Sunday, March 22, 2015

Spring Break...2015 Edition

The last day of Spring Break is always a tough one for teachers.  Yes, I just had an entire week off...but now I have to get myself mentally prepared for work!  In all honesty, I'm excited to see my students, I really have missed them.

Back to Spring Break...
It was such a fun week!  I hung out in Jacksonville for a few days, went to a baby shower and reggae Sunday in St. Augustine, went to Orlando, and then it was back to Jacksonville for the remainder.


Reggae Sunday with my friends!!

Wall Street in Orlando for St. Patty's Day!

Green Beer :)

Atlanta Braves vs. NY Yankees with my coworkers/friends!  We were at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

From our seats

I made challah for Shabbat!  
All in all, I had a wonderful break.  It was fun hanging with my coworkers who I feel blessed to call my friends!  I feel sad that all of the chillen is coming to an end, but it will be nice to get back to a routine.

Monday, March 16, 2015

The honor of a lifetime

I felt so honored a couple of weeks ago when I got to speak to a group of Flagler College seniors who want to become teachers.  My former professor reached out to me to see if I would go down to St. Augustine after work one afternoon and speak to one of her classes.  I'm posting my speech to them.  They seemed to really enjoy it, and I loved having the opportunity :)

I’d like to begin by saying how honored I feel to have been asked to speak to your class tonight.  It’s a pretty cool feeling to know that I made enough of an impact on my years here to be asked to come back and speak with education students yearning to become teachers.  I loved my years at Flagler College, and I enjoyed the classes I took with Dr. Baker, Mrs. Arzt (Quigly), and Dr. Davis.  They’re role models for me, and people that I can always count on to ask a question about teaching, or life in general.  You’re probably wondering what it’s like when you graduate from college, or if you get a job right out of college, and best of all…is what I learned at Flagler going to help me in the “real world?”  They’re all such great questions, and I can honestly say that I thought about them too…all the time at that. 

When I first graduated, I kept wondering to myself, “why did I want to graduate college so badly?!”  Tip number 1, enjoy these times to the max.  Study, yes, but have a social life, too.  That free time dwindles greatly once you graduate. 

Am I going to get a job right after I graduate?  Yes, you will, but you must be flexible.  Be careful to know your strengths and weaknesses.  Tip number 2, be you.  Principals and the interviewing committee are looking for real people as well as those good answers.  It’s important to answer honestly, with integrity, and with the feeling once walking out that you gave it your best shot. 

Are all these classes at Flagler really going to help me in “the real world?”  Yes, of course!  Tip number 3…The best, and I cannot stress this enough, way to learn about the ins and outs of the teaching world is to be in the classroom as much as you can.  Connect with one or two practicum teachers and ask if you may volunteer.  Trust me, teachers need all the support they can get.  Intern with a teacher that you already know, and one that you have built a relationship with.  I had the most amazing internship experience.  My directing teacher was someone who I had done practicum hours with previously, and she was the most helpful, supportive, and motivating person that I would have hoped to work with. 

I graduated from Flagler in Spring 2012.  I would like to share with you my first experience.  I had a job right after graduation, but was terminated 9 weeks in.  It happened, and it sucked, but in the long run, it just made me stronger.  I made a mistake by taking the first job I got hired for.  I wasn’t prepared as a 6th grade Math and Science teacher, but I “had to have a job.” So, like I said earlier, know your strengths and weaknesses.  I say this now, 2.5 years later, because at the time, as you can imagine, I thought my life had ended and I was NEVER going to get another teaching job.  But, in just a 5 week turnaround, I was hired for a 5th/6th grade position.  The following year, I taught 3rd/4th grade at the same school.  Currently, I’m teaching 3rd grade at a different charter school in Jacksonville.  At every school I’ve been to, I’ve learned.  I ‘ve learned what I want in a school that I work at, and I’ve learned what I’d like to steer clear from.  I moved because I’m also in graduate school at UNF….I’m a little crazy, but it’s a good thing.  I love it.  Every day has its challenges, but amazing ones at that.  I have the most supportive and helpful principal, my coworkers are incredibly fun to be around, and my students are pretty cute, too (when they want to be J). 

Tip number 4, don’t be afraid to ask questions.  I ask a million every day.  I think it shows that I care, and I’m not “too cool” to ask for help.   

Tip number 5, be proud.  You’re doing a great job every day, even when you don’t think you are.  Tell yourself every morning (and tell your students) that you believe in yourself, and them, because it will keep a smile on everyone’s faces.


You’re going to love your job…you’re going to have your tough days, too (but that’s life).  Think of your first few years of teaching as the best learning experiences you will ever have.  You’ll grow stronger every day, and most importantly you will be making a difference.  And that is the best feeling in the world.    

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Beginning of February Happening's

I'm blogging for my online graduate school class, and I came across this blog that I started a couple of years ago.  Wow, how time flies!  I am now teaching 3rd grade at a charter school in Jacksonville, Florida and truly enjoying myself.  I'm busy, but all is well.

Next weekend, for Valentine's Day, I have entered in to a Ping Pong tournament in St. Augustine!  I'm pretty excited about it because it's a charity event benefiting the homeless of St. Augustine.  So, the tournament starts at 4pm and then there's dinner, drinks, and dancing following the play time.  I will keep everyone posted on how I do.

I feel pretty honored as well to say that a former Professor of mine from Flagler College asked me to come speak to one of her classes about my life as a teacher...how interning helped me, and my challenges and triumphs in my first few years of teaching.  That is happening in March.  I hope I'm making the same impact on my 3rd graders as my Flagler Professor feels I made on her!

My best friend Angie and I went to Orlando this morning for our friend Morgan's bridal shower.   It was a really nice time...great to see her, her family, and some other friends from Flagler!!  Earlier this week, my other friend Caroline got engaged.  There's lots of fun things to look forward to :)  Included in that list is going to Miami for the return of "3's for Z" which I hope everyone reading this can attend!!  Go to http://www.miraclegamesand3sforz.com/ for more information!!