There really is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Alright, i know it has been a very VERY long time since I've written but so much has been going on! Full time teaching, full time classes, and an attempt to live life to the fullest! OH lala! My plate has been very full this year, but in the end (after the loss of sleep and constant demands) it really does feel good. Every day I feel that my students find something that they enjoy doing in my French class; moreover, we have grown as a class...there are actually times where everyone is learning AND having fun!! I believe that my students know I truly care for them, and that I am doing my best to help them succeed and have fun with the language.

I thought I would end this final 504 blog about how incredible every person is in our SMAC cohort. We have endured so much!! Just take a moment to think of where we were at about twelve months ago. I feel that we have all gone through so many life changes in a very short amount of time, and I believe we are growing into better individuals because of it. We have learned how to become amazing multi-taskers - dealing with a constant flow of assignments, classes, full time work, pretending to have a normal life, and developing our very own philosophy of teaching. Congrats everyone. You amaze me :)

Igniting the Flames of Learning with Animation - CoverItLive! MACUL Conference

New Year et Bonne Année.

Well it's a new year and a new start for all of us. I'm so excited to start student teaching full time. I feel that everyday I am learning new things and challenging myself. It is amazing what the students themselves can teach you, and I feel that I'm very lucky to have the opportunity to begin my journey as an educator at a young age. I see the students looking up to me and that I can try to explain concepts to them in terms that they will understand.

Also, the first two weeks of my new year have been so jam packed with new happenings, decisions, responsibilities, and life changing situations. My high school was faced with a death and a suicide. Moreover, the students are under extreme stress due to their final exams. I felt lucky that my cohort was approached earlier this year by teachers who talked about the idea that we will be facing serious situations within the schools. Many of our students are facing difficult situations outside of the classroom, and as a teacher I have to keep that in mind.

I'm also excited to be looking towards the future! I have and currently am learning SO much this year, but I can't wait to learn from my life experiences teaching as a "real teacher." haha We'll see if I get through the second semester first! ...But it is fun trying to develop some new teaching techniques that engage and improve student learning. For example, our Educational Technology class has taught me how to take advantage of technology and it's use in the classroom. I created an online webinar about the web2.0 resource Bubblr (http://www.pimpampum.net/bubblr/) with my partner. The webinar opened up my eyes to how interactive I can make the language classroom. Also, I am going to use web resources like Google Maps to truly "wow" my students and show them that learning languages can be exciting!

So, overall, there is much to come in the upcoming semester.... I will keep you updated and keep on trekking through (especially in this snow... maybe I should take up skiing...)