The CES Way

I just moved a step closer to a lifelong dream.
You know how when you were a kid you used to talk about what you wanted to be when you grew up? Everyday you'd hear about some new job and then make a formal announcement to your mom that THAT was what you were going to be. Those declarations would sound something like this,
"When I grow up, I want to be a fire fighter!"
"When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut!"
"When I grow up, I want to be a caterpillar!"
"When I grow up, I want to be the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal!"
Well, for me, I always wanted to be a Seminary teacher. Even before I was a Seminary student. I remember when I decided that that was what I wanted to do, I thought that I needed to be versed in all the LDS classics: hallmark General Conference addresses, books by prophets and members of the Twelve, the Missionary Gospel Library, etc., and, of course, the scriptures. I went on my mission, came home and started college, got married, and got in to the Seminary Teacher Training Program last January.
The way CES hires teachers is very rigorous. First, whether at an institute or at a BYU campus, you have to take a class that anyone is welcome to take called, Intro to Teaching Seminary. In this class you learn all about the objectives and basic teaching philosophies of the church, and it is a great class for anyone who wants to become a better gospel teacher in general.
In order to move on to the next step, you have to be selected. Once chosen, you take a class called, Methods of Teaching Seminary. This is where you learn pedagogy and how to deal with an actual classroom full of teenagers. On top of regular homework and reading assignments, for ten days straight you teach a real class where you are observed and evaluated by CES trainers and the students.
The step after the methods class is a full semester of student teaching. However, in order to move on to the student teaching portion, you have to be selected. This time, only a few are chosen. Those few go on to student teach for up to three semesters. After each semester there is a big 'ole CES cut, and then, finally, you are either hired or not. Only a very small number of people are hired each year. To make things even more difficult, if you aren't selected you can't go through the program and try again.
The last few weeks have been full of stress and anxiety. I just finished the Methods class and have been waiting to be contacted by CES to find out if I get to move on or if I'm done. My trainer told the class that if you get a phone call it will be good news; if you get a letter, you know it's the bad news. This morning at about 11:00, I got a phone call! Starting in January, I will be teaching two seminary classes at Lehi High School.














For those who are interested, yes, both Doc and I are moving on.

Long time, no blog

I hope that you'll forgive my brief hiatus from the blog world. I got really busy with work and school. You see, I've always wanted to become a Seminary teacher in the Church Education System. As part of a two-year training course at BYU, I spent two weeks being observed and evaluated by CES employees and students while I taught a Seminary class in Payson, Utah. Now, I'm just waiting around to hear from the CES teacher trainers whether I get to move forward to a full semester of student teaching, or if this is the end of my religious educator road. Hmm, a lifetime of hopes and dreams rest solely on my two-week performance. Talk about pressure.
Along with the whole Seminary thing, I've been busy trying to make sure that my GPA goes up, not the alternative. In any given day I can be studying Shakespeare, Hitchcock, the music of Bali, business Japanese, the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, and/or the church's position on whether or not a person can progress from one kingdom of glory to another. Not bad, eh?
I had some fun opportunities over the last few weeks to see some of my music heroes. Thanks to a generous gift from a loved one, Ai and I went and saw Billy Joel perform in Salt Lake City last month. He's a little less mobile than he was ten or twenty years ago, and he's got more salt than pepper in his beard, but has the same ability to create energy. It was so fun to see the man who made me want to be a musician.
The other music hero that I got to meet is a trumpet player from L.A. named Wayne Bergeron. He's played lead trumpet for just about every major movie since 1992. Don't believe me? Check out his website: www.waynebergeron.com and see for yourself. He put on a couple of great clinics at The Music School, where I teach trumpet. He was so nice and down-to-earth.
Well, Christmas seems to go by so fast with each passing year. It's hard being in school and not able to really focus on the season. At least I get to celebrate it with my boy again this year. He can even say "Santa" now!
I hope to spend some more time on my little cyber-journal over the course of the month. Stay posted!