Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Home Stretch

Currently Reading: Lots of short stories for my first lit unit in the fall.

It's hard to believe that I'm almost done with my first summer in Portland. Classes end on Thursday, so I'm working like a mad woman to finish projects and readings by then. My work sample is coming along, albeit incredibly slowly. A work sample is collection of lots of things, but it's basically all the things you do to teach a unit. My work sample is going to be on the short story, so I've been looking through the text book and reading tons of stories to pick the ones that I would like to teach. The hardest part is actually writing all my goals and objectives and matching them to Washington State Standards. Objectives have to be written in specific and measureable language, and I'm struggling with this currently. My roommate Steve has been a big help with this.

Last night I went to see the Batman movie with Steve. It was a really good movie, but it's hard to believe that it was only PG-13. It was a very intense movie, psychologically speaking. My Rutgers roommates would have been proud of how well I handled it though. I didn't cry or anything, but I did gasp a lot. The movie theatre here was super cheap, and there were table-y things in the back rows and you could eat pizza and beer while you watched the movie. I had already eaten, so I just watched the movie. But the theatre had a lot of atmosphere, which was fun.

So after the 3rd I will be semi-homeless for a week or two. I'm staying with one of the girls in the Portland house for some of the time, and hopefully working out all the car stuff during the first week of August. I have to get a Washington license and register the car and get insurance and everything. It's more than a little overwhelming. I'm not really that good with stuff like this.

I've had a few chances to catch up with some Jersey folk this week, which has been lovely. I got to talk to Nicholas and Mike and Sara and Chris and Dave, and it was so good just to hear what's going on in everyone's lives. Dave is going to be out this way in the next few weeks, so I'm hoping to meet up with him when he's out here. It's weird...it seems like forever since I left, and at the same time, like it was just yesterday. But already so much has changed, and people are growing up, moving on and doing some pretty amazing things. I'm excited for a chance to go home and actually talk to people in person and see what's going on in their lives.

I miss you all, and I'll probably post again after classes are done. Please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers. Also keep Genna and Rosie in your prayers on Monday, because it's scan day.

2 comments:

Crystal said...

I'm so proud of you! I'm so glad your portland/yakima adventure seems to be going so well. I can't wait for you to start teaching. You're going to be so great at it.
I'm also proud of you for making it through the Dark Knight. Even I kept gasping/jumping throughout the whole thing. lol

If you need anything I'm only a phone call away darlin'

Anonymous said...

I as well think you're going to be a damn fine teacher...

Best of luck with it all I'll be sure to keep my fingers crossed for ya...