Back To School...

I'm back!!! It's been a while since I blogged, but I didn't have to do it for class and I got away from it. I was thinking about my blog last weekend and when my professor said to start journaling in class tonight, I immediately thought it would be a great way to get back on the blogging. It's nice because even if no one reads my thoughts, I know they are out there on the world wide web, waiting for someone to discover my words and become inspired or to laugh or to look at my pictures. I love pictures! Ok, Spring 2011 started up at IUPUI on Monday. I am back in a math class after a 14 year break from math and needless to say, Day 1 caused a little anxiety. The prof seems like fun, he seems easy-going and laid-back with a ponytail and mention of his rock band. But even that fun info didn't take away from the Algebra being written on the board. OK, I've said it before and I'll say it again...LETTERS ARE NOT NUMBERS! Enough with the letters in math!!! There were times I was tempted to raise my hand and ask when any of these jibberish problems would be applicable to real life since I have yet to graph an equation in this 14 year math break, but I decided against it. Instead I sat through class, took my notes, and then cried in the bathroom after it ended. But then I told myself, hey, its not that bad. Let's just take it one class at a time, one assignment at a time, one problem at a time. I'll show this math who's boss! First quiz due Wednesday night, got a 7/5. TWO BONUS POINTS! :) So day two rolls around. (Let me pause to mention that I am working full time at the bank still and now taking 3 classes this semester at night, which just so happens to be 4 nights a week. Hey nerd for 15 weeks!) OK, day 2. I go to the classroom where I believe the class is being held. Door is locked. I check my syllabus. I see a different room listed there and trot on up there. Nope, another class is in session, but that instructor tells me he has just sent my instructor to the correct room. I go back down there. Door is still locked. I walk to the library and check my messages. Nothing. I try the locked classroom one more time and the door is still locked. Since it is now 6:40 and class started at 6:00 I head home and cry in the car. I email my instructor twice, don't hear back that night or the next day, so I decide to email the whole class, even though I hate it when people do that with their dumb questions. Here are the responses..."the door was locked from the outside, you just had to knock..." OK great. I can't wait to go back next Tuesday and be the girl who didn't know how to knock. Day 3 it just snowed all day and made a messy drive from work to school but who cares? I have that take-home quiz aced! No tears Day 3! Thursday night. Time for "Examining Yourself as a Teacher". I get to campus in plenty of time, I find the classroom, even though I first went into the wrong room (yet again) and even started to write my name on a name tent! (Thank god I asked someone if I was in the right class. Embarrasssing, but not horrible.) Tonight's class could be my favorite since my return to school in Fall of 09. I am looking forward to asking myself the scary questions I never wanted to think about when I decided to go back to school to become a teacher. My lifelong dream since age 5. (I also wanted to be a ballerina and a dentist while also being a teacher, but sore feet and thinking about putting my hands in someone's spitty mouth cured 2 of the 3 desires.) I have had this professor before and really enjoyed his class and his teaching style and his infectious love for children. His real-life scenarios were one of my favorite parts of the other class he taught and now I have his life experiences to take from as I decide if this is my true calling. I already know it is. I have never wanted any other job or career. From the day I started kindergarten I started loving my teachers and loving school. I wanted to be like all of my elementary school teachers and I wanted to do what they did. I want kids to like school. I like kids and kids like me. I think its because I act like a kid most of the time. So what? I am not in it for the money. I am taking this step in my life because I want to make a difference in the life of a child. I want to see kids smile and learn. I want children to be successful. And I want my summers off work and a Spring Break, Fall Break and Winter Break. Let's be honest. Those are some nice teacher perks! :)

Blog you later,
Melissa