Two Souls

I walked into school last Tuesday after a night of dining with some friends. I always get to work early so no one was in the office. I grabbed my keys, checked my mailbox, and went to my room to get ready for the day. I was working on some notes, preparing assignments, and getting some paper work done when my para walked in QUIETLY. My para always greets me with a cheerful "Good Morning" but not that day. I noticed she was a bit tearful and I asked her what was wrong. She started speaking quickly about how dumb it was for her to be all worked up over the little things in life like paying bills and deciding what to make for dinner. I was very confused so I asked her again what was wrong. She informed me that one of our students had just lost his mother in an accident.

I was incredibly shocked and didn't know what to say. I just started to cry! I was not good friends with his mother and we did not talk very often. So why did this hit me so hard? As I dried my tears, I realized that it was for many reasons. I felt sad for that student. No child should ever have to lose someone they love especially at such a young age. I was also sad because I knew that a mother that cared so much about her child would not get to see him graduate, go to college, or start his dream career. Whenever he needed something she would make sure he had it. If he fell behind at school, she would figure out a way to get him the help he needed to get back on track. I'm sure he took a very different view on that but I think deep down he understood that she loved him. I know she was a mother that would do anything for her child and that is what I admired about her.

So why did I title this blog two souls? I have often heard the saying "When one soul dies, another is born". It has never been so meaningful to me until now. My sister, who had some difficulty conceiving a child, just had a healthy baby boy on Monday. This is just one week after the death of that boy's mother. This really makes that statement true in my eyes. One boy loses his mother but another mother gains a son. One soul died and another was born.

Congratulations MD

R.I.P
PV

My First Podcast

Check out this podcast I have created. This is my first podcast! It discusses test-taking strategies specifically writing gridded responses, writing short responses, and writing extended responses. You may want to view the PowerPoint presentation located on my wiki at:
http://pv-algebra-i.wikispaces .com.

Stragories Podcast

Let me know what you think.

Family

I think we all have had that moment when we feel that our family is too crazy to be around. It's even worse when you have 7 siblings! I know what you might be thinking. "Hey it must have been like the Brady Bunch! That must have been so much fun!"

Well, I can tell you it was not. It was tough with all of the confusion, disagreements, and emotions. I could only imagine what my parents were going through with 8 crazy children ranging from infant to teenager. We all formed our own opinions about our family and we all chose our own road in life. We have all had our problems and conflicts which led us in different directions. I am sure you are now thinking that we are all living on separate corners of the country.

Interesting enough most of us are living within 20 miles of each other at this point. Only two are living far enough away that they cannot visit often. We get to share more aspects of our lives because of this. I get to see my four nephews and three nieces as they grow and I have another niece and nephew on the way! While they are crazy events, we do get to celebrate birthdays and holidays. My husband and I were even daring enough to host Christmas dinner at our new house this year!

I am not saying that our encounters are always enjoyable and we do not always meet in regards to good circumstances. However, we learned to notice each others stress and help each other cope with this stress. We still disagree with each other but we have learned to deal with this in more respectful ways.

It is really through family that we learn to listen, understand, and communicate with respect and love.

Education

I am 25 years old, working as a learning support teacher in a high school, and taking classes toward my Master's. I have always been interested in learning new and exciting things. My recent endeavor will provide me with the skills and knowledge to teach online. I was always told as a child that it is important to take advantage of the many opportunities available and to follow my dreams. Well, I grew up with a passion to teach others and look where I am now. I also decided that I would never teach in the special education realm due to the amount of paperwork or in a high school due to my experience as a student. So how did I end up working as a learning support teacher in a high school?

Well, one of my requirements for my education degree was to take a course called Introduction to Special Education. I was very nervous about this course and just figured I would atleast get through it with a B no matter what it was like. But after my first class with my amazing professor, who is no longer with us, I was hooked. A new passion grew for me through the weeks I was in this course and before I knew it, I had changed my degree focus. I was following my new found passion and taking the opportunity before me.

After I had received my degree, I started my job search. I focused on positions in education that were related to special education and regular education on the elementary level. However, nothing I applied for brought me a job. I was working at a fast food restaraunt at the time and worrying about how I would be able to pay my students loans when they were no longer deferred. I continued to apply for positions and soon a school called me for an interview. I was so excited until the woman told me that the elementary position I applied for was filled and that the interview would be for a position in their high school. All night before the interview I worried about whether or not I should even consider the position. But in the back of my mind was my parents telling me to take every opportunity I am offered. So I went to this interview as confident as I could be and I received a phone call that night to tell me I got the job if I wanted it. I accepted the offer and I am enjoying what I do everyday. Granted there are days that are tough but when I see a student get an "A-HA" moment or see their self-esteem rise I know that it is all worth it.

So I would like to dedicate this post to my parents for helping me realize the importance of education and pushing me to accept opportunities. I would also like to dedicate this to Professor K. who really helped me recognize my passion and encouraged me to run with it. To all of those wonderful teachers I had as a student and continue to have and to all of my colleagues and wonderful teachers around the world that help students reach for their dreams, thank you.