Summer 2009

The last 6 weeks have flown by. I moved up to Loyola's Lake Shore campus the last week of June and finished this past week. Over the summer I took 3 courses: Assessment, Science Methods, and Middle School Theory. I really enjoyed my classes and professors, I really enjoyed assessment class. I was constantly forced to think about how I know if my students are learning and in what ways am I doing this. I am looking forward to take this knowledge into my classroom this fall.

It has been a blessing over the last couple weeks to get to know the first year's and begin to live life with them. A true testament of faith of three first year's has been waiting for their teaching placements. This past week, Maria and John were placed and their patience and trust was rewarded. Maria will be teaching 1st grade at St. Francis of Rome and John will be teaching 4th grade at Northside Academy. Praise the Lord for His guidance through this process for them.

One more first year, Eric, is waiting to hear about his placement, so if you could keep this in your thoughts and prayers that would be wonderful.

Over the summer, I was surprised at the amount of time I would be spending by myself. Going into summer I didn't think this would be the case, but it allowed me to read a couple of books (The Translator, Julie and Julia, The Time Traveler's Wife, The Purpose Driven Life) which I enjoyed. And time to reflect on my first year of teaching and to think about the upcoming year of teaching.

I moved all my stuff back to the house on Friday and have been organizing and putting things away. The last 2 days have been refreshing as a new year begins. Maggie one of my new roommates and Kath (one the 2nd years) and I had a chance to go to dinner and just hang out and have conversation. I am blessed by their friendship and I am looking forward to our community. There are 4 of us Maggie, Kath, Margie, and myself.

I have a week off before my teaching in-services start, and I am looking forward to spending time with my roommates and going for bike rides in my neighborhood.

I hope you all have had the most delightful summer as well.