Moving right along

Well, my box went in on April 15, right on time. It was received the next week. Now all I have to do is study for my assessment center exam. Good news is I'm only doing one section instead of all six. Bad news is that I'm doing the hardest bit...

Racing to the Finish Line

Well, the end is definately in sight. I am finishing up my writing tonight, save just a couple of minor things I forgot to bring home from school today. Those things are marked in my writing and won't take too long to put together. My goal for tonight is to get my writing finished and get things pretty much ready to put my box together tomorrow night so it can go in the mail on Wednesday after school. I won't be rushing this time, either. It should be nice and relaxed.

Results

I didn't certify this year.  It's intended to be a three-year process and only 40% certify the first year.

d-day

Tomorrow is D-day.  At 9:00 Eastern time, scores for last year's entries will be released.  I'm trying to decide when I'm going to look.  I don't think I'll be able to wait all day so I may try looking before I leave for work. I really don't know.  I'll post here when I'm ready to share the scores with the world.  It will be no later than Dec. 10, when the scores are released to the public.

A new direction

I've decided that I'm going to take this blog in a new direction.  In addition to blogging about my National Boards, I'm also going to make this my school blog.  

Today was an absolutely amazing day, one that reminds me of why I'm a music teacher.  It started out  sorta scary when I was nearly merged into on my way to school but got immediately better when I walked in and was congratulated on my job as a music teacher by a man who was leading the campfire sing along with our middle schoolers at leadership camp earlier this year.  They were great singers, willing to do anything, and knew most of the songs that were being sung.  At one point, I guess, this person just stopped singing to listen to my kids.  He told me that I have done a great job with them.  (ego booster #1)

Then, towards the end of the day I had two kids in separate classes (M and E) who were incredible.  M is new to our school this year and in the first grade.  I learned her name the first day of class...and that's not a good thing.  Today, she was totally focused and participating 100%.  E has been a challenge since kindergarten (he's in 2nd grade this year).  He used to just run around the room, being totally defiant and non-responsive.  This year, he's been responsive to directions, willing to do things that I ask, and today was the model student.  It was incredible to watch.  He was also giving me 100% effort and focus.  What a change from the last two years.  I made a point of talking with his mom after school today and she was so proud of him, and he was proud of himself.  This may be the hook that E needs to help him be successful in life, as he has so many odds stacked against him.  

Done!

Well, at least until November when I find out how done I really am. My assessment center was this morning. I had to drive nearly to Canada to take it. The drive wasn't too bad, though. I always like coming home from a new place better than getting there. On the way home, I know where I'm headed and how close I'm getting. Going, not so much.

How was it, you may ask? It wasn't too bad. The section I was worried about actually went really well, I think. A section I didn't even start studying (historical perspective) was trickier than I thought it would be. I ran out of time on several sections, but was able to get many good (at least I think they were good...) ideas in before the 30 minutes were up. I found through this whole process of getting ready for the assessment center that I really liked some of the things they asked me to do (here's a concept - come up with 6 ways to teach it that, within the 6, teach to the kinesthetic, aural, and visual learners.) That sort of thing, for me at least, was pretty easy to do. The composition was also fairly easy...I wonder how it sounds! lol. I did realize on the way home that I mislabeled something, but oh, well. Aside from the label, everything else was fairly accurate in that response.

I'm so glad to be totally done and not have anything else hanging over my head now. I am finally able to enjoy myself and not feel guilty for doing other things at home. Maybe now I can get through the Steph Plum books for once.

Tonight I'm hopefully going to celebrate a little bit with a friend and our kids. I can also enjoy the nice weather guilt-free. :-)

two days to go

I go to do my Assessment Center this weekend. Tomorrow night I drive two hours north, where I'll stay the night with a friend of my mom's on Friday and then Saturday morning, I'll go do my assessment center and drive home. I'm planning on going out with friends for dinner (with the kids) to celebrate being done ont he night of. Hopefully, the three of us will go to dinner to celebrate on Sunday night. (Jeffy's working until near 10 p.m. on Saturday night).

More when I'm done.