Five For Friday +1...May 17th

Happy Friday to everyone! This is my last Friday of the school year with my kiddos! Their last day is May 23 and then I get to do a little PD (professional development) on Friday. 

I am happy to be back after a short break away from blog world. 

I added six items to share just to catch you up!

1. I am done with grad school! Well... at least until the fall. As you can see my computer screen was packed with papers and unit plans and I was overwhelmed and exhausted, but keep telling myself how great it will be when I am done and what great things I will have learned. 

2. One of my high school friends got married last Saturday, so I drove home for the wedding and got to spend it with my friend MRN and my momma. I also got to try out my new curling iron (I got one without the clamp) and it was fabulous. 

3. While I was home, I got to enjoy some KRISPY KREME doughnuts! They're my favorite, my family knows me well.

4. I stopped by a thrift store the other day to see if they had any plastic tubs (P.S I'm moving in 12 days) and ran across this gem. I used to LOVE the movie My Girl, I cried like a baby every time. Best Part: 39 cents!

5. Someone asked me to paint a sign for them, and I couldn't resist getting a chance to pull out my sandpaper and paint brushes so I of course said yes! It was a great stress reliever during my grad school finals and I was happy to help her with her Mother's Day gift.

6. So, I have been teaching for two years in my college town and it has been a complete blessing and allowed me to grow so much as a teacher. I am excited to announce though that I have decided to move to Bham for my next step in life. God opened up the doors in Bham and provided a room in my friend's house to live in, and a first grade teaching job and I accepted. As excited as I am about moving, packing has been crazy. Here are some pics of my storage shed at home filling up with all my school stuff, and this is not even half of it!!

Happy Friday!

Rachel 

Why a Teacher? Linky

Thanks Mrs. Reed for this great linky party.

 

This week's questions:

1.  What made you decide to become a teacher?

I grew up in a family of teachers, professional development happened every night at my dinner table as we heard the latest development in my Momma's classroom. (FYI: Best teacher and Mom I know, Happy Mother's Day!) I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, just refer to my Kindergarten writing that said so; however, in high school I started to question it because when I told people I was going to be a teacher everyone would say "Oh because your mom and sister are" 

Now this is not a bad thing, my mom and sister are the best teachers I know, but I wanted to make sure that this was my choice. So after prayer and reflection I knew this was my path: to mold young minds everyday, teaching about Christ + some first grade standards. 

2. What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher?

Getting to eat cupcakes on all the birthdays! (jk..well, I am a sweetaholic!)

Last year I had a little boy who came to me not knowing his sounds, needless to say being a first year teacher this made me extremely nervous but God led the way and my little L learned how to read and how to love school. This was a message he wrote me and our reading coach(Mrs. Planz). I still tear up every time I read it. This is why my (35 hour week) turns into 60, because being the best for each student and encouraging them is the reason God made me a teacher. 

 

3. If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

Not really sure, but here is a list of possibilities:

1. baker

2. missionary

3. interior design

4. children's book author/illustrator

5. stay at home mom (when I find prince charming ha)

6. photographer/crafter

Thanks for dropping in! 

9 more school days! 

24 days till I'm back to the Philippines!

~Rachel 

Finally Friday

TGIF!!! It was a long one for this little ole teacher down in the South. Thanks to Kacey for hosting this week in review. 

 1. I got to spend a relaxing weekend at home with my best friend. We enjoyed the sun on a beautiful lake day, however, my skin was not a fan. Applying aloe 3x a day was a daily regimen this week.

2. The Loveliest Village of the Plains shed some tears this week as our beloved Toomer's Corner had to remove our famous Oak trees. Back story: 2 years ago a rival fan poisoned the trees. The university tried to keep them alive but despite their efforts they were removed Tuesday. I ran by before work to take one last picture of this sad event.

"I am sorry, Boy," said the tree," but I have nothing left to give you - 

"My branches are gone," said the tree. " I am sorry...." "I don't need very much now," said the boy."just a quiet place to sit and rest. 

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." And the boy did.And the tree was happy. -SS

                           
3. We studied 3D shapes this week and tower building became our favorite activity. We also played a fun game (made up on the spot) where we would throw the shapes to someone in our circle and then that friend would describe them. Sides, name, vertices. They loved getting to throw the shapes around and now have a very 'solid' understanding of the 'solid' shapes!! Sorry, cheesy.

4. Grad school is NOT my favorite thing I have decided. I am currently blogging to put off writing my 7-10 page paper!

5. Headed home for the little bro's b'day tomorrow. It's hard to believe he is 20! I have talked about our trip to the Philippines multiply times but while we were there my sis and bro-in-law went to Uganda with a group called Sozo. Click the link below to see the great things they are doing below!

 http://vimeo.com/sozochildren/thevillageproject 

~Peace out!
Rachel