Week two of student teaching: check!

The weeks are going by quickly it seems, and I am learning a great deal. I'm finding myself more tired than I anticipated and hope this feeling will disappear along with my incessant allergy issues. I have been given more responsibilities in the classroom and have enjoyed growing myself as a teacher. I have continued to connect with my students and have so enjoyed getting to know each of them.

The other day I was helping a struggling student using strategy after strategy to try and get his light to click on. Once it did I felt victorious along with him. Those are the moments that make all of the hard work worth it. To be able to witness one of my struggling students succeed brought such joy to me.

One of my "things" as a person is to follow up a sneeze with "Bless you". I brought this into my classroom because it's something I believe in. Anytime any of my students sneeze I follow it up with a quick "Bless you". One week after consistently doing this in my classroom, students began to shower me with a "Bless you" after one of my sneezes.This is now routine, and I love it. =)

I began writing this blog on Saturday night, and am now completing it on Tuesday. Somewhere between Saturday night and today I managed to completely freak myself out and managed to have a total meltdown. Not pretty. I had the whole blubbery, sopping wet cry going on. I felt so embarrassed for letting my emotions take over me like they did. Thankfully I had a dear friend of mine right there when the freak out occurred. God's timing, I'm sure. I was able to work through all of the emotions I was feeling, and am feeling stronger today for them. In fact, today at my Professional Development day I was able to speak with many of my colleagues about their weeks/emotions, and everyone I talked to had shared similar freak out moments that they had experienced. Ah. I'm not alone. This fact alone has comforted me so much throughout this process. I was not alone during that freak out moment, and I'm not alone now. Teaching is an overwhelming, stressful, exhausting, exhilarating, life-changing and rewarding job. There is no way I could do it without my support system. I know this and I recognize this. This semester is making me grow so much as a teacher, but if I'm being honest there is also some major "Katie as a person" growth going on too. I'm feeling pulled and stretched and sometimes this comes along with some pain, but again--I'm not alone.

Only 9 more weeks until this crazy, life-changing semester ends. I can picture it, but then again I can't. 9 more weeks to grow. 9 more weeks to learn. 9 more weeks until I'm thrown out into the real world, but even when I'm in the real world--I will not be alone. HOW GREAT IS THAT TRUTH?!