I can't believe it's been 3 months since my last post. Life has been a whirlwind!

I finished my 1st year of teaching. It was a total stress the first semester because I was "student teaching" and under constant observation, then I got my feet under me for the second semester.

I don't know if it's a 1st-year teacher thing, but I really grew to care for my students... I've been a bit melancholy the last week without seeing them.

I'm going to miss them over the summer and the seniors FOREVER! It's bittersweet to see them moving on to bigger and better things while leaving our school behind. Hopefully I made some small difference in their lives.

Here's a pic of my empty desk, it was NEVER this clean the whole year...

Here's how we ran our "departmental meetings:"

Here's a picture of me at the "teacher appreciation lunch" this last Wednesday at the El Dorado casino buffet:

Too much happened during the year to really do it all justice here, but I re-did the school website (design and code - including an admin panel), graduated college with my teaching degree (I had to do my own homework while creating homework for my students), made a bunch of PR videos and managed the school's PR in-general, I made over 40 videos for my teaching YouTube channel, taught around 80 students every day (subjects: computer literacy, graphic design, digital game development, oh yeah... and AP ART!), organized a bunch of school events, organized field trips, and even designed a yearbook at the last minute (last 2 weeks of school...). All of that with lots of help from lots of people.

The stats don't really paint the picture though (see poem below), there were daily laughs, trials, sorrows, and joys along the way. Compared with my normal "work from home" gig, it was, honestly, emotionally draining. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything though.

Will I continue teaching next year? Tentative answer is "yes" but I've got some stuff simmering this summer with my own game development interests that may turn into something long-term.

Tonight I hope the Golden State Warriors finish off the Cavs, but until then, here are a couple poems I wrote and a video of my classroom's unofficial mascot:

Stats:

while true

Chancho:

Spirits of

Departing students

Tap on glass

One more class?

They ask

Or spread these wings

& fly

To the next branch?

 There it is. How have your last 3 months been?