Bittersweet

I am officially done with student teaching! Yesterday was my last day teaching!! People keep asking me what I'm going to do now and if I'll miss teaching.

I am planning on turning in my senior portfolio along with my student teaching analysis and then sometime in June I'll receive my diploma! I can't wait! I'm so excited to get everything turned in and get my degree! It seems like I've been trying to get this thing my whole life - that's what happens when it takes 10 years though, i guess.

I don't plan on teaching or working for a few years. I'm very excited and feel very blessed to be able to be back home with Benson. I am going to miss teaching in a bittersweet kind of way. My Student Teaching experience was extremely hard, stressful but very satisfying and I learned so much more than I ever thought I would.

the last couple months have been full of drama and interesting events while teaching. Here are just a few (ok, so more than just a few) :

- Being asked the following questions in this order: "Are you married?", "Are you happily married?" "Is your husband good looking?"

- Having a cat fight in the middle of class

- Being yelled/sworn at by a student

- Having not one, or two but three students be suspended for either beating people up, getting caught with drugs or packin' heat.

- Having a student sing to me the song "Lean on Me" after class so he'd know what a great singer he was (so awkward!)

- Being told by a student that F.E.M.A. stands for Find Every Mexican Available

- Being told by a student that the Punic Wars were mini wars

- Having a student tell her story of how her parents escaped from Burma, then to Thailand and then to the U.S. because they wanted to experience freedom. She told how her uncle was killed because he refused to join the Army and everyone in her home country is forced to be Buddhist, join the military and restrictions of internet, phone and conversation were strictly enforced. She said that she was so grateful for the chance that she has to be here because of the freedoms this country offers.

- Seeing the light go out of a 14 year old boys eyes after finding out his mother committed suicide.

- Watching several students having to deal with the pressure from gangs, peers and parents.

- Finding confidence in the future of America in 18 year old seniors who have goals, and are dedicated, honest and hopeful for their future.

It was definitely bittersweet.