Year 3!

So, it's onto Year 3 of teaching. And here... we... go.

Though first, I suppose I should recap the summer. At some point, I'll likely find my camera cord and then I can upload pictures for the stories, but until then, words shall have to do. The summer started off with a blast. I got to spend two weeks up in Kenai going to an Orff Schulwerk Music Training. Orff is a way of teaching music (starts in elementary, but can be applied to secondary as well) that utilizes speech and movement and improvisation, as well as the "traditional" ways of teaching music. We got to do all sorts of crazy things, and it was such a blast to be with people who have the same passions I do.

Next, my parents came up for a week. It was a rather jam-packed week - Farmer's Market, exploring all over Homer, Seward Glacier Cruise, a bit of time in Anchorage - a total blast. It was really great to get them up here and see how amazing it all is. They also got to meet Ben (who I'm not sure I wrote about before, but it's been 5.5 months now, so I think it's safe to say that he's a pretty awesome guy) as well as Ben's parents. It was a lot of fun to have them up here, and I know that they also enjoyed it.

After they left, I had about a week and a half and then I headed back to the Midwest. I had 6 weeks Outside (of Alaska) but only spent 17 days in Houghton. I went to Door County and Green Bay with Mom, Downstate with Dad (one of the Michigan Volleyball Coaches of the Year, got to watch him coach at the All-State Clinic), to Peoria with Mom to visit Jenn (and the family friends that she lives with), out to Los Angeles for 5 days, to Seattle for 2, and then back to Alaska. It was a pretty whirlwind trip, but I had a lot of fun. I did nanny just a little bit - was good to see the kiddos (though they're not so much kiddos anymore, as Alex is entering his junior year of high school on Tuesday).

I've been back in Alaska for a little under three weeks. I got back just in time to start my inservices, and then head off into teaching! This year my schedule is a bit different. It goes a little something like this.

0: HS Jazz Band (aka before school starts)
1: Physical Science
3: 8th Grade Band
4: 7th Grade Band
6: HS Symphonic Band
7 (2 days a week): 5/6 Grade Band

Add Drama, Debate and Forensics (parent meeting next Tuesday!) and extra help lessons on top of that, as well as possibly the community band, and it's going to be a pretty crazy school year for me. I'm excited about it, once I get it all figured out - especially the Physical Science.

Yep, teaching that. There weren't tons of kids who signed up for drama, and the Chemistry classes were gigantic, so I'm taking a Physical Science class from the teacher, and he's going to get to teach an extra Chemistry class that way. Thank goodness for my dad and Mr. Schwaller, who I'm sure are going to come in handy while I'm prepping for all of my classes. Thankfully we're starting with the Chemistry-portion of Physical Science, so I think I'm pretty set for that. I'm excited to see if I'm good at this - I want these kids to really enjoy science and see all of the fun that they can have with it.

It's Labor Day weekend - so that means I must labor, right? ;-) I know I'm going to be at the school for a bit this weekend, especially since Ben is off hunting for moose near Fairbanks. There's also HHS football tomorrow (though no pep band), going out to see a play at Pier One, and trying to be relatively social. I'm working to find just the right balance of me and work, though I love my job so it's okay for me to spend some time there.

Anyway, it's almost bed time. For those of you who knew me in college, it's crazy - I've turned into an "early to bed" person. I start getting tired at about 10, and if I'm not in bed by 11, I really shouldn't be operating a car (or really doing much of anything). I'd promise to update more, but I'd hate to break the promise if it doesn't work out, so we'll go with I shall try to update more about what's going on, and get better about taking pictures (and finding my camera cord) so that you all can see the absolutely amazing place that I live in!