The Half Time Show

     I've just completed my double halfway point! Not only did completing last week mean that I have six weeks before I return to Texas, but I'm halfway through my full takeover of the class. Now, a perfect halftime show would be Spring Break. Unfortunately, instead I get a week of state testing. Well, not as much me as the students. We're all about at the same ecstatic thrill level, I'm sure. 

     That being said, this upcoming week is going to be weird and crazy for everyone involved. It'll be a good learning experience for me to understand the crazy role of testing from another standpoint. I feel like I've been experiencing that a lot - seeing the school day from a whole new perspective. I remember many times falling asleep in classes or counting down the minutes until I was free from the building. Now, there never seems enough time to get things done. I end a class feeling like I rush through everything I teach and never get a chance to go as in depth as I would like.

     Honestly, I'm not sure what else to tell, y'all. Right now, teaching is teaching. There are good days and bad days. I feel like I'm learning every day from both the students and the other teachers I interact with. I'm learning that I'm not the best with balancing life and teaching. I tend to invest myself wholeheartedly into whatever I do, so I tend to have problems giving everything 100%. If anyone knows a trick for this, I would be more than interested in hearing it. Or how to maximize your weekend. There just aren't enough hours in a day right now. 

That's really the best way I can describe the last two weeks. Also, it's starting to get warmer. That does make things more pleasant.

Until next time,

Kaity


P.S. ----> If you like books, then you should check out my BookTube channel! I make videos every Thursday!

The Final Boss Battle

So....I think that I have figured out an analogy for last semesters.

If you have ever played video games, I want you to imagine facing the Boss. Now, do you know what typically happens the closer you get to defeating the giant? It becomes 12 times as hard. They move faster, the send more attacks, and you're panting and yelling and screaming by the end of it. That is what my last semester feels like. The very end of a Boss fight.

And, y'all, I'm already tired. While I have experienced observing once or twice a week, taking on the role of a teacher when you aren't used to working full days (I blame the comfort of half days with college classes and never having to work Fridays) is a huge mental and physical switch. It probably doesn't help that I spend all day in my second language, and I'm not use to doing that, either.

The benefit of student teaching, however, is I get to make mistakes and I can fix them. I am having to relearn balance and how to manage my time. That's another interesting I've come to pick up. Time.

Time is different as a teacher. Classes don't always feel 50 minutes long, they feel shorter. I consistently remember falling asleep in classes and begging the clock to move faster during certain periods, but it's totally different from this side of things. Now, I don't have enough time. There's so much that needs to happen and so much they need to learn and BOOM! the day is over or POOF! the week is gone. I can't believe I've been here for four weeks. It's felt like two.

This week is a special short week because we had Monday as a holiday. So, four days of teaching - which should make things easier, right? I feel like I've worked out a lot of kinks in my own systems, but I guess only time will tell.

Quickly, I would also like to thank everyone for the lovely thoughts and prayers and encouragement that I can make it. I don't know if y'all know how much that means to me. If y'all don't mind praying extra hard for Friday, because my teacher is flying in to observe and, if anything, I need the kids to be normal just for that day this week. Just that day.

I don't know how much of this post is just spewing out words to a choir of people who've already been there and done that, but thank you for taking the time to read this anyway. It motivates me to keep typing.

Until next time,

Kaity

Videos for the week:

(If you're not into Harry Potter, don't worry about the last one. And, as always, videos are captioned.)

Nomingly Nomful (Charles Named My Post)

Hello, again! Week two has come to a close and week three is just starting up. I feel better prepared this week than I was was last week.

Last week, my first week of teaching,I managed to break even. Two good days, two bad days, and then a party, which meant that lucky me got an extra day of planning. It was rough, and I found myself easily being discouraged that things weren't going just right on, basically, my first try.

But that's why we have student teaching, right? That's why people sign up to do internships. It's an opportunity to practice before we are faced with the real deal and mistakes could cause problems. (I mean, I'm working with real children, but I have someone who can help me fix my mistakes versus me running around in circles shouting, "What do I do? What do I do?")  I get an opportunity to learn how to read students and get a pulse of the class. I get the opportunity to figure out my unique teaching style...well, to a point.

Fourth grade is a lot of fun. We're still at the age that the class is shorter than I am, so there is no confusion of who is the teacher, I still know the answer to about 90% of the questions that the students as me, and they're just old enough that you can be a little bit sarcastic with them.  Also, I can still be creative with my lesson plans. It's still alright to include lots of pictures and colors into homework and activities.

This week I continue with my math lessons and I take over the science class. During the month of February, the reading and writing sections become nothing but test prep. So, in other words, I get the fun classes. I really hope that my lessons are as fun as I think they are. ( Please send prayers toward the students and teachers here in Indiana this month. No one really enjoys the idea of test prep.)

So, here's to a fairly smooth week three. Best wishes on your week, dear readers!

Until next time,

Kaity

Videos of the Week! (And, of course, they are captioned!)

One Week Down

Week one down - twelve more to go.

Well...one of those is spring break, so I guess really just eleven.

Either way - this week starts a scary new trial for me, I am taking over the fourth grade math class. And we're starting with fractions! (For all of you people rolling your eyes, I'll have you know that I love fractions. Over these last two years, I have been up to my eyeballs with creating fraction lesson plans, so this really is my happy place.) The students seemed really excited about fractions today and none of them struggled with the lesson that I taught. Today and tomorrow are review lessons, but they didn't struggle so I'm calling it a win.

What I'm really nervous for is Wednesday when we start a new concept in the fraction world - equivalent fractions. The joy of combining multiplication, division, and fractions. With that section, there are no promises that the students will like as much.

However, I am trying my best to keep a positive attitude. It's the only way that I'll survive all the changes and challenges I'll be faced with till April. I just need to keep in mind that everything, and I do mean everything, that I experience will benefit me some way in the future. 

One of the first life lessons I am being reminded of tonight is flexibility. Every weekend, I am required to turn in my week's worth of lessons, as would be expected of me at a real job. But I have also learned that lesson plans are not made of stone (thank God.) and can be amended every night if need be. (This week I might be experiencing a lot of that.)

Thank y'all so much for the prayers and good wishes this morning to help me get through my lesson in one piece. For tomorrow, I have to remember to teach and to breathe. 

Until next time,

Kaity

(Road Trip to Indiana. Captioned)

(Book Review over Fangirl. Captioned)

Deja Vu

      Here's a fun fact. Two years ago I was exploring Boston and trying to figure out where I would start my grad school adventure. I was unsure and a bit apprehensive at the idea of moving somewhere cold, but I was trying to keep an open mind.

Now here I am, finishing up my last chapter of grad school in Indiana - another very cold state. (We have wind chill warnings until noon tomorrow of -30F. So. Excited.)

     I can't believe that in two days I will be meeting the fourth grade class I will be hanging out with for the next 12 weeks! Currently my stomach is twisted into knots and, honestly, I am very unsure if it is from nerves or excitement. Probably both.

    There's a lot of deja vu happening in this hotel room tonight. The trip with one parent to a new state. Gathering and securing supplies the day before I move it. The calm that surrounds me before said parent separates from me and flies home. (No, that panic will set in tomorrow, I'm sure.)

    I think what has me on edge right now is that I am once again starting fresh somewhere. I don't know anyone and I'm not fully sure what to expect. I know the basics of what I should do, but it will be a bit learning curve once I'm actually in the classroom.

    There is one small favor that I ask you, and that is for prayers and good thoughts sent my way. Prayers to easy my nerves, know when to keep my mouth shut, and when to be brave enough to put myself out there. Pray for the first week to go quick, for me to take criticism well, and for me to not embarrass myself or my school during the time that I am there. I'll be honest, I'm pretty bad at first impressions, especially when my anxiety is through the roof.  For all of these, I thank you in advance!

I'll let you know how it goes next week.

Until then,

Kaity



PS: Also, if you would like to check out my videos for the week, they are posted below. Barney's Big Adventure is less than a minute and the Chocolate Book Tag is captioned.

New Year, New Opportunities

Hello everyone!

Long time no post and for that I am sorry. Holidays in the Sheppard home are always a bit hectic. After these festive enjoyments, I tend to always find myself greatly behind in everything I would like or should do and now I have to play the catch up game.

Happy 2016! The good wishes come a bit late, but I do hope that y'all's New Year has started off well and that you are keeping up with your recent resolutions.

I love the new year! I love the chance to restart and look at my future and make a short (but manageable) timeline. A year tends to be one of those things that seems quite long and incredibly short at the same time, but no matter how it might feel, I very much want to use my time wisely.

Last year around this time I went over all my previous resolutions with you and then set new ones. This year, I won't be doing that. Oh, I have created new resolutions (please see video ), but we are going to leave 2015 and all the crazy that went with it in the past where it belongs. In other words, I didn't really finish any of my resolutions. Personally, I felt that the ones that I set for myself were a bit ambitions for the state of grad school I was in, but, hey, you live and you learn.

This year I have set ten new goals that I think are more manageable with all the change in my life that is about to happen. Honestly, there's three big changes coming.

#1 I'm going to Indiana! For my last semester I will be teaching at the Indiana School for the Deaf for my last semester of my Masters. Our school does this cool thing where they will send you to other states to see other programs. I jumped on this opportunity and landed in the Midwest. The school will be covering my housing (because they are wonderful, marvelous human beings) and the rest is me. I will not be working at this time, so I will be learning the meaning of the word frugal extremely well.

#2 My third graduation! Boy howdy, I don't know if anyone understands my excitement about this May. Guys - I'll be graduating with my Masters! After May, I will no longer be classified a student at any university or school! (No, a PhD is not in the future.) I will be finally switching roles in the classroom and I could not be more excited! It's also going to be an absolutely crazy weekend, but I'll explain closer to time.

#3 I will be taking on my first Big Girl job! I have no idea where just quite yet, but I know that it will happen! This year, I will be taking the grand step from kind of independent, working adult to full fledged independent adult. It is a safe bet to say that I'm absolutely terrified, but that's why God is in control of everything and I am not.

Until next time,

Kaity

So part of my resolutions was creating a new YouTube Channel! I have joined into the BookTube world as AGirlAndHerBooks. You can check out my first video below! Let me know what you think! (All videos are captioned)

My Own Personal Flurry of Life

Oh, boy. I feel like I'm stretching out my fingers over this keyboard for a first in a long time. The reality is I got very behind in my personal goals recently. Honestly, the holidays always stress me out, and then you throw finals week and trying to move home and problems with school all within a couple weeks and I come very close to absolutely and totally loosing my mind.

Don't get me wrong, I love family time and I love the food that comes within December, but I don't like the feeling of not being able to slow down. I realize that this is a part of adulthood and that, really, once fully on my own it is a privilege to sleep in or just sit and read a book. But during breaks, I hope to take part in these calming activities.

I haven't made a video in weeks. This newest one covers the span of four (and there are no promises that everything is in the correct order) and explains why the vlogs might go on hold for a bit. TRUTH TIME: I only started these vlogs so I could practice for the Thanksgiving Surprise. I think part of my problem right now is my vlogs seem a bit pointless and redundant. I need to find a new goal to strive for so that I feel proud about my content.

Since I haven't posted in a while, I'm sure many of you have some questions about how the semester wrapped up. So...

• All A's
• The research project didn't kill me...but it came close.
• I will be going to Indiana for student teaching.
• I will be in a 4th grade classroom. 
• No, I don't know if I will be teaching all subjects or specific ones.
• I will be leaving on January 16.
• No, I have no idea where I'm teaching after I graduate.
• Yes, I plan on moving home to Texas.

Okay, I think that just about sums it up!

Also - prayers would be appreciated. There's a lot happening right now (that's really not appropriate for posting) that is causing stress during the holiday break and probably will continue through part of the Spring semester. And, yes, I know - Jeremiah 29:11. It still would be nice to know some of these plans right now.

Alright, my friends, I think that's just about it! Be safe while traveling and watch out for snow!

(For all my non-Texan friends: Yesterday, this happened:       )

Until next time,

Kaity