Welcome to Cedar City!

I have officially started my trip away from Provo. I came down to Cedar City yesterday to start a science workshop. I drove down with one of the 4th grade teachers, Mandi. I pretty much talked a majority of the time but have realized that I start way too many sentences with "it's funny,..." I need to stop that.

The workshop is atrocious! My co-workers and I are beating our heads against the table. I have wanted to stand up and yell at the people around us because they are consistently talking (we have too but only a very little) and also to bluntly ask "so what?" to the instructor. I really haven't learned anything new but have spent 10 hours talking about things over and over again that I learned in college and have had several experiences with already. We still aren't even sure of the purpose or objective of the whole workshop. I want to know the "so what," why am I here and why are we talking about these things, how am I supposed to be using this in my classroom and applying it to my teaching. It would be so much better if I just knew those answers.

I am glad that I am taking this workshop with my co-workers. All of the teachers from my school teaching 4th-6th grades are attending the workshop. I already know my fellow 6th grade teachers and spent a few weeks hanging out with a 5th grade teacher in the faculty room this past year when we both had student teachers, but I have been and am so excited to get to know the others. Our school's faculty is very close-knit and we work closely together. Everyone else always seems to know each other so well (mostly because they grew up together, have taught with each others for awhile, are related, or live close to each other now) and I have kind of felt left out...maybe not left out but I've wanted to join the group. We've gone out to dinner the last two nights, last night the girls went and saw Mama Mia and the theater (Garrett didn't want to see it), and tonight we went bowling and then came back to the hotel to play games. It's been fun when we're not sitting in class.

As for Operation Muffin, I have walked out of the bakery and have given control over to the baker for now. I will probably return to the bakery to check on the finished product in a few weeks and may drop off messages to check on the baker occasionally in the meantime.