Helloooo... hello,
So it has been a quick sec since I last blogged but that’s
okay, I am here now and super excited about it! I thought I would use this
blog as a way to share what I have been up to and where I am in life at this
very moment. I am currently sitting at my desk in the 6th grade classroom where I am students teachers after a long day of watching my students take the Iowa Assessments....sounds fun right?
All jokes aside, I am over halfway through my student teaching
experience. Crazy to think about it but life is happening. It's happening real fast. To keep things (somewhat) short, I will start in January. I was at Kalona Elementary with 25
kindergarteners and let me tell you, that was a very eye opening experience to say the least. They impacted my teaching abilities don’t
get me wrong, but it was so much more than that. Those 25 kindergarteners
influenced my life in the most positive way, I learned more about myself than I
ever thought possible.
I started out using the skills and knowledge I learned at
Iowa State as best as I could, but one thing I learned is that it is impossible
to teach someone classroom management in a college classroom. It was the one thing I was most nervous about walking into a classroom. Needless to say, those 25 students gave me
a run for my money and tested my patience. There were days I was discouraged
and frustrated. There were days where I thought I was invisible… (seriously… some days, I thought about wearing
the caution yellow vest used for recess all day to keep these kids’ attention.)
Putting all of that aside, there was one thing that NEVER happened. I never
wanted to stay home. Those kids impacted my life so greatly that I wanted to
come to school every day to see them. My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Billups
reminded me that every day is a new day; that tomorrow everything that happened
today won’t matter. When I learned this and kept this mentality, I woke up
happy and couldn’t wait to see and hear the funny things my students would do
that day J I
miss those kids more than I ever thought possible.
Moving into my 2nd 8 weeks of student teaching, I
started at the Washington Middle School in March. I currently have 3 weeks left
here and then I will graduate in May. (Whoa…
I have three weeks of college left. Yikes.) I am in 6th Grade
Social Studies with a wonderful cooperating teacher. This placement is exciting
because I am able to put my social studies endorsement to use. My goal when specializing
in Social Studies was to make it more exciting for students and I feel like I
have done that (at least I think I have!). These students have also been challenging at times, but I am able to build
stronger relationships with them, plus use a little sarcasm...my favorite.
I have continuously been looking for jobs and applying to
numerous places. I recently found out I will be the new Washington High School
Dance team coach for the 2017-2018 school year. Super pumped about this and
excited to put my dance abilities to use! Better yet, I received a phone call
yesterday that I was chosen for an interview for a teaching position I applied for.
I never realized how excited I would be when this happened! It was reassurance
that my resume stuck out and someone was interested in me and my abilities as an educator. It
also confirmed that schools have received my paperwork through Teachiowa too…. all the
teachers out there, you know the struggle!
In addition to all of this, I am also competing for Miss
Iowa this coming June! I am super excited for this year and look forward
to the week with all of the other contestants. My platform is same as the last
two years, Find the Beauty: Anorexia
Nervosa and Prevention. This may be my platform for Miss Iowa but it is beyond
that. Find the Beauty is an everyday platform
and reminder to myself and everyone to look for the beauty in each and every
day. I have had numerous encounters with people who have been affected by an
eating disorder or struggle. I was just recently paired with a
student to discuss what they are going through as I went through the same
thing. I have also been working very closely with the
National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). Though I cannot attend the Iowa City,
NEDA walk this year I have been helping as much I can! Currently looking for
raffle prizes, so if you know someone willing to donate a prize…J I will be coordinating
a 3rd party event to raise money as well, stay tuned!
I am raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network, one of my favorites! Having a niece and nephew both battling Congenital
Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG) type 1 they make many visits to the children's hospital and their chances for extended stays there are increased as well. The Children’s Miracle Network supports
the research, training, equipment and uncompensated care for them and all the miracle
children who need them. Having this personal connection really motivates me to
obtain the Children’s Miracle Maker Award for the 3 year in a row this year! I
will be having two fundraisers in the coming months, be on the look out and consider
making a donation, any amount helps!
Okay… So I think I touched base on almost everything, so there
is my life in a nutshell. There are days when we get frustrated and stressed.
Certain situations give us a run for our money but we have to remember to Find the Beauty. Embrace those little
moments like getting an interview or that kid still (fake) crying because of
those “dang onions” that were on her pizza for dinner the night before. ß yes, that happened. These are the moments I live for and that keep
me going. What about you?
Have you found the beauty today?
JohannahMichale
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