutes to make sure there is no reaction. As I'm rubbing his legs (as instructed by the nurse) he keeps saying "Ashley, I think they got the bone." I try to tell him that they give shots in your thigh so they don't hit bone but he doesn't believe me and keeps repeating it.

It was hard to see him go through that but he just said such funny things that I had to laugh a bit and share it. I am happy to report that his arm is no longer swollen and he is doing much better.

Sunday: I went to church and had a pretty lazy day.

Monday: I started my second MEd class today. The class is called Writing in the Classroom and so far so good. I really enjoyed the first day and felt like I was able to participate fully but I also learned a lot. I can't wait to see what the rest of the month brings!

That brings us to today...

I never realized how much classroom crap I had been accumulating since I've been in the education program. Holy cow! I've been trying to organize and get rid of what I don't need but it's really hard. I have a job in 6th grade but I'm not sure if I'll love it and want to stay in that grade forever so I'm having a difficult time getting rid of stuff that is neat but not for 6th graders because I might need it one day.

In the midst of cleaning and organizing, I had to go to staff meeting for The Children's Center. We did our normal talk about the kids stuff then the bad news. The group home is going to be shut down on July 31 because "the department wants to spend more money and preventative care." I don't know if I buy it but I don't want to incriminate myself so I'll say no more on that subject. I'm sad to see it go and sad that I won't have an extra paycheck but I'm more sad for all the people who have put so much time and energy into it and have nothing else to turn to. Hopefully it will all turn out for the best.

Book #15 Judy Moody Save the World by Megan McDonald

This book is about Judy Moody and obviously her quest to save the world. It's basically a -didactic-bash-you-over-the-head-with-how-great-recycling-is book. The characters were simplified, characterizations that you'd expect from a book like this...dads are stupid, boys are feeble minded, and girls are strong and scientific. This book was written quite recently but I had to keep checking the copyright date to see if I had missed something. The language the characters use just seems very outdated. Judy says, "Rare!" whenever anything is cool. Is the author trying to start a new fad? I don't know but what I do know is that is annoyed me, A LOT!