Hello Everyone! I miss you all like crazy, and I'm sorry if I haven't done a good job keeping in touch with all of you. So much has been going on in my life--there just hasn't been any time for anything! Here's my attempt to try to explain the happenings:
About a week and a half ago, I moved into a house in Grand Rapids, MI, to live with my brother and his friends for a semester. I was planning on doing my student teaching at Alger Middle School, a public inner-city school. I was going to teach 8th grade math. Little did I know that after less than a week my life would completely change!
Last Wednesday, the new principal at my old high school called my parents' house in an attempt to get ahold of me. The school had been trying to hire someone that the state of MI considers "highly qualified." In other words, a teacher who is certified to teach in two subject areas. The school has had a ton of applicants (To give you some perspective, there are hundreds of applicants for just about every teaching position in MI. The job market is not doing too well.), but none of them have two majors. At a meeting amongst the teachers, my name came up. How or why I do not know. Someone said that they thought I was about done with college. So, that is why the principal, whom I had never met, was calling my house. He was trying to see if I was done with school. Somehow he knew that I had two majors: English and Math. He gave my mother his cell phone number and said to call me and have me call him asap. He had a job offer for me if I would complete my student teaching there instead of in Grand Rapids.
Needless to say, my mom called me right away. I was surprised, confused, etc., but I figured I should call him back. I mean, how many people get job offers before they are done with school and when they haven't even interviewed or filled out an application? I called the principal back, and he explained the situation to me. He said that if I did my student teaching at Lakeview--the name of my old high school--and it was successful, he would offer me a full-time position at the school beginning right after my 14 weeks of student teaching. Basically, I would just stay there the entire year. I told him that I was interested, but we would have to call Aquinas. As far as they knew I was already doing student teaching in GR. So after numerous phone calls on Thursday, I packed up all of my stuff and moved back home. (This part of the story kind of stinks, because I still have to pay for 4 months of rent in GR. :( ). On Friday of last week, I went to Lakeview High School and met the principal. I also met my new cooperating/mentor teachers. I was shown MY classroom, given the books I would be teaching out of, and some supplies. I immediately had tons of emotions fly through me: terror, excitement, joy, confusion. They said that as far as they were concerned, I was a full-time teacher. I was doing my student teaching for awhile, but that was just a formality. According to them, I am the Algebra II, Geometry, and English 11/ACT Prep teacher.
This past weekend then, I went to my families' family reunion in Clare, MI. I rode 4-wheelers on all the trails, I sat around a campfire and talked with people, I ate a TON of wonderful food, and....I created lesson plans, created bulletin boards, came up with grading scales, figured out the rules of my classroom, etc.
Right now as I am typing this, I am sitting in my classroom and freaking out on the inside. I am incredibly nervous. My room is decorated though, and I have the first week planned out. I have no idea what's going to happen after that, but I figure that I'm just going to have to play everything by ear. I had no preparation time!
If there is anything this past week has taught me, it is to not make plans. I have not signed a contract yet, so if I decide I do not want to stay here teaching after my 14 weeks, I can leave. Right now, though, it looks as though I will stay. I feel as though God has definitely been working to show me what path my life is supposed to take. The series of events that has taken place has been just too strange to not be God. Please pray for me in all of this, however, because while I am fairly confident, I am also freaking out.
I love you all and I'll still be calling people when I can. Feel free to call me as well!
God Bless,
Carolyn aka Ms. Lovelace
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2 comments:
wow, carolyn. praise God for the changes... thanks for the update. it's nice knowing a bit where people are moving and how He's directing... blessings.
carolyn! congrats! you're going to do an amazing job. i have faith in you. if you need anything just give me a call! love you!
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