Friday, June 18, 2010

Done!

The PACT was passed, no issues, no regrets. It's been awhile since I've had time to write, which is indicative of the immense focus needed to work that paper out. It felt great to finish the whole thing up without any issues.

I did it the right way: I did my own proofreading, I videotaped the way I felt was most successful, and I worked in the most efficient manner possible. Examples:

--It was suggested to film for 3-5 days, yet, only 2, 10 minute clips were to be turned in. Instead of Filming the whole time, I filmed for 85 minutes total. I made sure to focus on what needed to be shown on film, which allowed me to be really efficient. I literally created situations in the classroom that satisfied the rubric, executed them, and moved on.

--I did 75% of my writing in 48 hours. Ok, admittedly not the best course of action. However, I knew that I'm best when writing under pressure, and it ended up being a perfect strategy. True, I lumped 2 month's worth of stress into one weekend, but I was able to finish it quickly!

The teaching went a lot better. My students were absolutely top-notch, and they really made the whole experience smooth and easy.

The school year ends this Tuesday. Wow. What an experience. Teaching is both easier and harder than I thought it would be. I've learned the value of preparation and focus. I've also learned the importance of rules and limits. Now it's time to find a job. I have a feeling there is one out there for me; it's just a matter of time. I'll miss Mount Miguel, and hopefully one day I can return to that school as a full time teacher. I enjoyed everything about that school, and I feel extremely grateful to have met the students and staff that I did.

But what about my riding? That went straight to hell. It's a pretty sad statement when you're lungs explode on the regular saturday ride. It's been painful building up my fitness, and lately I've spent more time enjoying the bike rather than training.


OH YEA. I got to test ride some $9,000 bicycles. Here's one of 'em.

Pure speed, that's all that can be said. Cervelo S3, Sram Red, Zipp 404 in back, 303 in front. I'd go deeeeep into debt for one of these, but I don't have the guts.


Thank you to all of my students and friends. This semester has been amazing and tough. I've learned a lot about education, and even more about balancing life. It's been important for me to keep my balance and to keep things light. The darkest times in this program were the times when riding, friends, and family were put on the back-burner. A principal once told me that it's important to take care of yourself BEFORE taking care of your students. I'll have to keep these words in mind for the future.