Well, that sums it up.

Yesterday was my last day of student teaching. I honestly will miss my students at Ramapo High School. I will miss all the banter and joking nature they brought. I love being sarcastic with them. I love that I got to joke around and be silly. It's just something I know I will miss. I know a few student in my 8th period will miss me since some proposed to me the day I left. (Gotta love high school boys!!!)

One strength I had in the classroom was my spirit. I have a natural way about teaching. I know how to be flexible and change up an assignment. I know how integrate different techniques and different attributes. I saw that every day with my regents classes. They aren't as skilled as the honors kids. Most of the regents students will probably have to take 10th grade English again. However, I think the regents kids benefitted from my flexible lesson planning.


One weakness in the classroom was my organization. I'm not the most organizational person in the world. I aspire to be organized. I have great intentions about being organized... but I worry that one day, I'll be that teacher with the classroom of papers everywhere and losing student's assignments. I don't want to be that way. I notice when things go crazy in my personal life, it affects my work life... in organization. When I get overwhelmed, it shows. And I don't want that to happen anymore. I just need to figure out how to be less unorganized and more... organized.


Student teaching taught me a lot about myself. I learned that I like it when people like me... and that's not possible for the whole world to like you. I learned that I love being at teacher. I would rather be with students than adults most of the time. I learned that all that work we all have done for the past 4 years (or more) to get this degree... that it will work out in the end. It's all worth the battle.

I hope to look back on this blog and say, "Wow. I grew up so much!" This was definitely a growing experience.

SICK WITH THE FLU

Just a short blog of frustration. Work is irritating me. I can't handle this job for long.... especially while sick.

I've been out for two days with the FLU! I hate being sick. But, something I have learned... even when you're sick, you have to do work. You have papers to grade and things to do online. You have to keep working. I had to go to work still with my 17 Chinese children. (!!!) I guess, I just hate being sick and miss those days when I could be fed soup and watch bad TV shows or Judge Judy all day until I felt better. I have to keep working.

This sucks!!!!!

One Week

ONE WEEK UNTIL WE ARE DONE, FOLKS! I am beyond excited. Plus, I just learned that I'm going to Florida for Christmas break! HOORAYYY! I haven't been home in a year. Such a great motivator to get stuff done!!!

Anyways, the bee situation is now over. Mrs. Matthew's is in one classroom for periods 1,4, and 5. For periods 7 and 8, we're in another classroom. For most of the time I've been here, the room has been infested with BEES. And well, I'm allergic to bees. So, the room has been in limbo for a bit while they clean out the bees. Well, today... they're finally gone! However, if you look up in the ceiling light, you can see their burial ground. Someone's going to want to clean that....

Anyways, with my honors class, we've been talking about A Separate Peace. If you don't know much about it, click here. Basically, it's a book about a boy named Gene searching for his identity... and in his search, he hurts one of his closest friends and his dreams. I had a great lesson during 7th period. I was completely blown away by how well it went! I got a great class discussion. I just loved EVERYTHING that happened today.

Now, period 5 is another story. They've made it known that they HATE me. They hate everything about me since the moment I walked in the classroom. I guess they'll be cheering in the streets when I leave. HAHA. But, I am glad for tough students who vocally show their disgust for me. It reminds me that no every student will love me and connect with me... that's the beauty about high school. It's beautiful to see young minds so enthused to use their own mind.

That sounds ridiculous.

EXCUSE ME? Pardon your french.

Today, I was called a "bitch." (Sorry, Prof B for that....) See, my regents classes were doing a project for their book Right Behind You. They had to do a summary, do some quotes, and other things of that nature. One student in my period 8 class seems to be emotionally and mentally disturbed. I told him he had to turn in his project that day. He did not. He called me a "bitch" because I assigned the project with little time to do it and I expected students in high school to do work over the break.

Nothing irritates me more than having a student call me something I don't deserve. I hate it when people don't like me. I hate when I'm not given a change to show who I am. He just shut me out and it hurt. I didn't cry in the classroom. I had the support of my cooperating teacher, which was a great thing.

What do educators do when students call them rude and obscene things such as a "bitch"?

NO TECHNOLOGY!?!?!

Well, that's it. I'm throwing my hands up in the air! I don't know what to do!!!! I love technology. I love every second of using technology in the classroom. I think it activates those who have short attention spans like myself. WHY AM I PLACED IN A CLASSROOM WITHOUT ONE?!?! BUHHH!!!!!!!!!

Well, this week, I began something fun in my 4, 5, and 8 period English 10 regents classes. We played an interactive jeopardy game where they made the questions up. It was rather fun. Well, period 4 and period 8 liked it. I don't think period 5 likes me. The class is made up of a lot of 2nd year 10th grade English students who just can't seem to pass 10th grade and the regents exam. Sadly, some of them will give up soon. I am trying to catch their attention, but nothing seems to work. Perhaps I'll try candy?

See? NO SMARTBOARD! NO NOTHING!

Pep Rally and MORE.

Well, today was the pep rally. I honestly miss that part of high school with all the pep rallies and all the excitement. Mrs. Matthews and I walked on the field together. The school wanted to keep all the students in one place because there was still school to be had afterward. I'm not sure if the administration was thinking straight, but I don't think one can calm 1500 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS down after a huge pep rally.

Anyways, they didn't. It reminded me of classroom management. Student teaching at Ramapo High School has certainly taught me a few things about classroom management. I am used to everyone liking me always. I am a very likable person. However, with classroom management, I have to gain respect, not likability. I can't scream. I can't throw everyone in detention. I have to be respectful and mindful... and say things like, "I can wait." or "This is affecting your grade."

I'm not sure how others are dealing with classroom management but I know that in Ramapo, if you have to constantly tell the students, "Do it because I said so. I'm the teacher." Then, you've lost your students.

First week at the new place

This week has honestly been one of the worst. I got into a car accident over the weekend because of the snow. Ok, well, I was driving in the snow and hit some ice, whipped around, and hit the curb instead of another car. It could have been worse, but my car troubles put me out of my first few days along with the days of school that were cancelled.

I am teaching 10th grade English Regents and 10th grade honors at Ramapo High School. Oh, boy, is it different than Rockland Country Day. Not only in size, but it's different in attitude. The students here do NOT want to be at school. There are security guards at every turn in the halls. Students need passes to walk through the halls. There are fights and threats. This is a very different high school from that of which I'm used to. Man.

Let's see if I last....

This week

I didn't post last week because I was really irritated at my coworker. I honestly didn't want to blast her all over my blog because I was upset. I still am upset... but I think I'm over it a bit.

Well, this week, I started pulling back from teaching 4 periods to just one now. I'm still teaching my 7th graders Beowulf. We took our post-test this week. I am simply shocked and blown away. One of my students who completely failed the pre-test (and cried during the test) got 100%, even on the essay portion. I could have cried. This student reminds me of how I was in 7th grade. She's absolutely the cutest thing ever. She tries to hard in school. She talks a lot and loves a lot. I just love it.

I'm still dealing the one coworker that annoys me. She just talks and talks and talks and I just... can't relate to anything she talks about. She's inappropriate in the way she dresses around students. She talks about relationship issues at inappropriate times. I just don't want anything to do with her, but I work with her now. If I don't pray for her, no one will. So, I pray for her.

I realized how much my faith in Christ has really formed the way I teach. I guess that's just how Christ is within me.

Strengths-Finder, oh my.

(Ps. I accidentally put these on my OTHER main blog instead of this one! WHOOPS! But here, enjoy!

The Clifton StrengthFinder measures those who take the test on 34 different categories. I've taken the test 3 times now, all because of Nyack College. ;) Here they are. Tell me what you think!

1. Adaptability
"People who are especially talented in Adaptability prefer to 'go with the flow.' They tend to be a 'now' people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time."
----------- I honestly didn't think I was going to have this be my first trait, but after further self-reflecting, I realized, "Yeah, I am adaptable!" I am a "go-with-the-flow" type of person. It's not that I don't plan or I don't have structure; I just perform best when things are much more flexible. This is very beneficial in the classroom because, as much as you can PLAN lessons, you can't micromanage. Things happen and it takes a real teacher with the ability to adapt to the surrounding to make things work.


2. WOO
"People who are especially talented in the Woo love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person."
------------ I completely agree with everything in this strength. I have the ability to win people over. I have many friends. I get a lot of people on my side. That has never been a difficult thing for me. In the classroom, I believe this is vital, especially with how I want to run my classroom, simply because I want my students to feel comfortable to come to me for any help and be on board with what's going on inside and outside the classroom.

3. Positivity
"People who are especially talented in the Positivity have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do."
------------ Again, this is another strength I knew I possessed. I have always had the ability to excite others and get them on board with whatever is going on. I know that inside the classroom, as a student, I responded much better to a teacher who was positive rather than negative. I want to be that positive teacher.

4. Strategic
"People who are especially talented in the Strategic create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues."
------------ I don't really know what this strength is. I thought everyone is strategic. I thought everyone could come up with plans and proceed. It's confusing and weird. Then I thought how efficient it would be in the classroom. I was very excited that I can be strategic in my classroom, thus bettering the function and learning process.

5. Activator
"People who are especially talented in the Activator can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient."
------------- This is true within myself. I feel like this ties in with all the other traits as well. Also, Activator reminds me of a robot. I don't think of myself as a robot.

And so it begins...

Well, it's mid-placement. It's time to fill out those evaluations. It's time to do mid-assessments. It's time to be slapped in the face with the reality that my placement at Rockland Country Day School is almost... over. I really love this place. I love all the students. I love the atmosphere. I love the free coffee. Everything is rather... enjoyable here. It is almost... over.

This week, I made one student cry. We took a Beowulf quiz/test on Friday. I passed out notes and had in class discussions. I enabled each of them to succeed; however, they did not do as well as I had hoped. The school is trying to implement tests like the state-testing (which, it should be clear how much I LOATHE them.) The students don't seem to understand ... how to take tests.

Next week, I need to review "how to take tests."


With the 9th graders, we are going over narratives. I'm unsure where to start... except, to use a storyboard. I am having a difficult time differentiating 7th and 9th... as both grades have equal "interest" in literature and are currently bringing minimal effort to homework.

Next week, I begin teaching more grammar to the study hall. They're taking their PSAT this week as well. It'll be interesting, to say the least.

So, Why Teaching?

When I was 3 years old, I wanted to be a princess. When I was 8 years old, I wanted to be my mother. When I was 12 years old, I wanted to be a rock-star. When I was 16 years old, I wanted to be a journalist. So, when I was asked why I wanted to be a teacher, I'm not sure it would make logical sense until I explain.

Growing up, I was homeschooled. My dad was in the navy, and we ended up moving a few times. My mother was the best teacher I ever had. We went on field trips to the Seattle Underground (which if you don't know what that is, click here.) and the Seattle Science Museum. However, when we moved to a different town in Washington State, my parents decided to put me in public school. I had always dreamed about going to public school; however, my dreams did not meet my expectations. 

I was the outcast before I stepped off the bus. My family didn't make much being a Navy family. I didn't have the coolest hair style or clothing. I was obsessed with the Titanic and Pokemon. Inside the classroom, my teacher taught more traditionally and less hands on. My undiagnosed ADHD hindered me from being the best possible student in the classroom. I constantly and blatantly disobeyed and defined my teacher's authority. I wanted to go back to homeschool. I wanted to go back to hands-on learning by going to the museums and witnessing ACTUAL history unfold. Reading about events that happened or having someone tell me why fractions worked wasn't what I called an education. So, I acted out and punched a girl after she constantly bullied me. 

School has never been my thing. Traditional teaching and learning has never been my thing. So, I never thought teaching would be my thing. I finished high school with a 3.1 GPA not realizing that I was in-fact a "text-book" picture of a "hands-on learner."

My first year of college, I was planning on majoring in Journalism. I was planning on being a broadcast journalist or maybe a photo journalist. Well, the main professor did not like me or my writing style. He chastised me for being who I am through my writing, which happened to be one of my favorite things to do.

I was suddenly at a crossroad of my life. The career and passion for writing and news had suddenly evaporated at the lonely age of 18. I was really going no where stuck in my small town in Bremerton, Washington. My parents had moved to New Jersey and mentioned Nyack College to me. Before I made the decision to commit to a four year school, I wanted to make sure I knew what I wanted to do.

So, I prayed about it over and over again. I asked God to show me where he wanted me to go and do. For the next month, God used everyone around me to reaffirm what he originally called me to do. I have always been good with kids. I have been teaching Sunday School for years. I was working in a daycare with the older students. In a months time, I was reminded of students like myself: a little crazy, creative, and hands-on. I was reminded of all the times that I loved school and hated school. I was reminded by every person I came in contact with that, when I teach, I break things down into obtainable pieces for further understanding. 

I realized I had neglected my natural ability: TEACHING.

So, I applied to Nyack not knowing what would happened. If this was what I was supposed to do, then I asked God to let me be accepted within the week. He did it... and I was accepted in 3 days. I was accepted into college in three days. 

Three years later, I not only have realized that teaching is my calling, but I realized that God has his hand on my life. God has taken my mess of a life and showed me where I was meant to go. I am meant to be a teacher. That's what I do. I teach. I relate to students. That's what I want to do forever and ever.