Happy New Year

The holidays were incredibly busy. Lots of food, lots of time with family, and lots of running to make sure we were able to see everyone. I got a Canon Rebel XSI and have taken a ton of pictures. I will put them up soon. Joe and I are doing well and looking forward to the year ahead. I start student teaching at Cook Middle on January 12th. I am excited and nervous and shocked that this is my final semester. I am relieved and a bit "lost." School has been my "career" since kindergarten and to know that it is winding down is almost surreal. I hope to have a real impact on the lives of the students in my classroom this upcoming semester. I had a four week apprenticeship in October that allowed me to get to know the teacher and students I will be working with beginning on Monday. I have already learned that teaching can be a heartbreaking job. So many lives are in your hands, but not all of them can be reached. They tell us that--over and over. It is one of the hardest things for me to understand. I have to learn to compartmentalize--something I have never been good at. I have always wanted to change the world--as corny as that sounds. It is one of the reasons I chose to become a teacher. I want to inspire students. I want to help turn indifference into interest and ignorance into awareness. I want students to understand that they really do have the power to make a difference. Everyday.

Two of my favorite quotes are below:

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
William Arthur Ward

“I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.”
Dr. Ginott

So, here's to a new year where much is bound to change. I am excited to see what God has in store for our family.