Hello Mounties,

It has been quite a while since I've had a chance to blog. It’s just one of a hundred things that have taken a back seat to my student teaching, which has basically consumed me for the last 2 1/2 months. Weeks just fly by, I barely notice them. I resorted to my default policy in life: Just keep attacking. Deal with things as the come, things are going to go wrong, you just need to overcome them.

That could be the motto for my placement at Penn Cambria, things just kind of broke up on re-entry there. I’m not quite sure what it was that made my time there such a difficult experience. To be perfectly honest, I just don't think I'm 8th grade material. I tried really hard to be interesting, but I just came off as boring. I’m putting that on myself because Van was placed right down the hall from me and he did awesome. He's probably got a science gig lined up for this summer there and I know he's gonna do great.

I was feeling pretty down after my experience there, but the kids did clap for me on the last day so I'll call that a victory. I would like to thank my Co-op Cristy Evans and the rest of the faculty and staff at Penn Cambria Middle School who were all super nice to me. Since that mighty struggle, things have been going much better…super-sick awesome, in fact. You can read all about it in "Where have I been, Part 2: High School." There isn't any sweet choreography or big dance numbers, but it is pretty exciting. We will continue this soon Mounties, but for now, peace.

If you plan to teach 8th graders, get used to the smell of AXE, yuck city!

DePiro Rules!