Where has this semester gone? As I stare at my last post, I realize I am currently 13 days away from waving goodbye to my students and 16 days away from turning in my grades and embarking on the adventure called SUMMER. A teacher's favorite adventure, might I add.
So much has happened this semester. What started off as one of the worst semesters of my career has turned around into an almost pleasant end of the year. My first class of freshmen is about to walk at their commencement ceremony - in 11 days. My third year of Senior Scram and fourth year of Senior Tunnel... it's just incredible.
Let's start at the beginning, I guess. I am sure you are wondering about my weight loss journey. It has been a really fun time. I have lost my first thirty pounds. I am doing things now that I never could have done with that extra weight that is no longer a part of me. My clothes are baggy, my face is thinner, my hands are tiny! I can see my collarbone. It's just such a fun change, a process of transforming myself into the person that I want to become. While I would love to say I am at goal, I am still 17 pounds away from my healthy weight, as prescribed by the US Dept. of Health. My goal is to reach those 17 pounds before this year ends. Would that not be terrific?
I am glad to say I have become a much healthier, active person. A few weeks ago, I decided to go for a bike ride. I have not been on that bike since I was a sophomore IN COLLEGE. I am glad to say I did not fall once, and actually thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Just today I went to do a CityScape scavenger hunt in Denver. My friend Erica and I walked from 12 til 3 pm. It ended up being a total of 5.5 miles (+/- wrong turns and side streets). I kept telling myself, no matter how much my feet hurt at any given point, that my knees could have NEVER EVER endured that. My lungs would not have endured that. My heart could not have endured that. I am so happy with the me right now, I can't wait to see what the me in six months looks like.
Work, as I said, has been very much like the stock market. Some days it's all about the positives, other days I am in the red... sometimes for days. I have had the worst set of parents I have ever encountered, and it has been rough. I have had the biggest classes, and that has been rough. I have had the laziest students, and that has been rough. I continue to have the worst administration ---- and that just angers me beyond explanation.
With that said, though, there have been so many positives too!
1) I was invited to be my student's teacher guest at the National Merit Scholar tea. I would've never expected it from that particular kid and it was truly a heartwarming experience. He and I are super close and it makes me very very happy.
2) I was honored by another student at the LDS yearly teacher appreciation dinner. It was one of the most humbling experiences. I was given a whole speech, and a plaque with my name on it... and my student said the nicest things. It truly reminded me that I am in the right place, no matter how dark things seem at different points of my career.
3) I put together a killer prom. Our theme was amazing, Mile High Masquerade. After much pushback from our administration, our theme got approved. So many kids showed up with the most amazing masks. It felt like I was in a movie. And for an event that has been in process since last January, I high fived myself once NOTHING went wrong the entire night. The kids didn't complain once - That in itself is a giant victory.
4) I completed my second year of AP teaching. It was a hard year, much harder than last year, but I enjoyed the group so much. I loved seeing how much they grew - and oh how they grew! I can't believe the strides some of them have made in just ten months. I am just now hoping that CollegeBoard acknowledges the same things I see on a daily basis. The waiting game began on Tuesday - scores will be out in July.
And thus ends my first post of 2013... hopefully it is not the last.
