One Year Later

I started this blog last year on my birthday. Well, here we are a year later. Last year, as I wrote this blog for the first time, I had just been hired, had Open House, and was frantically getting things together for the school year which was starting 2 days later.

I had just turned 22 and all of that seemed so scary. To be honest, at 23, it all seems just as scary. So much has changed in the past year. I was hired to teach k4 last year. This was something I struggled with everyday. It is hard to go to work everyday when the person you work with has something negative to say about everything. I learned a lot about myself by dealing with her, working with the kids, and doing weekly home visits with each family. I work at a very low socioeconomic school and I was surprised daily by the things my kids saw and experienced at home. This year I am teaching k5. I am so excited about this change, but also so so so nervous. I am ready to see some of my kids moving up with me and the rest of my new kids at Open House next Tuesday/Wednesday. My room is almost set to go (I will post pictures soon) and I am almost set to go. Last year, I had 1.5 days to prepare. This year, I have had all summer, plus this whole week of teacher work days. I feel no more prepared this year, than I did last year.

I feel like this was such a long year. My dad moved to the Dominican Republic, my brother got engaged, I changed grades, I made so many new friends, cut ties with so many other people in my life, and retied ties with old friends. It has been such a good year though.

So, tomorrow I turn 23. And yes, my bones still hurt. However, was told today by a new parent in my class that I "look too young. Like a little girl."

Goals for next year:
1) Take the GRE
2) Get into grad school
3) DO ME
4) Do a push up