Gosh I am so Happy :) :) :)

         Gosh, I am so happy, who would have thought that such a quick, impulsive decision could have played out so positively for me? Who would have thought that I would actually enjoy my pre-k kids? Sure, they're a handful every once I awhile...but hey, isn’t everyone like that...no matter what age?

        Teaching is amazing.  What was it...a year ago I said I didn’t think I wanted to teach? I wanted to join the FBI or Police Department (don't get me wrong, I still want to someday). Teaching is all about those little celebration, as small as this sounds...you have no idea how exciting it was when a struggling kid finally remembered the first letter in their name...it was so amazing!!  I really enjoy it...even testing, gosh...am I lucky or what?  I look forward to work~sure I love the weekends, but going to work on a Monday isn’t as daunting as it is to other people.

          THANK YOU to EVERYONE who HELPED me believe in myself...those who encouraged me in my decisions...No mater how wacky they seemed at the time...you know who you are :)

          I am so Happppppy!  I've received an email from one of the students I student taught for saying her email said this:

                    Oh remember that quick note you wrote on an index card to my parents......I was so proud of myself so I put it on my bedroom wall with all the other things I'm proud of. I was proud because I was always getting in trouble and then My other teacher said to call my parents then I was all scared because my mom is kinda strict and so I went home and I got in trouble then I was probably the worst student in the class. then you came and I was like ugh! another teacher! (I know I was so rude) then days and days gone by and once I got to know you somehow magically my behavior changed and I got a good note and my mom was so proud!

          It really is a rewarding feeling reading this email...before i even graduated I already affected someones life? My goodness, I feel so honored to have had the capability to even do that.

           My goodness, what a long rant that was...Haha... :) This week was a decent one...I wasn't sick!  Also, our pre-k building got a janitor~hurray! I officially started math tutoring, this week :)  It's going well so far. Monday I started by showing the riddle from the movie "Die Hard With a Vengeance" About having a 5 gallon and 3 gallon jug, and you need to figure out how to give 4 gallons. My kids really liked it. They are actually excited to go to Math tutoring. Next week we will do something with Math involving Basketball (which is loved by basically everyone up here) yay!

        "This is our time,
                  yours and mine.
          You have important discoveries to make,
                  now is the time to make them.
         You have important talents to develop,
                  now is the time to develop them.
         You have important gifts to give to the world.
                   Now is the time to give them.”

Annnnnd 1/8th of the way through!

A few other AWESOME ECE peeps :)

Wow, week 3 done already???  It seems that just last week I was with my fellow ECE teachers rockin' it up in Nome, was it really almost a month ago?! My time really has flown by.     This last week was a quick one, but it may have been for the fact that I had called in sick on Wednesday, and nooooo it wasn’t just for the fun of it.  Tuesday evening I came down with a terrible fever, 102.0 and it stayed around until pretty much Wednesday evening.  Second time since I've been down here that I’ve been sick :/ I got my list of targeted students for my tutoring class at the beginning of the week, unfortunately Wednesday was the day I was supposed to begin teaching them.... oh well, guess that gives me another few days to play for next week :)  I honestly have no idea what I am teaching them just yet...this class is not really supposed to be like another math class or anything...so my job is to make math fun and interesting, something that they want to go to...guess this weekend this is where my focus will be!

Yup'ik Dancing (friday afternoons)

Hurray on it being Friday already...I don't know if I could have made it a day longer!  We had another round of Yup'ik dancing in our school gym today.  It really is hilarious watching the teachers try to dance with the natives.... the Yup’ik dancers are just so fluid with their movements...yet us teacher...so ridiculously choppy.  I have yet to go up to the front and try dancing, I think I’ll hold back for a few more weeks...I really don’t want to butcher the dance my first try (although I imagine this will be inevitable).

Also this week (today actually)  I continued with Karate.  It really is so much fun to take!  I feel like I'm learning a lot and my does time fly by when I'm doing it.  In a few weeks if i am still enjoying it, i may actually order my karate robe :)  Sure i would only start out with a white belt, but i really think it would be fun to try and climb the rope of colors.  I am amazed at how Karate really does have to do a lot with self control and really finding your center.  Before and after we are done with practice we do deep breathing...where we just listen and breath deeply...it is wonderfully relaxing.  We actually worked with partners today.  One person would be the attacker, the other the blocker.  The attacker would start out with a downward block then forward punch to the face, where the blocker would block the punch, and in return punch the original attacker in the stomach.  We practiced this several times, even wit the teacher.  I really can say i did so much better than last week...it was awesome!  I cannot wait until next Friday!

I also wanted to include in this post a before and after picture of my classroom, as well as include a link to more pictures of Gambell.  You are more than welcomed to take a gander at the other pictures and let me know what you think, here is the link! ->  PICTURES OF GAMBELL AND OTHER BITS AND PIECES!

Before set up...

After set up!

One month down...09/12/10

Well, this past month has been a busy one!  After three weeks of in-service training...I finally made it to my first day of school on September 1st. On the first day 10 out of my 11 students arrived.... very very good for Gambell.  Too bad that didn’t last long.  On average I have about 6 or 7 student show up each day.  The odd thing though is that each day it’s a different set of kids.  I guess I almost prefer this...as at least I get to see the majority of my kids at some point during the week.  I just finished week two this past Friday...and my did it fly by.

I spend at least one day during the weekend in my classroom, either getting ready for next week...or like this past Saturday...just organizing.  I really don’t mind spending my Saturday at school; I mean...what else is there to do??

This coming Monday (tomorrow) I begin tutoring High School Mathematics for 2 hours a day Monday-Thursday.  I am so excited for this, because for all who know me...my passion lies in Math :)  The extra cash will help to with paying back my debts.  This past Friday I started Karate, Lets just say...I'm not that coordinated...ha-ha.  I am excited to start this up though...it will be every Friday until sports start up...then we may have to change it to another day or time. Our teacher is a black belt from Japan, and she has lived here for about 12 years. 

Needless to say, I've been staying very busy...I'll try to update my blog for often... :)

Also, I have pictures I have added of Gambell and my classroom if you ever want to take a look...here is the link! 

Bits and Pieces of My New Life...