all he cares about is treats and snoozin'

today is a very great day.

why is that, you ask?

well, I'll tell you. I just discovered that Marcel the Shell is back!!

Marcel the Shell, part 2

for those of you who don't know Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, here is the first video:

This is a wonderful occasion.

Also: I have an interview this week with the principal of the school at which I'm student teaching. It would be lovely if I could get a teaching job straight out of my internship, just lovely.

So send some positive energy my way?!

My class has caught the love bug.

Disclaimer: Names have been changed to protect the innocent. ;)

So, today I was approached by a student informing me that a boy in our class was crying. Concerned, I pulled the boy outside to see what was wrong.

"I didn't want anyone to know who my true love was, and Sarah just told everyone. The whole class knows my true love!"

His true love is the new student that came to our class last Wednesday.
Later that afternoon, I heard him telling the student that told the class about his true love, "I will never forgive you! You ruined my life!"

Oh, the drama.

During lunch, another student told me that he had "a big fatty crush" on the new girl as well.

Students were making paper skeletons today, and one of my students put a bowtie on hers and told me she was naming him after her crush. She then proceeded to dance around the room with him, kissing him on his bony face.

After hearing about all of this lovey dovey activity that was going on today, my lead teacher asks me, "What on earth are you teaching these kids when I'm out of the room?!?!"

Oh, third graders.

SO it's my fifth week already of student teaching. The time has just flown by.

It's funny, because every day there are at least ten times when a student says something hilarious, and I think, "I definitely need to blog this." But then, by the end of the day, I've completely forgotten the funny little gems I wanted to share. Now, I could keep a little notebook and write these things down so I could share them in this here blog, BUT I already get made fun of enough by my fellow third grade teachers for being a nerd, so... I don't know if getting caught taking notes would be the best thing! ;)

This experience is amazing. Every day, I learn SO much. Every day, I feel more and more confident that this is where I'm meant to be. It's exhausting, demanding, and sometimes ridiculously stressful, BUT the fun that I have with my students and getting to see them learning definitely makes it all worth it.

Here are some things I do remember that the kids said today:

Student 1: "Ms. Verbil, are you married?"
Student 2: "Oh my GOSH that was SO rude of you to ask! You can't do that!"
Student 1: "Why?!"
Student 2: "If she's not married, you'll make her feel bad about not having a husband yet!"

Student: "Ms. Verbil, I just wanted to let you know that you don't make me feel weird."
Me: "I don't even know what that means."
Student: "Well, basically you just don't."

I'm still confused about that one.

After hearing one of the parents talk about Rosh Hashanah today:
Student: "So wait... you get to blow a cool horn thing and leave school early today? I want to be A Jewish!"

After the first week...

"Ms. Verbil, is Utah a foreign country?"

One student to another student:
"What does G.A.T.E. stand for?"
"It stands for I'm smarter than you."

Oh, my kids.

I just love them to pieces already. Granted, there are a few troublemakers but it's nothing I can't handle. I hope.

My first week went relatively well. It consisted of assessing every student in a TON of different ways to determine where they are in math and reading. We also had TWO birthdays already in the first week! I have a set of twins that I can already tell apart. Thank goodness for THAT because with this being the twins' first year in the same class, they have been trying to get away with the "classic" twin tricks since day one. They've already tried to switch places twice!

I'm so grateful to have started my student teaching at the beginning of the school year. This way, it's not like I'm a stranger in the classroom coming in halfway through the year. I think with me being there from day one, I'll have an easier time getting respect from the students.

I LOVE it so far. It's only the first week, however, and it only gets more difficult from here. Wish me luck!

Back to school, back to school...

This weekend is my last weekend as a free woman.
[side note: I feel really strange calling myself a woman.]

This Monday, August 29th 2011 is my first day of school. And it's also my third grade class' first day of school. I am overcome with excitement. However, I'm just putting it out there-- I'm terrified. There were times throughout my college education that I thought I would never make it to student teaching, but here I am! I hope that I'm actually cut out for all of this. I hope that this next couple of months tells me that teaching is what I'm called to do, because I don't know what I would do with myself if all of a sudden I realized that I'm not meant to teach!

But I love working with kids. I have adored the time I spent in the Elementary Ed program for the past couple of years. You would think after all this time spent preparing in college that I would realize that I don't like teaching. So there. Nothing to worry about, Nicole! RIGHT?!

I've been working in my new classroom and with my lead teacher this past week, and attending meetings on the new Common Core Standards and the new lesson planning system that the district is implementing. This stuff scares me more than actually teaching does. The "curriculum engine" that teachers are required to use this year definitely complicates things! I'm just grateful that I'm a child of technology because the system is easy enough for me to navigate. It just stinks that while I'm learning all the ins and outs of teaching, my lead teacher will be learning how to use the new planning system and learning how to implement the new standards into already existing lesson plans. That's SO much learning! ;)

So cross your fingers for me that the next 14 weeks go smoothly! I won't be taking full control of the class until around October, so extra prayers during that month would be greatly appreciated. :) I expect bumps in the road at times, but all in all, my excitement definitely outweighs my fear of failure!

Lately...

I've said it once, I'll say it a million times: Blogging is not my forte. That aside, I have some things to say!

So I recently returned from a week long trip to Glorieta, New Mexico with the collegiate ministry at Shadow Hills. This trip was life-changing, I would say. It helped me to realize what I want to do with that large chunk of time I'll have after my student teaching is over. Obviously, I won't have a teaching job halfway through the school year (and frankly, I doubt I'll have a teaching job for a while...) so I have a long long break before the next school year starts! What should I do with that time? Guys, I wanna go on a mission trip somewhere. That somewhere is....

India! 

There is so much I could say about India, but obviously this will take a lot of prayer and fund raising and many other things if this is actually going to happen. I always wanted to go on another mission trip at some point, and this upcoming January seems the perfect time to do so!

So it hit me today. I'm going to be teaching soon. Granted, it's my student teaching, but still! I'm going to have a class of third graders that I get to meet in two weeks! My lead teacher is great, I met him today. I also went into Allen today to help him set up the classroom. Guys, he has a TENT in his room. A tent! Two students a week get to do their work in this tent. It's crazy cool. To say that I'm looking forward to this upcoming school year is an understatement.

But. I'm also crazy scared. I have a feeling that in the next couple of weeks, I'll be overwhelmed and excited and nervous and overworked and stressed and joyous and scared and sad and happy, etc. I've heard horror stories about student teaching experiences. I've also heard the most delightful, funny stories about student teaching. I hope that there won't be too many horror stories in my case, but if there are, you better bet I'll be talking about them here!

Wish me luck AAAHHHH

Things I'd like to do this summer!

I've become kind of obsessed with blogging, and I really wish I could blog better! Actually, I really wish I had a super fantastic incredible jet-setter, crafty, chef-y, or other type of life so that when I DO blog, it's actually something people will want to read! Since I have none of the attributes listed above, I think what I will do is write about what I hope to accomplish this summer. Enjoy?

1. Mini-vacations!
This includes visiting southern California to see Alicia, and go to Disneyland! [New Star Tours, whaaaatt?!] I also plan on (hopefully) two Reno visits, a blitz trip to Yosemite, and maybe visit other parts of NorCal as well? Aaaaaand a week in New Mexico with the college group at Shadow Hills!
2. Getting in shape!
So I have this gym membership. I've had it for a while now. I try using it a lot. We'll see how that goes.
3. Spend time with Oma!
My grandma is coming into town from good ol' Deutschland in July and I sure as heck plan on soaking up all the Oma time that I can get. Unfortunately, her time here conflicts with the planned camping trip in Reno, but we will see how that goes.
4. Eat lots of German food!
The title pretty much explains itself. MMM.
5. Bid adieu to allergies!
I've been going to the allergist about three times a week for allergy shots, so I'd better notice a difference by the end of the summer, shoot.
6. Stop being so pasty white!
I'm so pale. Must get some sun.
7. Improve my German speaking ability!
Let's face it, the whole "use it or lose it" thing is totally true. I feel like a clown lately trying to speak it, so it needs some reaaaall work.
8. Learn to like running!
I want to like running. I do. Really. Stupid asthma.
9. Have long hair!
I am going to use all my willpower this summer to will my hair to GROW, dangit. I know that isn't really possible, but it'd be nice...
10. Read, a lot!
I'm already working on this one, considering I've finished like 7 books in the almost month since I've been home. Reading is fun! ;)
11. Prepare for student teaching!
This one scares me to no end! Aaahh!