Waiting for Superman

If you haven't seen this documentary, you need to.
I just finished watching it and...wow, that's all I can say.
Maybe it is because teaching is my passion, but it was such an emotional movie. You see these kids and the system they're stuck in and you just sit there and wonder what can we do to make it better? It seems like it can never be fixed. Your heart goes out to them and all you want is to reach through the TV and hug them and tell them everything will be ok. And then you realize this is the plight of so many students across the United States.
After I finished watching it all I could think was, I want to be the best teacher I possibly can be for these kids. I don't want to fail them. They say in the movie "When you see a great teacher, you are seeing a work of art" I hope I can be that for my kids.

one day.

a guy out there was meant to be the love of your life.

your best friend. your soul mate.

the one you can tell your dreams to.

he'll brush the hair out of your eyes.

send you flowers when you least expect it.

he'll stare at you during the movies. even though he paid $8 to see it.

he'll call to say goodnight or just cause he is missing you.

he'll look in your eyes and tell you.

"you're the most beautiful girl in the world"

and for the first time in your life. you'll believe it.

-Nicholas Sparks

colors, birthdays, and internships

There has been so much going on that it is about time I update you on my life. K turned 21 last week! It was another crazy birthday weekend in our apartment. We began our celebration by going to the festival of colors. I have been every year since I’ve been in college and it’s always really fun. It also is where I get the coolest pictures every year!

I don't know why they never look as cool on blogger....who knows

After we cleaned up we all went out the La Joya Grove (spelling?) here in Provo and it was delicious! It was also a very cool setting, when you walk in the entire restaurant is filled with fake lemon trees with lanterns that all looks real, it’s way cool, just go and see it for yourself.

After dinner we came home and celebrated with another delicious cake courtesy of Miss H Marchant baker extraordinaire. I swear is she wasn’t going to go to law school she should open up her own bakery. We then open presents and celebrated with virgin drinks (she’s 21 we had to do something!)

I have officially finished up my practicum and it flew by! I loved my fifth graders so much. They are so cute and funny. I’m going to miss them so much!

MOST EXCITING NEWS:

On Wednesday (3/30/11) I had an interview for my internship. I woke up to a bouquet of roses and an easter basket of goodies including a muffin and simply lemonade for breakfast.

Aren’t my roommates the best?! I was so nervous and was just trying to stay calm and remember that everything was going to be fine. I had a blessing the day before from my cousin, so I felt confident and ready to go, but the pit of nerves in my stomach would not listen.

I showed up for my interview at 8:30 in the morning and was right into the first room meeting with the first three schools. I had never worked at any of these schools so it was all new to me. They asked my questions I was prepared for, and I felt the interview went really well. They were all really nice and were just smiling at me the whole time. Because time was short it was a bit rushed and all I could think was, I really hope I’ve said everything I needed to say!

Next I was brought into the second room, where both schools I’ve previously worked at were, and was introduced to the remaining four people that I did not know. That interview was a lot tougher than the first. I wasn’t expecting a lot of the questions, and I was just worried that I wasn’t answering the questions the way I needed to. But, 12 minutes later it was over.

My teacher Lynnette told me she’s call me anytime from 3-5 and let me know if I got the job.

Insert wait time, which felt like it lasted FOREVER!

At 3:20 I got the call……………

I GOT AN INTERNSHIP! (What does that entail you might ask, well, I will be the teacher, my own class, the whole year, ½ pay, full benefits…I can’t wait for it! I’ll be working at Westridge Elementary School here in Provo

The school seems really nice, and my teachers and I think it will be a good fit for me. It’s huge! It has 800 students, which is going to be twice the size of any school I have worked at so far. I’m still trying to get a hold of my facilitator at the school to figure out what grade I will be teaching and when I should come in and meet with them and sign my contract.

I’m so excited. Honestly I don’t feel old enough, or grown up enough to be a real teacher already, but I’ve been working toward this moment my whole life and I can’t wait.

To celebrate my accomplishment I may have found my way to the DI book section again….

I told you it’s a problem.

Today I’ve been listening to the words of living prophets and apostles of the Lord, which is always glorious.

Feeling extremely blessed in Provo,

j

Teaching, Birthdays, Addictions

Practicum:

–noun

(in a college or university) the part of a course consisting of practical work in a particular field.

or,

The time in your life when everything else falls at the wayside because all you do is teach, plan, and try to breathe.

I've said this in the past, and I'm sure i'll continue to say it, but life has been CRAZY lately! I've been teaching for the last 2 1/2 weeks and have a week and a half left. I love it, fifth graders are so funny, have you hung out with a ten year old lately? You should, they're so stinking funny.
Teaching has been great, and I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to go out in the schools, it really is my favorite time. But, I'm so ready for my own class, I'm ready to be a teacher!

Speaking of which....in 11 days I will have an interview, and I will know if and where I will have a job next year, and what grade I will be teaching.....scary, yes....exciting....heck yes! I can't think about it too much or I tend to freak out, but I am excited to just know what I will be doing for the next year. I was observed this week by Beth, my CFA aka the mother hen who comes and watches you teach and tells you the good, the bad, and any words of wisdom she has for you. While we were talking after my observation she turns to me and says, in just a short while your whole world could turn up-si-down.....AH! So true, but so scary!

Birthdays:
My beautiful roommate B Jack turned 21 last week! Shout out to her! We didn't have a birth-day as much as a birth-weekend. Saturday consisted of Tucanos and playing that night with some of her friends


Sunday we went to church, then came home and made homemade pizzas with martinellis since it was her 21st birthday afterall

and ended the night with cake, made by master chef H, I kid you not, she has made some of the most delicious cakes I have ever eaten. Then present time.

apartment <3


Finally confession time: They say the first step to curbing any addiction is to admit you have a problem....I have two.

#1 These darn things are going to be the death of me...

#2 I have an addiction to buying children's books, it's a real problem. What has made it worse you ask, I have discovered the book section of DI where they have great books for only $0.75, can you see the issue? This was most of yesterday's batch (minus five picture books that didn't make it into the picture) only $20 all in great quality....love it.

They are all either Newbery winners, or honor books, or they are books I know are really popular. Usually I end up dragging someone with me who doesn't want to be there, but this time I went with K, who is an Early Childhood Ed major, and loved it as much as me. It was a beautiful thing :)

Things I miss right now:
My family, desperately
The beautiful sunshine we've been having, where'd it go this morning?
the best friend in texas who i haven't gotten to talk to in forever
feeling like i had a life
not being stressed out.

What can you do?
Love from P-town
j

Shout out to Amy Jean

(circa 2008: looking our best)

currently listening to: Beauty and the Beast

So I have lots of pictures and fun adventures to blog about but, before I do, I need to give a shout out to the beautiful Amy Jean Carsten. This lovely lady and I have been friends for I'm not even sure how long, back in the days when we sat next to each other in seminary, her mom taught me piano and i'd spend my time waiting in her room, and we carpooled to school. And no matter what changes, we've always stayed in touch. Today she saved my butt by letting me print things at her house since I ran out of ink and because it's the sabbath that means no store runs for j. I love seeing her every week for out Bones fixes.
She's my wonderful, book sharing, bones loving friend and I don't know what I'd do without her. Here's to you Amy Jean.

Love,
j

Teaching, Crafting, Best Friends

So...it's official I'm Miss Webb again here's the badge to prove it.

I've officially completed three days of my month of student teaching at Spring Creek Elementary School here in Provo.

I am in the fifth grade there and it has been very different from my last experience. Last semester I walked in and the kids were so adorable and loving. It was great they listened, they loved to learn, well not all of them but the majority were really great. I didn't have a lot of difficulty managing them. My first day in fifth graded I was greeted with everything from excitement to "Why are you here? I hate you." Fun right! I've found as a teacher you just have to let things go, let nothing get to you otherwise you're toast. But that was the first day, things have gotten better the last couple days. I remembered how much I just love being in the classroom it's my favorite thing. I'm reminded why I'm working so hard in school.

I spent this entire weekend with the best friend A. We hadn't spent a lot of time together lately so we decided to have a girl's night friday and just spend time together. We ended up everywhere from the mall to costa vida to joanne's fabric. We decided to make hair clips. I've always admired the collection A has, and she has crafty sisters that have taught her how to make them, so she taught me. So fun. It was addicting we did it all friday, she slept over that night and then we continued our obsession into Saturday night.
Proof of our obsession:


After A left because she had a family dinner I had another girl's night with B and K. We decided to go get some goodies, rent a movie, and paint our nails together. Great girls night, right! It was fun. I love hanging out with the two of them, they are adorable and so much fun.

Church on Sunday and A decided to come to my ward. She was impressed with all the cute boys in my ward. I'm impressed with them too sometimes.
We decided to take a roommate picture so that H could send them in a letter to her missionary friend

My beautiful roomies :)

And best friend


Today after school (8-3:30 at Springcreek and 4-5:15 at BYU) I was able to talk to my Mom and Dad for a little bit. Gosh I miss them, i'm such a homebody. I realize it's been three months since i've been with them and it'll be another three until i'm home for the summer to work. Suprisingly i'm not missing them as much as i normally do, usually i get pretty homesick, but lately i'm content with my life here and know it's where i'm suppose to be. Hey i'm growing up! about time :)

So as I was writing this i realized that all i did this weekend revolves around being with my girlfriends. It's great, don't get me wrong, but when do i get a man in my life? Make things more interesting :)

love
j

a book.

So, you know that feeling you get when you can't stop reading a book, like seriously can't stop, every moment is consumed with reading those pages and you completely escape and are blissfully happy pretending you're living someone else's life?
That's why I adore reading.
the end.