What a summer! Lots of reading, giggles, and sunshine here in the Santa Clarita Valley of southern California.
I had a couple of free weeks at the beginning of June to relax and get ready to work as a teacher’s aide at Summer School. I accepted both the morning and afternoon positions that would run from mid-June to mid-July. In the morning, it was the first time I’ve worked with 4th graders and I was a bit anxious. I can be awkward around older children but the class was great! The teacher was wonderful and taught me so much about teaching style, 4th-grade standards, and classroom management techniques.
In the afternoon, I worked within my wheelhouse, 4 year old children, who are entering TK. I even had some students that graduated from my preschool class. It would’ve been my last opportunity to be with them before they officially moved to their local elementary school. I was their dedicated aide for art, P.E. (physical education), and STEM (primarily science). To boost my teaching skills, the art teacher offered me the opportunity to teach my group for the art hour. Summer curriculum was provided and we had fun with it! A few of the children were entering the classroom setting for the first time but I’m happy to say that they adjusted well throughout the program. Now I have a couple weeks before the 2024-2025 school year starts and another adventure begins!
Besides working, I had a chance to attend a couple book club meetings. We read A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal and First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston. Both books were page-turners and easy reads. If the book was read by most of the club members, I view it as a successful suggestion. The members are women who come from different backgrounds and have different reading preferences. Strong personalities and lively conversations abound, especially after reviewing the book quiz results. The beverage tasting helps keep the discussions going too!
As an extension of the book club, I started a monthly reading meetup with my sister. On our Juneteenth holiday, we had no plans and decided to meet up to read together. Luckily, my husband suggested a relaxing outdoor reading spot near a mall. It was warm but the large water fountain created a cool misty breeze that made the outdoors tolerable. Beyond that, a nearby Barnes and Noble provided some air conditioning and restrooms. We had such a good time together that a monthly meetup was established. I’ve invited my Mom to join us and we can explore various cities after reading together. This reading club has no assigned reading. As such, I’ve read The Hours by Michael Cunningham, The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn, and Anatomy of a Meet Cute by Addie Woolridge so far. My sister has read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. Currently, she’s reading The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan. I’m currently reading Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
Spending a day with my piano teacher and mentor was nostalgic. We caught each other up on our lives and plans for the future. At lunch, the topic of moving back to my hometown came up, but I wasn’t ready yet. My friends are spread out geographically but my husband and my jobs are deeply rooted. Maybe in another 10 to 15 years…?
After lunch, as a fun activity, we packed a few backpacks with school supplies to be donated to local children who attended her church. I love to assemble things probably because I enjoy sorting and organizing. Afterward, she jokingly asked if I’d like to run a non-profit with her. The idea sounds fun but I need a LOT more information before committing anything. If I take this on, it’ll have to be after I finish my ECE education. I already changed careers abruptly and quickly. Taking another turn may be too much to handle right now.
That’s all of my summer updates for this year. Hope you had a great summer too! What was a highlight for you?
@BonzColoring 