GUESS WHAT!!!

So I just found out that I am te spreaker for our FCS Graduating Class!!!! Ahhh this is what they sent me

"Each program in our department chooses a speaker for the HDES department graduation ceremony. Dr. McCombie and I discussed our student teachers (GPAs, FCSE Club membership and participation, personality, motivation to become a teacher, etc.). Based on these criteria, would you like to be the FCSE speaker? You would speak for a short time (around 5 minutes), and we both think you would do an outstanding job. Please let me know if you're interested." I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. I never dreamed that I would be given this opportunity or that I would be where I am now. Looking back four years ago so many things have changed and I have changed, but you know what I have never been happier with how everything is going. I am so glad that I never gave up or changed majors. This is where I am supposed to be and I am doing what I have dreamt about since I first started school. I cannot beleive that I am finally here. Now, all I have to do is get my own classroom. I am in no rush for this, honestly I just want to be a sub. for awhile. That is all the news that I have, I just wanted to let you know I am speaking at graduation!!!! Ahhhhh

 

28 Days Left of Student Teaching 45 Till Graduation!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry that I have not posted in some time, but I have been so busy writing lessons, sleeping, eating, writing lessons, sleeping, eating, and making bulletin boards. Its all good though I just wrote my last lesson for student teaching today. AHHH!!! I can honestly say I am glad to be done with lessons at least for now. Now, it is on to my unit plan!!! I want to have it all finished by the time I go to IUP on the 30th. You know what I am going to have it finished. Then, once that is done there is really nothing standing between me and Graduation!! I cannot believe that I am done, I do not want to be. I am excited though to get started with my career and start something that I love. Enough of this lets get on to last week. Last week was my last week with my first group of students and my first week of having them all in the kitchen almost everyday. It was tiring having them all cook all day long. But, they were a great group of students so it was a lot of fun. I even got to eat food, so I was happy with that. I hate to say it and am surprised to say it, but my 6th graders are better at cleaning up than my 7th graders. I cannot tell you what a mess they make in the kitchens. It was disgusting!!!!! I would not have wanted to do anything else though. My 8th graders were amazing!!!!!! Last, Thursday was their cook off competition. They had to make chocolate chip cookies. You would not even believe what some of these cookies looked like. So added baking powder instead of baking soda, others added to much flour, some not enough butter, some melted the butter, and some added to much salt. Yet, they were all given the same recipe and we planned it all out together. The 8th grade group that won was the group that I wanted to win. They worked so hard and tried so hard. I was so proud of them and their cookies. The group that won 7th grade was not the group that I thought would win. The group that I thought would win had trouble. I tasted their cookies the day before and they were amazing. However, when they went to make the second batch another group dropped their cookies in the oven and then turned off the oven. So, the other group did not realize this and thus there cookies did not turn out. I felt really bad for them and their cookies. Oh, I a funny story. One of my 7th graders tried to set me up with his uncle. This boy is so cute, he comes and says hi to me almost every morning. well we were in class and they asked me how old I was, so I told them. He then looked at me and said my uncle is single "oh that's nice" then the little boy said he is only 29. I can tell him about you. It was so cute. This little boy is also, in the group whose cookies did not turn out. My 6th graders did not get to cook on Thursday, instead we played Jeopardy which was so much fun. I think I may have had more fun than them. They got so into it and loved it. Then, on Monday I got new Kids. I had to go over all of the rules and syllabus, lets just say that I had no voice by the end of the day. I love all of them, and think that they are going to be a great group of kids. In period one I have 11 8th graders, period two 9 8th graders, period three 24 ish 6th graders, period four 30 6th graders, period eight 9-10 7th graders, and period nine I have 8 7th grades. These are much smaller classes than last semester. I cannot tell you what a difference that these class sizes make. It is much easier to control them when there are only a few of them instead of 20. Yesterday, my 6th graders made a poster and talked about what makes them unique and they finished that up today. My 7th and 8th graders talked about decision making yesterday and goals today. It is funny how into it my 7th graders get. Yet, I love it!!! I love my entire day from the time I get up till the time I leave. I never thought that I would be this happy with student teaching. I am going to be sad when I am not here any more. I do not want to leave them or quit teaching them. It is funny how well you get to know all of the students and their different personalities. I still have students from last semester coming up to me and  saying so and so did this, and so so hit me. They are always, stopping in on there way to lunch or from lunch saying hi. It is so nice to see the impact that I have had on them. I taught them something and they actually went away with something. This is honestly the greatest feeling in the world. Oh and guess what? I know all my 6th graders names already!!!!!! Yes I am extremely proud of this. I need to work on my 7th and 8th graders, I have not tried as hard with them. I though that I would just be able to get to know them without looking at the seating chart, this is not the case. I will have it by the end of the week though. I think that is everything. I will keep you posted as the days dwindle down. Until Next Time....

Half Way Done

Well this will be my eighth week teaching and I can honestly say that I am loving it more and more as the weeks go by. I never ever thought that I would like getting up, but I do. I love going to school everyday, and I cannot wait to do it for the rest of my life. There was nothing exciting that happened this week. It went very well. I had to demo pancakes which, was so much fun. I even tried making a Mickey mouse one. Well that did not go well at all, but I did it with a class that I am close with and they were so supportive at my attempt. I need to work on my pancake skills. HAHA But it was so much fun and I had a great time doing it. This week they are going to be in the kitchens by themselves, I am so exited to see how they do. I have come to love all of my students, and want so much for them to do well. It makes my day so much better when they succeed and do well. I just want to see their faces when they make something and get to enjoy it. On Friday, I planned out the rest of my time student teaching. I can honestly say that it made me so sad. I do not want to be done, I want to stay here for the rest of the year. All of my friends are on Spring Break right now, and Yes I would love to be there with them, but I love teaching so much that I do not care. I am really happy with where I am in life. Its funny how time just flies by. It feels like just yesterday, that I was scared for my first year at college. I did not want to go and wanted to come home all the time. Now, I am only 62 days away from graduation and I could not be happier. College was amazing and I loved it, but I love teaching even more. I cannot wait to have my own class one day. Well that is all for now, I will keep you all posted on how this week goes. Lets hope that I do not cut my finger off haha.
Until Next Time.....

My Week

Sorry, that it has been a little since I last posted something. I am going to try and update every Thursday or Friday, again this is my wish. Lets start with Monday and work our way through my week. On Monday, I started teaching lessons again for the 7th and 8th graders, they are finally done with their aprons and dresses. Let my just say that they have amazed me at how well they did. I was so excited when I got to grade them. What a wonderful job they all did, especially some of the life skills students. They did some of the best work out of all of the students. It just shows you what they are truly capable of, I really wish that everyone could experience that. The 6th graders were still working on their pencil cases and puppets. They were far behind and really needed that extra day. The students were flying through their pencil cases. but it was taking them forever to get through their puppets. It was because they were being very chatty. Monday, was a great day and was an okay lesson to teach. They were learning about Nutrition, I felt that i should have been more prepared, but overall it went great. Tuesday, the 7th and 8th graders were working on a MyPlate project. They were split into groups and each of the groups did one part of MyPlate. The first period class did amazing, they did what they were told and got right to it. Second period, threw a fit and none of them were happy. The one group had to do two food groups and they kept talking about how unfair it was and how they were not going to do it. I told them that they were going to do. The only two girls in the class threw a fit and rolled their eyes at me. This is something that I have gotten used to in the past few weeks, at least from them. Eighth and ninth period threw fits as well, they were not happy with the groups that they had. But, that's they way it goes, they eventually did their work and were okay with it. I was so upset with them though that I decided spur of the moment that I was going to collect their papers. So, I had to collect it from them all, just because a few students were not doing their work. 6th grade was talking about MyPlate, this was supposed to be a one day lesson, but because of the talking turned into a two day lesson. I was not really happy with this, but it was/is not that big of a deal. Wednesday their was a snow day, so I just stayed home and wrote a lesson. Thursday, my advisor from IUP came for the second time. She came during 8th and 9th period which is 7th grade. these are the worst times that she could have came, and my coop even told her that. She was in love with them though and kept laughing through the whole lesson. She told me at the end that I did a wonderful job and that she is amazed at how well I was able to handle them. She was impressed that i did not get angry and yell at them, I just ignored them when things were getting out of hand. She gave me my midterm grade and I received an A. She gave me the highest that I was able to get for the midterm, and that this did not surprise her. She did not have me work on anything. This really gives me a boost and makes me feel really good about what I am doing. I also, was given a chance to monitor Advisory Period all by myself. Ahh this was so cool and I really felt like a teacher. Today, my coop had to advise me on how well I was doing. I received half on target and half acceptable. She, told me that she wanted to give me all on target, but that she did not think this should be done since it is only the midterm. Therefore, she picked half to be on target and the other half she made acceptable. She is going to make them all on target for the final, she already told me this, she also gave me an A. Kari (my coop) asked me if I was nervous yesterday when my advisor was there and I said I was a little nervous (I was worried that I looked really nervous), she then began to tell me that I did not look nervous at all. I looked like I was in control and was in my element. It means the world to me that she is so proud of me, and thinks that i am doing a wonderful job. I am really lucky to have her as my coop, I really owe a lot to her. Including, loving getting up early to go to school. Who ever thought I would love getting up and going to work. This is what a job is supposed to be like, and this is what I always hoped that it would be. Ahh I am so happy with how everything is going and how it is all turning out. Speaking of turning out I only have 70 days till Graduation!!!!!! Can you believe that I will be done with my undergrad in only 70 days. I remember freshman year when I thought I would never be done and I was so scared and Now I am so happy with it all. Oh and I am not going to go for my masters until I get a job. That's all for now so until next time....

Eventful Week

So, last Monday was my first day teaching all six classes and my co-op was not even there. It was a little rough starting out only because I was tired and sick. But, by the end of the day it was smooth sailing and I was loving every min of it. The sub was super creepy and all of the other teachers were worried about me. They kept asking if I was okay or not. I said that I was fine and I was. I was glad once he left though, I had some time to myself to think about the day and work on some stuff. Tuesday, well it started off extremely well until fourth period. I was helping a student with the machine and it fell on my picky right in front of a student. I went over to my co-op to ask for a band aid. It was not a bad cut but it hurt. Well she went to look for one and I asked if I could sit down. I went into her office and sat down while she helped the students. She came back in to check on me a few min. later and asked if I was okay. I told her that I was not okay, put my head down, and then my eyes rolled back and I passed out. She was standing next to me and caught me. Thank Goodness she was right there. I was only out for a few seconds. To me it felt like a nap. When I came too, I felt so much better. I was no longer hot, sweaty, and dizzy. My finger was still throbbing though. I think I almost gave her a heart attack and she is never going to want another student teacher after me. Well, she left me again and got the students ready to leave. When they left she came back in and took me to the nurse. I even had to fill out an accident report. Wow that was exciting. The nurse had to call my mom to come and pick me up. So, it was exciting that I got to go home. I then went to OIP to make sure that it was not broken. Luckily, it was not broken only hurt. I took Wednesday, off because I was still feeling sick and my finger hurt soo bad. But, after that it was all good. The week ended great. I love teaching all of the classes and I love that I am starting to form relationships with the kids. They are all so different and fun. I love that they are now starting to accept me as a teacher and are so excited to see me everyday. Its great to hear them all say hi when they come in and when they leave. It was also, nice that they were worried about me when I was out on Wednesday. I am so happy that this is the major that I picked. It is really the best time of my life. Yes, it is a lot of work for me, but it is all worth it. I cannot wait to begin cooking next week with them. Ahh. Soon though I get a new group of kids. I am going to be so sad when they leave. They are such a good group and as soon as you get to know them they leave. Well that was last week. I would have posted sooner, but I was feeling sick all week and just did nothing but sleep. Until Next Time....

LOVING IT!!!!!

So, it is my third week at Northen Middle school and my second week teaching classes. The past two weeks I have only taught two classes a day. They were the 6th graders and they were also, the biggest classes. One has 24 and the other has 33. I really enjoyed them and I still do, but it is so much work having that many kids in one class. Especially since we started sewing and they all need help. I am only one person and cannot help them all at once. I do not know how kari (my coop) does it. Luckly though she has been helping me some. They are going to be working on the machines starting tomorrow, and then on Moday when Kari is not their they will be going over their puppet. They are going to be making a puppet by hand and then creating a pencil case using the machine. Tomorrow, they are going to have a quiz on the parts of the machine, sewing safety, and sewing vocab. The students were so scared when I told them this, and I felt awful. One even came after school to talk about it. I thought that was so cute. I am learning some of their names, though it is taking longer than I wanted it to. I know more of the 8th and 7th graders, which is because they are very small classes less than 15 for each of the 7th graders and less than 10 for the 8th graders. I like the 7th and 8th graders much more than the 6th graders. Though some of the 6th graders are super cute and nice, so I cannot help but enjoy them. Next, week I am taking over all of her classes, which means that I will be teaching 6 classes a day. Two 8th grade, then two 6th grade, and finally two 7th grade. The 7th and 8th graders are either going to be making an apron or a dress. The dresses are going to go to "little girls of africa". This is an organization that sends dresses to the girls in Africa, since the girls over there do not have any. Girls are not as "good" as the boys are, so they just get the boys old clothes. A lot of the students have choosen to make the dresses, even a lot of the boys. I was talking to this one boy, and when I told him about the dresses he got so excited. It was so nice to see the boys wanting to help, and to see them feeling bad for the girls. It really made my day seeing them all wanting to help. I am looking forward to helping them make the dresses and arpons. I am also, super excited to be teaching all of her classes. I am so happy with where I am and with my coop. I know that a lot of my friends hate students teaching and are not enjoying it at all. I however, am in love with every min of it. I look forward to getting up in the morning and going to class. Yes, it is early and yes I am tired by the end of the day, but it is still fun. This is what a job is supposed to be like and I am so happy I am in the profession that I am in. Ahh!! Well that is it for now, I love and Miss You all!!! If you have questions jsut ask them and I will be sure to answer them. Until Next Time......

Week One Done!!

So, I cannot begin to tell you all how much I love student teaching. It is honestly the best experience of my life so far. I am so glad that I stuck with this major, and never changed. My Co-op is amazing and I love her. She is honestly the best co-op anyone could ask for. She is the kind of teacher that I want to be when I get older. We are so much alike in the ways that we teach. She also, is very relaxed with me and my work. She is amazed at the amount of work that I have been doing. Which, is not really that much. I have already started my first Bulletin Board, and by the middle of next week will have four out of five Demonstrations done. Which, I am so excited about. I will also, begin my unit plan soon. I have most of the lessons already done for it. I just have to work on gathering information, and putting it all together. This is going to take some time, but I do not think it is going to be as bad as I thought that it would be. Which is another plus. I do not understand why I was ever scared about this. I have also, decided that I want to start subbing as soon as I graduate. So, I would love to start subbing on May, 20th. I also, wish to work at the schools doing the summer. Yes, all they do is clean, but it is a start and can at least get my name in. All of this is so exciting and I really cannot wait to start teaching on my own.
This week was my first week teaching on my own. I am teaching two classes both of them are 6th grade.On the 18th I take on all of her classes, therefore I will be teaching 6 classes a day. I am even excited for this. Wow!  I cannot believe that I am saying that, but I am. All of the scary feelings from last week are gone, and I look forward to going to school each day, and being in front of the class and helping the students is amazing. Today, I had them write a five paragraph essay. All of the students were upset with me, but by the end of the class they were not as upset with me. They said it was not as bad as they thought that it was going to be. I told them that I was not a tough grader and that if they follow the rubric they are going to get an A+. Most of the papers that I looked at were really good, so I think that they are all going to do great. I am looking forward to grading the papers. They are due tomorrow, so I will most likely start working on them tomorrow. YAY!! Well that is all for now. Until Next Time....

FIRST DAY

So, today was my first day as a student teacher. Yesterday my school was closed and I did not have to go in. YAY!!! I mean that has to be a good start to the semester right? Well I think that it was. I had an amazing first day. My coop and I get along very well. I am going to start teaching on my own next week. I am only going to teach two classes though and then I will move up from there. I wanted to start out slow and then gradually work up to teaching all day. I will only ever have to write two lessons a day though. The seventh and eighth graders are taught the same thing. Since they are only seen in either eighth or seventh grade. This is something that I think is very nice, at least for the teacher. Other, than that we just talked about some of the things the students are going to be doing and what I am going to be teaching them. My advisor is coming next week to watch me teach the lesson. My second week in and she is already coming to visit. Ahh I am scared about this as well as about teaching my lesson. I don't know why though. Last, semester I taught a full day by myself and was fine. I think I just need to get back into the swing of things. Every semester it takes me awhile to get into things. I think that this is the same thing. It is just going to take a little for it to all sink in. I think that once I get started and see what it is like all will be well. Well I have to go work on my packet. Until next time.....

PLACEMENT

So I finally received my placement. It is for Northern Middle School, which is where I put down to be placed at. I am both excited and a little scared to begin. I have been waiting for this moment since I first started school, but now it is actually here. This is a little scary to me. There are so many what ifs and I want to be the best teacher possible. Yes, I was able to get through 3.5 years, but compared to this that was easy. All I had to do was work hard and remember information, but now if I make a mistake it is not only going to effect me, but also the students who I am going to be teaching. I want to be someone these students can look up to and go to when they need help. I WILL get through this semester though. Yes, it is going to be tough at times and I am going to hate my life, but when it is all said and done I will have a degree. I will be able to have my own classroom something that I have always wanted. I think I am also, scared because I do not really know what to expect. There is only so much that teachers can tell you. Most of it you need to learn on your own. You have to screw up first and this is something that is hard for me to comprehend. I do not like screwing up or doing something that is not perfect. Well on Monday I will find all of this and a lot more out. Until then....

Before it Begins

Ever since I saw the movie Julie and Julia I have wanted to do a blog. I really wanted to do one like she did in the movie, but at this time I do not have the time to do that or the money to be buying all of that food. So, I have been trying to think of some things that I could blog about and was coming up with nothing. Until I began to go through the steps to begin student teaching. I realized that this is something I could blog about just to keep for me when I decided to look back at this time, and as a way to keep all of my friends and relatives posted on how I am doing. I realize that student teaching will take up most of my time, but I think that I will be able to post something at least once a week. That at least is going to be my goal.
I guess I should begin, well as of right now I do not yet have a placement. This is starting to scare me, but I am going to stay positive. "I will get a placement!" I have though begun to work on my articles that I need to complete. Which is helping me to stay ahead of the game. Other than that there is not much else that I can do excpet wait for my placement to come in.