Wooaahhh, we're half way there...

It was a typical start to the week, I was participating in my normal Monday-morning review of my agenda planner. During that particular moment, my eye was drawn to the weekly count down written beside each week. A seven was scribbled on the left hand side. Seven, which is half of fourteen and fourteen which is the total number of weeks I spend here at Midd-West High School.

[insert minor hyperventilation moment]

You people, we are half way done with this student teaching internship; this capstone experience of my college career. It doesn't even seem real. No doubt, it will get harder before it gets easier. My class load will keep increasing, classroom management issues will surely not disappear and it will most definitely keep getting harder to say goodbye to this place and these kids.

Week seven meant National FFA Week, a quiet week for Midd-West FFA as energy was focused on a school-wide food drive for families in need in the school district, the annual awards banquet in two weeks and the teacher appreciation breakfast to be held in conjunction with an upcoming teacher in-service day. Agriculture Education 8 had a week full of labs, Horticulture, Welding and Small Gas Engines diligently worked on cumulative projects and self-directed learning. My newly acquired Forestry class jumped in both feet, to our Maple Syrup Production unit, mastered the art of putting out student "fires" Our first full week of school in a while was a good one, full of exciting learning.

Week seven will be no different, I'll be sharing a high (some of the top notch, #thebestofmiddwest and other dynamite moments), a low (the not so glorious, wish it couldn't been better or those "you'll have that" kind of moments) and a tip (something of the Teac{HERR} Way that I learned or heard that should be shared with #psuaged16 and friends).
High: Disclaimer: I by no means have figured this teacher-thing out; but I've certainly come to the realization that there is not worth stressing over the minor details. I am here to cultivate growth, a learning environment that is safe, engaging and meeting all of my students needs. This week was full of "ah-ha!" and "ohhhhhh's" and "that was actually really fun!" coming from student mouths. All of which I count for small victories in a week that was tiring and long. 8th graders are challenging, high school boys are a little bit crazy, but nonetheless I'm so proud of these students and the progress they're daily making even when I end my day quite beat.


Low: My challenge this week has most certainly be this growing need in my class for differentiated groups. With a week full of plant science labs for my eighth grade students, I've been testing grouping students by their ability, if you well. Allowing my higher performing students to dig deeper at their own advanced pace and giving me more time to work with my lower performing, or behaviorally challenged students. Differentiation requires extra planning on my part to ensure that the rigor of my lesson is appropriate for all of my students. It's challenging to gauge the best way to execute this in all my different classes, each with a more diverse range of students then the last.

Tip: Seek out the small victories. The next seven weeks will probably get a little more stressful before the get a little easier. This week and the next few weeks following I'll be jumping into some units with content that I am not familiar with. Of which is a humbling reminder that I most certainly do not have to know it all but is also a reminder that I need to actively seek out those "ah-ha" moments for my students, not letting myself get stressed and exhausted in the content that is unfamiliar territory for me.

Simply put, it's still blowing my mind that we're half way done with this experience. Only seven weeks left with these kids! I'm feeling the pressures of "did I really leave a lasting impact here?" "do they know and understand how passionate I am about their success?" Here's to seven more impactful weeks! For both them, and me.

Simply put, I certainly say it every week, this job is exhausting but oh, so very rewarding. So very thankful that the Lord has called me to this place; to this field. 

Until Next Week, K. Janae