Peace out, Wilson! :(

Well, it's been real Wilson High School. After 5 years of teaching I am leaving and moving on to Utah. I haven't cried about it yet, but I know it will come. This place gave me a job out of BYU in the middle of a school year. I have had so many hard experiences at this school with students, coworkers, parents, and administrators. Many days I wanted to teach somewhere else--at a school where kids were more respectful and desired to learn. Instead, I ended up here where apathy runs rampant and kids swear at you in the hallways when you tell them to get to class. But there's no doubt in my mind that it was meant to be. Teaching in the inner-city has given me some thick skin...and provided many funny stories!

Here it is in the flesh.

Oh those doors. How many times have I walked through you on good days and bad?

The atrium of the school. It's legit, right? So nice. The classroom on the lowest level, on the right side, closest to the stairwell was mine this year. Does that make sense to anyone out there?

My empty classroom. My desk, promethean board and everything in between!

My social studies department.We are actually missing 3 peeps too (Stephanie, Matt, Heckler). From left to right: Julie, Michelle, Julie, Mark, me, Garbus, Ashley, Jim, Jennifer, Jon, Aimee. Below; Sylvia, Rob, and Kristin. I will miss ya'll!

My principal, Mr. Cahall. He has seen me since the beginning and has always believed in me as an educator.

Molly and I. We taught this English/US History cohort this year with Juniors. It was great to have someone to collaborate with and to align curriculum with!

Julie. Totally different backgrounds, values, and interests, but we became friends and respected and loved each other despite some major differences in life style. A true example of what life is all about. I will miss her and her crazy antics!

Kristin, Aimee, Cahall, me. We are all leaving Wilson this year and are moving on to the next adventure!

It's so strange to say goodbye to a place where I have grown tremendously as an educator and individual. No words can describe my gratitude for working at this inner-city school and being around a lot of amazing teachers and students. Although the job had many difficulties attached to it, I am forever grateful that this school has supported me throughout the years.

As happy as I am to move on and to do something different I am also extraordinarily sad. So I say "Peace Out!" with many reservations.

Wilson, I will miss you. Thank you for a hard, crazy, never-a-dull-moment, joyful, fun, and character-building 5 years!

Class of 2014, it's been real.

This class holds a special place in my heart. 4 years ago I taught 5 classes of 9th grade world history. And in their junior year, I taught many of them in U.S. History. There's something about seeing students grow up and mature over the course of 4 years. Seeing them become better behaved, care more about their grades, and become ambitious and hardworking.

There's something about having them in your class and maybe they give you a hard time, but in the end you're hugging and telling each other how much you respect one another. These are the moments that are the best as a teacher and makes the grueling school year very worthwhile. Looking out at these graduates this year, I felt a sense of triumph for them, knowing that many will go very far in their life and also for myself--knowing that I have come SO FAR as a teacher and an individual. To be nostalgic, I feel like I grew up with them! It's been a pleasure to teach you!

WARNING: WATCH OUT FOR MANY SELFIES COMING YOUR WAY

Hope. SGA extraordinaire, hard worker, great leader.

Ethan. Still came to visit me even if I only had him in 9th grade. Gave me hugs and has grown up so much in the last 4 years.

Monet. Love this girl. Matured so much from 9th to 11th grade. She always laughed at my corny jokes!

Akira. Always did her work and rallied behind me as her teacher. Responsible. assertive, great leader.

Manuela. Had her in 9th grade and also SGA president. Involved in everything. Very talented.

Per'Chaya. Sweet and quiet. Always said I was her favorite teacher. Who wouldn't love a student like this one?

Dane. We had our moments, but a great participator in class. He has come a long way.

Erika. Had her in 9th and 11th grade. The sweetest girl who did her work and was great at helping others too.

Alicia. So dang talented. French student. Asked great questions and loves learning.

Oh Todd. SGA would have died without your responsibility. This kid will go far in life. 

Silvi who drove me crazy but I loved at the same time. Enjoyed getting to know her and having lots of chats. She loves talking boys!

Goodbye class of 2014. I will miss you. Thanks for the memories.

Ms. Baer will miss you! *Sniffle*

Well here is the first of many goodbyes that I've had in the last few weeks. I said goodbye to my students from my 5th year of teaching. It was a good year, though it definitely had its ups and downs. It's hard to compare each school year as each year presents its own set of challenges but overall this school year was less stressful and I think accomplishments are as follows:

1. I learned to pick my battles.
2. I learned to let go of expectations that were unrealistic,
3. I learned to just accept my students as they are and to not be so strict on imposing my own values on them.

Ok, so all 3 lessons are the same thing but just said in a different way. Good prep for future motherhood!

1st period. A good group of kids.

The lovely 5th period!

5th period again. This class was my favorite. I could be silly with them and they could still get work done. Many great times!

Oh 6th period...this picture sums up how I felt about the school year with these wackos!

I love this pic. Although wacko, we had a good last class together and I have a lot of love in my heart for them. Still 6th period...

4th period. Not all of them are even pictured because about 6 showed up AFTER the final was over. Oh boy!

Kamaria who always called me her science teacher's name. She always gave me hugs...and a hard time. 

Some of my SGA kids. They were a great group and I will definitely miss them next year!

Alright, crazies. It's been wonderful. My new school in Utah will not be nearly as entertaining. Thanks for the memories, the urban slang, laughs, hug, soap box moments, angry tirades, high fives, happy tears, sad tears, outbursts, and mini dance parties. I will miss you, my Wilson students!

Love, Ms. Baer Boo

God is a God of Irony

I don't think I've ever blogged about this mantra of mine but I do believe it to be true. In my life at least God is a God of irony. In other words, I do things I never want to do yet they still happen to me. Does that make sense?

Here are a few examples (and you know I'll be brutally honest with all of them...all 2 of you who still read my blog)

1. My first 2 years at BYU I wanted to get married more than serve a mission but yet I served a mission anyway. 

2. I did not like high school and in my last week of high school 11 years ago, I proclaimed "I will never be in high school again! Hallelujah!" and here I am, a teacher of high school for 5 years. 

And last, my announcement of all announcements, another irony in my life is the following: 

3. Never liking Salt Lake and detesting the University of Utah with every ounce of my soul and here I am...moving back to Salt Lake and attending the University of Utah for graduate school.

Oh the irony! Me a Ute? Gah. 

So with that being said, it's IRONIC. I do what I don't want to do and it keeps happening to me. But as much as I'm whining about it here on the blogosphere I also know without a doubt that those three out of many examples of irony in my life have also brought me incredible joy and many life lessons that I would never want to give away. 

I guess it's good that God is a God of irony; He has turned my life into an adventure that I never thought was possible ten years ago. 

This ironic life change will occur in July 2014. Tune in for more updates. 

May Madness

May is the month of MADNESS!! Holy cow, it's been so stressful at work the last few months. I think it's a combination of a few things:

1. Not many days off besides weekends

2. Students are ready for summer vacation

3. Teachers are ready for summer vacation

4. Students are apathetic towards the work

5. Teachers are apathetic but must pretend to care so students don't become more apathetic.

So with this magical combination, you can imagine how fun work is right now!

So I agree with this image below. Students are driving me crazy.

My patience is gone and so is my kind heart. I feel a lot of anger towards my students and I yell at them. This is really bad, people. Who am I becoming? You don't even want to know. But alas, I have a few more weeks to go and then it will be summer. I can survive until then, right?

So in the meantime, this is my mantra:

If I can do this until June 20th it will be an absolute miracle. 

Note: June 20th is still forever away. All of you teachers in the west please don't taunt me with your summer plans yet. 

These are a few of my favorite (Canadian) things...

The nostalgia of being back in Canada hit immediately. So many random things reminded me of my time in Canada as I often thought, "Wow this is so Canadian."

This is a Canadian staple. How many lessons did I teach at a Tim Horton's during the harsh winters?

Poutine. French fries, cheese curds, gravy, onions, sausage, hot dog and Canadian bacon. A heart attack waiting to happen.

It looks like Monopoly money! Why don't we have pretty money in the states?

Beignets. Another heart attack waiting to happen.

So many letters home did I place in the Canadian Post.

Yah, these are nasty but they like their potato chips over there!

REESE peanut butter cups. Can you see the difference?

One of the reasons I say "eh" more and "pardon"

A legit concern in Canada

I never had this on the mission but fondue is very French!

Banana and nutella crepe. Yum.

So who wants to go to Canada now?

The Return of the Missionary

It has been 7 years since I have graced the great province of Ontario. This place is holy ground for me as it was the place that I served and lived for 1.5 years as an LDS missionary. It was so great to be back in my old "hood" and see people who meant so much to me at the time. After my time in Quebec, I hopped a plane to Toronto and rented a car and for 3.5 days drove from area to area to renew old acquaintances and smell the nostalgia that Ontario holds for me.

Beautiful Toronto. I actually didn't spend any time in this city besides a drive through it. Next time!

GET READY FOR A LOT OF SELFIES!

Nathan and Nicole. 2 people I knew from 2 different areas who are now married. Small world.

Nicole. One of our go-to members who went on a lot of splits with us and continues to be so passionate about her testimony of the Gospel

Heather. My bosom member-mssionary. She and I are kindred spirits separated by a 10 hour drive.

Georgette. Solid testimony of the Gospel and loved us missionaries!

Angela. Member-missionary extraordinaire. Always took care of us and continues to bless the lives of others.

A totem pole in Ontario! 

John and Darlene. He was one of the Bishops I served under and they have this charming home in the country. 

Adri! DC friend who is now married to a Canadian. 

Had to get a picture in front of the temple.

Katie. I trained her on the mission and she is now a mother of 3!

Jen--wonderful YSA who always loved us!

Paul. Former ward missionary who blessed our lives tremendously because of his faith and dedication to his calling.

Sylvie. We worked with her for months and she always made us laugh and fed us lots of food.

Oh and then I took a trip to Buffalo...

And visited the Teddy Roosevelt Inaugural site. 

So glad I had Allison to play hostess while I had my 24 hour stint in Buffalo.

Wow. What a wonderful trip. Incredibly exhausting but so rewarding to see all of these lovely people and to remember their influence in my life. I said it a lot then and I still feel it now...

I AM SO GLAD I SERVED AN LDS MISSION!