Best Field Trip

The best field trip I went on was in the third grade when we went to see the Nutcracker at the Bass Hall. I had always wanted to be in ballet and the Nutcracker was my favorite play. My favorite Christmas song, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", is in the Nutcracker. Plus the Bass Hall is a wonderful place. It is so fancy and very formal. I remember before we went on the field trip we made the solider from the Nutcracker out of a Pringles can.

Take a look at my virtual field trip http://prezi.com/mdfgyhy1c-_p/field-trip-to-the-aqurium/

What Would You Do?

Ethical Dilemma Article - Mark and Christa

In the ethical dilemma that Mark is facing, he should listen to his heart and tell someone about the picture that has been posted of Christa. What the members of that group did was very hurtful and wrong. Mark knows the right thing to do and he knows it would eat him up inside if he did not stand up for Christa. If people are going to shun him then they don't deserve his friendship.

As a new student Mark knows how it feels to be alone and an outsider and should try to help those who is knows is in need of help. Being bullied, whether it is physical, cyber, or just mental can be stressful and traumatizing to students causing them to start to hate and feel inferior about themselves. Mark needs to fight against bullying and confront the members of the group and leave the group immediately.

My Year as an Intern

 The poem referenced in my blog, Roller Coaster.

  The poem Roller Coaster was so true about being at my field site. When I first got to Spicer, I was nervous, I didn't think I would be able to handle little kids or be able to get the routine down. Even more nerve reckoning was memorizing their names. I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to remember all of my kids names. But as time went by, things got easier. I handled the class and i took control. My fear became my enjoyment. I LOVED going to my class. I LOVED seeing my kids. Even better, my class loves seeing me. everyday they hug me goodbye and tell me how much the don't want me to go. I really hope I get to go back to John D. Spicer next year and get to see my kids in their second grade class.
 

   I have had great memories from Spicer and i have had so tricky situations but all the good over powers the bad. I wouldn't trade those memory and special moments for anything.

High School Teacher Creates New Educational App

In reference to article: High School Teacher Creates New Educational App

This app, eNotebook, sounds like an awesome invention. I would love to be able to upload notes on an ipod, then edit them and high light what I wanted and what was important. This could be used in early child education; like if a teacher wants to teacher the kids sentence structure, she could type the sentence wrong and the kids could correct them on their ipads. Of course in higher level classes it could be used to take notes and is easier to keep up with than a bunch of papers. I see many advantages in this like:

• it reduces the use of paper
• easier to keep up with than paper
• makes  note taking neater
• can use in the dark if you needed

                                  

 I would love to have this app. I wish it was available for the droid phones. Its creative to think of a useful app like this. I wish I could. I don't really know what I would create though. Maybe a virtual binder? It would be like a planner and instead of toting around a blinder, kids could use the planner app. Parents could still send notes home and so could teachers. Well I guess a planner app has already been invented. Like I said, it requires a lot of creativity. 

The Ron Clark Story

Ron Clark did something that only a few teachers would be able to handle. He took the challenge of teaching misbehaved children who society gave up on. He has a list of 55 rules that he uses to manage his class. My top 3 favorite rules where:

 Rule 4.  Respect other students’ comments, opinions, and ideas.

Rule 10. When you receive something, do not insult the gift or the giver.  

Rule 52.  Learn from a mistake and move on.

I think those rule are rules that should be in every class. They aren't the regular, cliche rules you would find in every class. These rules are unique and don't just apply to the class room, but also to life rules and help you become a better person.

 Here is a list of all the rules. Pick you favorite! 55 Essential Rules for Ron Clark

My Involvement in TAFE

Congrats to the girls in my class that went to the TAFE summit. They did things this year that I wish I did this year. I was very interested in many things this year like the bulletin board and the Count On Character book. I didn't do it partially because I didn't think I would do well on it, and because with school, tutorials and work, I was extremely busy. Next your though I want to do so much. I want to be involved. They always look they have so much fun. With easier classes and hopefully more free time, my activity dot chart will be completely full next year. :) 

Who is Stacey Bess?

     Stacey Bess is a dedicated teacher who had to face an extremely difficult situation her first year teaching. She had to teach at a school in Utah that was so insignificant to others that the school didn't even have a name. This class didn't have text books or desk. This group of kids where said to be unteachable. Stacey Bess proved them wrong. With dedication and hard work and an abundant amount of time, she taught these kids not only education, but self values. She showed them how to be responsible and persevere through hard times.
    The movie "Beyond the Blackboard" is about Stacey's journey through her school year and based on her book Nobody Don't Love Nobody and a true story.
 I don't know how she could of put up with that situation. She has skills and dedication that I don't think I have. To be completely honest, I probably would of given up. Stacey Bess didn't give up though, she strive through the hard times and changed the life of many students.

To learn more click on the link right here --->Stacey Bess to learn more

Bullying in School

Stand up for your self, and put up a fight. Bullying is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. I know that if I had a kid in school, then I would want something to be done.
 Not only is bullying a student to student problem it can also be:

• Student to Teacher
• Teacher to Student
• Teacher to Teacher
• Teacher to Parent
• Parent to Teacher

There are many forms of bullying in school districts and as people who are involved with schools, we should stand up and put an end to it like they did in Fort Worth with their  "It's Not Okay" campaign. There are many different ways to get active in stopping bullying. Since I've been in Birdville ISD, I haven't really see or been a victim of bullying, but I know it does exist.

Reflections of My Fall Semester Internship

     This semester was absolutely amazing. I had so many experiences and surprises when I was in my intern class. I never really knew how much stuff the teachers had to put up with or had to go through just to make the class run smoothly. Although my teacher let me be in charge most of the time, I wasn't  very strict on the kids. I let them get away with thing that I know they shouldn't have. By the time this semester is over, hopefully I will be more authoritative and controlling in class. But I do love the relationship i built with the kids, I love seeing them get so excited when they see me sitting at the carpet waiting for them to come in from recess. There is their one girl who absolutely loves me being there. She is always ready to go and listens to everything I tell her to do.
    I am glad I get to stay in my same field site. I can't wait to see my kids again. I really do miss them, but I will no longer be the teacher that the kids can walk over and know that they will get away with things. It's going be crunch time, preparing for second grade. :)

Reflections of a First Grade Intern

   Being an inter for first graders is a very exhausting job, but it also has many  great experience and wonderful memories. At my field site, Spicer Elementary, the kids are perfect. My favorite memory I have, so far, of that class is the second week I was there, all of the students in my first grade class came running up to me when I walked out to the recess playground, all shouting my name with arms wide open ready to give me a hug. It was a loving feeling and nothing could ever mount up to that feeling of having my students welcome me. Not only is it the students that make my love every second that I'm over there, but my mentor, Mrs. Cascella, is the best. She was actually my third grade teacher when I went to Spicer. She greets me with arms open and a caring smile. Some times she will let me stay in her classroom til they come in for recess if I don't feel like going out. I'm more than grateful to be with her this year.   

   Although it's not always smiles and hugs when it comes to teaching little kids. They can be very needy and crave attention. When I do carpet time, carpet time is when they come in from recess and I read them a story or two, and they all want to tell me about their day and they get rude and restless with one another fighting for my attention. That's when I have to get strict and send the students who aren't behaving to their desk or ask them to change their behavior card.

My students are so smart. In the math section, we are learning to add and subtract. I have never seen such brilliant kids. They get things so fast. They are willing to learn. In the math books we use, they love the activities. All my student participate in the lesson.

    But for the most part my first grade class is an easy going class. They tend to mind me and my mentor with the exception of those few kid. I feel so lucky to be able to experience this. Being with them, do carpet time, giving them their math lesson, lining them up for P.E, every bit of it puts a smile on my face. My kids always make me smile, even on days where things aren't going well. Being able to teach them and seeing them actually understand and comprehend the lesson, is a feeling that I wouldn't trade for the world. Being with them for only these past few months has definitly made me sure that being an elementry teacher is what I want to be.

The Ideal Class Room

Lewisville ISD has to be the coolest district that I've ever heard of. As a student I would LOVE to have couches and beanie bags in my class rooms instead of desk. They would improve my want to go to school in so many ways like:

•  I would be more comfortable in class
• I would feel more at home
• I would be relaxed

 As a teacher, I would totally have couches and fuzzy rugs and dimmed lights in my room. I would have chilled music and and easy going atmosphere. By doing this I would hope it would change the attitude of the students by:

• making them feel enthused about going to my class
• let them know that learning can be fun
• making the kids feel welcomed in my class
• change their behavior in class because they would want to be in class (got that idea from the article)

Here is a link to the article: Lewisville classrooms change the desk to couches