Well I'm finally finished! All I have left is to walk in the graduation ceremony in December. Student teaching ended yesterday and I have been looking forward to that day since it started. Surprisingly I was sad to leave my fourth graders and my wonderful cooperating teacher. Our class definitely took me on a roller coaster of emotions dealing with lots of behavioral problems, but overall I love them. It was a sad last two days for me. Bitter sweet because I couldn't wait to be done, but knew I would miss the kids. As I walked out of the school on that last day my arms were filled with gifts from the kids. It was so sweet. They got me flowers, chocolates, books, cards, candy, and a Willow Springs Elementary shirt. I got hugs from all of the students and they all said how they'd miss me SO much. Teachers aren't rewarded often for what they do, but I definitely was. My students told me not to leave and I was tempted not too, but now I'm moving on to getting my own class. My success of the year is a student that I worked with week after week on his math. He was really low in math and unmotivated to even attempt the problems. I was light-hearted and encouraging with him. I always patted him on the back and gave him high fives and told him I expected an improving grade on each test he took. The first math test he bombed. The next he still failed, but the score improved. This week he took the algebra test and got a 96%!!!!! I was so proud of him and he was beaming knowing that he had accomplished what I said he could. Moments like this make teaching worth the crappy pay, crappy hours, and immense amount of effort. I love changing students' perspective of themselves. Their lives change when they realize they can do something they never thought they could like Ace a math test!
One of my cute little fourth graders gave me some parting words of advice that I'm going to try and work on:
student: "Mrs. Conley I have one piece of advice for you"
me: "What's that?"
student: "TRAVEL THE WORLD!!!"
me: "hahaha ok I'll get right on that as soon as I come into a large sum of money"
Brittney that is so amazing!! You give me hope that I can do it too! I'm so nervous to student teach especially in elementary! You are amazing. I love you and miss you. I will be in Provo next week hopefully when Eric and BriAnne have their baby so I am going to call you and come visit because it has been way too long. ps I love reading your blog it makes me happy haha love you!
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