Moving Forward: Fall

The beginning of fall (when the weather isn't frigid cold), is one of my favorite times of the year. Cooler temps make climbing easier. Also, turtlenecks and bows are now in season (both are my favorites to wear). And best of all, preschool is in full swing and we are finally starting to get some of the concepts down in class! The only thing that would make this season better is if a certain someone were here ...

Anyways, onto other things. I went to the Idaho Mountain Festival this weekend, and it was miserably cold the first day and a half. Which was sort of a bummer, cause I skipped class and got off work to go, but it was good getting out of Rexburg for a while. I got to climb my first multipitch lead ever, which was super cool! By the top though we were shivering, so hopefully next time temps are warmer. I got to hang out with Beth and Justin (James sister and brother-in-law), as well as we socialized with Jonathan Seigrist in the hotpools (one of my climbing idols). Beth's son Owen was a hoot! He caught this little lizard, and when I asked him how he did it (cause lizard's are fast), he looked me dead in the eye and said "Well I am fast too!". I just love kids a lot. Anyways, overall, the trip wasn't a total loss. Probably won't go next year though if the temps are this cold though.

In preschool, we have finally figured out a good class management system, and so we are able now to get onto the actual learning! We have one rule, RESPECT (yourself, others, and the gym). If the kids follow this rule good, they get to add different parts onto a hang man throughout the day. If they get the guy completely built (with all his body parts) they get a little extra gym time. But if they don't follow the rules, then we have to erase an arm or a leg or something. Didn't think this was going to work when I first tried it, but the kids loved it! So I think i'm going to go with it! We have a huge class this year, which is super fun as well. It's cool to see the program growing, as well as to watch the kids progress. My assistant Jaime has been super helpful as well, she is probably the best assistant we've ever had up there.

Last (but not least) I have really been enjoying all of my classes. I am sleep deprived and so busy I have to plan my day meticulously, but all the material I am learning I can directly apply to teaching preschool. So I just love it. I think that learning all this stuff is definantly helping me improve as a teacher already. I also get to help out in a second grade classroom for this semester as well. It is a cool but different experience from teaching preschool. I like how well behaved the kids are in the class! As well as how eager they are to learn or show me their work or ask questions. I never thought I would dive in and love teaching the older grades, but it is just as much fun as teaching preschool!

Anyways, I don't know what Fall will bring, but I am hoping that good things are going to continue happening. Til next time!