Got Crazy?

After spending a whole semester abroad with a schedule much more lackadaisical than mine usually is, I was quite unprepared for when I re-entered the "Connie-bubble." Imagine, Converse, as a mini-city where the student are the working pedestrians that are always in a rush some place. That is my life! The month of January was filled with clarinet and guitar lessons and completing over 70 hours of observation and teaching in a middle school band class. I loved spending all day every day with the middle school band kids, but when that only leaves you with 4pm to 10:30pm (remember bed time is 11:00, now that you wake up at 6:00am) to get everything else accomplished.

Then February hit and it has been like a freight train. The first weekend was spent at the SCMEA conference, which I spent a lot of time planning for the Converse students attending, model league practices and then NATO conference took up the rest of the weekends, and I officially entered student teaching. I am no longer just observing, but I am running one class everyday and when my teacher is absent I am in charge of them all.

Last Thursday, February 12, was my first time teaching all the classes (6 total) by myself and I was pretty nervous considering Mrs. Crutchlow wouldn't be there to save me if it went bad. Overall, it went pretty well and I realized how much you end up changing your lesson plan from first period to the end of the day as you perfect different aspects. I had a few sassy children, with one saying "Thank God, Finally!" when I reminded them I would be out of town for a conference the next day. And I will admit, I let that statement beat me up for about a half hour--even sitting in my car and crying. But then I remembered that middle school kids are full of hormones and maybe that kid wasn't having a good day and maybe it wasn't my best lesson. But we are both learning.

My senior clarinet recital is in two weeks with a pre-hearing in 6 days and SERMAL, model conference, is in three weeks. Still working on graduate school applications and am submitting some teaching jobs to try and finalize plans for after graduation.

Good thing I like to be busy right?