Teacher's Pet...turned TEACHER!!!

A little blast from my own past. My Kindergarten Years 4-7


Ashley and I show our American Pride at an early age

Ash. and I with playmates in hand. Notice my patch? Yeah my mom made me wear it on the WRONG eye for 6 whole months! And if you can believe it, I actually still had quite a lot of friends! (I don't know if I'd be that little 4-eyed chubo's pal...I just don't know?)

Brook, Ash, and I
-bathing beauties-

Ash and I as well mannered 6 and 7 year olds. May I also mention that it was tradition for MOM to pick out my new glasses every year when my eyes were fuzzy and dilated. She had me believing she knew what she was doing!!! I just don't recall glasses that covered half of a little girls face ever being "in with it", as mama use to say. (p.s. - I just noticed that I think this picture was taken because I put my matching dress on backwards.....starting trends at an early age ehhh???)

I can hardly believe it myself. I???...have a real job??? Unbelievable! Not to mention this is a job that I have to stick with. I can't be calling in sick when we all know I actually just want to try out for the latest and greatest game show. No more hiding out in the bathroom just cause my feet are killin' me! (and believe me that they are!!! A week's worth of blisters already!) And if I feel like Utah or Hong Kong is calling my name - it's not like I can just pick up and quit without a day's notice!! Yeah....that's right - HELL must actually be freezing over because it's true - I am officially a full time Junior Primary (aka - kindergarten) teacher at Carden Academy!

I have been busier than busy getting ready to act all grown up for my 10 new students in my class. How perfect is that...10 amazingly wonderful students! So I haven't had even a second to entertain you with any of my opinionated thoughts via the blog...my apologies. But I thought I should continue to share an insightful moment here or there about my new adventures.

So first things first - I've learned that apparently when you Google my name I had settings set where you could find my blog. And knowing that I did get a 'red slip' from the Apple Store for posting a very MELLOW blog (opps...when I got called to the boss' office I'd forgotten I had mentioned my repetitive occasions of hiding out by the toilet) about the workplace I finally figured out how to take my darn name of the search engines. SOOOO...hopefully I'm not going to get busted this time for cracking a joke or two about my daily teaching endeavors.

I guess right now is as good a time as any to give a universal shout out of, "For the privacy of those involved all - ...or most...or just the ones that'd cry me a freaking river... - names have been changed!" Phew! That should cover all the legal ramifications right? Now on to a story or two...

So at my new school that I'm obsessed with, we focus on teaching not only academics but really enforcing a sense of value, integrity, and manners. I think what really hooked me was knowing I could help train some boys into becoming fine young gentlemen. I tell you that pretty much escaped all of my brothers in their youth. No...maybe just mostly SETH...the smartypants boy that got away with everything growing up just cause he was a dork (simply another term for someone really really smart and hard working that never gets anything lower than an A...oh no, I forgot -he once got a lower grade in P.E. :) now that's funny!!!)

Yeah, Seth having graduated #1 in his class at BYU and in the accounting program as well has always been a shoe in with the 'gifted program'. And all I gotta say about that is that it's in my blood as well - but I grew up seeing the value in having fantastic social skills as more of a priority! And they've really paid off - I can get myself out of almost any trouble to be found in a young girls life.

So my students are going to be taught to be 'dorks' and well mannered! But I tell you...the training aspect of a JP teacher is a bit never ending. It seems I'm repeating myself all day long. But when they finally see the importance of a certain direction...it does make me smile, sometimes even laugh.

For example a student we'll call Lee, a very charming naturally sweet boy brought a lot of joy to me the other day. We were all lined up to go to computer class when all of a sudden I thought someone had perhaps had an accident....cause it was not smellin' like roses! The stank about knocked me flat. I was disgusted and amazed all at the same time. Along with my shock came an uncontrollable and immature giggle. Trying to hide any humor I saw in this I shuffled my class back inside the room. I said, trying to sound fierce, "One of you has done something that is not acceptable in my classroom. Someone has broken wind and that needs to happen in the restroom NOT in here!" Meanwhile all the students are pointing to the jokester of the class and plugging their noses. I'm trying to discipline but my words are overpowered by spouts of laughter that I'm attempting to hide. So as the class begins to follow my unprofessional lead and starts laughing I again try to lay the law down. "Please say excuse me whoever has done that. That is disgusting (and students what letter does the word "disgusting" start with?). Even though it seems like I'm laughing and think it's funny, it does not mean that this is allowed in my classroom. This is not funny at all!"

The entire time I'm dying because it really grosses me out, and kids are starting to say the "f--t" word that is classified as the actual "f" word in my house. I'm in the middle of telling them not to say that yucky word, and keep the smile off my face when that sweet child Lee says matter of factly, "Well Miss Ure, it's a little bit gross and a little bit funny." At that point I agreed with him but told him I thought it was a lot more gross than funny! Many times throughout the day they have me laughing and smiling.

Having now completed my first whole week as a "Teacher" - I feel that my life will be forever changed. I'm anxious to see all the ways I can help them to develop a love for learning, an ability to laugh at themselves, and an overflowing abundance of esteem. I am grateful to finally have someone else to focus on other than myself - I even dream about them every night! I wonder if smarty pants successful Seth ever looks back grateful for the things his Kindergarten teacher taught him? Maybe that's just where it all begun...