The point of reflection

In reference to Mrs. Steven's blog, we deal with reflecting on the different times.

As I look through the mirror of the past, I see the great times and the bad times. But most importantly, I see the learning experiences from being in a classroom. Some experiences include dealing with a misbehaving kid, stormy weather, teaching in front of the classroom, and how to react to different situations.

When I first walked into the classroom, I was intimidated, nervous, and unsure of what to think. As that first year went under way, I began to feel more comfortable and confident about everything. In fact, now that I have completed two full years as a student intern, I am 100% percent sure that I want to be a teacher "when I grow up". Having this opportunity to decide what class I want to take for my intended major is a great way to see if the intended major is worth it for me.

I am now more than ever ready to be a teacher. Here is why. I love being around kids, I always have been bossy, and I feel as if I am really good at this... the teaching of kids. I haven't had a classroom closure quite yet, but I will this next week, because I am going after graduation. My feelings as I left were a bittersweet feeling, only because I will get to see them this next week. I will miss those crazy kids along with Mrs. Trott.

 

Animoto 2013

A thought of appreciation.

This week on Mrs. Stevens blog, we reflect on our teachers, past and present.

Even though there are many appreciation days for certain people, i.e. memorial day, labor day, mother's day, father's day, etc. There is one week that stands out for me. That week happens to be teacher appreciation week. I use this week to say thanks to every teacher that has helped me along the way.

I found this video on YouTube that explains everything that I am thankful and appreciate my teachers for doing.

Along with Teacher appreciation week, I wrote a letter to my band director. Here is what I wrote him.

Dear Mr. Hull,

            I appreciate everything that you do to make this band successful in every way. With those long hours that you put in and selfless planning in making our marching band show a show to remember. I am inspired by your optimistic view of the potential to make the band great.

                                         Thank you so much for everything.

                                                                                    Rachel Woods

Teachers, I appreciate everything that you have to put up with and all of the late papers. Thank you.

Parents

    This week on Mrs. Stevens blog, there is controversy of the teacher's side of view and the parent's side of view when it comes to how a student learns and grows.

    As a student intern, I see the different sides of the education process. I see that the parents will more likely listen to their kid over the teacher. I also see that the teacher sees a different side of the child's characteristics. There should be a compromise of the teacher and parent by listening to each other along with helping each side as best as possible.

    When thinking about the professions that are out there, I can think of four immediately. Doctors, Teachers, Architects, and Lawyers. Out of the four, the only one that makes the others exist is teaching. Without teaching, the other professions would be useless. In other words, I believe that being a teacher is the highest of all of the professionals. Of they are not perfect, no one is. everyone makes mistakes, so it is alright to question even the highest paying professionals.   However, the adults are not always to blame. The students are in charge of whether or not their schoolwork gets finished and turned in. In fact, students should take responsibility for their actions once school begins.



    Students can't really learn how to take responsibility for their actions, if their parents are always making excuses for their child. The saying of "Oh, they're just kids" is implying that it is alright to make excuses and not really pull the weight. When these kids grow up, they will not take responsibility and make excuses all of the time.

    By not taking responsibility for one's actions, the affect in the future will be relied on the parents and other responsible people. After a while, there will not be enough responsible people for each excuse maker.

   

Invite Creativity.

This week on Mrs. Stevens blog, creativity matters.n

To me, creativity is a great way to express the differences of learning, and visual features. Along with the expressions of the differences, there is the feeling of being different. Being different from the non-creative, boring life serves many purposes for the human race. Some examples of creativity are; taking songs with certain lyrics and change them up to mean something totally different, taking a normal picture and add/take away features or use different colors to create something totally different.



In education, the main focus is on getting students to pass their classes with an one answered key and only one true way to finish an assignment or project. With this process, students lose some to all of their creative strokes that make certain pieces of work stand out, by the end of their senior year of high school. In other words, creativity matters quite a bit. I watched a video that talked about how creativity influences the student  to achieve more and be more focused in school. The artists usually can not think about what the teacher is saying, unless they are doodling. Though it may sound odd, it helps in the long end with brain juices.



The only way we can fix the lack of creativity is to encourage daily creative activities/lessons that will involve the student and keep them focused..... for the most part. Another way to fix this problem is to encourage more creative classes to be mandatory as well as the four regulars. Or some of the regulars can just be cut out. For instance, Science. It isn't really needed unless one would be majoring in a science.

Appearance counts

This week on Mrs. Stevens blog, we talked about the first appearances when interviewing for jobs.

When it comes to professionalism, the right attire helps to get the job. The employer does not want to see someone coming in for a job interview that is dressed in painting shirts, really short skirts, or hair all messed up. The way someone comes in is the way the employers believe that the person lives.



Not only does the employer look for the way a person dresses, but also how the person acts around them. If  the employer feels as if the person that is getting interviewed is acting nervous or not paying attention, then they will look for someone else. The key is confidence. With confidence, there is a want to be an employee in the specific company. However, being overconfident can lead to an uneasiness to the employer. The importance to the professional attire is to show the future employer that there is a defined want to access the job and that it is important.

This is what not to wear to an interview.

Break! For Spring

As the end of a marvelous spring break comes to an end. I have to say, that I feel very accomplished. I made up my mind before this break even started that my room was going to become clean. Many may ask why my room wasn't already clean and why I was waiting until Spring Break to start. Here is why I waited.

My family built our house back in 03. The original design was calling for three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a game room on the second floor. However, since I was only 8 and my brothers are younger than I am, my parents decided to close the game room and make it a bedroom. I got the second biggest bedroom in the house with the most windows.

After almost 10 years, my room was looking quite small, with all of the furniture and junk that had invaded my room. Since I am moving out in a few months, I thought no better time than to clean my room. I am happy to say that I have successfully cleaned my room in six days.

I have done other things besides clean my room. One of the other things that I have done is go to the money making plant in Fort Worth. It is a free way to learn hands on how our US currency is made. Note, it does not include coins, only paper money. There are many things that are allowed to do while at the Bureau. Usually during spring break there are certain people that come to the Fort Worth and show what they do. One person showed of how to recover money, and another showed how to engrave on metal. It was a true experience.


 The best part of the experience was seeing the stacks and stacks of the money becoming money. The money isn't called money until it goes through the vault at the end of the line.

Tiger Day

As the end of my high school career is coming to an end, it is the right time to make sure that the college that I want to go to is still the one I want to go to. In order for that to happen, I went to the campus of East Texas Baptist University yesterday for their showcase day or better known as Tiger day.

For this trip, I went with a group of friends from my church. We took the church bus and drove out there at five in the morning. This trip happens to take three and half hours, with Tiger day starting at 9:00. So of course, I fell asleep.

Now I am just going to skip ahead to when we arrived at the campus. ETBU is a small campus in the middle of Marshall, Texas with tall pine trees everywhere. We take the time to drive the campus, which takes a total of five minutes. Like I said, it is small. I was probably the only student that has been to the campus before, so  I felt at home as we drove the campus, and looked at the different buildings.

Once we parked, we went to the chapel to start our day. The best part was how some of the members that I met from the previous times that I had been there, had remembered me. This kind of thing doesn't happen at the bigger colleges, so it was a good feeling. As the day got under way, I found some of my friends that are at ETBU already, and got to talk for a while. In the sanctuary, there were different presentation boards on the stage showing the many things and activities that one can be involved while at ETBU. Activities such as band, communication, SGA, theater, and many others. I don't remember what SGA and communication mean, but it sounds really interesting. As the day progresses, I went on a tour, went to an Education session, and went to lunch where the pizza was pretty good. After lunch, there was a chance to go to the bookstore or roam the campus for a few minutes. I went of by myself at one point and I just stood in one place. I could feel the peace as I looked at the scenery.

This campus may be famous for "Ring by Spring" but is also known for other great aspects. "Ring by Spring" means that girls go to find future preachers and will become engaged by the springtime. The other great aspects are the teaching program, nursing program, sports, and their fine arts are known for all of their hardwork. This just makes ETBU a really great school. I am very excited to see how God will use me at this great place.

storyboard that

Storyboard That- introduction to farm animals
This is the lesson plan to my Storyboard
This Glogster is in relation to the Storyboard

My glog blog

Kindergarten farm animals

http://s93b9kj.edu.glogster.com/farm-animals/

100 days done 80 to go

Although school kids in middle and high school tend to forget about the one day that elementary kids think about all year, I feel as if a day like today is quite memorable. This day happens to be the 100th day of school.

On the hundredth day, there are many things to do that can add up to 100. For instance, in my classroom,  they made a fruit loop necklace with paper dividers after ten fruit loops. Other things to do are to use musical  instruments, have a dollar in pennies, dress out in decades attire, and count various objects by fives, tens, or twenties. For elementary kids, this is great fun and enjoy the items that are made throughout the day.

However, being a high-schooler, it's a different story. Rarely the thought comes up about what day of school it is. The thought of how many days are left before school lets out for break of any kind is usually in the mind of 6-12th graders. So when told that the day happens to be the 100th day of school, these teens seem surprised at how many days it has been, or just don't care. Being a senior, along with having senior friends, has a countdown going until the day graduation comes.

With 100 days gone for this year, it's time to make the last 80 days really count for the rest of my senior year. By being the best that I can be, I will be able to succeed for the rest of my high school career.

Second year, First semester

With the new semester on its way, it is time to reflect on the past year and a half. I have been in the Education and Training program under the direction of Mrs. Stevens for the second year in a row, and I absolutely love it. As the year has progressed, we have been assigned to classrooms, in which we learn hands on.

I have gotten the opportunity to be at Grace E. Hardeman Elementary School for these past two years as an intern. I have been fortunate to have Mrs. Trott as my mentor both years. Each year has been an experience in the kindergarten world. Last year, I had a class full of excellent kids that can read their site words pretty well, and this year, they are a little rowdy and have trouble with their site words. This is great experience for me, seeing the different years of behavior.

Last year, when I first walked into her classroom, I was nervous, unsure, and excited about what is going to happen. Now that I have been in the classroom, for almost two years, I absolutely love it. It brings me joy to go to the classroom each day. As the next semester makes way to the end of my senior year, I look forward to teaching my kids multiple items and all of the different trials that will come. I am also most looking forward to the adventures of spring and presidents day.

Ron Clark's Family

I posted this blog last year and I thought I would just bring it back to the top. This is a great way to start the new semester. However I am going to change a few words from the previous blog. As I said in the blog last year, school should be a different place from home. As a second year, I feel it even more important to establish the fact that some rules need to be in order. I am using some of the same rules as last time and adding a few.



1. When someone is talking, computers should be shut, unless one can't see the board, and cellphones should be put away, that way there is awareness and involvement without distraction.

2. Honest is modest. With out honesty, the classroom can't function.

3. Homework for other classes can be finished after the assignment for the current class is finished. On time.







4. The best friends come from listening to each other. Talking out of turn can cut out the valuable information.






5. Being prepared is a great to be ready to learn about new things. There is always something to be learned with various objects or tools.






6. When the class begins, talking should come to a stand- still. As in, there shouldn't be any talking, especially when Mrs. Stevens starts talking. Believe it or not, but there is actually a lot of valuable information that needs to be heard.







7. Leave procrastination behind and finish assignments early or on time, and without delay. This can help in the future.

These rules may be odd or messes with the flow, but hey they are good ones.

My Plans for the Future

Several people may say that the future is a far away time. However, the future is a lot closer than most realize. The future may not be about flying cars, but it can be the plans that has been made. For me, I plan graduate college with a Master's degree, get married, have children, and become a teacher for the future educators and doctors. Now I am getting ahead of myself. Lets back up to now, with 18 weeks left of high school and in the middle of the day. Now in order to make my goals for the future, I must have a few things for change.

  

1. I want to be able to get A's and B's for the second semester, and finish strong in my last weeks of high school. To be able to have an A B average for the second semester, I must be sure to procrastinate less and focus on homework. By focusing on homework instead of procrastinating on different things, I am able to turn my homework in on time and finished. Once I turn in my homework, my grades either go up or stay high enough to be consistent. With this in mind, college becomes a reality, with less stress and a more relaxing semester.






2. By May, I would like to have better time management. In order to have my time management down, I must write a constant list with the items that I must finish from hardest/ most to do to easiest/less to do. Also, I must be able to spend more time on the important items instead of watching Youtube videos, reading posts on Facebook, and playing games. By focusing on time management,   I am able to get things done and keep my grades high. Not only am I able to keep my grades up, but also I will be able to keep myself organized in all areas. As my time management increases, my organization skills and work ethics increase.

3. A change that links all three changes together, is the plan to procrastinate less. In order to fix this procrastination process, I must mentally change the due dates to closer than the actual due date. For this reason, I can get started sooner, finish sooner, and have more time to enjoy the semester, and the most exciting part of senior year. By leaving the laziness of not wanting to work on the assignment behind, I can work on my time management of the one-thousand and one items on the to-do list and have the A B average that I want to achieve second semester.




Above all, my whole method of how I attack the schoolwork is in a need of change. With the time management, procrastination, and the A B average is a lot to take in, yet is very fulfilling.

As my mom and band director always say,

                                                          "Finish stronger than you started." 

Ready. Set. Read!

Although most people have difficulty reading through a book, the fact remains that people who read books on a daily basis are more educated on the words to use and when. People argue that reading is a waste of time and not worth it. Others point out that reading gets an adventure to somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I would agree with the book taking you on an adventure. Whether to the past when women wore heavily petticoated dresses, or to the future where everyone has flying cars. Books have a cheap way to go places in the safety of home.

If written well, I feel as if I am in the story going through the actions and feelings of the main character. So in essence, I thoroughly enjoy reading, and getting caught in the plot. The best part when reading a great story is the thrill of seeing the story come together as the book gets thinner on the right side. When life gets boring and cabin fever is getting apparent, pick up a book and go explore the abyss of caves, feel the fluff of the cloud, and wind through your hair.

When a child is into reading, their imagination will soar, along with the fact that they will become more educated and will love life. As I finish books, most objects that I was unsure of, become clearer and I become more knowledgeable of the details of that specific topic. For instance, I just finished a book called Scat. Before I read this book, I didn't know much about the swamps of Florida. I now know that there are many different species of animals and plants. Also the swamps are protected.




Twenty minutes may seem like a long time, yet it is the perfect amount. There is a bunch of things that can be done in twenty minutes. For instance, a picture can be colored, an episode can be watched without the commercials, read a few chapters of a favorite novel, etc. However, since most people are too busy to give up twenty minutes, it is difficult to pick up a book and start to read. Yet reading doesn't always mean pick up a book. Looking at an article from the newspaper or online, looking at someone's blog, and looking through a magazine, all result to reading. Reading twenty minutes is very beneficial to everyday life. Not only does it help with vocabulary, it helps with motor skills and speech also. In school, it also helps with grades, and tests.

As an intern, I notice not only in my kindergarten classroom, but in my school, that when students talk, there is a difference in their speech, just because they do or don't read. I test my students on their site words once a six weeks and I can tell who reads with their parents at home and who don't. For instance, the kids who read at home, do three things. They will either sound out the words, spell them out, or say them as soon as they see the word. However, the kids who don't, usually guess to which word it is, look at one letter then guess a total random word, or wont look at the word and say "I don't know." This becomes a problem later on when the students are to read a chapter for a test or when the student is to read for exercises. So reading is important for everything.

My favorite kinds of books are the semi romantic and the adventurous action. Books like Scat, Hoot, and Flush  allow for an adventure while reading about the act of saving the animals that are being endangered of their homes being taken away. These kind of books help me relate to a few issues while being caught in the moment.  Now if I had the time I would sit down and read a good book by my window.

Solutions

The nation is in shambles, mixed emotions of anger and sadness, the innocent blood spilled, and for what? To outlaw guns? Or for Lanza to get all of the attention that he is always wanted? School is supposed to be a safe haven for not only students, but for teachers and administration as well. And now? We must have a prison-like security system, just to keep the children safe, and outlaw guns. No matter what we do for protection, creeps, and physcos will find their way in.

The world may never know why or how something so upsetting, so heartbreaking, can come about to a small town with great reputation for their schools. However, because of this tragedy, people have realized that teachers are common day heroes. They not only teach the future adults of America to be a better citizen,  but are willing to die for their students safety.

In memory of the fallen teachers, and the slain children, people have donated thousands of teddy bears, food, and other items to help the mourning families that lost their pride and joy.

There was such an overflow of items, that the city has decided they will bury them and have it be sacred soil for memorial.


"We must educate ourselves to be better equipped for the future" This is a great quote from Mrs. Stevens after hearing of this tragedy.