Just finished my first week of my second spring term. I can't believe that it has been a year. I have to admit I am tried, my house needs my attention and the job prospects are not good. With that said I am still glad that I took on this endeavor. The important things, like my family and my job have not suffered. In fact my children has made great gains of their own while I have pursued my life long dream of becoming a teacher.

When looking ahead, to what getting my masters in SPED would require, I was most concerned about getting my class work done and taking the required tests to get a teaching license. Although both of those requirements were (are) challenging, the aspect that is proving to be the hardest for me is leaving my current school to do my student teaching. I am looking forward to my placement in a k through 3 pull out setting. I think these kids will give me new challenges and stretch both my skills and my love. So it's not a new place that has me all emotional. My emotions are being driven by the love I have for the students I currently work with. Every year that I have been in the district I find myself completely committed to the students I am teaching. I don't apply for jobs mid-year because I don't want to leave students who are making progress. Leaving for my student teaching is no different. I know the students will survive and they will continue to grow, but I will still worry about them.

The other part about leaving for my student teaching is that I may not ever be back to the school and staff I have grown to love. The hope is to find a teaching job after graduation and my school will surely not have any openings. In a perfect world I would be able to return to this school to teach, but the reality is that the SPED teachers are all happy there and are under forty so they are going nowhere.

All of life's best and biggest accomplishment come with a few tears. This next step in my life is no different. I am sure that I will shed many tears as I pack up my belongings, my memories and my hopes to move to the next step in my life. If all goes well, I will find a place to teach that brings me as much joy as my current placement has.