A Moment

A moment is powerful.

A moment can change absolutely everything.

Last October Abbey, Anna, and I embarked on a fall-themed adventure. We were at an apple orchard/pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful day and my Mom took us out to the farm and bought us delicious fall themed treats and tickets to a horse-drawn hayride. Mom elected to stay behind, but Abbey and Anna and I climbed into the wagon with a few other adults and a few children. As we started into the woods we chatted with the driver about the horses and their jobs. They were cousins of Clydesdales-big, strong, and good workers. Despite this, they seemed a little skittish and weren't working as a team. 

Then they started to pick up their pace. The driver couldn't regain control. We were careening through the woods in a matter of milliseconds. The wagon bumped back and forth across the path, coming close to trees and jumping out of the way at the last second. After a few near misses, we were bound to strike one. Right before my eyes the side of the wagon was torn away. My eyes lost focus as I was thrown into the center of the wagon. A few more bumps, and the wagon moved out from under me. I found myself in a pile of brush on the side of the trail. I slowly sat up. The wagon was in front of me maybe twenty feet, tilted on one side. People were strewn around the path, and the driver stood beside the horses to calm them. 

Throughout the rest of that day, I kept having flashbacks of that moment - the moment where everything changed.The wagon went from being complete to being shattered; we went from being normal and healthy to aches and bruises and concussions. As I thought about it later, I thought about how much a moment can change things. Because I was preparing a communion meditation for the next day my mind jumped to the cross. 

It only took one moment for sin to enter the world. One moment condemned the entire world to death. But in one moment the world was saved. In one moment, Jesus died. In one moment, he rose from the dead. In those snapshots of powerful moments lie the most insane love story that ever existed. A God loved His people so much that He wrapped Himself in flesh and died for them, then rose from the dead so that we could lie again. 

So far in 2014...

I have spent the last two weeks learning so much that I think my head will explode! Student teaching, so far, is everything that I wanted it to be and so much MORE!

The elementary classroom has changed a great deal in the past decade, and I am so excited to see where education is going. I have the privilege of teaching in a classroom with a 1:1 iPad ratio. That technology alone has changed EVERYTHING. Our students use the Google apps to create and submit a good deal of their work. They have apps on their iPads to take spelling tests, to practice their multiplication facts, and to ponder the universe on Wonderopolis. Through this technology, and the mobile Macbook lab, students are able to collaborate with students from a whole other elementary school to research and create a virtual poster on a famous Missourian.

By creating custom search engines through Google and using resources like smore.com flyers, we can provide students with specific (trusted) resources. We can even use Google docs to create citations AND to record (vocal) feedback on student documents. What a game changer!!!!

I am learning so much about classroom management and developing positive student-teacher relationships. I've learned about being flexible and making reflective decisions. I am learning content related skills that differ from the way I was taught - which is GREAT because that's what educational innovation is.

Today my cooperating teacher got me into a seminar about integrating technology into the classroom and being innovative. It was an incredible honor to be in the presence of so many wonderful educators. I've learned about so many sites and great ways to communicate with parents and students.

I am so excited to keep learning!!!

Here's my cooperating teacher's blog: http://fancying4th.blogspot.com/
Feel free to look it up and be impressed!