Just Start Somewhere...

Write.  Write everyday.  Write anything.  Write something.  Just start writing.  It's what we tell our students, and often what we tell ourselves.  However, how often do we, the teacher, actually follow our own advice?  Just getting this blog up and running was a struggle that I didn't anticipate, but I am soon going to expect my students to anticipate deadlines, research challenges, "writer's block" and a plethora of other obstacles that may get in their way of crafting the perfect piece of writing.

Perhaps I should back up a little now that I've gotten the first few words down.  This is my first blog entry of what I hope to be many that chronicle my days as a student teacher; and then hopefully employed first year teacher.  Throughout my education at Montana State University I was exposed to many different publications about student teaching, but none that I felt gave an intimate look into the daily occurrences of the teaching profession.  Last fall my professor Lisa Eckert casually suggested that it wouldn't be a far stretch for any of her students to pursue writing such a piece of literature; so here goes my attempt!

And now a little about me...  I'm a 29 year old student teacher and finishing my last semester at Montana State.  I grew up in Northeast Ohio somewhere between Cleveland, football, and farms.  My passion for reading started at an early age and a part of me always knew that I wanted to be a teacher, but it wasn't until I turned 25 and moved west did the fire ignite.  Over the last two years I've spent my days juggling classes, part-time jobs, and a growing reading list.  I've been fortunate to study under great minds such as Lisa Eckert, Rob Petrone, Aaron Yost, and Dr. Michael Sexson. (And, many more of course!)

On August 22 I will begin the final leg in my journey as college student, but only begin another long and fulfilling chapter as a forever student and life-long learner.  I welcome your comments, questions, criticisms
and hope that in some small (or big!) way my insights and experience can help you gain a closer look into the life of a teacher.

Here we go!