Grad classes - I have now finished two classes and completed them with an A! :) We started Saturday class last week (6 hours every Saturday for a while). That is an adjustment, but we are getting through it. This current Saturday class is about Special Education, which I am so grateful I have a frame of reference for or I think I would be lost! Dealing with all the special needs that Anthony had and the needs that so many of my previous students had, I feel I have a better grasp of what we are learning. We start another class tomorrow that will be for 3 hours each night for the next two weeks (technology class).
I am not sure that I have mentioned where and what I am teaching this year for my internship, so I will do that now! I have always taught in a self-contained elementary classroom, but this year I will be in a middle school. At the end of college, I actually thought I might want to teach middle school, but my university would not let me try one (it wasn't my certification area). Therefore, I decided I would not even try a middle school. Well, God had other plans (as He usually does!), and I will be teaching 6th grade Social Studies at the KIPP Memphis. KIPP is a nation-wide charter school. In fact, when I taught in OKC, there was a KIPP on the second floor of the building that I taught in, so I am familiar with the school. I will most likely take the middle school certification test this year, so that I can apply next year for a middle school job. The thought of this surprisingly makes me happy!
KIPP holds a 3 week summer school for their students. The MTR Residents (all 27 of us) are at KIPP for 2 of these weeks. We get to see how routines and procedures are taught and how the expectations are set. Last week was the first week for this, so I have gotten to spend my mornings with the 6th grade students I will be teaching this year. To be honest, it was kind of a difficult week, especially at the beginning. It was the first time that I had been in a school where I was teaching and didn't know the routines and procedures and how things run and operate. So I felt very lost on Monday and Tuesday. It, also, was a little difficult too because I want to already know and have community with the staff I will be teaching with, but a majority of them seemed confused as to why we were there. Regardless of the long week, I do feel better about what is to come. We will be there this week every morning, and I know that building community and learning the school culture will just take some time. But overall, I have been blown away with how these urban children have risen to the high standards and expectations that have been set for them.
Other things... I'm still loving Memphis! I'm still loving the community of people that I am surrounded by! I don't think God could have given me a better roommate. I am already thankful for the mentor teacher that God chose to put me with, and I look forward to learning from her over this next year. I think the only thing I still don't feel settled with is finding a church. I have visited several. There is a new church plant that is starting, and I went to a preview service last week. I really enjoyed it, but it is not officially launching until September. That leaves me kind of in limbo for a few months, but I know God has all of this worked out!
This blog has turned out much longer than I anticipated. I guess that is what happens when I wait so long to write! I will try to be better about that!
My roommate, Erin, and I!
The majority of the MTR at a Redbirds' game!
