Does this gown make me look fat?

As I told you before, my family, colleagues, and students threw me a surprise graduation. Here are a couple pictures. The first one is of me right after the surprise. The second is me with my host teacher. With my luck, there are probably more pictures floating around out there. If they surface, I suppose I am obligated to post them. So, until then...

It's official

I'm a college graduate. I just checked my grades and I got an 'S' in student teaching! Too bad they don't give out letter grades, because an A would have added that extra "umph." (Or would it have been "A"mph?) No matter. I'm done with school for the time being. Wahoo!

Congratulations

to all my friends who are graduating today! I miss you guys! When I get back to Colorado, we'll have to have a massive graduation party.

It's the little things

My host teacher and I just installed a brand-new projector in the classroom to replace the old decrepit one she had before. The image from the new one is so bright and sharp; it makes my Keynote Presentations look that much more impressive. It's a thing of beauty.

WYGYGYCHI

My grades for the semester. The B is scar upon what is otherwise a perfect semester. Oh well.

PRAXIS

In order to student teach, one has to pass the PRAXIS II Exam. It's a test that crams all of human history, economics, political science, psychology and sociology into a measly little 130-question multiple-choice test. Then, they make you wake up at an ungodly hour on a Saturday morning and regurgitate everything you've ever learned in every social studies class you've ever taken. Then, it takes them four weeks to throw your test through a computer, while you spend the entire month scared shitless. (Pardon the French. I'm expounding here!) Also, if you don't pass this test by the time you start student teaching, you don't get to student teach. All the time and effort you've put into the godforsaken UNC education program was a waste. No pressure.

Well, this morning I got my score back! Out of a possible 200 (I have no idea how they get 200 out of 130 questions), and needing a 150 to pass for the state of Colorado, I got a 181! I passed! All this anxiety I spent worrying about this stupid test was unwarranted. Silly me. I don't care how many times how many friends told me not to worry, that they were sure I did fine. That's little comfort when Germany is on the line because of one stupid test. But thanks anyway, guys!

So, I cleared what I think (hope) is my last obstacle to Germany. Now the real work starts. Planning. Packing. Moving. Writing lesson plans. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Keep it real.