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A part of the script I used to teach my lesson

On Monday, January 3o, I experienced my first lesson taught in a classroom while student teaching. Week one – which lasted from January 23 through January 27 – was all about observation, getting to know students’  names, and understanding the layout of the classroom. Week two involves slightly more responsibility to where the student teacher should be able to take on a subject and teach it; of course, this routine is only found in the elementary placement, where the teacher is required to teach multiple subjects. Monday was that special day, where I began teaching my first subject: science.

Being in a fifth grade classroom has its pros and cons, and after Monday’s science lesson, I saw one pro that I will never take for granted: respect for authority. Although fifth grade can still come with youth and immaturity, they are the eldest group in the elementary schools – unless, of course, we are talking about a K-12 building. With age comes responsibility, and with responsibility comes the desire to have more. The only way to gain more responsibility is to prove you can handle it, which is what the fifth graders strive to do. Since fifth graders are more responsible than the younger students in the school, they have more respect for authority. More respect for authority, in the end, means more solid communication between teacher and student, and as a result, a major pro comes out of teaching in an upper-elementary classroom.

I love teaching, and my first student teaching lesson taught verified that. I was able to rediscover my teaching style while learning to appreciate the work a teacher has to do to make sure the students understand. I know I will have many more chances to teach and lead a classroom myself, and this past Monday made it all the more exciting to continue my path as a teacher.

May your days be filled with joy,

Josh

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Spending time with quality friends is the reason why I go back to SAU to visit.

Last weekend, I had to leave Spring Arbor University for home to start student teaching on Monday. One week later and I am on week two of my experience in the classroom. From the way things looked in the first two days of student teaching, I never thought I would see the weekend. I love student teaching, but the schedule has made each day feel much longer than it really is and creates the illusion that the week consists of many more hours than originally planned.

Since the week has been filled with so much to do in the classroom, a much needed rest is sometimes appropriate. While I am finding myself more intrigued by what I am experiencing at South Meadows Elementary School, it is good to have something to do outside of the busy experience. This past weekend, my outside adventure was a trip back to Spring Arbor University. There, I truly felt rested and a sense of comfort away from student teaching life.

During my short stay at Spring Arbor, I caught up with friends, played ultimate frisbee in Dunckel Gym, played Dutch blitz, and rested. I stayed on campus from Friday afternoon until Saturday night, and every minute was spent enjoying the weekend as I had hoped. Now, as week two of student teaching has begun, I hope I can continue to find more opportunities to visit Spring Arbor.

May next weekend offer another opportunity to visit,

Josh

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As the road goes on, we must decide whether it is best to accept it or decline it.

Driving home, I suddenly realized my life would drastically change from college student to post-full-time student. No, I had not graduated yet. No, I did not leave a life of academics behind because of smarts. But, it was time for student teaching. The two years of shock and wonder was now at my doorstep. I had everything packed and ready to leave Sydow House, the place I stayed at for merely four months. My body told myself it was time to press on; my heart told me never let go.

Emotionally, it is was tough for me to picture myself no longer an on-campus student. I was only 23 and had only been going on to my 10th semester of college. For all I knew, college lasted 300 semesters and never got old. I was never the kid who wanted out of Spring Arbor because there were not enough “challenges.” I loved my job as a student because it was comfortable and easy to be one. As a student, I could hang out with the people I liked; I was not forced to eat my small lunch with people I never talked to before. I could be late for class and no one would care, and when my roommate asked me if I wanted to go to Denny’s, I would hop up and go without considering the workload I had the next day. I was a college student at Spring Arbor University, and learning could last my entire life if I wanted it to.

Then the day came. I got placed in an elementary school and would begin on schedule. For those who do not know, “placed” means I had been noticed by a teacher and asked to be a student teacher in their classroom. To me, this meant a required semester of waking up at 6am five times a week, dressing professionally, and abandoning my friends to educate 5th graders. While all of the drastic changes were good for my professional life, it was still tough to leave the wonderful world of Spring Arbor for it.

Although the change has been rough, I am thankful for the opportunity to be student teaching at a time I expected to be. I still miss being an on-campus student, but I also recognize the timing of my situation and could not ask f0r better. Sometimes I imagine having my placement getting postponed and I shudder thinking about it. All of the hard work has paid off, and to miss my deadline for student teaching would only signify that I did not accomplish what I had originally set out to do: prepare to be an effective teacher. I am now in my last stage as a college student preparing to go out as a potential teaching candidate, and while it is scary, it is my last stop in my college journey.

I am still young and enthusiastic, my mind is still in college student mode, and I still treat 5th graders as if they are my friends. I still have many things to learn about the education field, and I am sure there will be things I will learn the hard way and the easy way. However, there is no better time than to start now.

Start writing your life today,

Josh

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A beautiful structure in downtown Jackson reminds visitors of how beautiful Jackson can be.

I am usually not the city type. I enjoy lakes, sunsets, and nature walks. Overall, the country is a favorite of mine, as nature provides a tranquil environment for those living in it. Finding a hobby in photography, I find the country to be a perfect resource for beautiful photographs. As a result, there is no other place I would rather be; hands down, the country is my favorite location.

On very rare occasions, I find another place equally respectable – the city. While I do not necessarily thrive off of city life, there are times when I love taking time to soak in the scenery. Particularly, and in the case of downtown Jackson on a weekday morning, I really loved taking time to look around.

Downtown Jackson is filled with small shops, historical buildings, and beautiful architecture that is very photogenic. While I have not been able to take many trips down to the busier parts of Jackson, I have enjoyed looking around every time I go. So, on Wednesday morning, SAU senior Rachel Desimpelare and I went to buy mochas at the local Sunrise Coffee Express. Both of us have class from 12:30-3:30 pm during J-Term, so a 9:00 am pit-stop at Sunrise Coffee Express was the best option. And, with commuters and businessmen just arriving for work, it is a beautiful time to take in the sights.

What I found most unfortunate is just how rare downtown visits are for not only me, but for the average SAU student. Not even 15 minutes away is a beautiful city accompanied with coffee shops, local markets and bookstores, small cafes, a train and bus station, and thriving businesses, and never have I heard students making adventures happen in this area.

So, whenever you get the chance, I encourage you to spend an hour or so in downtown Jackson. Just take a right at the light adjacent to Wal-Mart (where you go all the time), and before you know it, you will be in the middle of a gorgeous small city. While you are there, pick up a mocha at Sunrise Coffee Express for only $3.

With mochas at $3, Sunrise Coffee Express is the perfect place to purchase a hot beverage.

Blessings,

Josh

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The best part about Skating for Tuques is the sense of community the event promotes

On Friday, January 6, one of my favorite SAU events was available for all students. Known as ‘Skating for Tuques,’ the event takes place at Optimist Ice Arena in downtown Jackson, where students can skate on the ice rink for a total of one dollar. One dollar goes toward admission and if anyone needs to rent skates, another dollar is for a rental. It is a great time for students to take part in an activity that is not common.

Not only is it the ice skating that is enjoyable, but a majority of students show up. To me, Skating for Tuques is like one big party where everyone is talking to someone else. The fellowship is particularly what I find so intriguing about the skate night. Everyone is smiling on a wonderful Friday night, where any level of ice skating skill is invited into the fun.

As I spend my last month on campus, I will always consider Skating for Tuques one of the most memorable times in my college career. Although taking a trip to the ice rink is not always my first suggestion for hanging out, I will take it over anything else if I know it will give me another opportunity to see everyone in their happiest mood simply because they enjoy the company around them.

A look at the rink from the perspective of a skater.

May God bless the rest of your J-Term,

Josh

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A pile of books is symbolic of the workload over J-Term. Despite only having one class, the workload remains the same.

At this time of the school year, the academic schedule is completely different from the ordinary, familiar college experience. In the fall and spring semesters, a minimum of 12 credit hours is required to be considered a “full-time student,” and these classes usually fill up each day, Monday through Friday. Then, along comes January Term (J-Term, as it is known), where students take only one three-credit course over two and a half weeks. Instead of this one class being 2-3 times a week, it is held Monday through Friday for three hours.

Students have the opportunity to take a GenEd, an upper-level CORE class, or a class in their field of study if they would like, and most of the time, January is month with a much smaller load attached to it. Some professors do take advantage of the fact that his or her class is the only one students are focusing on and piles on homework that would keep anyone as busy as three classes of work. Overall, the fact that having only one class to worry about is a breath of fresh air for most students.

In some cases, students have an opportunity to go outside of the classroom and head to places like Florida, a cross cultural overseas trip, or Texas. You always know when these trips happen when students have Facebook statuses about their departure for another country when other students are still on break. On the other hand, some students do not even have to take J-Term and end up having another month off. Since J-Term is not required, some students decide leaving January open is the best option.

Overall, J-Term is considered a blessing before the next semester hits. Usually, spring semester can be equally difficult (if not harder) than fall semester, so it is nice to have a slow transition into a heavier workload. This J-Term, and my last one, will be spent taking CORE 400 with Dr. Brent Cline. While Dr. Cline is considered one of my favorite professors, I know the workload will be heavy. Whatever course you are taking, and wherever you are in the world, may this January be a blessing to you as you move forward.

Josh

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