Teaching is hard. It is probably one of the most taxing experiences on the mind, the body, and the soul ... but it's worth every ounce of stress and anxiety. I can't tell you avid readers how many times I've been told that I'm crazy for picking high school for my certification, that I should switch to early childhood or middle childhood, that I should have picked a different profession.

I'm proud of myself for never listening and succombing to the peer pressure. It has been a crazy two weeks. I've laughed, and I've cried, but most importantly, I've learned from my mistakes. One thing I wish I would have known before beginning my adventures in the classroom is that you will fail a hundred times before you find something that works for your students. Don't get me wrong, I had some idea of failure ... but not a failure like I've seen: revisions upon revisions, student misunderstandings, and frustrating assignments.

Just to put my job as a student teacher into perspective, let me set the scene for you ...

As temperatures dropped to below-freezing, little old me sat wrapped like a burrito at my desk, taking advantage of three much needed snow days. I sat at my desk, uninterrupted save for meals, for 10 straight hours that first day planning a curriculum for King Lear, my favorite Shakespearean play. Actually, I planned some preliminary materials and Act I; I still have a long way to go.

The point is that I made progress, and I have so much respect for those who have ever planned curriculum for a unit, a play, or a novel study. Teaching takes so much time out of my life that finding a healthy balance is difficult. I'm only three weeks in; so, I'm still trying to figure out my schedule.

However, I'm having so much fun tapping into my creative genius, finding interactive ways for students to connect with a 411-year-old play. You would be surprised at how relevant the themes are to our modern society. I cannot wait to start teaching one of my favorite pieces of literature this upcoming week to a sea of eclectic learners.

While planning and finishing other assignments for my night class, which is a story in itself, but I'll allow a quick digression, I've of course had things go terribly wrong. In addition to student teaching, I have to complete an added portfolio, called EdTPA. If you've never heard of this headache and a half, it is a portfolio that consists of a pre-test, a three-day mini unit, a post-test, video evidence, and three lengthy commentaries. Mind you, this is all on top of my regular weekly planning and teaching. Talk about a stress overload.

As I was brainstorming ideas for my mini unit, I heard a very familiar sound coming from my bedroom. Wouldn't you know, the bird is back, and what I had assumed was a male is actually a female. You're probably asking yourselves how I could know a detail such as that, and it is because the dainty little creature fashioned a nest on the ledge underneath my air conditioner. So, for three days, it sounded as if the bird clan were trying to break into my toasty abode to escape the insane wind chill. If my EdTPA doesn't drive me crazy before May, the bird clan will.

Just this morning as I was bopping in my car on my way to work, a small feathered creature ricocheted off of my windshield and fluttered into the distance. They are literally coming for me no matter where I am.

I've had some wild experiences in the past few weeks, as well, just to be that sweet icing on top of the cake of life. It has been so cold and icy that one morning as I was trying to uncover my car from the igloo it was buried under, my ice scraper snapped in half. I have yet to buy a new one. My hands are so dry ... actually, let me rephrase. My right hand is so dry and cracked that it looks like it belongs to the 95-year-old side to my persona, and my left hand is so soft and smooth that it looks like it belongs to the 22-year-old side to my persona. It's been great trying to remedy the one portion of my body rejecting youth, but I'm working on it.

I also encountered an entitled woman at the copier one morning as I prepped necessary supplemental materials for my students. I will eventually be teaching 109 students; therefore, I had to make as many copies for the mini unit I taught last week. This woman was so mad that someone from the English department had the audacity to make copies of supplemental materials for her students.

She huffed and began to walk out when I called her back in to use the machine before I moved on to the next item. She didn't even thank me, nor did the three other educators who made copies before I could finish what I had started. I cannot wait for another chance encounter Monday morning when I prepare all of my materials for the week, because spoiler alert: I have even more materials this week. They're all going to hate me by the end of the semester, but no matter, I'll make it through in one piece.

Even though teaching and planning is taking every ounce of my energy, I'm trying really hard to keep the updates coming because I love documenting those little insights that shape my life. Coffee as always is my tried and true companion, and together we're taking on the classroom one day at a time. Stay tuned!