Need to Relax!

I have everything turned in for my Master's and I walk the stage on Saturday. I now have to finish prepping lessons for the last couple of weeks of school, get everything ready for May Madness, study for my National Board Certification test, and study for the history Praxis exam. I always feel like I have so much going on. And I do that to myself. I would like to slow the pace a bit, but I think I probably do my best when my hair is on fire!

I have been reading the 8th grade history book, studying for the Praxis and I keep getting excited and thinking of how I want to teach it. The first chapter is about maps and geography and my brain is all over Google Earth. I put in my application for this job today. It closes on the 18th. I don't even have an interview yet, much less the job, and yet I sit here planning lessons. So how crushed will I be if I don't get the job? That worries me a bit. Worst case scenario, I keep the job I have now, which I also love. But I love the idea of a new challenge. I can see history being done in groups with a wiki in use. I would HAVE to use blogs in my English class. (Wonder how much I can steal from Geoff?) I want to find ways to incorporate technology as fully as possible in English and History.

Then there is my National Boards. I still have the written exam to take. I need to study some standards and write the practice questions. I feel pretty good about my technical writing skills, but this counts for 40% of the score. If I don't pass this year, I will have to do parts of it again next year. I am sure I can pull that off in an English class. If I pass, I will be Nationally Board Certified in Career and Technical Education. Possibly teaching English and history. Does that make sense? I can still justify that with the fact that I will still be using technology, but is that good enough?

Confusion...I seem to be fully immersed! Oh, and to top it off I made the decision to change from doing my doctorate in Adult and Higher Education and instead go for my Ed. D. in Educational Adminstration. I think this is more applicable with what I want to do, but there is one catch. I do NOT want to be a principal. I don't think I have what it takes! What if I lose my mind and decide to try THAT in a couple of years. It makes my brain spin!

Okay....I need to relax. I need to focus on graduation and enjoy the moment! This has been a long and difficult road. I am feeling pretty proud of myself. Oh, there are things I wish I would have done better, but I managed to get through my Master's while teaching six classes a day - three different preps - teaching adults one night a week, being a small group leader for Confirmation at church, having a husband and three sons at home requiring my attention, not to mention at school I am on BLT, am the building technology leader, on BIC, in charge of the Junior Achievement program and May Madness, etc. Yes, I am proud of all of that, too. Do I have too much on my plate? Yes. Do I sometimes not do everything 100% because of that? Again, yes. But very little really suffered. I did okay. And I think it is okay that I am so pleased with being on this side of the year!

Okay, now I am justifying being proud of myself. I really do need to relax! And study history and study standards and do May Madness and.... You wouldn't think I have time to over-analyze my life! Chapter Two ~ The First Americans.