Friday, January 09, 2009

I'm making my comeback!!!

No your eyes are not deceiving you... this is a new post on CDC!!! I know, I know, it's been a LONG time since I've posted, but I've had other priorities the last few months. (I'll tell you what I've been up to later.)



Well, for those of you who use to read my blog, back when I could call myself a blogger, you know that I was attending college at WSC and was majoring in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. As you might have guessed from my picture and my use of past tense verbs, I have finally graduated!!! Yea!!!

My sweet MIL was kind enough to host an open house for me following the graduation ceremony. She completely out did herself with tons of yummy food and a custom cake from our favorite cake lady!!! YUM-MY!


So of course I needed to whip up some thank you cards to send out to everyone whom came and showered me with generous gifts!

But let me tell you, when you take a six month sabbatical from stamping it's not so easy jumping back into it! ;) First of all there was the problem of a thick layer of dust covering my stamping area!!! I had to get out the endust and dust rag before I could even start thinking about making cards! You might think that I'm kidding, but seriously I'm not!!!

Then I had to get my creative juices flowing and try to come up with a layout and design. Well, that didn't go well either. After trying and failing several times to come up with my own creative design, I gave up! It just wasn't there. So I decided to completely CASE my own graduation invitations that my MIL sent out for my open house. This is just what I needed in this time of stamping rehabilitation! :)

The card is very simple, so I won't bore you with the details. If you are only interested in the card stop reading now :) If you want to hear what I've been up to the last few months read on by all means!!! ;)

Okay, so I student taught from the middle of August until the middle of December. I was placed in a local school just outside of the Norfolk. The first part of the semester I taught in the Kindergarten room. Oh my, do I have the stories from that experience!!! ;) The second part of the semester I taught in the 4th grade classroom. I had a fabulous time teaching each grade and loved the students so much! I also had wonderful cooperating teachers who were very helpful. I can not say how much I appreciated their help and guidance throughout my student teaching experience!

The part of student teaching that was horrible was the "homework" I had to do for WSC! It was very overwhelming. Not only did I have to do everything that a regular teacher had to do: plan, attend meetings, teach (of course!), etc... I also had to complete a 20 page document explaining a unit of study that I taught, how my instruction influenced the students, contextual factors, assessment results, etc, etc, etc. I also had to journal every week, journal after every lesson that I taught, and write every lesson using the Madeline Hunter format!!! Yes, I said EVERY lesson in that format!!! (Those of you who are teachers, I'm sure you feel my pain! ;) I had an entire two inch notebook full of all of this "busy work" at the end of the semester. Oh well, I made it through! :)

So now, I'm going to be substitute teaching until I find a full time position. I actually have my first sub job this coming Monday. I am subbing in the same school that I student taught at. Not only that, but I am going to be subbing in my 4th grade class!

Well that's enough rambling from me... Thanks for dusting of your link to CDC and stopping by. I promise it will not be another six months until my next post!
HUGS!!!


DH and I after graduation ceremony

7 comments:

Michele Kovack said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! You have to feel sooooo good!!!! WOOOHOO!!! Missed ya! But I totally understand! I actually had a student teacher myself this fall. I know how overwhelmed she was, and at times very frustrated! IT is a TON of work, and you should feel very proud! Welcome back!!!!! HUGS!

Charmaine (CharmWarm) said...

Jami, I am SO GLAD to see you back! Congratulations again on your graduation. . I'm so proud of you! You must be so relieved to finally be finished! How awesome! What an adorable pic of you and Andy. :)

Pam Speidel said...

WOOO HOOO for Jami! You know how super proud we are of you and I'm just as excited to see that you have time to stamp and post to your blog again! You Go Jami Girl!
Love ya!

Pam Speidel said...

I was so excited to get my pc working and see you posted to your blog that I left the first comment before I read your entire post. That's so COOL that you've got your first sub job with the 4th grade at BC! The kids are going to be excited for sure and the other teachers will be happy to see you back. Love this photo of you and Andy at graduation and will have to get a print to frame. :)

Leslie Deering said...

Congrats and soooooo glad you are back I love you sight and your mil too!!

Leslie Deering said...

Congrats and soooooo glad you are back I love you sight and your mil too!!

Tami Bayer said...

Congratulations! It sounds like such an amazing time and now as a teacher you will think about good work vs busy work for the students. Maybe that was the lesson in all the busy work you had to do. Substitute teaching is fun and way easier than student teaching. Enjoy!