Today marked my halfway point for student teaching. I am halfway there. Graduation is just around the corner. Crazy, right? The past seven weeks I have spent day in and day out of the greatest 1st grade class at Orem Elementary School. Let me tell you what, student teaching is not what I thought it would be. It is much harder and much better! What I anticipated was far less colorful (both in a difficult and rewarding sense) than the reality of it. I have learned so much though! So so much. I feel a lot more prepared to have my own classroom in the near future, and much more prepared for the next seven weeks in a 6th grade class. I am slightly scared for this one. But, I am so humbled at the chance I have to improve my teaching skills and strategies daily and most importantly, to influence the lives of young kids. There are few things in this life more rewarding than seeing a child light up when they understand something you taught them. It is extremely validating. I have had some very difficult days these past few weeks. Some days I have wanted to just quit. But, for every hard day there three times more good days. Then, final days in the classroom, like mine today, make you never ever want to leave.
So get this... today was my last day in the 1st grade, so this afternoon, my cooperating teacher asked me to go to the work room to grab her some more dry erase markers. Super random, but I was happy to help her out. When I came back to the class, I opened the door and was delightfully surprised by a loud choir of children chanting "We love you, Miss Bagley!" They were all standing up by the door in a group holding a poster and a gift. I almost shed tears. It was SO cute! Then I was almost stampeded by 25 first graders pushing their way through to give me a hug. Talk about confidence booster. Sheesh, all you have to do is spend 5 minutes with these kiddo's and they love you. So after about 35 days with them, there are some real attachments...on both ends. Here are some pictures of the cuties.
The sweet gift I got from the class.
Mrs. Giles and Miss Bagley's 1st grade class
What 1st graders do best... pulling our silly faces.
There have been so many wonderful things happening in my life over the past few months that I have been down in Provo. There are some days that I miss Logan...specifically my family and friends. But it has been a fun change being down here. Dear friends from Logan, Provo isn't half as bad as everyone up there says it is. I really like it! :) Of course, my loyalties will always and forever lie with Utah State. Too bad we couldn't quite pull a W off at last week's game against BYU. But I am so grateful for the opportunities that have been placed in my life and the experiences I have been having. Here is a brief update of what's been going on lately via a little picture blogging.
Eric surprised me for my birthday! I wasn't able to go to Wicked earlier this summer with the tickets I got for Christmas. So this cutie found some on a night we could go, and surprised me. We made a whole day out of it. Best boyfriend ever!
Inside the theatre. Don't worry, not only did he surprise me with tickets, but they were FRONT ROW tickets of the mezzanine. Aka: Defying Gravity happened directly in front of our faces. Right?! Best seats in the house, hands down.
Moving down to Provo. Adios Logan! (Also, adios long hair. I chopped it! 7 inches, baby.)
Harvesting the fall crops with my pops. All those times I complained about weeding and watering the garden when I was younger have now endeared me to gardening. What an accomplishing feeling to grow such beautiful produce.
Megan Bagley and Megan Sackett. Eric seriously has the neatest sister in the world. Glad we can share a name :)
Family Lagoon day!
Jared and I rode the Sky Coaster. Other than the fact that we both screamed like girls, it was awesome. He is the cutest boy!
A Sunday evening with the boy I love.
Just enjoying a BYU game from the box. No biggie. :)
Sardine Canyon in the fall. Enough said. Wow!
My dear friend Blair's wedding shower.
Enjoying some quality time with friends and family in Logan.
Tessa, me, Brynnly and Matt.
A little Monday night FHE with the "A-Team." Alan and Amy = best parents/cutest family.
USU vs. BYU game
A Sackett girl tradition: bowling and dinner while the boys are at Priesthood session.
General Conference Sunday. We went on a little walk up Provo Canyon to see some gorgeous waterfalls. I love this time of year!
I have so much to be thankful for right now. After hearing the words from General Conference last weekend, my soul is rejuvenated, and I am anxious and willing to serve and progress to be more like my Savior. He has blessed me so immensely and it is often easy to overlook those blessings in the hustle and bustle of every day life. I hope to be more humble and grateful each and every day. The beautiful thing about being "halfway there" is that room for progression and change is still ahead, in all aspects of life. Progression in my teaching and in my personal goals. And most importantly, in my lifelong journey to become a better disciple of Christ.
