preparing to be a teacher.

Class of 2009 graduate of Waterford Mott High School

     It doesn't seem that long ago that I graduated high school and now I'm on my fourth semester at BYU-I. My classes are starting to focus more on my major: Elementary Education. I am so happy that I finally have a focus and that I know what I want to do. Although I am still a little nervous about becoming a teacher and being responsible for children’s education, these classes are helping to ease the discomfort. I just started reading this amazing book for a class called, "The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher" by Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong. I have only read the first couple of chapters, but I have already learned so much in preparing to become an educator.

     In this same class, being a teacher was compared to being a cheerleader. As a former cheerleader, I absolutely loved this! My favorite part of cheerleading was encouraging not only the football or basketball team, but also my own team members. This is exactly what a teacher does: encourage. They help the students know that they are fully capable of doing whatever they want to do in life and that they  just need the encouragement and motivation to get there. Sometimes I need my very own cheerleader. Luckily my parents have always been my cheerleaders and now Jason has become one. I have also had other friends cheer me on, but these are the few that constantly are there every day by my side. I know that I could not have gotten this far in my life without their help. Having has this experience, I know just how important it is that students have this encouragement.

Cheerleading is like teaching

     This semester has me pretty busy. I will be taking a total of seven classes including an Early Field class where I will be attending a 5^th grade classroom at Madison Middle School to first, observe and later, to contribute to the students learning. Luckily, I have had some experience with this. During my senior year of high school, I was in a Leadership class and one of the requirements was to attend a school and help tutor or work with the kids. I absolutely fell in love with going to my classroom of over 50 kids (it was a combined classroom with two teachers). Many of the students ran up to me to give me a hug as soon as they saw me. One even developed a crush on me and wrote me love notes. Haha. While helping the students with reading, spelling, and other subjects; I felt good knowing that I helped them understand how to do things that they will use throughout their lives. Anyway, because I had such a good experience before, I look forward to doing it again this semester.

     Another class I’m excited for is Preparing for Eternal Marriage, which I am taking with Jason. We haven’t started it yet, but I really look forward to discussing important aspects of marriage in the class and outside of the class with Jason. I think it will help us to better know what is to come this year as we prepare to get married this Summer. Speaking of marriage, so far, things are going pretty great with planning the wedding. My mom and Jason’s mom have been a tremendous help with finding the reception places and getting all the BIG stuff out of the way so we can focus on the "fun things." I found my dress! I ordered it online and it was shipped to me over Winter break. When I tried it on, it fit perfectly! I would post a picture, but I don’t want Jason to see it. Planning is still kind of stressful, but I am getting more and more excited- with a side of nervousness. But that’s normal, right?