STUDENT TEACHING!

I've been anxious to hear about my student teaching assignment, musing out loud when it would come, and annoying my cohort friends. Friday was a BUSY day and looked to be on the stressful side when I got a phone call from Chase. "Cheryl at Paradise Valley Unified School District HR department called. You're supposed to call her." I called immediately. I HAVE A STUDENT TEACHING PLACEMENT!!! Here are the blessings:

1. The school is two blocks down the street from my house!
2. The teacher is an 11 year veteran that I have worked with before!
3. The principal, the husband of a favorite professor, is retiring this year. If there is an open position, he'll do my interviewing!
4. The principal meets with all the student teachers once every two weeks for a lunch meeting, to debrief and educate them!

I will be in a first grade class, which is not my first choice. However, the teacher is AMAZING and I know I will learn a boat-load from her. I am a little scared of first grade because it is such an important year--what if I screw up and a kid doesn't learn to read and then is a ditch digger for the rest of his life? He'll look back on his education and say, "Drat that Mrs. Yates! She ruined my life!" However, first grade is optimal read-aloud time--fun voices, dramatic reenactment, literacy projects!!!!! I'm pretty good with 1st grade math. HUGE ADVANTAGE: 1st grade science might be the only science I really know and/or understand!

I am so excited that my family has had to scrape me off the ceiling six times. When I hung up with Cheryl, I cried my eyes out. Relief SWEPT through me and the impact of the blessing hit me like a ton of bricks. I cannot wait for the new chapter of my adventure to begin!