Life is flashing before my eyes....I remember my parents always saying not to rush through high school or want to leave, because when I do, I will be a grown up before I know it....How true is that?? I have been out of college for two years...am a State Certified Teacher, and am also a National Certified Montessori Teacher...how did that happen?! Not to mention it is the year 2011...doesnt that just sound so weird?!? I remember saying that the year 2000 was weird and I was only 13 going on 14....I just cannot believe where I am today and every path that has gotten me here...
I have been kind of going back and forth on what to do with my teaching career. I have been talking to co-workers, friends, Montessorians, traditional teachers, family, and anyone else who wanted to listen to what I had going on in my head. I am an emotional and sensitive person, and really, really try to rationalize every choice I make when it comes to my life and the people in it. I also tend to worry a little too much about everyone else and their opinions, and therefore do not listen to myself and how I feel about things very often. What can I say? I got into the teaching profession because I care so much about giving back and other people, it is just who I am. Well, I realized this past weekend and today, that I shouldnt listen to everyone else when it comes to my career and me being happy. I need to be happy with the choice that I make because it is ultimately what is best for me! I have been contemplating going back to districts, then I think "but wait, Montessori is so great!" I have not formally taught in a district on my own, so who knows I might think that is great as well, I do have some experience with it through college and student teaching, so I kinda know how things run, but still cannot say that I have had my own classroom and know what it feels like to teach in a traditional school..
What I do know, is that when I graduated college, I stumbled upon Villa Montessori School. I came to work on the first day not knowing what to expect. I was hooked that first week. The love, respect, and knowledge that the people working at Villa have, totally opened my eyes to a new teaching philosophy. I have been working at Villa for two years, and this will be the second summer that I have applied to districts and thought about going somewhere else to teach. Why? I DONT KNOW! I think it is because I am so desperate to have my own classrom, and change the futures of kids, and just start my career...I have come to the realization that I have my whole life to work, I am changing kids lives doing what I am doing now...I work in the field and with the age that I want to be with, I inspire kids to love themselves and the earth, I teach them respect and patience, and best of all I get to open their eyes to a world of cultures and people that you just dont get to do in a traditional setting. We have had talking birds, chickens, a cat with no tail, a ferret, and a dog all visit our classroom for show and tell. In a traditional setting,you have to send permission slips to even have that! Montessori kids learn first hand about their world through these amazing experiences. There are no wrong questions, and there is no pressure. I guess what I am saying, is that I think I need to stay where I am at. Who cares if I dont have my own classrom yet?? I love my job! How many people can say that they enjoy waking up every morning at 5AM to be at work at 7AM with 3, 4, and 5 year olds? I can. I love that.
Montessori talks about the four planes of development...the fourth plane is described as young adults 18-24 years old. She said that young adults in this age range are still figuring out their place in this world. They are starting to figure out who they really are and what they will contribute to this world. I will be 25 this July, and I think I know in my heart what I am supposed to do....TEACH MONTESSORI! I went into my principal's office today and talked to them about my choice and I started to cry. I think I just feel so passionate about my choice, and I know that in the end I will not regret it. My heart and my eyes have been opened so wide in the past year through my training and my experience. I will stay Montessori and I will be great.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Updates (finally) :)
Well, last time I posted I said I was going to try and post every week...HA! Look at how that worked out! The last time I posted was in the beginning of March. Here we are already on the first of May...I seriously do not know where the time goes! A lot has been going on in our lives lately, and time has just gotten away from the both of us. This might be a long post so brace yourself...
First off, Matt is officially done working as a server at Outback! He got a job as an assistant editor for a T.V. show that will air this July...we will probably have a premier party when it does air, but it airs at 10am on a Sunday...if anything we will grill some good food and just hang out...I am so excited and proud of him for this accomplishment! Every person he has talked to has told him how lucky he is to be doing this as his first job, film editing is really hard to get into...and for him to have this opportunity is amazing. It started out as an internship for him, and they liked him so much that they hired him! He is also working as a lab tech for SCC's Film School, so that is awesome as well. We are praying that he doesnt have to go back to Outback after this T.V. show is done, and that he can just keep getting jobs through free lancing. I am sooo happy that he is finally starting his career, and cant wait for what the future will bring for him (Los Angeles for major motion pictures?? what??) :) Of course that is his ultimate goal, and I know he will be great at what he does :) As for me and my teaching career, I have one class left of my Montessori training (yay!) I cannot wait to be done! It has been so awesome getting to know the people in my training, and it has opened my eyes to so many things in the teaching world. Taking this training has made me such a better teacher, and I cant wait to have the opportunity to teach little guys and start my career as well. I have really been struggling with what I want to do as far as teaching goes...I dont know if I want to try the district route, and apply everything I have learned in Montessori and Traditional Education to my classroom, or stay with Villa and the Montessori world...Every time I leave my Montessori classes, I feel that more inspired to stay Montessori..I LOVE the philosophy and the potential that the kids have...I feel like they are kind of repressed in a traditional class, but with that being said I can take a traditional class to the next level because of my training....I also worry a lot about health benefits...its hard because of everything I have gone through..I HAVE to have benefits wherever I go. I had two job interviews about a month ago, and got offered a full time teaching position at a Montessori school in the north valley...great right?!....NO BENEFITS! That is one reason why I keep thinking districts would be better because you are guarenteed benefits, and because Montessori schools are typically smaller they cant offer them....I am lucky at Villa because it is such an established school and it has such an amazing reputation that I do get really good benefits...If I do go district, then I worry that I will get hired to teach for one year, and then get laid off for the next because of the budgets and everything else! Its so confusing and stressful...I really have to have a talk with myself and tell myself to stop worrying, and that the right classroom will open up...in the meantime, I am lucky I have a job in the field I want to be in, with a great class, and a great teaching team...it would be hard to give that up :)
So Matt and I decided that we need to upgrade from the one bedroom apartment that we are in....it is about 900 square feet, which is a decent size for a one bedroom, but we are totally busting at the seams! He has all of his editing stuff in the living room, our desk and computer are in the living room, and we are starting to pile up boxes and clothes everywhere! Our closet is a complete mess, and our linen closets cant hold anything else! We already have to push a comforter back in everytime we close the dang door! We originally started talking about renting a townhouse or a house because the market is so bad that we could probably find something cheap...well we want to stay north valley, and after looking around at a few places, they are totally out of our budget! 1200 for a 2 bedroom house to rent?! NO THANKS! At that point we might as well buy, but with my values and how I was raised, I want a ring on my finger first before that happens, and Matt feels the same way...Well, we looked at another Trillium property today for 2 bedrooms, because our Trillium is all full and they dont have really good floor plans for the 2 beds...we are soooooooo in love with the Cave Creek Trillium 2 bed 2 bath! its 1200 square feet, and its only 100 more than we pay now! It is also a split floorplan so Matt's office would kind of be secluded and he could get a lot done....it also has wood floors and all new appliances! Sooo excited, but we have to wait about a month and a half to hold it cause its too early...I am kind of a control freak, and would like to know where we are living next...NOW! Good thing Matt loves me! lol
My health seems to be great..I have lost 10 lbs, and feel amazing! My energy is good, and all of my medications are the right level to regulate everything. I just had an ultra sound done on Friday at my endocrineologist....the ultra sound was clear and he didnt see anything! He said if there were to be something funky in there he would have done a biopsy right there...so I am thanking God that nothing was found, and I am on the right track for my remission....the only thing now is that we have to wait until the end of May to find out blood levels of cancer in my system....its really weird and confusing and I am still kind of confused, but in the middle of May (the day we get back from Vegas) I have to start cutting my thyroid pills in half and taking only half a dose, then a week after that, I have to completely stop taking my thyroid medication..this makes me tired, cranky, my muscles will cramp, and ill probably gain some weight...ill be hypothyroid...once I am off the medication for a week, they will give me a shot, then take my blood....if those blood levels are negative, nothing happens and I can start my medication again...basically the cancer didnt come back...if my blood levels are positive..then the cancer is still in me and I will have to have radiation again and go through the body scan again....I am praying that is is completely gone, because really I am sooo over all of this! Another thing that sucks, is that my para-thyroid is damaged...we knew this the minute I got out of surgery, but my surgeon said it would come back...I have been taking calcium and vitamin D since the day I got out of surgery, and havent been able to get off of it....on Friday at the endo, I found out that my para-thyroid will probably never come back...ill have to be regulated with calcium and vitamind D for the rest of my life...it will affect pregnancy and a lot of other things....sucks, but I really have to think that it could be worse, what is an extra calcium pill everyday? A little scary to think about, but I am trying to take things one event at a time....My surgeon still thinks it will come back....who knows..another waiting game I guess...I am just happy I am alive, healthy, and feel great...I am not in a hopsital room, and I am able to work and go about my day...So many people take that for granted, and there are alot of children and people that are in the hospital that dont get what we get...I will stay positive that everything will be OK, and that life can continue on as normal.
So enough of the health talk, Matt and I are going to Vegas in two weeks just the two of us and I cannot WAIT! We are staying at the Excalibur for two nights....its going to be amazing to just get away and have fun :)
Hope everyone has had a great spring, and I will try to update a lot sooner this time :)
Love, Em
First off, Matt is officially done working as a server at Outback! He got a job as an assistant editor for a T.V. show that will air this July...we will probably have a premier party when it does air, but it airs at 10am on a Sunday...if anything we will grill some good food and just hang out...I am so excited and proud of him for this accomplishment! Every person he has talked to has told him how lucky he is to be doing this as his first job, film editing is really hard to get into...and for him to have this opportunity is amazing. It started out as an internship for him, and they liked him so much that they hired him! He is also working as a lab tech for SCC's Film School, so that is awesome as well. We are praying that he doesnt have to go back to Outback after this T.V. show is done, and that he can just keep getting jobs through free lancing. I am sooo happy that he is finally starting his career, and cant wait for what the future will bring for him (Los Angeles for major motion pictures?? what??) :) Of course that is his ultimate goal, and I know he will be great at what he does :) As for me and my teaching career, I have one class left of my Montessori training (yay!) I cannot wait to be done! It has been so awesome getting to know the people in my training, and it has opened my eyes to so many things in the teaching world. Taking this training has made me such a better teacher, and I cant wait to have the opportunity to teach little guys and start my career as well. I have really been struggling with what I want to do as far as teaching goes...I dont know if I want to try the district route, and apply everything I have learned in Montessori and Traditional Education to my classroom, or stay with Villa and the Montessori world...Every time I leave my Montessori classes, I feel that more inspired to stay Montessori..I LOVE the philosophy and the potential that the kids have...I feel like they are kind of repressed in a traditional class, but with that being said I can take a traditional class to the next level because of my training....I also worry a lot about health benefits...its hard because of everything I have gone through..I HAVE to have benefits wherever I go. I had two job interviews about a month ago, and got offered a full time teaching position at a Montessori school in the north valley...great right?!....NO BENEFITS! That is one reason why I keep thinking districts would be better because you are guarenteed benefits, and because Montessori schools are typically smaller they cant offer them....I am lucky at Villa because it is such an established school and it has such an amazing reputation that I do get really good benefits...If I do go district, then I worry that I will get hired to teach for one year, and then get laid off for the next because of the budgets and everything else! Its so confusing and stressful...I really have to have a talk with myself and tell myself to stop worrying, and that the right classroom will open up...in the meantime, I am lucky I have a job in the field I want to be in, with a great class, and a great teaching team...it would be hard to give that up :)
So Matt and I decided that we need to upgrade from the one bedroom apartment that we are in....it is about 900 square feet, which is a decent size for a one bedroom, but we are totally busting at the seams! He has all of his editing stuff in the living room, our desk and computer are in the living room, and we are starting to pile up boxes and clothes everywhere! Our closet is a complete mess, and our linen closets cant hold anything else! We already have to push a comforter back in everytime we close the dang door! We originally started talking about renting a townhouse or a house because the market is so bad that we could probably find something cheap...well we want to stay north valley, and after looking around at a few places, they are totally out of our budget! 1200 for a 2 bedroom house to rent?! NO THANKS! At that point we might as well buy, but with my values and how I was raised, I want a ring on my finger first before that happens, and Matt feels the same way...Well, we looked at another Trillium property today for 2 bedrooms, because our Trillium is all full and they dont have really good floor plans for the 2 beds...we are soooooooo in love with the Cave Creek Trillium 2 bed 2 bath! its 1200 square feet, and its only 100 more than we pay now! It is also a split floorplan so Matt's office would kind of be secluded and he could get a lot done....it also has wood floors and all new appliances! Sooo excited, but we have to wait about a month and a half to hold it cause its too early...I am kind of a control freak, and would like to know where we are living next...NOW! Good thing Matt loves me! lol
My health seems to be great..I have lost 10 lbs, and feel amazing! My energy is good, and all of my medications are the right level to regulate everything. I just had an ultra sound done on Friday at my endocrineologist....the ultra sound was clear and he didnt see anything! He said if there were to be something funky in there he would have done a biopsy right there...so I am thanking God that nothing was found, and I am on the right track for my remission....the only thing now is that we have to wait until the end of May to find out blood levels of cancer in my system....its really weird and confusing and I am still kind of confused, but in the middle of May (the day we get back from Vegas) I have to start cutting my thyroid pills in half and taking only half a dose, then a week after that, I have to completely stop taking my thyroid medication..this makes me tired, cranky, my muscles will cramp, and ill probably gain some weight...ill be hypothyroid...once I am off the medication for a week, they will give me a shot, then take my blood....if those blood levels are negative, nothing happens and I can start my medication again...basically the cancer didnt come back...if my blood levels are positive..then the cancer is still in me and I will have to have radiation again and go through the body scan again....I am praying that is is completely gone, because really I am sooo over all of this! Another thing that sucks, is that my para-thyroid is damaged...we knew this the minute I got out of surgery, but my surgeon said it would come back...I have been taking calcium and vitamin D since the day I got out of surgery, and havent been able to get off of it....on Friday at the endo, I found out that my para-thyroid will probably never come back...ill have to be regulated with calcium and vitamind D for the rest of my life...it will affect pregnancy and a lot of other things....sucks, but I really have to think that it could be worse, what is an extra calcium pill everyday? A little scary to think about, but I am trying to take things one event at a time....My surgeon still thinks it will come back....who knows..another waiting game I guess...I am just happy I am alive, healthy, and feel great...I am not in a hopsital room, and I am able to work and go about my day...So many people take that for granted, and there are alot of children and people that are in the hospital that dont get what we get...I will stay positive that everything will be OK, and that life can continue on as normal.
So enough of the health talk, Matt and I are going to Vegas in two weeks just the two of us and I cannot WAIT! We are staying at the Excalibur for two nights....its going to be amazing to just get away and have fun :)
Hope everyone has had a great spring, and I will try to update a lot sooner this time :)
Love, Em
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