This is why finishing student teaching is a full time job.

Here is my day:

1. Woke up early and immediately started working on a website for my last class that, let's be honest, I should have been working on all semester.

2. Worked on the website until I realized I needed pictures of things from my classroom, and I never took those pictures. I also had lesson plans on the school computer, and not on mine. Dilemma.

3. Hurried to shower and get ready so I could actually be decent when I went over to the school.

4. Assembled a packet of my documents to give to the Principal while I was at it.

5. Drove to the school, gave the papers to the principal, and got mauled by all of my students.

6. Finally got my pictures taken and my lessons off the computer.

7. Raced back home and realized I had basically no time to finish my website before I had to be at an interview for Canyon's district.

8. Used what little time I had to sloppily finish the website and Google directions to Canyons.

9. Drove 50 mph on side streets so I could get to my interview on time.

10. Actually made it there, and had a great interview.

11. Except the interview took forever and I was going to be late to my class.

12. Called my friend and asked her to tell our professor I was running late.

13. Realized I needed my laptop for class because I was supposed to present a slideshow. Except I had no time to go home and get it.

14. Daniel met me at my class to give me my laptop.

15. Got to class 20 minutes late.

16. Presented my crappy website and cool slideshow.

17. Went to pick up Panda Express (Daniel's favorite) because he was so nice to bring me my computer. Except the line was SO LONG!

18. Waited in the line because I love my husband.

19. Raced home so I could eat before I had to go tutor a student.

20. Tutored a student.

21. Came home and had to finish a paper for that class that was due at 11:00.

22. Finally finished the paper.

23. Died.

24. Just kidding, I blogged about my day instead.

So...this free time...what is it again? Pretty sure tomorrow is going to look similar. Minus the papers and websites.

Confessions of a Teacher-in-Training: That time I survived student teaching!!

I can hardly believe I am sitting here, writing a post about how I actually finished student teaching. I can still remember exactly how I felt just a few days before I met my students. And so much has changed since that day in April when we met the "survivors" of last year's cohort to discuss the wild ride we were in for. I remember looking at them and thinking: "Wow. These people are amazing. What was their secret to getting through this so successfully? They must know so much more then me." They were my pretty much my idols. I wanted to be them someday. And now, it's surreal to think that I am. 

Were there moments I thought I wouldn't make it? 

Yes. 

Did I feel like giving up sometimes? 

Definitely. 

But overall, was it worth all of the time and hard work I put into it?

Without a doubt.

On a different note, I am going to miss my students so much. The photos above are from the "photobooth" I set up for my going-away party on my last day. Let me tell you - it was a blast! The students thought it was the greatest thing ever. I bought a bunch of props from the dollar store, and set up my camera on a tripod. I loved this idea even more after I saw all the pictures. It was the perfect way for me to remember each of my students and their unique personalities. I had a truly amazing class this year. In some ways, I feel like they taught me far more than I taught them. And I won't ever, ever forget them.

So watch out world...I'm going to be a teacher!!

P.S. Remember how excited I was when I found out what grade I would be student teaching? Also, here's a post about my first two days of student teaching, a mid-semester update, and a couple of funny stories along the way here and here.

P.P.S Stay tuned to see the little craft I made for my students to say goodbye! I'll give you a hint - it involves owls!

Confessions of a Teacher-in-Training: Updates on Student Teaching!

It's been a while since I did one of these posts, and I figure it's time for an update! I successfully completed last semester's classes, and passed the PRAXIS II (big scary teacher-licensure test) with flying colors. Even though I was deathly ill with food poisoning the day I took it. This semester, I get to teach full time! It's lots of work, but it's super rewarding. I definitely feel like all I do is teach, teach, teach! I go straight from teaching 6th grade all day to tutoring 3 or 4 students at Thorup Tutoring after school. After I finish my 12-hour day, then I go home and plan. I'm getting lots of practice :)

Here are a few things I've learned/discovered/experienced over the past two weeks:

1. Teaching is the most rewarding thing in the world when your students get excited about a lesson you teach. Learning is magical!
2. As much as you love them, your students might still give you a headache sometimes.
3. You probably shouldn't eat a Lean Cuisine for lunch every day.
4. Planning takes up....your life.
5. My site teacher is the most amazing person ever. She is the kind of teacher I hope to be one day.
6. Lessons that are fun for your students are fun for you, too! Therefore, fun lessons are a win-win.
7. If you rap for your students even just one time, they will ask you to do it again every single day.
8. I carry so many things to school every day that walking up the stairs feels like climbing Mount Everest. I hoped I'd never say this, but I think it's time for one of these.
9. I would also love these for grading papers. Wouldn't 6th graders love them?
10. I got observed today by my supervisor at the University of Utah, and it went so well! Observations are always super-stressful, but there's nothing like getting positive feedback on your teaching. It helps remind me that this is what I'm supposed to be doing, and if I work hard, I might even be good at it!

Thanks to everyone, especially D, my family, D's family, my fellow student teachers, and my amazing site teacher for helping me make it through last semester, and for continuing to support me during this one. I am blessed to know such wonderful people!

A Christmas Potluck.

Can I just say how much I love the people I'm doing my student teaching with? I've laughed harder than I have in a long time at our late-night study groups and I've seriously had to kick my cooking skills up a few notches this semester to keep up with them at our amazing potlucks. You see, potlucks are kind of our thing. So, naturally, we decided to have a Christmas potluck and movie night to celebrate the end of the semester. My parents were kind enough to let me volunteer their house for our party, because let's be honest, 10+ people wouldn't have a prayer of fitting in our one-bedroom apartment. So there you have it, my first-ever Christmas potluck!

It was so much fun! I borrowed my mom's Christmas china and made centerpieces to make it extra-festive. The food everyone brought was a-maz-ing! For my contribution, I made these bacon-wrapped chicken bites I found on Pinterest, and warm artichoke dip using my mom's recipe. All of the fun Christmas decorations you see were already up. (I love how my mom decorates for Christmas, especially because it reminds me of Christmas growing up!)

After we ate (and ate and ate...) we watched the movie Freedom Writers. That movie makes me want to be the best teacher in the world! If you haven't seen it, there's this one scene where the teacher has her students make a "toast for change" at the end of the year. At the end of the movie, one of my friends busted out Martinelli's and little glasses for us to make our own toasts for the coming year! It was the perfect end to a perfect evening.

Confessions of a Teacher-in-Training: I'm a bad blogger.

I probably should apologize for being a terrible blogger these days, but I'm pretty much lucky if I get more than 4 hours of sleep in with the 14 hours of homework I did yesterday. My poor blog has had to go on the back burner, but it's time for an update!

My University classes and tutoring have been pretty rough lately, but student teaching is going wonderfully! My kids are the best. I've taught some really fun lessons lately that I've felt really good about. I've also loved getting closer with the other student teachers in my cohort. There are some seriously awesome people that are going to be teachers, guys. There is still hope for education!

Also, I have to share the most hilarious conversation I had with one of my students. Some background: this happened on the very first day I taught by myself without my teacher being at the school. We were just coming inside from recess.

Tristan: Mrs. Sorensen! Mrs. Sorensen! Nay lost a tooth at recess!
Me: Hmm, that's weird that Nay is still losing teeth. I would think he'd be done by 6th grade.
Tristan: Yeah, that is weird..........unless you think about how I hit him with a basketball in the face at recess....
Me: What?!?
Tristan: But don't worry! He's in the office, and he's going to be fine!

Yep. I have some awesome students.

Confessions of a Teacher-in-Training: a conversation with a student

I had this conversation with one of my students today.

Breanna: Mrs. Sorensen, why are you wearing makeup today?
Me: Well, I wear make up every day.
Breanna: No you don't. I've never seen you wear makeup before.
Me: Oh...really? Because I put on the same makeup...every...day...
Breanna: Nope. You never wear it. But it looks nice.
Me: ...Thanks.
(another student walks up)
Jared: Mrs. Sorensen, did you know makeup is made out of bat poo?
Me: ..... (speechless)
Jared: But don't worry. I'm sure they purify it or something.
Me: Thanks, Jared.

And...yep. That pretty much sums up this week for me.

Confessions of a Teacher-in-Training.

I have a feeling that this "confessions of a teacher-in-training" post is going to be a recurring one on the blog this coming year. Every now and then, I'm going to write down a few of my experiences and adventures (both good and bad) just to document them and keep you all updated. And don't worry, I won't use any names!

Here are a few of my "confessions" from this past week:

-  This week has been pretty much surreal for me. On Monday, I attended my very first faculty meeting! I met the new principal, and got introduced to all of the teachers and staff at Mill Creek Elementary. On Tuesday, I attended my first all-day teacher workshop where we talked about changes to the curriculum this year. I also spent several days with my site teacher (let's call her Mrs. H) setting up our classroom!

-  I absolutely LOVE Mrs. H. I can tell she's an amazing teacher. She has so much experience, and I'm super excited to learn from her. She even invited me to go out to dinner with her tomorrow! How cool is she?!

-  Mrs. H's last student teacher was pretty much awesome. I've met her, and I've heard a lot about some of the things she did. I really, really hope I can do well this year, because I think I have some pretty big shoes to fill. (gulp.)

-  When I got home from the school today, Daniel told me I smelled like a teacher. What does a teacher smell like, anyway? Pencils and textbooks? Because that's what I think I smell like. 

-  I can't believe I'm only a few days away from meeting our class of 6th graders. I'm excited and nervous at the same time! I hope they like me. I hope I do a good job. I hope it all starts to come naturally, because sometimes I feel like I'm going to be totally lost once there are kids in those 26 desks! It's going to be so weird to start answering to Mrs. Sorensen.