Daring to Be » Saskatoon

Unlike most people, I’ve opted for staying in tonight. I’ve had invites for various parties but I decided to finally acknowledge that NYE is usually a disappointment ending with me not-so-patiently waiting for a cab to take me home. So staying home it is. But I have a glass of wine, good food about to be put in the oven, and some company so it isn’t that bad.

Happy New Year, everyone! May your night be more eventful than my own!

I’m not the most pleased person in the world right now.

For Megan’s shower gift I bought us four visits each to a new spa that opened. It was a promotion for opening, so for the both of us and four visits it only cost $100.

Well in July I called the spa to book a couple of our visits and they were booked up into August, and were not taking any new bookings until they got their new computer system. I was a bit annoyed, but figured I would call back.

I called back in the middle of August just to find out, guess what? The spa has closed. Seriously. But good news was that a former employee was honoring the packages I’d bought. So I called her today and really, got more bad news. She lives in Dalmeny, a half an hour away. A little inconvenient, but not terribly. The part that made me angry is that she is charging $5 extra for each visit to cover the cost of product and she is only open ONE evening a week, a few days a week, and NO weekends. Considering I am interning and Megan is a teacher… that would mean we’d only be able to go that single evening. Lame.

So here I am wondering… should we still go? Pay the extra $40 and make four trips out to Dalmeny or should we not go, and I just chalk this up as a learning experience and never again buy promotional packages from new businesses!?

As of half an hour ago, I have completed one week of sixteen of my internship.

Man I’m tired.

What’s sad is… my students haven’t even arrived yet! Kindergarten students don’t start until next week! But my week has been full: prep work, planning, PWIM conference, time spent in the grade one classroom. If I were to sum up this week, I could in two words: information overload.

I love every minute of it! I may be tired out of my mind right now, but it may be from vibrating with happiness and energy during the day? I don’t know? Point is, so far so good… now I just hope I get used to being awake super early, and that the next sixteen weeks go as great as the first did.

It makes me sad to think that it is the middle of July already. Megan and Sean get married this Saturday, I have my birthday party next weekend. And, just like that, it’ll be August. My job ends in August. I start my internship. I enter my last year of school.

Oh well… this is all good. I’m not digging my heels in, I’m just surprised at how fast it has all arrived.

I feel awfully lonely this week. Not very much fun at all. That’s why I’m very excited to head to Carrot River this Friday and be surrounded by my lovely and amazing family for the weekend.

To shake this lonely feeling, I’m going to Taste of Saskatchewan for lunch today with Chelene and Nicole. I can’t wait! In fact, I’m going to go check out the menu and make some decisions beforehand!

Today was the staff appreciation barbecue at the university. Abby, Carmen, my sister and I all went and enjoyed our lunch relaxing in the sun.

The barbecue special was either a hot dog, drink and dessert for $1, or a hamburger, drink and dessert for $2. I bought both specials, since I’m young and want to enjoy my fast metabolism while I’ve got it!

Dessert was icecream or a cupcake, so I had one of each. Delicious!

Really… that’s the most exciting news so far this week. Life begins to get busy this weekend though, what with going out for Nicole’s birthday and Dad coming to the city. Then next Thursday is the social at the Delta Bessborough for the Alumni Reunion for which I am the College of Education student rep. I am responsible for giving Education alumni a tour of the college on Friday, and then that afternoon I am off to Emma Lake for the Education Students’ Society executive retreat. Back on Sunday, then a barbecue on Monday for everyone who volunteered for the College of Education 80th anniversary celebrations. Finally, on Wednesday I take off for a week in Vancouver.

What with so much on my plate, June will be over in a blink of an eye, and my summer is half over.

It is only June 3rd and already I have every single weekend from now until almost the end of August booked:

• June 9th-10th: possibly going to The BF’s hometown
• June 16th-17th: Dad is coming to the city, celebrate Nic’s birthday (it is on the 14th, but weekday birthdays are always celebrated on the weekend)
• June 23rd-24th: ESS executive retreat at Emma Lake
• July long weekend: in Vancouver
• July 7th-8th: Megan’s shower and stagette
• July 14th-15th: going to a wedding with The BF
• July 21st-22nd: Megan’s wedding
• July 28th-29th: my birthday weekend
• August long weekend: probably camping or something
• August 11th-12th: camping with Dad
• August 18th-19th: Folkfest weekend (just Saturday) so will want to stay in city for that

That leaves one weekend where I have nothing planned: August 25th-26th. But, considering I have my internship orientation conference on the 24th, and start my internship on the 27th, it might be wise to keep that weekend as open and as low key as possible.

I don’t mind being booked up, and am looking forward to every single weekend. Good times will be had this summer, I can’t wait!

Though I knew I was guaranteed my internship in Saskatoon and area (one hour drive of Saskatoon), I have still been sitting on pins and needles, excited to find out what school and grade.

My internship placement letter finally arrived this morning… and I’m in the same school my Brownie unit met in this past year! It is insanely close to my neighbourhood, so close I will be able to walk or bike. So convenient!

The letter said I was placed in the K-3 Level, so I then googled my cooperating teacher’s name and it looks like I’ll be interning in a kindergarten classroom! Megan I’ll be hitting you up for ideas!

The past year has been an amazing year. First I was accepted into Education after my first time applying, I ran for and won a position on general council, I cochaired an amazingly successful fundraiser for inner city schools, I ran for and won a position on executive council, I got my dream summer job for the College of Education, now this, my internship in a school super close to my home and in a grade I love!

Thank you, God! (Yes, I take this as proof there has to be a big man up in the sky!)

Overheard on campus:

Two girls run by me, I’m assuming late for class. As they rush by, one girl exclaims to the other girl “Stupid Facebook!”

I know that feeling all too well!

The dream job I thought I had lost?

My fears were unfounded… the dream job is mine!

I start Monday, I can’t wait!

As per Meg’s request, an update as to how my first week of student teaching went.

Besides being in a grade 5 class that is actually legendary in the school for their bad behavior, and having a nasty cold all week, I’ve enjoyed myself. I really feel at home in a school, and nothing has made me think that I am on a totally wrong career path. I have taught three lessons so far, and will teach three more next week. The feedback I have received from my cooperating teacher is mostly positive, the one thing I need to work on is how I try to project my message over the noise of the students. It is one thing we were warned about in orientation for student teaching. Speak at a normal level, and students have to keep their noise level down to hear you, and you save yourself a sore throat. My one lesson I just kept getting louder. It is hard not to, I was without even realizing it. Hopefully I will do better next lesson!

The students seem to have warmed up to my partner and I. They feel more free to act like themselves around us, which I think is a good thing. My philosophy of education is that the teacher is more a facilitator of learning than a bearer of all knowledge, so it is important to me that my future students and I connect on a basic, personal level and aren’t stuck in some sort of power struggle.

So yes, student teaching is good! I have to be honest though, I think I prefer a little bit older or younger grades for teaching. I really enjoyed working in a grade 7 class last semester, which actually came as a surprise to me! I went into a grade 1 class for a Care Partner activity the grade 5’s did with them, and as soon as I walked in I felt right at home, and connected right away with the students there. Oh well, though, this is only for two weeks, I’m curious to see what grade I will get for my four month internship this fall. Honestly though, I wouldn’t be able to teach if I didn’t think I could teach all grades from K-12. I think I can, I just have my preferences like anyone would.