Twenty Little Ones

Today I said goodbye to twenty little children who have helped me understand first grade so much better. I told them it was time for me to leave and that I wouldn't be back the next week to see them. "You're moving to New York?!", one boy asked me. "No," I told him, "Not New York, but I am going to a different school, so I won't see you again." "Can't you just stay and teach here?!", a girl asked me. I wish... I wish.

I'd only been with them for four weeks, but they grew on me. I felt so welcome into that first grade classroom. I was amazed at my cooperating teacher who taught with such passion and love, but also had control of her classroom. I felt comfortable helping out students and loved listening to their stories. Today, the last thing I wanted to do was say goodbye to them.

I'm going to miss them. I'm going to miss the funny things they had to say. Like the boy who asked me my very first day there, "What is your name?" I told him, "Ms. Turnbull." "Turrrrrrrrrrrr", he said. "Turnbull.", I corrected. "Ohhhhhhh," he replied, "I always get that mixed up with 'The Terminator'." Or the student who asked if I was Mrs. Turnbull was my husband named Mr. Turnbull. I had to correct her and let her know that I am not married and that my name would change.

They all had unique thoughts– some funny, some thought provoking, and all worth taking note of. I'll miss the constant, "Ms. Turnbull! Did you know...." followed by a comment about a brother, cousin, or a completely unrelated story that I would never have known about in a million years. I'll miss seeing their smiling faces every Tuesday and Thursday and never knowing what the day would hold. They were a wonderful first class to begin Senior Year with.

Today I teared up at recess when I knew I would be leaving within the hour. And today when I was about to leave and got bombarded with twenty hugs, I knew without a doubt that I would miss them.

Next week I begin practicum again. This time it will be in a new school, with a new teacher, and new students. I cannot wait to see what this next adventure will hold, but I will miss my twenty little first graders and I am thankful for the love and hospitality they showed me while I sat in their classroom the past four weeks. It has been a wonderful experience!

Teaching

So I know my blogging on here has been sporadic, to say the least, and I want to apologize! There is just so much going on that I don't have time to blog. And that's kinda sad :( But I don't have any homework due for tomorrow, so I thought I would update this a little. Well, I guess I'm not really going to update you all on what's been happening in the past, just a little story from today :) Ok, well, it may be kinda long... :)

September 17th, a long time ago, I know! But that was the day when Hannah, Anna and I (Haha... Hannah, Anna and Hannah :) ) piled into Hannah's car and headed down the mountain. (Covenant college is on a mountain ;) ) Anywho, that was our very first day of teaching practicum. Education majors are required to be at a school for 30 hours as part of the intro to teaching class. So, on that Thursday so many months ago, Hannah, Anna and I went to Lakeview Middle School. We got a little lost on the way to the school the very first day, but eventually we made it there. We met with the principle and he put us into a classroom with a mentor teacher and there we would be for one day every week.

I was put in a 6th grade social studies classroom. Perfect for what I one day want to teach (5th-6th grade history! :D) And my mentor teacher was Mr. Smith. The first few weeks I was super nervous every Thursday when I went to the middle school. I wasn't even teaching a lesson or anything.. I would just sit in the back of the classroom and observe, but still I would feel anxious. Well, as the weeks wore on the nervousness wore off and pretty soon I was enjoying my time there. I wasn't really enjoying the earliness of it, but I loved being around kids all morning! They say the cutest and funniest things and Ohh it made me soo excited to be a teacher! :D

Anyways, all of that history to say that today was my last morning at Lakeview Middle. I won't lie, I was rather happy to have it over with. When I woke up way to early this morning (before you could even call it bright and early) I was thinking to myself, "Alright! This is the last Thursday of practicum! Wooo Hooo!!" Well, Hannah, Anna and I made the same familiar trek down the mountain and arrived at Lakeview Middle like usual. I walked into the classroom and talked with Mr. Smith about teaching a lesson (I have to teach 15 minutes for part of my practicum) and when we got that all figured out I sat down in my usual spot again and chatted with some kids. Then as class began, Mr. Smith told the kids that today was my last day with them. A lot of them made comments like, "Awww, Ms. Turnbull I don't want you to go!!" WHAT?! I couldn't believe it! I hadn't even taught these kids! I was just a figure in the back of the classroom who chatted with them a little but still... I was touched! As first period ended the students clapped for me and thanked me for being there the past 10 weeks :) I was so touched! As the second period students came into class I was talking with one girl about birthdays. She asked me when mine was and I told her next week. "Next week?" she asked, "then will you bring cookies or something?" I told her no cause today's my last day at the school. "WHAT?!" she replied, "Noo!! Ms. Turnbull! I'm going to miss you! All of my favourite student teachers are leaving me! This is so sad!" Ohh, again I was just... touched!

I taught a 15 minute lesson to that class period and the students were very kind and loving in their responses to me teaching :) As I got up to leave at 11am, when my time there is done, the students all stood up and gave me a standing ovation and thanked me for being there! OH my!!! I was shocked! What did I do to deserve that? I have no idea! Then Mr. Smith wrote a really sweet note on my sheet that he needed to sign for me and told me that if I ever needed a recommendation or reference for anything he'd be more than willing to do it for me! Oh! I felt so loved!! I walked out of that classroom feeling so very loved!

As I got into the car and began to drive away from Lakeview Middle School my heart wasn't leaping with joy that I was done with practicum and the early mornings, in fact it kinda felt sad! I'm going to miss those smiling faces every morning, the crazy but fun Mr. Smith, and the fun stories I always come away with from those wonderful 6th graders. But leaving today made me all the more grateful that I am at college studying to become a teacher! :D I cannot wait for the day when I have my own 6th grade classroom and get to be with students all day long! :D

Alright, so that is a rather long update :P But that was what happened to me today :) ... until next time... which I'm hoping will be sooner rather than later :) Tchau!