This week, I started my camp duties at Russell Creek Day Camp. I arrived bright and early on Monday (7:30am to be exact) to gather my roster and guidelines. At nine after all of the kids were checked in, the counselors and I sang a song introducing ourselves (my camp name is dance off) and then played "Poop Deck" with the kids. We then broke up into groups and took our 14 kids to the kitchen to begin cooking! I'm the lead teacher for Culinary and Science/Space Camps.
We had a few hiccups on the first day including blowing a fuse in the kitchen that cut out all of the electricity in the offices and delay in our breakfast making. No worries, being the teacher I am, I explained to my kids a lesson on how cooks always improvise when things don't go as planned.
My students are precious. They range from 6-12 years of age, both boys and girls. They have so much charisma. They ask the fun questions that I have become accustomed to including, "Are you married?" and "Do you have a boyfriend?" One of my sweet girls told me that I looked like the princess from Princess Diaries and another said that their favorite food is Hooter's Wings and was wondering if we were going to go to Hooters for a field trip.
Being with kids this week reassured me how much I genuinely love working with kids. When I'm at camp, I'm not worried about the fact that it's now June and I don't have a job yet. My worries are who has to go to the bathroom, who needs their shoelaces tied, who has a song that they want to sing to you, who drew a picture of you to give you, who wants to do the Cupid Shuffle, who wants you to play dodgeball, who needs help opening up their juice box because their 6 year old hands aren't coordinated enough. The list goes but I think explains my epiphany why I need to teach kids. It hasn't crossed my mind that this isn't something that I want to do the rest of my life.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Way Over My Head
Hello, blog readers.
I'm happy that Molly started blogging again. And Christy is blogging over in Thailand. Laura is always consistent with her blog. Blogs are fun, even the word "blog" is fun to say.
Life in Plano has been interesting, stressful at times and filled with searching for a job. I've had training at the YMCA and start next week which is nice. I'm excited to be with kids again. J Crew has been fun as well. There are some new faces that have started working there. J Crew employees are hilarious. Always decked out in J Crew wear and there is always a scandalous story to share during a work shift.
To date, I've have visited 26 elementary schools in the Dallas area. That's alot of driving, a lot of gas being sucked out of my car and lots of neutral responses from principals. It's so incredibly challenging, this whole job searching. It's constant rejection every time you feel like you are getting somewhere. There have been small glimmers of hope from schools but nothing that has shined a light at the end of the tunnel. This experience has definitely tested my faith and my patience in waiting for the perfect teaching opportunity to come.
When the day comes though when I receive my offer, I have already decided that I'm going to hug the principal (regardless of who she is and how she feels about physical touch) and we are going to have a dance off right there in her office. I will love every school day next year and adore each of my students regardless of how crazy they drive me. Because after this, I've learned that I need to appreciate every aspect of my job next year.
Haven't passed the stone. It could have dissolved by now. But who knows.
How are you?
I'm happy that Molly started blogging again. And Christy is blogging over in Thailand. Laura is always consistent with her blog. Blogs are fun, even the word "blog" is fun to say.
Life in Plano has been interesting, stressful at times and filled with searching for a job. I've had training at the YMCA and start next week which is nice. I'm excited to be with kids again. J Crew has been fun as well. There are some new faces that have started working there. J Crew employees are hilarious. Always decked out in J Crew wear and there is always a scandalous story to share during a work shift.
To date, I've have visited 26 elementary schools in the Dallas area. That's alot of driving, a lot of gas being sucked out of my car and lots of neutral responses from principals. It's so incredibly challenging, this whole job searching. It's constant rejection every time you feel like you are getting somewhere. There have been small glimmers of hope from schools but nothing that has shined a light at the end of the tunnel. This experience has definitely tested my faith and my patience in waiting for the perfect teaching opportunity to come.
When the day comes though when I receive my offer, I have already decided that I'm going to hug the principal (regardless of who she is and how she feels about physical touch) and we are going to have a dance off right there in her office. I will love every school day next year and adore each of my students regardless of how crazy they drive me. Because after this, I've learned that I need to appreciate every aspect of my job next year.
Haven't passed the stone. It could have dissolved by now. But who knows.
How are you?
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