So it begins!

Last week was my official prep week for student teaching with Mr. Kelly Dehaan and it was a roller coaster of a week! The first day I was informed that I would be completely in charge of the non-audition Ladies Choir and that I needed to pick all their music then and there and pick one or two songs for the other four groups. One of the LONGEST days of my life. Unfortunately I came home and cried harder than I had in a long time. I thought I had chosen the wrong career and I should drop out of the program then and there. The fortunate part of this traumatic day is a really good cry will wear you out, make you go to bed early, cause you to sleep like a baby and wake up refreshed in the morning!

The rest of the week went very well and I attended my first faculty meetings and the very eventful district meeting. I don't know the last time I have felt so little, young and out of place. Sitting in those faculty meetings was the strangest feeling. It almost felt as if I shouldn't be there and was just a high school student eavesdropping on her teachers. Thankfully many members of the staff welcomed me with open arms and I even made a really good friend in the new drama teacher, Miriam Rasmussen. She is so energetic, fun and just an overall wonderful person.

So, of course, as the universe would have it, I could not attend my first official day of school as I could not allow myself to be very far from a bathroom. That was an embarrassing phone call to make. So I spent much of my day sleeping and planning my actual first school day, which I knew was going to begin with Ladies Choir, and I was going to be in charge of it all on the very first day.

Surprisingly the first day went much better than expected. The girls in the Ladies Choir warmed right up to me and I received a lot of praise from Kelly on my teaching and activities.

The next day was full of a lot of observation and warming up one of the groups but nothing could prepare me for what happened on Thursday, only my third day of actual "teaching." I walk in that morning planning for a very normal day only to hear Kelly tell me that he'll be throwing me a big curve ball. He was offered the opportunity to play the piano for a highly respected broadway actress who would be giving a master class at BYU. This meant he would need to leave at 10:30am, a little more than thirty minutes before his audition men's choir (Take 10) class would be over. That meant the class was all mine to teach as well as Madrigals. So not only did I have to teach the entire first period of my day with Ladies Choir but I had to quickly prep myself to teach two more choirs and be completely in charge of not only teaching the pieces but disciplining the students. Remarkably, things went better than expected and although I was quickly wearing down with fatigue, I had a great time in my element. Helped me remember that I really do love this stuff, even if it may give me stomach ulcers later in life. Last day of my first week tomorrow and I can't wait!