Welcome back!

Hi all! What a crazy few months it has been! I have started teaching my kiddos full time in person and it has been a wild ride thus far. As crazy as it is, I am truly enjoying it. I am so happy to be back in my classroom everyday with my littles who think I am the greatest person EVER. Since I have been on here, there have been a few “big” changes in my life..

1. I made a TEACHERGRAM!! It is literally one of the best things ever. It is so fun posting pictures everyday of things you love. Feel free to check it out and give me a follow! @theycallmemissmugica
2. I’ve learned to chunky knit blankets and hats with my hands
3. I’ve ordered a Circuit machine (I am SO excited). If anyone has one, throw your girl some tips!
4. I’ve lost a little bit of weight. Being back at work all day everyday and not having a prep/lunch period because there is no one to cover has actually done me some good lol!
5. I am happier than ever!

If anyone has any posts they would like to see from me, let me know! I hope everyone is healthy and well! I am so excited to be back.

xoxo

August Goals Check-In!!!

HOW IS THIS MONTH ALMOST OVER ALREADY?!!! Time sure has been flying because I have been SO busy. I’ve gone camping, spent hour after hour in my classroom, shopped for school supplies, and I have been spending as much time with my family as I can. I already know I have not met my August goals, and that is okay! This month has been way crazier than I anticipated. Do you ever set goals for yourself and not achieve them?

Here is a little check-in..

1. Pass the last of my teacher certification tests. Okay, so this is something that I feel strongly about and that really gets to me. I strongly dislike talking about it, especially when I do do not succeed. I took one of the tests last week and missed it by only a few points. UGHHHH talk about frustrated. I let myself be upset over it and shut down from everyone for an hour or so, and then I told myself that is is okay and I WILL get it next time. I was so close – only 2 questions away.
2. Be brave with my first ever root canal. This might sound silly to some, but for someone who has major dentist anxiety, it’s terrifying for me especially after all the horror stories you hear. I had the consultation already and it went well. I went by myself and was positive and brave. I have the actual root canal September 4th. Wish me luck!!
3. Lose 5 pounds. I haven’t lost a single pound…in fact, I may have gained a few??? I have been super busy this month and completely put my health and fitness on the back burner. Between camping and running around setting up my classroom, I found myself eating tons of snacks and eating fast food and having some adult beverages! lol! I am excited to get back at it though. Starting back up my normal schedule the end of this month will help me so much.
4. Drink a lot more water each day. Some days I do this! I am still working towards it being an every day thing.
5. Finish setting up my classroom. I’ve made SO much progress with this one! I have spent so much time in my classroom and I am so happy with how it’s coming.
6. Go to the beach. Camping on the beach allowed me to do this a few different times! I still haven’t spent a whole day at the beach but I’ve gone early in the morning to watch the sunrise and mid afternoon – night to hang out and play beach games. The beach truly is my happy place.
7. Watch a sunrise/sunset. As mentioned in my previous goal, I did this while on vacation at the beach. It was a cloudy morning but the sunrise was still beautiful. There is no such thing as a bad sunrise.
8. Go on a hike. I did this yesterday! I went to the Flume Gorge. Has anyone been there? It was absolutely incredible! I had never been somewhere like it before. Although, it did start torrential pouring 15 minutes into it. Let’s just say my boyfriend and I stopped at the gift shop on the way out to buy sweatpants and shirts for the almost 2 hour ride home. It was still a day to remember. So many laughs!
9. Walk 15 miles outside. I’ve gone on a few walks, but I have not been keeping track of my mileage. There is about a week left in the month so we will see what I can make happen!
10. Start saving money. This month was a tough month to start saving money with so many things going on, but I still did it! You have to start somewhere, and something is better than nothing.

I am feeling good with my progress in goals for this month. I still have some work to do, but I am excited to put it in and see where I go. There are some goals I know I won’t achieve this month and that is okay! I will continue them into next month. Baby steps!!

How is everyone else doing? Also, is anyone interested in me posting about my Flume Gorge trip?

Self-Love Journal Day 8

First off, thank you to those of you who have stuck around for the first 8 days of my self-love journal writing. You are wonderful! You are what keeps me going and what gives me the motivation to sit at my computer and write.

8. Set 3 short term goals and 3 long term goals for yourself.

I am all about setting goals. When I know I want to achieve something, I set a goal and I chase it! You can make a goal for anything – school, work, fitness, lifestyle, ANYTHING. Goals are amazing. Try to keep your goals realistic so you are able to achieve them. Set yourself up for success. If you come up with unreachable goals, you will feel like a failure and will want to give up. If there is something big you want, break it up into short goals to help you get there.

Here are some of my goals!

3 short term goals:

1. lose 5 pounds
2. finish setting up my classroom
3. go for more walks

3 long term goals:

1. live a more healthy lifestyle
2. reach 100 followers on this blog
3. finish passing my teacher certification tests (only 2 left!!)

Set those goals and CHASE them! YOU are in charge of your life. Take hold of it and live life the way you want to be. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Let’s set some goals!

What are some of your goals?

Self-Love Journal Day 3

3. When do you feel most confident?

Anyone who knows me, knows I am far from confident (as sad as that is). I never have been, but I hope to be one day. Part of this self-love journal writing is to help me find confidence in myself in the little things. Most people feel confident when they dress up all pretty and go out..Yeah, I might feel the tiniest bit of confidence when my face is beat, my hair is curly, and I’m wearing a cute outfit. In all honesty, I feel the most confident when I am standing in front of my students teaching a lesson. I am confident in my teaching and I don’t feel nervous in front of my students. If you put me in front of a room of adults..Game over! But, my students are my little kiddos and I am so comfortable and confident in front of them. They build me up every day and think I am the greatest thing ever.

When do you feel the most confident? I would love for some of you to share!

Self-love Journal Day 2

2. Your best accomplishment.

Hmmm…my best accomplishment. I am not one to brag about goals I’ve achieved or things I have accomplished, so this one is honestly difficult for me to think about. Sure, I have achieved many small things in life, but I think my best/proudest accomplishment is graduating college a year early and landing a job on my very first interview.

I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. I grew up wearing fake glasses and “correcting” papers I would have my friends do while we played school. When I transferred schools my sophomore year of college and found out I would be able to work extra hard and finish a year early, I was DETERMINED. That meant I could start my dream job a whole year early! Wow! I worked my butt off taking 6+ classes a semester while still working 30 hours a week. It was so worth it.

I graduated in December 2019. A few months after I graduated, I was notified about a potential position (asap start date) and I was somewhat interested, so I applied for it. What’s the worst that could have happened? They didn’t offer me the job? I did’t like the school? No big deal. I went to the interview a few days after applying and was offered the job instantly. I was so excited! I NAILED my first interview and was on top of the world. I have major anxiety so you can only imagine how nervous I had been. Also, I had never had a job interview before that day. I got all of my part time jobs through friends or people I knew.

8 months later and I am getting ready to start my second year at this school and I couldn’t be happier. No matter how nervous you are, take the leap and get out of your comfort zone!

Strive for your goals and achieve them! You can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. What are your greatest accomplishments?

AUGUST GOALS

WOW! We are already in August…Where has the summer gone?! I have been spending some much needed time relaxing by my pool and soaking up the sun before the craziness starts back up again. For those who don’t know, I’m a teacher…Wish me luck! With it being the start of a new month, I wanted to set some goals for this month and share them with you all. I am hoping this will keep me accountable as I will reflect at the end of the month.

1. Pass the last of my teacher certification tests – I have 2 left. They are ridiculously hard! They are both scheduled for this month so fingers crossed and wish me luck!
2. Be brave and go through with my first ever root canal…It is next Thursday. I have heard nothing but horror stories!
3. Lose 5 pounds
4. Drink A LOT more water each day
5. Finish setting up my classroom
6. Go to the beach
7. Watch a sunrise/sunset
8. Go on a hike
9. Walk 15 miles outside (in total, not all at one time)
10. Start saving money

I would LOVE to hear some of your goals for this month! They don’t have to be anything crazy, but creating goals for yourself sets you up for success. I am totally a goal setter and achiever! Let’s do this!

How I Survived Teaching Remotely

Okay, this is not easy to write…or think about! Remote teaching was HARD. I graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a Certification in Special Education. I was nervous and excited. I was finally on the market for my dream job. Well, little did I know what was coming my way. I was happy working at my preschool job until I heard about an immediate 5th grade position opening in February at a charter school. 5th grade was way out of my comfort zone and I didn’t even know what a charter school was. Well, I wanted to step out of my safe zone and I applied, had an interview and was instantly offered the job. I accepted it with excitement and nerves! I started 3 days after accepting the position.

This is where it gets messy….I got the job in late February/early March. I had my students in person for 5 days. FIVE DAYS. And then we switched to remote. The students still barely knew me, I barely knew them, barely knew other teachers, didn’t know any of their parents. I was terrified. I gave it my all, and I made it through. Little to no training and a blind road ahead of me. I did it. Not only was I a brand new teacher, I had no idea at all where to even begin with this! Here are some of the things I did that 110% helped me survive.

1. I cried…A LOT. I was so stressed and a mix of emotions. The students were testing me, parents were testing me, I was testing myself. I felt I was doing horrible (my boss reassured me daily I was doing amazing), and I was really hard on myself. Letting out a good cry made me feel better 7/10 times.
2. I asked for help. I needed guidance and I was so scared to ask other teachers who I barely knew but I did, and I was so glad I did. It is okay to admit you need help or are confused and feeling lost. No one is perfect and I really learned that.
3. I tried to be confident. Showing confidence in front of my students helped build stronger relationships because they were able to trust me. Even if I didn’t have it all together, I acted like I did. Students had no clue. They were just happy to be on a Zoom call with their friends.
4. Communication. It is SO important to communicate always, and even more important during times like this. Communication with students, coworkers, administrations, parents, families, my family. There was never a minute I wasn’t in contact with someone whether it be an email, phone call, Zoom call, or text message. I had students messaging me on Google Classroom, parents emailing and calling me, and coworkers texting me. Communication helped so much because everyone was able to express feelings and stay on top of everything that mattered.
5. I worked out. I always keep mental health in mind, as I have major anxiety…like many others. It is easy for me to get swept up in my thoughts and get in a junky mood for a few days. Working out was a way for me to release my anxiety and get in touch with my inner self and thoughts. It was me time. Time when I blocked out the world of teaching and everything else for an hour a day. An hour of pure me time. We all need it.
6. I set boundaries. In the first few weeks, I was checking my email at all hours of the day. I quickly found myself feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. A coworker reassured me I had to set boundaries – stop answering emails from 8:00 PM – 7:30 AM. I found this to be very helpful for myself. I didn’t feel the pressure of having to hurry up and email a parent back before they would get upset. I had to tell myself that it is okay to have some me time and not be available 24/7..Don’t get me wrong, I was available for my students and parents all day and had at least 5 Zoom calls a day.

If there are any other teachers out there I would love to hear your survival techniques and thoughts! Please feel free to steal all of these ideas and mix them into your own teaching. They truly do help.