Entry 17: God Bless us, every one.

As each month goes I am astounded at how fast my Senior Year is passing. I believe that Oakbrook teachers have created a strategy in which they fill our lives with different assignments so that we are so focused on completing them we don't have time to start feeling sad it is our last year here! At least, that is what it feels like! At time this seems very. very stressful, but as I step back I realize that we are being refined by fire so that in the end our faith will be of greater worth than gold. This year has challenged me to learn how to balance my spiritual life with my social life, my social life with my academic life, and everything else in between. I cannot say that I have succeeded in this task, but as the year progresses I am beginning to have a better grasp on where my priorities should lie. Christmas break is approaching, and I am so excited about enjoying some R&R with my family and friends. During the vacation I will be organzing my Senior Project timeline, preparing lessons, finding skits, and determining my vision for my Senior Project. I look forward to Christmas break and I look forward to completing my Senior Project.
I am going to miss my students during the break, and I can only hope that they remember what we've talked about...but we have time to review with my extension of my drama lessons and I am excited about that! :)
Merry Christmas!

Entry 16: Ding Dong the Wicked Witch is Dead!!!!

:) If you did not know, I am alluding to the Wizard Of Oz in my blog title. In this case, the Wicked Witch is indeed, the Research Paper. Looking back, it wasn't the worst thing in the world, but this blog title fits perfectly what it could be in some people's eyes, so I couldn't ignore it!
This week has been full of tears, not only relating to school assignments, but also because of the departure of some of my new closest friends. I have never been good with good-byes, but this one has got to be one of the hardest I've had to say in a long time...I really don't even want to imagine graduation.
On a lighter note, Christmas is coming and I have talked to Mrs. Locke about extending my drama lessons! I am SO excited because I think I have discovered my passion and I want to do with the rest of my life. I think I have been inspired to become a teacher! I do not know what type of teacher, but I still have time and lots of detials to iron out before I make that decision. Senior Project has been beneficial to me and I am very happy to have chosen the project that I have been doing! :) I love being a part of the kids' lives!

Blog 14: Spectacular, Spectacular!

This week was another spectacular week with my Senior Project! :)) This week we worked on Scene Building. I was nervous at first because these classes were not as interactive because I was utilizing the board and teaching them of the components of a successful scene. I told them that every scene needs a Beginning, Middle, and and End. This means that every scene must have an initial situation, a complication in the situation, and a conclusion. They were very excited about learning new, big words. They told me they felt smart! :) I then assigned them each a scene in a group and they collaborated and will perform their scenes next lesson. I am very excited about watching their performances! It is encouraging to see the children's excitement with the drama lessons. I still need to speak with Mrs. Locke because I want to extend my teaching time. I love teaching. I love spending time with the kids and I love sharing my passion with them. It really is the greatest feeling in the world, and I think I might become a teacher when I grow up! :)) My senior project has been very beneficial for me and I look forward to the rest of the year! :))

Entry 14: Change in Me

This vacation has been fantastic! I needed this very much, and I am very thankful that I was able to spend Thanksgiving in Texas with my family! It was wonderful, but completely strange not doing any homework while I was there. It was difficult because I knew I was supposed to be doing something because I have so much to do, but I wanted to cherish my time with my family and my friends. I had a wonderful time, but I still haven't mastered the whole opportunity cost mentality. It's hard to decipher between two great options.
I am preparing my new lessons for this week (which I am very excited about). We're going to work on more scene building/improvisation exercises because I think they are ready to jump into some performing skills.
I have been talking to Mrs. Zion, and I have decided I want to continue teaching my classes until the Spring. I understand I have to work on the addendum by Christmas break, but I still have to talk to my mentor about this decision. I would like to add a little more onto my lessons and if I would extend the lessons, I would definitely end the year with a short skit that they could prepare. I have to start looking now, but I am very excited about the task ahead of me. I love teaching Drama, and that's what I would want to stick with for my Senior Project!

Entry 13: I'm late, I'm late...for a very important date!

What a night! We just had our last, first home basket-ball game, I have to write an essay, and I'm going to the midnight premire of Harry Potter! I am very excited, so I just wanted to share that with everyone. :)
Now, in regards to Senior Project, I had a fantastic week this week! The kids explored props again today by making up scenes in which they had to incorporate their props! We have some work to do in some areas...but overall I was impressed! They were all so excited about it and kept on asking if they could do it again! They loved it! It really makes a teacher proud when the students are fully engaged in a subject and come up with things you didn't come up with yourself. I had a lot of good laughs this week! Also, I was so encouraged this morning because one of the moms of one of my students came up to me and told me how much her child was enjoying drama and how she really thought that he had found his passion! She also told me that she was looking into drama classes he would take part in the spring! I was stoked! My desire of my whole Senior Project was to share my passion with others and hopefully help kids discover their own passion. God is so good!
 I have done several corrections on my Research Paper, but I still have to find a lot of statistics to support my subject. However, it is ironic because I am taking AP Statistics this year and the whole class enforces the idea not to trust statistics. It makes me laugh, but I know I just have to look in the right place! I have a lot to do, but I know God never gives us more than what we can handle...I just have to remind myself of that every day!

Entry 12: There are Giants in the Sky

This week we all received our Research papers (giants) back. To be honest, I was frightened when I saw the pencil grade in the corner of the paper. However, it just proves that I have a lot of room for improvement. I thoroughly enjoy my research topic and I would like to go visit a college library soon. Ms. Autenzio was giving us tips about research and she strongly encouraged a visit to the college library. I need to get on that (and everything else). It blows my mind that nothing ever stops. Every single minute of every single day I can be doing something, and if I'm not doing anything productive I feel horrible and can't thoroughly enjoy myself. My solution: Keep pressing on until you can't press on anymore.
Even though it does not seem pleasant now...I know this whole pile-everything-in-one-week strategy will help me become a stronger individual as I learn how to respond correctly to overwhelming situations. I understand it's beneficial...but it is not a fun process.
In order to revise my research paper, I plan to take 2 or 3 hours every weekend to work on it. I could say 2/3 pages revised...but we'll have to see about that later. I have some statistics I have to find and terms I have to define. I look forward to the end product of this experience...it's just going to be grueling getting there!
By the way: my title is a reference to the musical Into The Woods. :)

Entry 11: Put on a Happy Face!

Well another week is gone and another weekend is approaching! I can't express how much I love the weekends! :)
This week has been a good week with my senior project. I was able to go down and teach the kids about using their imagination and the whole concept of props! I had three different objects for them in which they had to take and use in a different way each time. For example, I had a roll of tape and someone pretended like it was a frisbee, or a doughnut. They were all very creative! It was easier for some students than others, but every class enjoyed it! I was encouraged watching them stretch their imagination while truly enjoying themselves.
Today, when I was reviewing with the class I asked them, "Who remembers what we did last week?" It was so cute because one of the boys in the class answered, "We had fun!" Needless to say, that made me very, very happy! It seems like the kids are enjoying my classes as mich as I'm enoying teaching them! I hope that's the case!! :))

Entry 9 (and 10): The Show Must Go On

Last week I forgot to write my blog out of a moment of absentmindedness and a time of pure anxiety. Everyone who talks to a Senior hears how tired, flustered, and busy we are. It is discouraging because when I place myself in the role of the objective bystander, it seems that Seniors are a bunch of lazy complainers who never get to work. However, we are working! We're actually working very, very hard. This year I have been reminded that "I can't do it all" countless times. Everyone is telling me I need to make trade-offs and limit time on certain subjects. However, this is very hard to do when you want to do your best in every aspect of life (including your educaiton).
Thankfully the Research Paper Rough Draft has been turned in. I confess, this draft is very, very ROUGH, but that was what I was instructed to do. I put forth great effort, especially with my outline. The outline made the paper writing a lot easier and on Wednesday night I only spend 6 to 7 hours on it. This is actually very good for me when it comes to papers. Next, I have to plan  a new lesson for the kids next week. I look forward to my project each week. However, I do not think 8 lessons are enough to get them excited about drama. For instance, there is one class I have only met once with and that time I had to only discuss with them; they weren't able to do the exercises. All the rest I have taught 3 times. Everything now is in the planning stages, but hopefully in the near future I hope to extend my drama teaching into the spring. I am not certain yet, but before I reacha decision I need to talk with my parents, Mr. Tinkler, Mrs. Zion, and Mrs. Nail (my Senior Project Board Advisor). There is still alot to do left in this semester, but I am thankful that the research paper rough draft is turned in and ready for corrections. I am ready to make it perfect before December 6! :) 

Entry 8: Research paper oh research paper, wherefore thou art due so soon?

For my senior project research paper I am writing about how the integration of the arts, specifically Drama, in schools is profitable for the elementary child because it encourages independent creative thinking, development of social skills,  and self-discovery. 
 To be honest, since I have written my thesis I have not been doing a lot of research. I need help with Time management skills. It's terrible. When sports season starts I usually discipline myself better. However, I'm not wasting any of my time! I rarely spend time watching TV, getting on facebook, or even socializing but I am still struggling to get everything done. There is just so much to do and it seems like too little time to do it! The only other thing I have done relating to my Research paper is highlighting my information of what I want to include in my paper. It has not hit me that it is due in about 2 weeks. I cannot fathom it. It is frustrating because I am not wasting my time, yet I still do not have enough time to spend on college applications or my paper. I have not applied to a single college yet. I know that God will never give me more than what I can handle, but right now I am to the point I am so stressed I don't feel anything anymore. That sounds melodramatic, I understand, but it portrays how I feel right now.
On a different note, I have discovered that I am an individual who needs deadlines. I have self-discipline in a lot of areas, but when it comes to getting things in on my own personal time clock, it doesn't work out. The subject that has a deadline sooner is higher priority than something due way down the road. It is not that I do not want to work on this paper, that is not it. I'm excited about my paper and researching the subject, but I still need to do well in my other classes and apply to colleges, but I can only do so much, and I don't know what to sacrfice.

Entry 7: I Couldn't be Happier!

   Another week is nearly coming to a close. It flies, but I am so thankful because I am so tired!
School has been educating us like it is supposed to, it just happens all at once and at time it can be overwhelming! Oh, the joy of Senior year! However, God is in control and I am still working to balance my social life with my academics and now I'll be participating in the 1 Act play and the beginning of November I will be playing basket-ball. Busy, busy, busy!
   Today in my second lesson of Drama class with the 1st and 2nd graders we talked about the importance of concentration in Drama. For actors and actresses it is very important to be able to focus on a specific duty because there can be a lot of different distractions from a response in the audience, a fellow actor's lines, the possibility of a fellow actor forgetting his lines, and so on. At first it was difficult getting their attention, but their excitement made them want to play the game. The game was fairly challenging because they had to focus on calling out different numbers and continue keeping the same beat as the beat got faster. Now, granted, it never really got faster, and the whole "saying the number on the beat" didn't work out as much, but there were some who got it and all the rest worked really hard (concentrated) on getting it. Interesting observation: almost every single child stopped with their beat when they called numbers. I pointed this out to them, and some were able to maintain some rhythm, but it was very hard for others. It is so encouraging to know that the kids are excited about learning Drama! I have loved spending/teaching the kids even more than I imagined I would and I look forward to the rest of the lessons!
   Now the research paper...that's a different story. I have not even switched gears into writing a paper. Yes, I realize I have about 20 days and I am scared to death about it. I have a feeling I know what I'll be doing this weekend! (After the boy's soccer game of course! :P)

Entry 6: Something There

It seems so long ago since we've gone on the Senior Retreat! My goodness, time flies when you don't want it to! God has blessed us with such a remarkable Senior class. We all got a long, we all learned the worm and the jerk (well...at least some of us did..). It was FANTASTIC! God is doing a lot in our lives, and I believe it is evident in a lot of us! Praise God!
I really have to start diving into my research paper now. I have a Thesis so it is easier to begin now. I am excited about it, but I really have to work on Time Management (like we all do). I am exhausted (partly from Senior Retreat and from my weekend at Liberty University). However, I have a lot to do.
This past Thursday I was able to work with Mrs. Hollingsworth class. They were all so excited! It was so cute! Several of them had been involved in drama classes and were very excited about the class! :) I was so encouraged! This next week I believe we're going to start working on Concentration games. This should be very interesting. ;) We need to start focusing on different aspects of drama. Last lessons were warm up and now I'm going to build on it. I'm so excited!
The more I think about Senior Project...the more I realize it is beneficial in many ways. Also, after visiting college the more I think about it, the more excited I am! That is huge for me to admit! The idea of leaving Oakbrook is still hard for me to imagine....but by God's grace I am becoming more comfortable with the idea. I have the rest of the year to wrap my head around it, but at least I'm starting early! :)

Entry 5: The Show Must Go On!

By the grace of God I was about to begin my classes on the day I proposed on my proposal! (September 20) I met with Mrs. Hardee's 1st grade class and I had a BLAST!! :) It was truly wonderful! they were all so creative and excited about drama! It definitely made me smile! On Tuesday I met with Mrs. Cannon's 1st grade class and again, what wonderful kids! They all jumped right in and we're so excited that we had to calm them down a couple times. I really didn't have much of a voice that day...so it made things difficult, but we pressed through! The kids by the end were giving me suggestions and asking me to stay longer and play more games. Their excitement was so encouraging! Unfortunately today (Thursday) I wasn't able to go to school because I was sick. I wasn't able to meet Mrs. Hollingsworths' 2nd grade class. This upset me greatly because I knew they have been looking forward to it early in the week. However, God had a different plan, so instead next Thursday I'm going to resume with Mrs. Hollingsworth's class and then continue the normal pattern. That should get us on track!
The first couple lessons we will be play simple name games to become more comfortable around eachother and test the waters out a little bit more. This first week we played a game called Transformation (similar to the game I played with the Board members). They loved it! We went around the circle and after they said their names they said their favorite animal and we all acted like the animal! After a few rounds of that we played a game of charades. I was so tickled because three boys got up there, stood in a line and (after about 5 seconds of guessing) excalimed, "We're a brick wall!" It was cute. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the lessons! I tried to encourage them that with acting you can turn into anything, just by the way you move/present yourself and that it is important to show the audience what is invisible. I'll elaborate on that idea more as the lessons progress, but I am so thankful to have passionate kids who are excited to learn about drama! :) This will be a great few months!

Entry 4: Lights, Camera, ACTION!

I can't begin to explain how relieving it is to know how it feels to propose to the Senior Board! I wasn't as scared about proposing as much as I was frightened about how they were going to react. I'm used to talking in front of people, but with plays no one has to talk back to you, and if they do you've rehearsed about a million times so you're not taken by surprise! :) However, I'm very thankful to say that I am pleased with my proposal and I was thoroughly impressed with Mrs. Zion's ability to become a squirrel, Mrs. Nail's creativity of stretching her imagination, and Mrs. Seay's great incorporation of sign language in the drama activity. Everyone did a wonderful job and it definitely helped calm my nerves before my proposal!
To be honest, before the proposal I was so nervous, but I have some wonderful friends who helped calm me down! :) I don't know if it was the improvisational game Carrie and I played or the sponantious dancing around the hallways that calmed my nerves more, but I can guarantee you the ultimate comfort was our prayer circle in the middle of the hallways of Oakbrook. What a blessing! The Lord definitely granted me a peace that transcended all understaing and I am so thankful for my friends at Oakbrook. Now that the proposal is over I have oodles (yes, I used the word oodles) of stuff to do for my highschool education and my college future! My goodness this whole growing up process is intimidating!
However, I know I have a good God who never gives me more than I can handle and I am to do everything to glorify Him. Life is so much more precious when you have a reason to live for (my relationship with Christ and others)...I just pray I will be able to remember that even when everything seems hopeless!

Entry 3: "Somethin's Coming"

Wow, time flies by. I mean honestly, there's only one weekend before proposal time. Really?! Where does time go?! We really are a vapor and this is definitely a wind storm because I feel like I cannot catch my breath! By the way, my title of this blog "Something's Comin'" is from one of my favorite musicals, West Side Story. It's a famous song and if you do not know it, I encourage you to go out and rent it! It's brilliant. However, that is not the point of this blog. We're supposed to inform all what we have been learning from our project..and to be honest I've learned how grades control many of my actions. If something is not graded, I tend to set it aside until later. It always gets done, but it never gets done as soon as it should. I am really being tested through the Senior Project experience. I have to study more about my research paper for this project and I still have several lessons I want to set up before the Proposal date. However, every other teacher desires for us to excel in our learning and I volunteered to help backstage at the Spartanburg Little Theatre. Oh the joys of a busy schedule! I'm trying to look to God and manage my time well, but it keeps getting harder the closer the dates approach and the more I realize I have a lot to do. But who am I to complain? I know this is teaching me life lessons and I need to learn how to handle stress and handle it well. Life is not a walk in a park and all of these trials are being used for me to grow and change to become like Christ. It's just easier said than done. I still haven't found a one woman show yet, but to be honest I haven't been looking dilligently yet. But I am going to have one picked out by October: most definitely. I am getting things done one step at a time and I hope to do this all the way until graduation..so far I'm stumbling but there have been far less tears so far this year than the beginning of last year so I praise God for that and I am encouraged to excel on this Senior Project/year journey and put forth my best effort in everything I  am doing at the present time!!

Entry 3: The Proposal is finished! Now the approval awaits...

     I am so happy to say that I have officially, indefinitely, and independetly chosen a project and wrote my whole proposal on it. To be honest, it has been a work of God. In the beginning of school I never would have thought I would've had an idea and enough details worked out before August 30. I would have probably been even more indecisive and drag my feet in reluctance with the reality that I;n growing up. I know that's probably a little melo-dramatic for Senior Project, but this experience is really revealing things about myself that are not all that pretty! It's hard to put someone who is dependent an indecivisive on many things in a situation in which they have to independently take on a role as a project manager type figure. Although it's not fun, it has to be done I suppose. After all, that's why "Do Hard Things" seemed to be all about! I don't want to give any spoilers about my proposal (because I know you will all be very familiar with it very soon) but I do want to clarify that I have talked with the Headmaster and the Lower School director and I have worked out several details about scheduling my classes with the kids hopefully beginning the 3rd week of September (Lord willing).
     In our Senior Project research days I have been going through several of my mentor's Acting books and I am finding several great ideas that I would like to introduce the kids in my 20-30 minute time frame for class time. I hope the kids will not only enjoy this time, but be able to go home and share with their parents several things they had learned in Drama Class that day. I believe it is very important to integrate fine arts in schools (which happens to be my topic for my research paper!) and I'm very excited to be the one who introduces it to the primary building to really get them excited about using their imagination!
    I was so encouraged because at the parents gathering of meeting Mr. Hinds, apparently one lady asked him about the possibility of having a drama class for the primary school. My mom told me she had 2 children (1st and 2nd grader) and she was interested in introduving them to the arts. If that is not a God thing, then I don't know what is! It's encouraging to know that my project can possibly act as a ministry towards children and their parents. I'm anxiously awaiting the day when we can jump full throttle into our projects, and I know that day will come faster then I think! God is good and if you have any further questions, I hope when you read my proposal they will be answered! However if you do not I am always open for questions!
(Future reference: If I do not respond in 2 or 3 days I PROMISE it is not because I want to ignore you, it is because I still am working out time management and I still have to include blogging in my schedule: I'm trying though! Thanks for everything!)

Entry 2: Choosing a Project.....still!

I believe in my last blog I wrote about how I have been having a hard time deciding on a Senior Project. Well, this blog really is not different, except I have more answers and a more definite directions for my project! PRAISE THE LORD!
      Last week, I was encouraged to pursue a One Woman Show for my Senior Project. At first I thought, "Could I really do that? Is it fair?..is it enough?...Could it really be that enjoyable?" To be honest, I had A LOT of questions, but not a lot of answers. So, I talked with Mr. Tinkler (my hopeful mentor) at lunch one afternoon and brainstormed. I decided, ideally, I would like to do a show that incorporates all different characters. Mr. Tinkler encouraged me to further meditate on the idea of writing my own show incorporating different stories/experiences I had heard/had in my mission trips to Nicaragua. At first I wasn't keen on writing my own show, but in light of different events, I became more excited about the idea. I would definitely be going out of my comfort zone, and I would be able to combine all my passions (Christ, Spanish, and Drama) into one project! However, I still had some doubt in the back of my mind, and although I was excited about it....I didn't have the  "that's it!" epiphany I was looking for. One thing is for sure: God never stops working in any situation--even when you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Right now, with the Proposal days away...that light is flickering for me, and I couldn't be more excited!!
        The light really began to semi-illuminate when I went to go talk to Mr. Hinds about fundraising. To be honest, I really didn't have an agenda...but I went to talk to him anyway. Thank the Lord for Mr. Hinds and the search committee who came in contact with him! When I went into his office he gave me some Raisenets (which are delicious by the way!), and asked me some thought provoking questions about Senior Project and what I wanted to take away from the year. It really got me thinking, and the idea (which had always been in the back of my head) to introduce a "drama curriculim" to the younger students of Oakbrook really began to take shape. I realized 1st and 2nd graders are not able to be involved in drama really at all until 3rd grade, and I wanted to change that for OPS students. It is always beneficial to be well-rounded, and theatre can be used to build confidence in public speaking. Also, it would be great to make them excited about the drama department! Mr. Hinds was a huge encouragement to me and agreed to work with me on the Project management aspect of things, and I couldn't be more thankful! For the first time throughout my whole Senior Project experience I had found that "that's it!" epiphany I had been hoping for. God had been working through all of my indecisiveness to teach me a lot about myself and what I need to change before I go into the professional world. True, this is early on in the year, but if I can TRULY learn this much in 2 weeks...I know God has me for some wild ride in the future, and I couldn't be more excited about what's next!

Blog Entry 1: Choosing a Project

     Oh my goodness, I would've never thought that choosing a project could be so difficult! Throughout the summer I had been indecisive about my project, but I finally settled on one and I thought I was in ship-shape! However, I was very, VERY wrong- God had a different plan for me! With the dinner on Monday night, when I heard everyone's ideas for senior project and all the research they had already been doing on their project, I was really flustered!
      Okay, so maybe that is not a surprise for a lot of you, but still this year I'm trying to focus my Senior Year on honoring God, and not by stressing out over school work (although I will get it done). Senior Project is intimidating, but I know once I research my project I'm going to begin to enjoy it more....I hope. After a lot of discussion, indecision, and a kick in the pants, I have finally discovered a direction I would like to take for my project! YAHOO!!! :) I still have to research more and gather more details, but I'm going to attempt to do something I love and minister to others around me, whether in the community, or wherever I can be of service! I'm looking forward to my research and I'm excited about Mr. Tinkler being my mentor!! A big thanks for everyone who helped me brainstorm ideas! I thoroughly appreciate it!!