....... and here we are.....

...... at the end of another chapter in my journey and the beginning of a new one in the weeks and months ahead.  I have had an incredible experience with my students at my second placement.  The power to manifest a vision and to believe in my students in a positive pro-active way has truly cemented my firm belief that I am a teacher.  When you are pursuing your calling, making a difference and wanting more, despite the challenges, you are truly doing what your soul has been designed to do.

Reflection is a powerful tool used to review your past while in the present in order to improve for the future.....what I learned in looking back is that I clearly knew so long ago that this is what my destiny was supposed to be.  I needed all that crazy stuff in between in order to be that caring, interested and engaging teacher.

Yesterday, my life experiences as a mother were key in dealing with an angry and upset mother.  Her son convinced her that it was me who was at fault for why her son was not achieving his school goals.  I stood my ground and was prepared the night before with all the documentation required to show that her son was argumentative and felt entitled to obtaining a mark he clearly did not earn.  He had lied to her and had been deceitful with how he had been conducting himself in class.  His father, it seems, feels that marks are everything and often compare this younger son with the over-achieving older one.  I showed the mother her son's work and the look of disappointment was all too clear as she looked from myself, to the VP and then to her son.  His submissions were in keeping with grade school despite the fact that her son was in grade 11.  This student had gone as far as to solicit help from a guidance councillor who wrote a note indicating her concern about his grade not reflecting those of  his other marks. He clearly did not earn and according to him, had councilled him to lie about visiting her when he had asked to go to the washroom.  As the ugly truth began to reveal itself, the mother began to realize the position her son had put her in and I wondered, as we wrapped up the discussion as to wether this son of hers would ever see daylight again.  When the meeting ended, I had an opportunity to tour his mother around the classroom and offered to walk her to the front door.  She let me know that she really thought I was this really bad teacher who didn't care about her son.  As I walked away, I felt deeply for this woman who likely had been trying to protect her son from an overbearing father.

A few minutes later, after returning to the classroom, her son dropped in to ask me what he needed to do.  I wrote it out for him including explanations and once again he approached me and began to argue with me.  I told him that he could hand it in within the next two weeks to my associate teacher who would have to adjust his mark if he did not.  He continued to mope and then complain to anyone who would listen to him.  Sad that his life lesson, when it comes, will be extremely difficult.  Glad that the faculty and mother now know that there is a good chance he might not be the A student they thought he was....She called the school back later and thanked the VP for having a wonderful teacher like me on staff.

The last day at this amazing high school was so emotional.  Like a parent who loves and cares deeply for their children, you always worry about them.  My husband says that I have changed their lives and yes, while I may agree with that....we need to remember that they too have changed mine.  I will miss these young minds, with all their issues, quirkiness and sense of humour.  The huge card, their smiles and hugs will stay with me always.

To those who think teachers have a sweet deal and get too much pay for their summers off need to understand that we are on the clock 24 hours a day worrying about not just our own children but 60+ others.  A teacher has to know each and every student and be able to cater to each individual needs while maintaining discipline, and a healthy and safe environment for all.  Maintain a healthy relationship with your children's teacher, do not expect more than what they or your child are capable of accomplishing.  We have flaws just like all good parents do.  There are always two sides to every story.We work with your child every day and try to create exciting and new projects for them to do while also teaching them the 'soft' skills that help them learn how to be in the world.  It truly is the greatest vocation in the world!!!

..... nearing the end of semester......

..... and feeling some sense of relief around the corner!!!  It has been a hugely busy semester what with dozens of assignments, a handful of essays, some final quizzes and next Friday will come the final test just before practicum begins.

The play was a success!!!  Alice through the Looking Glass was a tremendous amount of fun and laughter with an amazing cast and crew. With Wednesday 13th of February, our opening night, the jitters were kept at bay by the support and hugs of cast members, Thursday's play brought with it suppressed hysteria as Katie's eyelash came unglued and I tried hard not to!!  Friday's play wrought havoc with Gerrad breaking a bone in his left foot as he was running in circles on stage.  It was also the night my family and friends came to watch the play and brought an armload of flowers....some are still so pretty in the vase.  As much as part of me was looking forward to getting free time to breathe.....I miss the hustle and bustle of the theatre life.  Would I consider doing another play?  Perhaps, if the right role came up, I just might.  I have learned so much from being in such a dynamic group of people.

I am looking forward to the end of the semester next Friday.....we have all had enough and just want to get on with the business of getting into our careers and back to what is a more normal schedule.  The weather is so depressing with the constant swing in temperature, rain, snow, sleet and high winds.  It is affecting my mood.  Yesterday in class, I felt terribly embarrassed by a couple sitting in the front of the class in the aisle between desks facing each other and stroking each other's arms when I had to try to get around them to exit the class.  While I do not consider myself a prude, I do not feel comfortable with this constant show of affection in a professional environment.

Today is the day we hand in our Educational Psychology paper.  I tried my best to write it in APA format which is very precise, right down to the punctuation between names and dates.  I only pray I have done this correctly.  Apparently the latest Word program will automatically format to suit this style of presentation.  I wrote my paper on Language impairment and Giftedness after learning how to research using the journal articles available in the Faculty Library online search engine.  Very cool how that system is set up to be able to quickly read the Abstract of the paper, get the citation, download the article to refer to later or to tag the article to look at it later.  I did learn the value of never forgetting to bring a thumb drive with you when in the Library.....I initially did a lot of research and had no access to my student drive!!!!

Later this morning I have an appointment to actually cancel my gym membership????  Apparently, they just go ahead and continue with your membership without advance notice of reapplying.  It will be great seeing Kat again for a quick social chat before heading back to classes.  Gerrad is hosting a 'Shave your Head' for youth with Cancer today.  I am so amazed by this guy who is so incredibly thoughtful and brave to share his story and to raise the funds for this worthy cause.  I will make it back in time.....at least I hope to, to witness the shaving of the heads.

My Dad is in a new home finally after months of waiting.  He seems to be much happier in the new place.  This week, the floor is closed to visitors according to a phone call from Mom last night.  There is a bug going through the home which is giving the residents the trots.  I had a minor bought of it for the past week and wonder if I happen to pick it up when I visited with him last week?  I had a minor flu over Christmas which left me tired but thankfully not super sick like some people were.

Happy 16th birthday to Mitchel!!!   I love you so much!!!!

....... well, it's off to get a quick shower and get ready for a busy day..... did not sleep much, but then I rarely get much at the best of times with a chronic sinusitis that keeps me up.  I finished 5 weeks of antibiotics which turned my system topsy turvey and only cleared the sinuses for that time period.  My ears are constantly plugged unless I take the Advil cold and sinus medication.  OK spring...... come now!!!

.....which way is up???

.....some days, it feels like life is whipping by in a blur of readings, lectures, quizzes, papers, tutorials and recently with rehearsals....

The school was originally built for High School teacher candidates and the interior reflects that approach with the lockers, auditorium, classrooms, and cafeteria.  The faculty is isolated from the main campus and adjacent to a public school. Despite my current age, it often feels that I am right back in those days of moving between classes and socializing in the cafeteria with classmates and students I have become familiar with in after class activities. It is a small community in an environment where individuals often forget that what they say or do often finds its way back to the unintended recipient.  It is a great reminder to always be respectful of others and to be mindful of the things you say and do.  As a teacher, it jogs one's own memory of what it was like to be in high school and to remind yourself that young high school students may not have the tools to cope with situations that present themselves through the familiarity and proximity of a variety of personalities.  It is also an opportunity to fine-hone interpersonal skills and understanding that it is a skill that few individuals have perfected.

I am currently enrolled in a group study and educational opportunity in 'emotional intelligence'.  It is a great course that gives one an awareness of how one deals with stressful situations, how one deals with their emotional stressors and finally being given the tools of how to effectively deal with these emotional stresses.  It could not have come at a better time for me in my life's journey. Looking out for my parents through family difficulties, balancing my own home life with the many demands of schooling, battling fatigue and seasonal illness.....like I said....great timing to learn how to deal more effectively when energies are at minimum.  Every bump in the road is an opportunity to learn something and to take away a new skill.

Rehearsals are going well and I find such fun in acting out a part that allows me to have creative licence in complete silliness!!  I wish I had been braver in high school to pursue more extra-curricular  activities. It is an amazing experience creating social connections with colleagues you may not necessarily ever come in contact with. It has inspired me to pursue cross-curricular development with other disciplines. My wonderful friend Brenda has been pivotal in making my costume out of two wedding dresses donated by a fellow actor.  The play will be in the auditorium for the public from Feb 13-16.

There is only 5 weeks left of classes as we ready ourselves to go into our second practicum. There are just a few projects/papers left to go before that time.  I am looking forward to go back to the classroom!!

Lydia's 'Unicorn' poem has made it into a children's collection of poems through the school system. A very proud moment for all of us.  This will be my second child to achieve this!!  Children are such a blessing to watch as they grow up and become their own person!!   Mitchel is being a typical teen....I have to give him credit for trying to once again pull the wool over our eyes.....which earned him a school detention for skipping.  Will is doing quite well, working full time and applying for a career move.  My better half is amazing and supportive through this challenging adventure,  I am a very lucky woman, surrounded by supportive family and friends.

To my dear friends who are starting their cancer journeys, I send you love and strength to keep on going!!  To Dianna, who lost her battle this week - thank you for your inspiration and words of encouragement.
M

...... and busier still.....

..... as if I have not enough on my plate, I decided to take a 'Tribes' course this whole weekend and part of next.  It is a course that was offered as an extra course off campus.  Twenty of us were able to take advantage of this course which comes complete with a work book and two incredible instructors.  There are so many ideas to get students to create connections with each other in a safe, comfortable learning environment.  It promotes mutual respect, attentive listening, appreciations for each other with no put downs and the right to pass if asked to participate.  I am enjoying the opportunity to connect more closely with fellow colleagues that I have not yet had a chance to meet or get to know better.  What a great opportunity to learn about teaching the whole child while networking with some amazing people.  It really is a course that helps to balance an approach to teaching with discipline and leadership while remaining mindful that academics are only one aspect of the student's life. Networking and creating relationships in a collaborative classroom!!
      I am facing one of the longest stretches I have had in over a year of not seeing my Dad.  It is so hard to be away from him for these past few weeks but necessary since I have been ill and there have been some family issues needing to be addressed.  I am sure he is fine, although the hospitals seem to be battling one flu outbreak after another.  This season has been so bad with stomach issues and head colds that so many people are trying to get over.  I am glad I was able to get my flu shot back in November at the University. I pray every night for him while sometimes fighting back the tears.  I wish for the day when he was at the home and I was putting him to bed two nights a week.  At night, before I go to bed, I send him happy thoughts and bid him good-night....I hope he knows somehow just how much I love and miss his laugh and his twinkling blue eyes.
    While the Faculty of Ed started on the 2nd, all the other schools will start this Monday.  The children will return to schools that are currently doing a 'work to rule' campaign in an effort to assert their right to collective bargaining and to eradicate bill 115.  It is an interesting time to be training as a teacher while so many changes are taking place in the profession.
     This week starts the real work on rehearsals and we have mere weeks to prepare before full dress rehearsals at the end of the month.  We should be putting on the play for a paying audience in the middle of February.  I am just enjoying this experience so much!!  I love the energy that is almost tangible and of course the raucous laughter when Steve, our animated director comes up with a quirky and fun idea.  Watching one of the performers shuffling across the stage with a look that sent us all reeling with laughter and making us start all over again, still had me chuckling in the car on the way home.  I am using a recording I made on my iPhone to practice my lines on the way to and from school these days.. I play the recording for my fellow actors and they agree that Lydia sounds super cute.  I am looking forward to hearing what she has to say when she finally gets to see mommy in the play?
   That's it for this week....enjoy your week and remember to pursue your passions and create a positive and happy life!!

.....first semester done.....

.....and wondering where all the time went????  So much has happened in such a short span of time.  I am loving every minute of this experience.  My first few rehearsals are done - biggest fear - will I remember all of my lines when I need to?  I am hoping to record and play back my lines as many times as possibly so that I can in fact do a great job.  It is an exciting time for me to explore and feel free to experiment with all of these opportunities...ones I would not necessarily have taken advantage of when I was a high school student.  There is a lot to be said about being an older student!!

Last Wednesday night, after 8 hours straight of classes, we had a study-a-thon for our Social Foundations class.  There were a number of classrooms set up with various sections to study, quiz or test in preparation for the final exam in the semester.  I won a coffee card for answering a question in the professor run part of the evening.  It is a sad moment when you see a professor retire who you know has such passion for this vocation.  I shook Alliston's hand at the end and once again thanked him for a great lecture experience.

My husband Max had surgery on Thursday and gratefully, his Mom and Dad were able to take him to Strathroy hospital for the procedure.  It was my last day of classes and I felt horribly guilty that I was unable to be there for him.  As it was, the surgery went later than expected and I ended up running around to get his meds after 7 pm.  With little time left to study, I read through my notes and went to bed for some much needed sleep....which never came.

Friday morning - day of the final Social Foundations test and I popped into the cafeteria for a coffee and to check in with my classmates.  I had a bag of gifts to hand out to the group I normally hang out with and a box of chocolates for the janitor and a box for the cafeteria ladies.  Vladka was so excited and surprised when I gave her a box of After Eights....she never expected it from anyone.  So sad considering she has been so sweet and warm to me since I started in September.  Her bear hugs and smiles just made my day!!!  She is not just a janitor, she is a Mom, a wife, someone's daughter and a heck of a nice lady!!!

It was indeed a spectacular day!!  The sun was shining in a bright blue sky with temperatures at 9 degrees.  I had Veronica take in some deep breaths outside Elborn College, to clear her mind and to dry up her nervous tears.  The sun felt good on my face and I was ready to face the exam.  It would be fine and it would work out - faith that I had attended lectures and tutorials and understood the purpose of the course.  Multiple choice are not exactly my top pick, but needless to say, the exam was fair.  Once finished, it was time to head out to Buffalo Wings to meet up with my colleagues for a beer and wings before heading into the Christmas holidays.  While I adore the majority of my colleagues, those that I might not fully appreciate, I always try to find a great personal quality and focus on that.  Speaking well of others, despite what you may feel/think is always the best policy, no matter what.  Lots of hugs later, it was time to head out.... Merry Christmas Everyone!!!! xoxo

Friday was also a day of deep sadness as we sat and watched the unfolding news coverage of an elementary school in Conneticut, whose younger members were gunned down by a mentally disturbed 20 year old man.  My heart broke to hear the stories of children whose lives were cut down and of Robbie Parker, father of Emilie Parker, address the world about the loss of his own precious daughter.  When will these school shootings end?

I have done a lot of reflecting over the past four months and some days I feel really emotional about this   journey.  I know I am on the right path and that this has always been my calling.  I just belong, simply and without question....belong.  We spend our lives looking for that place we know where we just fit in and can be ourselves without having to justify why.  Teaching has always been that place for me.    While my careers were satisfying, none has been moreso than my experience as a teacher.

I have committed myself to living each moment with enthusiasm and joy.  There are a number of additional courses I will be taking on as the year begins in January.  They are opportunities to expand my knowledge and gain insight into the latest teaching principles for engaging and teaching our youth.  This experience has opened so many more doors for me and I look forward to a future filled with more adventures.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!! xoxoxox

......drum roll to reveal the part in the play.....

......for the university play 'Alice through the looking glass'...... which i will be playing.....is.....the White Queen!!!!!  Tonight was the first read-through with most of the crew and it was fun, fun, fun!!!!  I can't wait to get started on the rehearsals which begin next week.

Max is worried about my school work, and with only 1 project left to complete in two weeks time, I am confident that the marks I have been earning will keep me on the honor list......my desire to balance life with a deep desire to enjoy this experience has given me so much joy.  I am always up to a challenge and wanting to continue to be challenged to be better and to evolve and grow as a person and as a professional.

There is only a few weeks left before Christmas vacation and a chance to catch up and work ahead in the course and complete course content before the final practicum.

....an exciting audition....

......in a dynamic environment!!!!  It is only 30 years later, and I now have the courage, spunk and desire to live out some of the things I never had the nerve to try.  I stood on the stage at 7:30 tonight, sang 'Oh Canada', played a quick part as Alice in Wonderland and did a few dance moves.....and I felt amazing!!!!  This is the gift of enjoying your life and every single moment of it.  I have made some amazing  friends and I spend my days feeling excited to be given this incredible opportunity.....the chance to really live my life.  My friend and colleague sat in the front seat and enjoyed the experience of watching me perform.  Yes, sweet Veronica, it really is like the movies!!!  She is a talented hair and make-up artist and wants to help behind the stage.  Our other techie colleagues willl help support behind the scenes to make this a fun filled experience.

......earlier today.....

Monday started with a cup of chocolate raspberry coffee....yum!!!  Off to Aboriginal studies in a circle and enjoyed listening to some funny and not so funny stories told by our groups.  Today, we needed to understand the power of telling stories and what oral storytelling means to different people and the power of telling a story to lead into a lecture.  We then had an opportunity to meet with two guidance teachers for the Fourth R program which is offered in thousands of education environments to teach healthy relationships and mentoring for Aboriginal students.  There are three high schools that offer this  leadership course in London.  I was very blessed to have been able to participate in one such program on my practicum placement.

I received two assignments back with both earning 100%.  The lecture I gave in our Instructional course  was one I used in the civics course I taught in practicum.  It was phenomenal and I really worked hard on creating an interactive and interesting group activity.  The paper was based on the rationale as to why we really need technological studies.

After school, it was off to Costco to go shopping with the girls and have a quick bite to eat.  I got to push the cart :) and we all got to laugh and laugh and laugh....just drinking in every moment and enjoying the ride!!  We all managed to join the meeting in progress of the first GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) gathering at the Faculty.  Fantastic that there has been the desire to create a safe environment for Gay/Lesbian/bi members of the school and to have those of us who want to support them to be there.

What a great adventure!!!!  I hope you all venture forth and find what makes your soul sing!!!!!!!

......six weeks later....

......and we are heading back to classes tomorrow...

    The time has flown by and so much has happened....I started in one school, moved to another a week later and found myself paired with a natural mentor.  He has taught me so much in the short time I have been there and a part of me doesn't want to leave. While we have different styles, I am in awe of how he effectively deals with some of the most difficult personalities.... I watched a student go from not wanting to cooperate, to one who became involved in the class discussion sans attitude.

     I am looking forward to attending classes again as a student.  I did after all decide that I would enjoy every minute of this experience and I can honestly say that I am.  Friday was a PD day at the high school filled with meetings and a parting of ways. It was difficult keeping emotions at bay with another candidate tearing up every time she saw me.  She wants to stay and continue teaching and I have to admit that a part of me will stay once I step out into the late afternoon sunshine.  My associate and I exchange gifts - he gave me a T-shirt from the DIG convention and I gave him a gift I had commissioned my husband to make - a weapon from StarCraft.  We hug and promise to keep in touch.  We will hug again later when the final assembly takes place and we know the day is over.  I tell him how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to be mentored by an inspiring teacher.  I have learned so much and am eager to learn so much more.  Thank you so much!!!

I am tidying up the written projects which are due this week.  I have been working steadily on my Career Catalog and am nearing completion.  With some helpful hints from other teachers and a VP, I know it will be a good project when completed.

It's time to head off to bed and get some much needed sleep before an early start in the morning.  Three more weeks until Christmas!!!!  Happy Birthday today to my Mother-in-law.  Sending her smoochies!!

....where is the time going.....

.......with so much to do and so little time to accomplish everything.  I am juggling my schedule and flying by the seat of my pants.  Tonight after classes, I sat and watched a rare few hours of T.V as I let the past two weeks sink in.  In just the past 10 days, I have swapped schools to a program that better suits my education and abilities.  While I enjoyed teaching myself graphic design with Max's guidance, I was burning the candle at both ends.  I miss the girls I drove to that school and thankfully, they have found alternate transportation.  The bonus is that I am now a bit closer to school and being mentored by an amazing teacher.

Today I managed to bring in the remote scoreboard controller I repaired on the weekend and later, I was able to repair the 'chyron' computer for the studio.  I am feeling more in the groove and doing things that bring an air of familiarity in a new environment.  It is a great boost to the confidence level.

I taught my first Civics class today and was able to get the students engaged and actively working together in groups to create a new law.  I had a rough start getting the hook-up of my iPad done - I laugh now but first thing Monday morning playing around with the unit is rather embarrasing.  No worries, we got it done and were able to use the rest of the time wisely.  My associate had great feedback and discussed the finer points of the presentation.  In life you come to value those who bring that candid and insightful commentary to help you to improve and see things you would not normally notice.  Life is great.  Tonight I have quite a bit of work to do but that is in keeping with life since starting teacher's college. I am loving every minute of it!!!

The best thing about being a tech teacher??  Having the most amazing tech classmates!!!  We try to get together as much as we can.  The input is invaluable from each person's experience and the humour is a total bonus.  I am deeply grateful.

For the next 2 weeks, I will be teaching the remainder of the Civics classes.  My personal experience with politics is really helping with my knowledge and ability to speak to the students.  Tomorrow after class, I will be heading over to automotive shop to participate in that class so I have packed my boots and safety glasses for that period.

Life at home is just as busy with the kids, husband and twice weekly care of my father at the long-term home.  He really isn't sure who I am anymore but when I say my name, it sparks a memory - he is surprised when i tell him that I really am Marita.  I will enjoy whatever time I have left with my Dad during the weekly Corona Night and the bedtime stories.  He looks so little to me now as he curls in with anticipation for a story I have read him dozens of times.  He smiles up as he begins to doze off.  I take care of his bedtime ritual and have overcome my discomfort of cleaning him from the teeth to the bum.  He has become just another one of my children as I tuck him in tightly and kiss him goodnight.

I will write again when I have a moment to breathe....right now....its time to go back to work.....

.......getting organized???......

......with all the class material and what is expected in this third week of school. I took a quick trip over to staples last night and grabbed some new binders, portable hole punch and dividers and walked past the Mac Air display.  I stood staring at the beautiful screens trying to figure out if I could afford one.  Not right now, money is tight.

My cell phone rang in class again....funny how the kids would normally text before i started school. I don't usually put it on vibrate because I am terrified that I will put in down and not be able to find it again.  My mind is so packed with 'other' stuff and distracted most of the rest of the time.  Last night Max and I carefully packed up 42 little pouches of candy to disperse to the classmates I disturbed!!  

what a surprise filled day!!!  There were so many treats brought in that by the time we were nearing the 8th hour.....we were all just exhausted, coming down off the sugar high and giggling like mad.....  

The fellow who spent an hour clicking his pen in yesterday's lecture had brought in a different pen and was keeping a low profile....an email had been sent out to ask that people be mindful that their actions might affect others ability to concentrate.  

There were a few of us who decided to go out to dinner and look at the quiz.  I had already completed it last night and just wanted to get out to eat and catch up socially.  We have a really fun bunch of very chatty techie students.  Its great hearing all the background stories and sharing knowledge.  I am totally grateful.

Max is pulling in overtime tonight to catch up at his regular job.  I do not get to see much of him when the school season starts.... I miss him a lot these days.  One of us is generally leaving when the other one shows up!!!  The kids are great about it and we take turns with them.  Lydia is taking Hip Hop classes this fall and Mitchel is just keeping himself busy with school, his guitar playing and keeping the house running.  My Dad is sliding again and although he recognizes me, he does not really know who I am.  He often mistakes me for Mom.  Mom is doing as well as she can while hobbling on a healing knee replacement.  

I did get to steer the Dragonboat on Monday night!!!!!  It was awesome!!!   I told my Dad and he was instantly taken back to a time when he sailed.  He misses his freedom......I miss him!!

......think I might just have a cure.....

......for insomnia!!!!  Each and every time I pull out the book for Ed Psych.....I get through a handful of pages and wake up hours later feeling confused but rested.  I thought it was a phenomena until I asked a friend of mine who giggled, then advised me to just scan the pages and take notes.  Apparently I spend so much time trying to figure out the mass amount of terminology that my brain shuts down.  The reboot time takes hours to complete!!!  Last chapter discussed Pavlov's dog....woke up to a wet shirt front and my face stuck to the leather recliner...when the door bell rang.

I spent yesterday morning struggling to get through the third chapter of the book.  After 6 hours, I decided it was time to read something else and meet a deadline for a course in Aboriginal Studies.  The reading from that book was considerably shorter by 5 hours but the 750 word essay would prove to eat up the remaining time.  As I am typing, I look over to see the Ed Psych book beside me and the yawning has started....I pray no one rings the doorbell.

My brother in law and myself went to Stratford on Saturday for the Dragonboating Festival.  It was such a great day out on the water.  In our second heat of the day, we ended up paddling in what we later and affectionately (?) called 'the concrete canoe'. We were dead last and 15 seconds behind the three teams we were competing against.  It felt like we were dragging an anchor behind us.  I had visions of it collecting and dragging submerged logs.  The boat we were supposed to get from the race before was damaged by posts sticking up along the shallow shoreline.

These next few weeks are going to be busy with reading....dear God, and creating a number of written essays.  There are quizzes and exam essays to consider for the week after next, which then leads us into our first practicum. I have asked to be situated into a high school that offers challenges in diversity.  The best way to learn happens when we face our biggest challenges. While I am nervous about being evaluated every step of the way, I am excited for the challenges that lay ahead.

...where was I..... oh right!.....

......I was in the middle of another thought and the fatigue and confusion of the past few weeks has caused me to lose track.  I am trying to get myself organized and create a plan of attack on how to get everything done....while trying to remember what I just finished.  All in all, it is an amazing experience and I am trying to absorb every little bit.

The building on the north side of the building in full view of the cafeteria windows is such an incredible analogy for my own present position and where I see myself going.  The building is an immense structure, specifically being built to accommodate first year students.  It started as a barren lot around the time I began my first inquiry into teachers college in January of last year.  I have watched its expansion and steady rise over the months.  In just the past few weeks, the work seems to have quickened its pace.  I watch all the work men clamber over the structure in their bright orange shirts and helmets....I think i need a helmet to protect the brain that aches with the constant barrage of information.  The structure should be almost complete as the school year ends.  Like the progress of that structure, I shall be restructured and moulded into an Ontario Teacher.

I am joined by my new colleagues and there is something really great about each and every one of them.  They are all as eager to gain as much knowledge before going to practicum as I am.  We are gelling as a group and helping each other when we can. We are a truly chatty bunch and some of the oldest students in the classes in a sea of hopeful young candidates just coming out of their university courses.  We are all just grateful to be here....out of thousands of applicants....there are only 40 tech candidates out of 680 candidates attending this year.  It is just amazing!!!

Yesterday I did my presentation project in Instructional class.  I did a Power Point presentation on BreadBoards.  I couldn't believe how nervous I felt and later realized that it was likely because it was in front of all my peers.  The chocolate chip cookies Max made for my presentation help break the ice in my opening 'hook'.  However, I realize, had this been a class of high school students, I would have lost them the second they saw the cookies....oh well, live and learn.  I also volunteered to play the part of a teacher in a group play coming up in the Safe Schools lecture at the beginning of October.  We get a reward for volunteering - we get to have three of our worst weekly submissions dropped, in favor of our best marks, to then be averaged.

Today our lecturer for Educational Psychology asked the assembled class if anyone had a phobia and what it was.  A young man put up his hand and shared with the group that he had a phobia of snakes.  The lecturer asked him if he knew at what point in his life experiences that this phobia developed and he answered that he had run over a snake years ago with a lawn mower.  The lecturer replied with "if anything should have a phobia, it would be the snake that witnessed the incident!"  The audience roared with laughter when he added "you may want to consider using a push mower and use it slowly.....".  Of course he apologized if there were audience attendees who might not be so quick to share in his lectures.....with an apology to the young man, he promptly continued.

Tomorrow I will find out where I will teach for my practicum.  There are a number of tech schools in London and surrounding area.  I had no idea how huge the school district actually is!!!!!  The practicum starts in October and ends in November when we once again head back into the classrooms.  Six weeks of being unleashed in the tech environment and I can't wait!!!

I am keeping a dictionary handy and directly at my fingertips as I venture forth in a language I am not accustomed to....University English!!!!!!

.....new beginnings..

......in the next chapter of my life's journey!!!

If I live to be 96, then this year would signify the half way point in my life.....my midlife.   Most people at my age are becoming empty nesters, downsizing and winding down towards retirement.  So why am I still raising children, caring for my parents and pursuing higher education at the faculty of Education at Western?  Why would a menopausal middle-aged woman decide to risk it all while still juggling everything else?  It's a Calling.....the understanding that everything has fallen into place to bring me to that point in my life where I KNOW intrinsically that it is what I was meant to do.  The cancer journey that ended a career, the time I needed to discover my passions and  the conviction to pursue another path.

When I applied to the Faculty of Education, I had no idea how I would pay for it, what I would do to earn a living while attending classes and if I would even qualify to be accepted.  I did have faith and a whole lot of it and the belief that it would all somehow work out.....this coming from a person who worries about everything!!  Within weeks of acceptance, struggling to get re-instated after a major deadline was missed due to an error in communication, I was on my way.  A few weeks after that, a monentary gift from my parents answered some of my financial woes...it was now time to move forward and simply not look back.....

I am eternally grateful for the support and affection from my family, friends and colleagues as I embark on this new adventure.  This blog's for you and for all those who have inspired me up to now and for  those who are about to  inspire, encourage and challenge me!!!