LINK
It was really fun to help with.
12/28/09
Christmas
Over Christmas I spent most of the time at my parent's house with my Mom. We were able to make most of the top of a quilt for my brother and his fiance. I have to admit when it got tedious and pinning was essential I backed off and my Mom did most of the rest. I didn't want to mess up the progress of the quilt with my imperfection. I will link it over to my Mom's blog when she has the time to post about it. It is really beautiful.
Endrit's parents are vacationing in Lava Hot Springs so I only saw them for a minute while passing off Endrit and I's children so they had less time in the car. Thanks to my Mom for driving me to get the kitties.
We had a great Christmas with my Parents. We opened gifts and it was fun to finally have the bluetooth for my Mom out in the shop. I hope that it works well for her.
The day after Christmas we went to Rick and Janet's house. I got to see my girlfriend, Audi. Adorable Irish Setter. I love that puppy. I always get the biggest smiles from her. We got more gifts from them. I got prescription goggles for diving and Endrit got goggles as well. I also got an interchangable tile frame with a box of different tiles I can use. I put it up on the wall and did a Velcro system so the tiles don't fall out. It worked out great.
It was nice and relaxing. I am glad I have another week before becoming the head teacher in my class. It is definitely interesting times!
Endrit's parents are vacationing in Lava Hot Springs so I only saw them for a minute while passing off Endrit and I's children so they had less time in the car. Thanks to my Mom for driving me to get the kitties.
We had a great Christmas with my Parents. We opened gifts and it was fun to finally have the bluetooth for my Mom out in the shop. I hope that it works well for her.
The day after Christmas we went to Rick and Janet's house. I got to see my girlfriend, Audi. Adorable Irish Setter. I love that puppy. I always get the biggest smiles from her. We got more gifts from them. I got prescription goggles for diving and Endrit got goggles as well. I also got an interchangable tile frame with a box of different tiles I can use. I put it up on the wall and did a Velcro system so the tiles don't fall out. It worked out great.
It was nice and relaxing. I am glad I have another week before becoming the head teacher in my class. It is definitely interesting times!
12/22/09
After 10 years
10 years ago I was in 8th grade going to school at Preston Junior High.
Today I walked back in the halls to see the teachers that have had the most impact on my life and tell them thank you. I came in unannounced. I walked in and said hello to Mr. Smith. We were able to talk for an hour. It was a great talk. I am so glad that I decided to do this today. It has made my break. I feel like I have made someone's day. I was able to talk to Mr. Crosland as well.
I have had an amazing day. I am so excited to teach.
Today I walked back in the halls to see the teachers that have had the most impact on my life and tell them thank you. I came in unannounced. I walked in and said hello to Mr. Smith. We were able to talk for an hour. It was a great talk. I am so glad that I decided to do this today. It has made my break. I feel like I have made someone's day. I was able to talk to Mr. Crosland as well.
I have had an amazing day. I am so excited to teach.
In Amazed Shock
This morning I did what I have done every morning, noon and night for the past week; I checked my grades.
I have been dreading the grade for my Urban Education class. I have been hoping to squeak by with a barely passing grade. It was a horrid class that I learned a great deal in. I re-did my midterm exam 3 times because I couldn't pass it. Well, the grade was posted today.
I got an A.
Not an A-
Not the B- I was expecting.
An A.
I am in shock. I am extremely happy. I get to fully keep my scholarships. I am not kicked out of my program. Endrit informed me that I do this at the end of every semester, but still, this grade shocked him a little bit too as to how good it is. I will take it! I just wanted to share.
12/19/09
The Waiting Game
Nothing can ruin a perfect holiday season but professors taking forever to post grades. Out of my 4 classes that I took this semester only 1 professor has posted grades. I already knew that I was going to get an A. It was for my student teaching and of course I learned a great deal and did well in that class. It is the other classes that I am unsure in that I need to know the grades. Ugh. Wait, wait and wait. I guess that it is the season to wait for grades. I go in and check them about every 3 hours. It is almost pathetic. I am sure I passed all of them but I want to know the grades that go along with them.
12/17/09
What a Day
I am writing this before my final so that I am able to calm down a little bit before I get into the computer lab and take the exam.
Today I got an email from my site teacher saying that she would appreciate if I were able to be at school to help the substitute teacher with the project that the students were working on. It is good to have some cohesiveness so I was more than willing to do that. The best part about it, the substitute let me be the head teacher. He was more of a TA that helped me out with individual questions. I made copies, I emailed students, I talked about the term project, I explained things clearly today. It was really awesome. I like days like today where I feel that I succeeded as a teacher. I was able to be head teacher and the students listened to me. It is a great thing. The principle came in and I was busy teaching and he went over and talked to the substitute and shook my hand as well. He is a really nice guy once you get to know him.
I did some more proactive steps to ensure that people in high positions know that I am serious about becoming a teacher. I went in during last period and talked to the principle to see if he would be willing to observe my classes and give me some constructive criticism. He was happy that I would come in and ask him to do that for me. He gave me a form that he does for teachers and ensured that I would be on the rounds for him and the vice principle to see me teach.
I also talked to the secretary and she is giving me a key to the classroom that I will be teaching in. I will have my own key! I am feeling like I am part of the school. I feel like faculty. I have a district email address. I have access to the computers as an administrator. It is beyond awesome how I have been able to mesh into this school. I even talked to the math teacher on my team to see if she would be willing to help me through teaching the remedial math that I will need while teaching physical science. She was way more than willing to help me with that.
It has been a great day. I have accomplished a lot. I feel that I am making real strides to becoming a full on teacher. I have started my motion lesson planning. It is really fun to think of activities that I can do with the students.
It is going to be an interesting winter break. My site teacher isn't very specific in all of the things that she wants to do and the timeline of those things. I am really excited to make my own lesson plans. I have some ideas that might work, as well as they might blow up in my face. But, that is how teachers learn. I am truly grateful that I have a site teacher that is letting me have complete control with all of the lessons. I can be as creative as I would like to be. It is beyond awesome!
So, I am excited. I need to do one last review before my final in Music. My last general EVER!! I am also very excited about that prospect as well. No more generals!
Today I got an email from my site teacher saying that she would appreciate if I were able to be at school to help the substitute teacher with the project that the students were working on. It is good to have some cohesiveness so I was more than willing to do that. The best part about it, the substitute let me be the head teacher. He was more of a TA that helped me out with individual questions. I made copies, I emailed students, I talked about the term project, I explained things clearly today. It was really awesome. I like days like today where I feel that I succeeded as a teacher. I was able to be head teacher and the students listened to me. It is a great thing. The principle came in and I was busy teaching and he went over and talked to the substitute and shook my hand as well. He is a really nice guy once you get to know him.
I did some more proactive steps to ensure that people in high positions know that I am serious about becoming a teacher. I went in during last period and talked to the principle to see if he would be willing to observe my classes and give me some constructive criticism. He was happy that I would come in and ask him to do that for me. He gave me a form that he does for teachers and ensured that I would be on the rounds for him and the vice principle to see me teach.
I also talked to the secretary and she is giving me a key to the classroom that I will be teaching in. I will have my own key! I am feeling like I am part of the school. I feel like faculty. I have a district email address. I have access to the computers as an administrator. It is beyond awesome how I have been able to mesh into this school. I even talked to the math teacher on my team to see if she would be willing to help me through teaching the remedial math that I will need while teaching physical science. She was way more than willing to help me with that.
It has been a great day. I have accomplished a lot. I feel that I am making real strides to becoming a full on teacher. I have started my motion lesson planning. It is really fun to think of activities that I can do with the students.
It is going to be an interesting winter break. My site teacher isn't very specific in all of the things that she wants to do and the timeline of those things. I am really excited to make my own lesson plans. I have some ideas that might work, as well as they might blow up in my face. But, that is how teachers learn. I am truly grateful that I have a site teacher that is letting me have complete control with all of the lessons. I can be as creative as I would like to be. It is beyond awesome!
So, I am excited. I need to do one last review before my final in Music. My last general EVER!! I am also very excited about that prospect as well. No more generals!
12/16/09
Me=Nerd and I love it!
Here is a LINK to a website that I have been having so much fun on! It has awesome simple science experiments on it. My favorite is the LAVA LAMP. I am going to be doing this for the nieces and nephews this Sunday for the Smith Christmas get together. I hope that I can get enough of these simple experiments together so that I will be able to do these once a week for my classes. I think that it would spark a little more interest in science. Crazy science teacher. I love it!
12/15/09
Passed!!
I was writing my resume today before meeting with the career councilor at the U and I realized that I didn't get my scores from my Praxis PLT and my Content Praxis. These are the 2 tests that I needed to pass to become a fully certified teacher starting in May. They were posted when I checked them. It took forever for me to find the score needed to pass for the PLT, but once I did, I did the biggest happy dance ever!!
For the PLT I had to get a score of 160 or better. I got a 166. I had no idea how I did on this test so I was happy that I passed by more than 1 point.
For the Content Praxis I had to get a score of 153 or better. I got a 184! I knew that I was going to pass it. I am really glad that it was by such a big margin. They know that I will definitely know my content!
I was just really happy about this.
For the PLT I had to get a score of 160 or better. I got a 166. I had no idea how I did on this test so I was happy that I passed by more than 1 point.
For the Content Praxis I had to get a score of 153 or better. I got a 184! I knew that I was going to pass it. I am really glad that it was by such a big margin. They know that I will definitely know my content!
I was just really happy about this.
12/14/09
Back From Vegas
This trip was a much needed break. I am rested and relaxed. It was really nice that Endrit and I were able to just get away. We weren't allowed to take our camera into the concert. We already knew that so there are no pictures of the concert, but we have a few Vegas pictures. The concert was beyond awesome. It was so worth the drive and the money to go there. Muse is absolutely amazing live. Paper Tongues and Cage the Elephant were pretty good too. Muse played for 1 hour 10 minutes. They played my favorite song. It was beyond awesome. Endrit had a great time too. He doesn't know the words to most of the songs. But, he was amazed by how they sound live. Better than on the albums, we both agree.
On Sunday we were able to see my friend Nichole and walk around the Bellagio. It was awesome to see Nichole again.
Here are some pictures from the trip :)
Here is a LINK to the album I made.
On Sunday we were able to see my friend Nichole and walk around the Bellagio. It was awesome to see Nichole again.
Here are some pictures from the trip :)
Here is a LINK to the album I made.
12/10/09
Coincidence
It is just a coincidence that my good friend from Arizona is having her bachelorette party in Vegas this weekend. I haven't seen her in 7-8 years. It will be so nice to see her and hang out for a while. I am sure she knows Vegas better than me.
I am getting really excited to go to Vegas. It is a much needed break from reality. Not much has happened the last couple of days. It has just been cleaning and relaxing. I have to go to school tomorrow, but that is life I guess. I am sure that this weekend will turn out more than great.
I am getting really excited to go to Vegas. It is a much needed break from reality. Not much has happened the last couple of days. It has just been cleaning and relaxing. I have to go to school tomorrow, but that is life I guess. I am sure that this weekend will turn out more than great.
12/7/09
Coming to a Close / 5 DAYS!
The stress and joy on campus is almost tangible right now. I know that as I hand in final projects and presentations, it feels really good and less stressful. I have officially finished 1 class. Today I will finish another class. That leaves my exit interview for my student teaching and my computerized final next week. This semester really happened. I don't know when. It hasn't seemed like 16 weeks have gone by, but it has.
We also had tithing settlement yesterday. Amazing that 2009 is also coming to a close. It has been an interesting year, especially the latter portion. It has been a good year too.
Also, as time is winding down, it is only 5 days until Endrit and I hit the road down to Vegas. A much needed reprieve from the every day. A time that I don't have to be worried about finals or assignments.
After everything I will be doing all of my lesson planning. That is going to be interesting, but I am excited for it. My site teacher wants me to start teaching right after the break. I will do that, but she will be making the lessons for the earth science portion while I make the plans for the physical science that I will be teaching.
We also had tithing settlement yesterday. Amazing that 2009 is also coming to a close. It has been an interesting year, especially the latter portion. It has been a good year too.
Also, as time is winding down, it is only 5 days until Endrit and I hit the road down to Vegas. A much needed reprieve from the every day. A time that I don't have to be worried about finals or assignments.
After everything I will be doing all of my lesson planning. That is going to be interesting, but I am excited for it. My site teacher wants me to start teaching right after the break. I will do that, but she will be making the lessons for the earth science portion while I make the plans for the physical science that I will be teaching.
12/4/09
To Do List
My to do list for tomorrow is hefty.
I am going to the 8:00 am session at the temple (I am so glad we live so close to the temple).
After that I have to transcribe my self assessment of the last mini lesson that I did for my class today.
I have to go to a concert and take notes on 3 songs that are performed and write a full description with technical music terms into a paper that will be about 2 pages.
Repeat the last one (for extra credit in the music class)
Transcribe and get statistics for approximately 75 surveys of middle school kids for my final project in my urban education class.
Make a PowerPoint (well finish it. I started it tonight) for my final presentation on said surveys of middle school students.
Do a self reflection for November and October for my AmeriCorps scholarship. Oops, October should have been handed in a month ago, but the will take it.
Plan for Endrit and I to do the magic show on Tuesday.
Lots, and lots of things to do. I might be able to breathe and eat in there somewhere...
I am going to the 8:00 am session at the temple (I am so glad we live so close to the temple).
After that I have to transcribe my self assessment of the last mini lesson that I did for my class today.
I have to go to a concert and take notes on 3 songs that are performed and write a full description with technical music terms into a paper that will be about 2 pages.
Repeat the last one (for extra credit in the music class)
Transcribe and get statistics for approximately 75 surveys of middle school kids for my final project in my urban education class.
Make a PowerPoint (well finish it. I started it tonight) for my final presentation on said surveys of middle school students.
Do a self reflection for November and October for my AmeriCorps scholarship. Oops, October should have been handed in a month ago, but the will take it.
Plan for Endrit and I to do the magic show on Tuesday.
Lots, and lots of things to do. I might be able to breathe and eat in there somewhere...
12/3/09
Finals
I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I have been blogging a bit less this last little while. I shouldn't be surprised that I have so much homework due at this time of year, but it is catching me a little bit off guard this semester. I don't know if it is because of the student teaching or what, but it is interesting. I have a few things that I have to do that I normal don't have to do. I am behind on some things, I am caught up on others and I am trying to get ahead on a select few things. Come Monday I will be done with one of my classes. Tuesday I will be done with another one of my classes. This Friday I am done with my student teaching class minus the exit interview. It is definitely interesting. I can't believe that the semester is almost done. I don't know where 2009 went. This has by far been the fastest feeling year by far. I hope that it is the same way when I am teaching next semester.
I am feeling more and more optimistic. I am almost certain that I will get a good enough grade in my classes to keep my scholarships as well as keep me in the program. It was touch and go for a while in one of my classes. Like I said it has been an interesting semester.
I am feeling more and more optimistic. I am almost certain that I will get a good enough grade in my classes to keep my scholarships as well as keep me in the program. It was touch and go for a while in one of my classes. Like I said it has been an interesting semester.
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