News

Student teaching. Finished.

Substitute job. Attained.

Long term substitute job. Planned.

Teacher? TBA

tough times....

Best friends are great

Until they're not around.

That's when a boyfriend would come in handy.

dubs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ljNixuCwc 

My brother is cooler than your brother!

My brother is just THAT cool.

Lazy days... Crazy days... Daze-y Days.

Summer

I forget that I love summer.  I don’t know how I forget since it’s really quite an amazing time of year… but alas, my brain is old.  This summer has been very productive, fun, invigorating, rewarding, hot, and conclusive.  I have been working just a little bit less than full time and I really love my coworkers.  They rock.

I bought two of my favorite things in the world (due to the fact that I’ve been working so much… I could afford them) I bought a Cannon Digital SLR. (: I absolutely love it and I take pictures of everything! I also bought…a NEW CAR! It’s a 2009 Pontiac Vibe. Fairly adorable, mind you.  It was a sad day to see the old blue beetle go; it was my dream car after all.  But my Vibe is awesome!  It’s a wonderful car and I’m excited to drive it around. 

My love life?  It doesn’t exist.

I have been going to a singles ward though and I love how much I learn about the Gospel while I’m there. (:

I’ve spent many nights camping (bugs included) with my family.  I love spending time with them and the rafting was a great adventure.

One of my favorite things I’ve done this summer is start writing a story with my two best friends.  It’s a blog story.  We have no idea where it’s going, but it’s goin’.  Take a look at it here. 

I’ve started to realize how quickly the summer is going and I will soon have to be a responsible adult again… but for now… I’m going to go eat a PB&J.

It's been a while.

Oh, hey Blog.

Sorry I haven’t written in a while.

I’ve been busy and totally not thinking about teaching, curriculum, or anything school-y.

But I did manage to manipulate my siblings into washing the windows today.

Thank you, Oreos.

You rock.

This month is such a special one...

Today is a big day.


I have finally reached my third decade. I am NOT 30... but 20. (: I am officially no longer a teenager.


You can do lots of new things when you are twenty... such as:

• Throw a bouncy ball down an aisle and yell, "Go Pikachu Go"
• Ask to put a pack of gum on layaway.
• Put antifreeze in the freezer.
• Hide in the racks of clothing and grab people's ankles as they walk by.
• Go into the fitting rooms and 5 min. later shout, "There isn't any tp in here!!!
• Ride a display bike through the store and claim you're taking it for a test drive.
• Frozen pizza frisbee.
• Marco Polo.
• Hold a broomstick joust.
• Start a game of hide and seek and see how many people you can get to join in.
• Pull lawn chairs over to the demo TVs and watch.

Oh wait... maybe that was the wrong list...

Being 20 is not really a big deal... but I'm excited for this year anyway. (:

Puke vs. Blood

I feel that everyone is squeamish to one thing or another.  I realized today that I am a lot better at handling situations that involve throw up then situations that involve blood.

Recently I have cleaned up 4-7 different rounds of up-chuck.

Today when my coworker sliced his hand open and needed stitches, I stayed far away and hidden so that I wouldn't have to see.

Conclusion= I'm a dog person. A night owl. A milk drinker.  And a throw up person. 

Maybe I'll put that on my resume.

~Teach

Keepin' the 2-year-old focused!

Sorry I fail at writing blogs… I really am not the world’s best writer and I typically leave that department to my mother.  Once I get going I’m usually fine (at least I’m counting on that happening in this post!)

I’ve learned to make life a game.  In my house we all help with chores every day and the littlest kids, Scout and Curly, are in charge of unloading the dishwasher(s).  In reality this chore takes approximately 8 minutes, but they can drag it out to 8 hours on any given day!  So in order to encourage them to start and finish their job I have devised games that keep them motivated and focused on the task at hand.  The four games are:

Time Me! – I count as they put each item away.  This game works for ANY chore and is ridiculously motivating. 

Secret Agent- Standing flat against the wall, rolling on the ground, and peeking around the corners.  This game takes a bit longer, but they love it and really get into it!

Color Me ______! – When unloading the dishwasher they have to put away all items that are a certain color (i.e. all the blue objects) and then either I guess what color it was or I tell them if they put away the mystery color I was thinking of.  This one also reinforces colors which is always a bonus.

Classifying Cups and Bowls- Similar to the color game, they put away all the items that are the same.  (i.e. cups, bowls, spoons, etc)

Well.  Those are my secrets.  (: It makes my life a lot easier when they are happy and motivated to do their chores.  If you have any other ideas for a good Job Game, let me know! (: I always like comin’ up with new ones to shake things up.

Peace out.

~Teach

Stumble...

I was told about this site called stumble upon... it's pretty much extremely entertaining. 

It brings up different sites based on your interests.

Such as education.

I'm a fan. (:

Families are Unique

As all of you know- especially if you read my mom’s blog- that I come from a big family.  I have eleven siblings, no biggie, it’s totally normal.  Well, since this is the life I have been raised in (I am the 4^th oldest) I could not imagine being an only child.  For example, my best friend lives with her mom and their dog and that is all the mouths they have to feed.  When my BFF and I go shopping together it is a riot!  She will load ½ a gallon of milk into the cart and I will be piling in six gallons- that will only last about 5 days- but it will suit both of are needs. 

When we buy cheese, I will grab the most massive brick possible or five or six little ones and she will grab one 8 oz cheese and wonder if they will finish it before it goes bad.  Six loaves of bread for me; one loaf for her.  Eight boxes of cereal for me (only if they’re on sale or I have a coupon) she picks one of her favorites but if she’s feeling adventurous she might even get TWO boxes!  Eggs, butter, yogurt, it’s all the same story.  At first it was odd, but over time we’ve gotten over it and I could probably shop for her family and she could probably shop for mine! After all, that’s what friends’ arrreeeee….fooooorrrrrrr! (Jungle Book reference)

I’m aware that this blog has nothing to do with teaching…yet. 

One of the greatest lessons I have learned as a teacher is to know your students.  Know their interests, their hobbies, their fears, their apprehensions, and their families.  Students come to school in kindergarten and they have been raised by the rules of their family for 5 years and this is all they know.  They believe that the time they go to bed is the law for all children to go to bed.  They believe the way their family did it is the correct way.  When they come into the classroom you have to embrace that! They have different backgrounds, different views, various values and they do not know that there are other ways to do things.  In the kindergarten Utah Core Curriculum, the first standard is: Standard 1 (Culture): Students will recognize and describe how individuals and families are both similar and different.  You will have single parent homes, foster care students, students that come from families with eleven siblings, adopted students, students raised by Grandma, etc.  In order to be sensitive to the need of each child, you must know where they came from and you must adapt your teaching to reach those needs. 

Resources: uen.org

~Teach

Quote!

“God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.”

 

I should probably find out who said this. Although I think it's fairly legit. 

 

Also, I'm sick so you can't expect too much out of me.

 

Thanks,

~Teach

Hoops.

Some days I feel like a seal in a circus; my only purpose in life is to jump through hoops, or balance on the tip of my nose, all on the command of others.  AKA: Professors. 

Alas, the semester is done. I’m officially a 2^nd semester Senior that only has to complete her student teaching. 

Thank you to my wonderful cohort, for stickin' through the circus and some of the best times! I will miss you.

BEST COHORT EVER!! Spring 2011- Seniors

This circus will end; then I will be the Ring Master!

~Teach

Focus, sh-pocus!

I’m going to start a blog.  A blog that describes my voyage to becoming a teacher.  I will have short anecdotes, thoughts, reflections, observations, resources, etc.  Hopefully this will go over well. 

I think it is very poignant to not constantly redirect children when they are day dreaming during a quiet task.  As I am sitting here observing the students I also am supposed to be working on a future lesson plan I have, but I find myself constantly staring out the door, watching the students, or at the blank nothingness.  I realized that five minutes ago I was constantly pointing students back to their work the second they looked up from their cursive book, but it could hinder them in the future.  Often times our brain needs a short break and we need to be self-motivated enough to end our break and get back to our task.  When you are a college age student you will not always have a teacher there to say “Teach, get back to your research paper.”  So as a teacher, in third grade you need to give students the chance to pull themselves back to their task or gently tap them on the shoulder and pull them from their reverie.  Just a thought from a volunteer in the classroom. 

~Teach

Testing...

1.. 2... 3

I assume this will work. 

~Teach