You may call me Judge Julie now.

Yes that's right! Judge Julie! How official....

     I'm not sure how this all stared, but I have this ongoing joke with my boyfriend about titles of authority I get from obscure places. When I was serving in Fresno someone once confused my companion and I for being a "pope" and they kept referring to us as girl popes! Even when we corrected them! Sister missionaries, not popes....anyway my boyfriend thought it was the funniest thing so now he'll refer to me as Pope Julie the first from time to time. Every so often I'll gain some new title and he'll call me that for a while. This week in class (and the week prior) I accepted the titles "Judge Julie" and "Principal Julie".  I couldn't have been more excited to tell him all about my new authority....
     Honestly though, when in class we role play case studies or IEP (Individualized Education Program) mock meetings I learn so much! In the first mock case study we did I was able to play the "hearing officer" (which is basically the judge?). I loved it! I thought at first it was going to be the most cake job since I didn't have to present, debate or argue one side of the case but instead I was involved in different ways. I'm not going to lie, I got pretty into my role! Mostly I just wanted to ask tons of questions about the beliefs and views each party had in the case. Later when we got to do our first mock IEP meeting I received the title of "Principal Julie". This activity was even more exciting to me because having grown up with my own IEP I knew how these meetings should run. However, in the role of the principal I feel I gained a greater understanding of everyone's role within the MDT (Multi-Disciplinary Team Meeting). Even down to the parents participation in creating their child's IEP, I've learned each member has something to say, and their assessment of the child is important in understanding and creating a plan to help the child reach their potential.
      In the mission I hated role play...bane of my existence kind of hate, but now I love it! Perhaps Fresno prepared me, but honestly I really feel role plays are one of the greatest ways we can understand and learn in someone else's shoes!

--Julie