First lunch in the "Teacher's Lounge"

This week my granddaughter began her first 15 hours of observing an elementary school classroom.  I know, right?  How the heck is it possible that I have a granddaughter old enough to be in college, studying for her teaching degree?  I mean, when did I get so old? Somebody wake me up, I'm having a nightmare that I have a granddaughter my age!

For those of you who do not know,  I home schooled my namesake from the time she was in sixth grade.  We moved to this part of Florida to be in walking distance to St. Petersburg College when she was 18.   I wasn't aware that she would be required to go to GED classes in order to get her official High School diploma so we just waited the year to become eligible for resident status.  

Kat only had to go to classes for a couple of months, when she graduated with honors.  That summer she took three one credit courses at SPC  in a summer program for non-traditional high school graduates.  She made me proud by earning their highest honor,  a trophy and her first scholarship for being, "  Teacher's Choice"

This is Kat's third semester and she is well on her way to once again making the presidents list.  Next semester she will only need three classes to earn her associates degree and then begin earning her Bachelors degree in September.  

The school where Kat will be spending her 15 hours is a Fundamental elementary school K-5.  I never heard of it myself.  There are 290 students total and two classes for each grade.  The students are on a first come first served basis and are on a waiting list as they are at their maximum teacher to student ratio.  The parents must sign a contract promising to be completely involved with the student, and the student must sign a contract promising to give 100%.  The dress code is as strict as the one we followed when I was in grade school.  This school is among the few public elementary schools in Florida to receive a distinguished GreatSchools Rating of 10 out of 10.

So all my spiritual friends, please send up those prayers, because after spending just one day there, this is the school Kat wants to teach at when she becomes a certified teacher.