Wedding Planning and Teaching.....at the same time?

rrmeyer

Hey everyone!
I'm new to the knot and wanted to stop by and say hi.  I will admit I was surprised to see a board for students.  It was a relief though.  Anyone have any advice for a bride who will be doing her student teaching while trying to plan a wedding?

meredithrohter

Hi, I can't remember if I posted this on your intro board for September 2011 but welcome! I am not student teaching but I am a full time teacher while trying to plan. Right now I am trying to get everything done that I possibly can because I know that during the year I will have no time (I am pretty sure I am going to get stuck with an overload next year). Besides trying to get stuff out of the way before you student teach, I would also schedule time each day to work on something relaxing. When I student taught, I made sure I went to the gym for an hour a day for stress release. There is going to be so much going on and so many stressful situations that sometimes you just need an hour of non-teaching time. That time could be spent having dinner with your FI or going to the gym or working on wedding stuff. Just don't let yourself get so overwhelmed with teaching (because it is overwhelming). Also, do NOT do anything wedding related at school (or inapproriate) because if your cooperating teachers find out they will mention when they are called for references. We had a student teacher last fall who mentioned (not in front of students but just in the teachers lounge in front of the dc and his cooperating teacher) that he occasionally does cocaine. Needless to say, he did not get very good references and was not considered for the opening they had for this upcoming year.

Also, being just a little nosy, where are you student teaching? What are you getting certified in? I am really excited to have another teacher around! Are you super excited/scared? It is a lot of fun but a lot of work. I student taught at Hinsdale South High School and I am now a math teacher at East Aurora High School. Are you student teaching in the fall or spring?

[Deleted User]

I am student teaching in the fall and doing wedding planning, too! You are not alone, rrmeyer. I also had a friend who was doing her student teaching in the winter and taking more classes in the spring all the while planning for her wedding which was just last month. Her wedding was beautiful, so student teaching and planning can be done!

I like what meredith said about taking time out to do stuff not related to teaching. I don't have any other advice to add to it, but I like that she mentioned that. 

@ meredith: I can't believe someone who potentially wants to work in a school and be a role model for children would admit to his/her cooperating teacher that he/she does drugs. It's like, "Really?" *eyeroll*

meredithrohter

I know, he must have been high the day they talked about professionalism or something.

jessnich42

I was a first-year teacher when I started planning my wedding a year and a half ago, which is intense but (in my experience) is less time-consuming on a daily basis than student teaching.  My advice:
- Piece it out in smaller chunks, even if that means that the planning process will take longer than you'd hoped.  Teachers typically work during 'normal people" business hours, so you might only have half an hour a day to call vendors or shops or whoever between when you get a free moment after school and when the shops close.  So plan yourself extra time for anything that involves interacting with a wedding-related business, since you might play phone tag for a couple days.
- As much as possible, leave school at school.  Given a choice between staying a later at school to finish something, and taking it home, I almost always finish it at school.  If you don't have it with you at home, it can't irritate you and stress you out while you're working on wedding stuff (and other important things like eating and sleeping).
- Delegate.  You're only one half of the wedding couple; get your fiance to do some of the footwork!  Once you've decided on attendants, give them jobs to do.  Parents, too!  I was surprised by how many people in my inner circle were excited to help out with the wedding.

Best of luck to you in both endeavors! :-)

rrmeyer

Thank you for all of the advice! I need all I can get! I have heard from a lot of people to always make sure to set aside sometime for yourself each day, even if you AREN'T planning a wedding and student teaching at the same time.

I am student teaching this Fall in a Kindergarten classroom in Dixon.  I will be certified K-8 when I graduate and will have middle school endorsements in English and Social Sciences.  I am so so nervous! I was telling my fiance that my life is about to get REALLY hectic in about a month and a half. Stress City is on the way. lol 

pete2835

I totally agree. I teach 3rd grade, and I waited to do most of my planning in the summer because I had more time to devote to planning. Use the breaks and summer to plan as much as you can. It will make the school year so much easier. Enjoy student teaching!

spruital

Wow!  I'm glad that someone else asked this question.  I will be getting married in the middle of my student teaching assignment too!  Thanks everyone for the advice!

MrsMLRB

What Jess is saying about leaving at school when possible is also really important. You are always better off staying later and getting everything done than bringing it home- it is harder to motivate at home.

Good luck with the student teaching ladies!

prasad007

I'm thrilled that you asked this question!

I will have my third and final practicum this January, and I will graduate in April. I'll be taking the last of my courses in September-December. And after I graduate we'll be getting married.

In order to not stress out during the school year, I'm planning as much as possible now, during the summer. I want to have everything arranged/ordered/DIY-ed before December so that I can focus on improving my teaching practice and connecting with my students in January.

This weekend I'll be sitting down with my sisters and my mom to talk about the wedding, what I want the day to be like, and where they feel comfortable to help out (making invitations with me or helping to arrange bouquets, etc). I think it's a good idea to sit down with the people closest to you and talk about everything. They'll be your support when you are inevitably stressed out later.

Good luck with all of you planning and teaching! I'm sure that we'll all be successful with our teaching and wedding planning!

lynzandgreg

I will be student teaching this fall as well! Even though our wedding is 2 years away I still feel like I will have to do things during the semester. I am trying to get some lesson plan ideas over the summer since I know the curriculum, my supervisor, my cooperating teacher, and the grade. I have all the district textbooks at home so that I can plan stuff during the summer as far as teaching is concerned. Regardless it will be a stressful semester and I hope to get a job out of this since in NJ it's a bad time to look for a teaching job. Goodluck to all the student teachers!!!

weddingsareagirlsbestfriend

why are you all getting married before you have a job? just curious, but it seems like too much stress. If you never find a job are you just going to eat beenie weenies every night for dinner? I don't get this. why not wait another year or so til your plans and finances are more stable?

npasquale16

Student teaching was SO hard--a full time job, without a salary.  I was working two jobs plus student teaching, but it can be done!  If you enjoy wedding planning, it will be even easier for you.  I've been teaching for five years now--it gets a thousand times easier, although the work load doesn't really lessen .  Now, I'm working on my Master's, teaching, tutoring, and planning.  You can absolutely do it and we're all here to help!

rrmeyer

Thank you for all the encouraging words! It's not everyday that you find others who are student teaching and planning a wedding at the same time.  That you are able to talk with anyway.  I am lucky to have all of you AND my best friend from school in the same boat!  Godd luck to all the Fall student teachers!

amandablondie

I am also student teaching this fall!  I actually have two different student teaching placements during my senior year.  I am trying to get as much as I can done before school starts.  I have gotten quite a bit done already.  I know that I'm going to be overwhelmed with school once it is in full swing.  I hope to have pretty much everything done before my second semester.  I am graduating in May, so I will also have a few weeks to tie up loose ends after.

I do appreciate reading all of the advice from teachers and student teachers as well.  Happy planning, ladies!!

lynzandgreg

Wow how do you have two student teaching placements? That is crazy. I am actually very lucky to be with the teacher/school/grade I was placed in for my practicum. I know a lot of the classroom routines that she does already and I am not nervous because my supervisor is amazing and so is the principle.

ks3pink

I am a little late but I am student teaching this fall too.  High School Math at the high school I graduated from (which they don't normally let you do lol).  I am getting married in the middle of student teaching but will only miss two days, one of which is a teacher workday.  I am pretty much done with the wedding stuff and my fiance has already started taking on a few things for me.  GL!

kpe04379

Iwas student teaching when I planned all of the big things for my wedding: cake, venue, officiant, church, dress, bridesmaid dress, flowers....

It isn't SO bad if you can be organized and plan out your time. Call on your Fi for some help. Mine is totally hands-off with the wedding but he really helped out when it came to cleaning around our apt, grocery shopping, making dinner, etc. I bet yours would do the same if you live together- or even if you don't! Just don't ask him to book the venue and cake etc. without you

rrmeyer

Although I don't live with my Fi, he is very good at doing the cooking and such things.  I am actually doingmy student teaching at the elementary school he went to when he was a kid.  His best friend's mom is the librarian there and so it is comforting to know a familiar face.  A few people posted that they will be graduating in the Spring of 2011.  I will be too! I made sure to gvie myself some time after graduation to finish up some last touches for the wedding. I hope that all of use fellow student teachers stay in contact over the next semester.  It will be fun hearing student teaching stories!

KelseyS7610

SO glad I found this! My wedding is not until May of 2012....but I will be doing methods (the semester before student teaching) right up until the week before my wedding. I wasn't sure if it was the right decision to keep this date given my school situation.....but reading these posts made me feel so much better!