I Wasn't Late!

Of course. nextbus.com was wrong yesterday morning when it said I should take the G line bus toward Briarcliff in order to get to Phillips Middle school, but thanks to my intuition, I decided to get on the G line bus toawrd Booker Creek, an after dealing with extreme anxiety--I did not know if I was on the right bus--another teaching fellow going to the same school got on the bus and all my anxiety floated away!

Biting My Finger Nails Off!!!

So, tomorrow is the BIG day, my first day of tutoring! I have no idea what bus to ride, what time the bus is supposed to arrive, and my mother just informed me that in beautiful Chapel Hill tomorrow morning there is a predicted high of 50 degrees--and all my winter clothes are in Fayetteville! Now, even though I am practically terrified when I think about tomorrow, I am really excited to finally be able to do what I love; help students. This is the reason why becoming a teacher is so important to me, I want to do the absolute best I can for this world, and there is nothing better than educating the young minds of the world and creating functional, intelligent citizens. Remember that teacher that made you excited to come to class? That is the teacher I want to be and I cannot begin to express the excitement I feel when I think about beginning my teaching career! Yay for tutoring! Hopefully, I make it there alive, or better yet, on time!

I HATE being sick....

Well, on what was supposed to be my first day of tutoring on Tuesday, September 23, 2009, I was so sick I was unable to move out of my bed. I had previously had a cough about a week before, and on Monday, I barely made it to class and then finally, I made my way to health services. Apparently, they have no idea exactly what illness I have, I could have the flu, walking pneumonia, or just a plain old cold. Whatever it was, the doctor informed that I was not allowed to attend class for 24 hours after having a fever, and I had been running a fever all day. I planned on going to tutoring, however, and when I woke up Tuesday morning and found out I was aching so bad I could barely move AND I had a hundred degree fever, I decided it was time to email our teacher, Cary, and my AVID teacher that I would be unable to make it.

I was so disappointed that I missed my first day of tutoring. Not only did I desperately want to be there, I also still have all the fears and nerves that all my peers in the teaching fellows program have gotten rid of. I am practically terrified of riding the bus, I THINK I know what bus to take, but I have no idea what time to get there or how long the actual ride will take. And, what is worse is I know of a guy who goes to the same middle school, Phillips Middle school, as I do and at the same time, and I have tried multiple times to get in touch with him, and he ignores me every time! Ugh, the frustration is killing me!

What is a Teaching Fellow?

As I have previously stated, I am a North Carolina Teaching Fellow! Now, not everyone knows what that exactly entails, so here you go. The Teaching Fellows program is a scholarship program that awards 26,000 dollars over four years to about 500 students living in North Carolina who are planning on becoming a teacher. If you are a teaching fellow you are required to do various activities such as tutoring, and different trips during the summer and spring. A teaching fellow is also required to pay back their scholarship by teaching in a North Carolina public school for four years, or else the scholarship becomes a loan and the teaching fellow is required to pay back the award, with interest. Now, you know what a teaching fellow is!

Next week, on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, the first year UNC Chapel Hill Teaching Fellows will begin tutoring in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school district. I, personally, will be tutoring in the AVID program, which means I will be tutoring one student in middle school who is experiencing hardship in one aspect of school. I volunteered to be in this program because I am not sure if I want to teach middle school or high school, so tutoring a middle school student will enable me to "feel middle school out," and help me decide if middle school is where I should be. I cannot begin to express how excited I am to begin tutoring! That is why I wanted to become a teacher, because I love influencing, teaching, and helping students, and ever since I started college I have been in a classroom talking about why I want to be a teacher and now, I can finally begin working with students! YAY!