Back to School Lesson

If you are a teacher than you know that the summer can be one of the greatest perks that comes with being a teacher. As with everything in life, though being a teacher also has some not so desirable attributes. One of those being the fact that as a teacher (at least in elementary) we have no say what or where we teach. Our administrators are free to move us around as they please and see fit.

Just a few days ago, I discovered that I had been promoted to 2nd grade (pun intended). You see for the past three years I have taught first grade and I was feeling pretty comfortable there. I got along fine with everyone, knew the curriculum and had my own little classroom. Sadly, for me all that would come to an end. As it turns out my classroom would be moved to an arena upstairs where I would now be sharing a room with another teacher and her students. If you are not familiar with an arena setting, picture a huge room with no door divided with a bookshelf and one teacher at each end attempting to teach simultaneously. I speak from experience when I say that it is not the best environment for the little ones who have an average attention span of 5 - 12 minutes. Basically, it feels like I am starting from scratch.

So last night at youth group, as is the custom, we went around a circle giving thanks for things God has done in our life. The only thing I could think of and said was that at this moment it was hard for me to give thanks because I had been moved from the grade I loved teaching and taken away from all of the people I knew and felt comfortable with (my first grade level team) but I also knew that God's word tells us to give thanks in ALL occasions. Despite the move, I was grateful that I had a job.

Isn't the enemy clever? He tries to get us to focus on the little things to distract us from living an abundant life full of joy. He does it in our marriages, in our families, in our churches and with our jobs. So today I ask you, "Can you identify one situation or area in your life that maybe has you down in the dumps?" Now I encourage you to try to pinpoint at least one thing that you can give thanks for. I promise that it is there. You just have to look for it and sometimes you may need help from an outsider to help you see it. Ask God to give you his perspective of the situation and allow you to see things through his lenses.


(Part of the first grade team. From left to right: Ms. Maloney, Mrs. Quigley, Ms. Lozada, Mrs. Lara-Rodriguez, me and Ms. Larson)

All Good Things Must Come to an End

As the saying goes, "All good things must come to an end" and although I don't completely agree with the cliché you can't deny that it makes for a catchy title and I just couldn't resist the opportunity to use it. Tomorrow we (teachers) go back to work and as much as I have enjoyed these two weeks off I am looking forward to seeing the little ones. I know I am going to go back to students with missing teeth, haircuts and maybe an inch taller than they were when I last saw them.

Not only is my vacation from school over but I will also be returning to graduate school. I am actually enrolled in two courses and as excited I am about it, I'm also a little apprehensive. So far I've been able to do really well (I have a 4.0 GPA...so what if I've only taken six credits?). It's not that graduate school is easier but I am in a sense a more mature student. I guess that's why it feels like I handle it better than when I was doing my undergrad.

Like a good friend of ours says, "The best is yet to come". Stay posted!

Sigh of relief

Last night I submitted my final paper for an online course I am taking and I must say that it felt GREAT. There are a couple of things left to do but I know it will be cake.

Three tips I must follow for next time:

1. Take breaks!
2. Tackle one thing at a time (Thanks Debs!)
3. Email the professor like crazy and it's guaranteed that she will give you the maximum points just so that you stop harrassing her. (LOL...I'm only half way kidding about this one.)

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!