Melissa: Happy Summer!

Well, it’s that time of year again: School’s out for the summer! All of my teacher friends breathe a sigh of relief, and all of my non-teacher friends think I’m off to sip iced tea on the beach for the next three months. Ah, if only. . . .

The school year came to a great end. I think my boys are as ready as they can be for the move to ninth grade and a new school. I still need to finish moving all my gear to my new classroom. And since both of my wonderful paraeducators are themselves returning to school this fall, I will be looking for new help in my room. I will also be adding some more students to my caseload, including some girls (finally!).

This is a very busy summer for me. I am teaching summer school to elementary students with disabilities, but none of them have autism. It is a whole different world from what I am used to, but I am having a blast! I’m team-teaching with a truly awesome special educator and the time is really flying by. The time I spend teaching counts as hours toward my internship for the special education strategist master’s degree I will finish in December.

I’m also taking four classes. Yes, I know I’m crazy! :o) I’ve already finished one; it was about how to use Thinkfinity.com. It is an excellent resource to use in the classroom, so I’m thankful I ran across this course. I’m also taking a class on how to supervise student teachers. The two other classes, advanced methods for students with emotional and behavior disorders and progress monitoring for students with exceptionalities, are my last two official classes for this degree. This fall I will finish my internship hours on the job, complete my scholarly project, and be done! Woo hoo! The part of my brain that said, “Sure, I’ll just keep going for my Ph.D. after my second master’s!” has officially died . . . or is at least on serious life support at this point.

I also have a few fun things on the agenda — you know, for my own sanity. I’ve been dying to read The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown; I finished that this weekend and it was fabulous. I have a few more books on the must-read list that I can’t wait to start. I also have a few rooms to paint and a new kitchen floor to put in. And, of course, we have a four-year-old who can’t wait to go to different zoos, fairs, and amusement parks (just like Mommy and Daddy).

Reflecting over this past year as a Reality 101 blogger leaves me feeling very thankful. It’s definitely been a year of ups and downs. Losing my mom back in October was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, and being a part of the CEC Convention & Expo in April was the highlight of my teaching career thus far.

I am so glad to have had this opportunity to share my thoughts and experiences with so many people. It’s fun to look back over what I’ve written and the comments left by readers. Thanks to all of you who have followed my journey through this school year.

I wish every one of you a very happy summer and a wonderful new school year!