Two Down, One to Go

Tuesday, I met with Dr. Cook about my observation, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. There were certainly aspects of my lesson that could've used some improvement, but overall I think it went well and apparently so does Dr. Cook.

Now I have completed one of my observations by the teacher and one by my professor, which means I only have one more to do before the end of this semester. But I'm not merely two down and one to go on this semester, I'm two down one to go as a whole. I've had my professors observe both Professional I and Professional II, and that leaves only student teaching! Yippie!

Entering student teaching is not merely nerve wracking in and of itself, it's nerve wracking because for the first time since I was probably 12, I'll be completely and utterly unemployed. I'll be quitting a decent paying, blue collar, union job to student teach. This is frightening. You see, in the past I always had the next job before I quit the other. Before I quit my paper route (as a 12 year old) I had a few grass mowing clients, and before I quit cutting grass, I was washing dishes at a restaurant, and before I quit that I had a job at UPS, and before I quit that I had my current position. Now, I'll be completely unemployed, which is frightening.

I have all of these doubts about actually finding a job, since my areas of concentration are social studies and language arts--not special ed, science, or math (which are higher in demand).Then there's the pay-cut which is amplified by my new student load debt. Added to all of the other anxiety the fact that I'm starting a new career path later in life--makes me even more anxious. YIKES!

Well, I guess I just put that weight that had been lifted, right back onto my shoulders, huh?