Stressful Season

Its that time of year again! Registration, papers, classes, sorority! SO MUCH STUFF! Last weekend, I was able to go to the Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan concert, which gave me time to relax and enjoy myself before the stress of papers and registering for classes begins, but now its time to get down to business.  I am focussing on homework and trying not to get overstressed.  Classes are going well, thank goodness, so hopefully it will stay that way!!

With My Sorority Sisters

So Close!

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Getting Back Into It

     What a great spring break I had!  Even though I had to wake up extra early, it was still a great week overall.  I spend this FANTASTIC week in the classroom doing observations.  I was able to see so many lessons and really get an idea of what it is really like to be in a classroom for a few days.  I got to see Mrs. Colucci's special St. Patrick's Day history lesson- Breads Around the World.  

     As a lesson to learn about different countries, continents, and cultures, Mrs. Colucci planned an extra special lesson for St. Patricks Day.  She had students sample bread from 6 different countries, and they had to color in where each bread from from on a map.  They tasted tortillas from Mexico, croissants from France, Italian bread from Italy, Irish soda bread from Ireland, white bread from America, as well as German pumpernickel bread.  After, each student was given a graph that was filled in with stickers based on their classmates' favorite breads.  As she explained, this helped the boys and girls practice social skills because they were forced to ask their friends what their favorite bread was. After the students filled out their graphs, they returned to their seats to answer questions based on the information in the graph.  The boys and girls loved this lesson and learned so much from it!
    Again, being in the classroom helped me realize I CANNOT WAIT to have a classroom of my own.  I cannot wait to plan fun lessons and activities for my students to enjoy.  I have already started files of the lessons I have seen from my mom, my aunt, and Mrs. Colucci.  I love kids and I cannot wait to build their educational foundation that will help them grow into intelligent students.


Lesson Learned:
"Remember the past, live in the present, and plan for the future."

So Much Bread!

The Set-Up

 

Gathering Information!

Asking Friends

Spring Break

    Spring Break is bitter sweet this year because I am spending a lot of my week observing.  As much as I LOVE being in the classroom, I hate waking up at 7 to go to school.  This break, I am spending Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Mrs. Colucci's AMAZING first grade classroom.  But until then, I am spending my time relaxing and doing what I need most- Spending time with my family.  
     Yesterday, I went shopping for some "spring-y" observation outfits, weighed in with my family, and went line dancing at the Colorado Cafe with my friends.  Today was one of those dream days with amazing weather.  I woke up at 11, went to lunch with a friend, and spent the day with my little cousin.  She was so excited when I picked her up from middle school.  Then I took her for a manicure, to get my car washed, for McDonalds, and then she came with me to my hair cut.  My cousin is 13, and she is at a very impressionable age.  I try to be the best example I can be for her, and days like this show me she is growing up to be a beautiful, smart young woman.  The weather was great, so we had drove around with the windows down, the music up, and our voices as loud as could be!  We had an amazing afternoon together, and it was just what I needed after a stressful week of midterms.  
    I am looking forward to seeing some great lessons at school, spending time with my Aunt while staying at her house, and enjoying the beautiful weather that is predicted for the rest of the week!


Lesson Learned:
 Sometimes, all you need is good company

Dr. Suess Day

     Dr. Suess' Birthday was this past Friday, March 2nd.  As a child, I could remember waking up to my mom making my brother and I green eggs and ham... literally!  She would get up early on one of her busiest days of the school year to make us this breakfast!  It was so much fun to eat colored food as a kid! In my town Dr. Suess Day was taken very seriously.  My mother was in charge of this Read Across America day.  She had the best "centers" planned for everyone!  In the gym, there were multiple stations set up.  Each class had a scheduled time to go to the gym that day.  One center was making a book mark, another was a reading station with a high school student.  There were usually about six or seven stations in the gym, and classes had a ball going to each one!  I miss being in elementary school and getting to do this.  My mom worked so hard and it was always a hit!
    This year,  I was lucky that March 2nd fell on a Friday- my observation day!  I was in my first grade classroom where they had the best day!  Now, in Village Elementary School, March 2nd is Pajama Day, so every student in the school, including the teachers, had PJs on with their favorite stuffed animal and a blanket.  The morning started and I brought those iconic red and white striped hats for each student.  While the students were going through their morning routine, I fitted the paper hat to each child, and they loved it.  Next, they went over their graph of which Dr. Suess book, that they read this week, was their favorite.  They were having so much fun!  As part of Read Across America, they spent the rest of their day with their reading buddies, one of the fifth grade classes.  They each had been paired up with their buddy at the beginning of the year.  They did so many activities, including a "Green Egg Hunt," The Sneetches Bingo, and Dr. Suess Jeopardy.  In the Green Egg Hunt, each reading buddy pair went into the room where green eggs that contained a Dr. Suess book title were hidden.  They then read the book they found.  Sneetches Bingo consisted of a bingo board with words from the Dr. Suess book, The Sneetches.  The reading buddy pairs listened for the words on their board while the book was read.  Another great and fun game was Dr. Suess Jeopardy.  It was a game full of Dr. Suess trivia about the author and the books.  The kids LOVED it!  The day ended with a "Movie on the Ceiling," they watched the Sneetches!  They also ate Dr. Suess hat cookies while the watched the movie!  
     Dr. Suess Day at Village was a HUGE success!  The kids read so much that day and learned a lot about Dr. Suess as an author.  I enjoyed the day too, and got TONS of ideas.  My favorite idea was a project my Aunt did with her class... which is next to the class I'm observing in!  She made Thing 1 and Thing 2 with hand prints!  They came great!  Everyone had an AMAZING day!




Lesson Learned:
You are never too young to read!

Working on their Dr. Suess
Activity books while on
their blankets

Hat Cookies!

The GREAT craft my Aunt did!

  

You're Never Alone

     Everyone goes through hard times.  Whether it is a bad day, week, month, or even an entire semester that just isn't going right.  However, there's always something that keeps you going, cheers you up, or wipes away the tears.  Whether it's a song, a quote, or a friend, something is there to bring you through that rough patch.
    I LOVE music!  Whenever I'm having a bad day, I know music can cure my slump.  Anything country always puts me in a good mood!  I don't know if it's because its relaxing, or if I automatically associate certain songs and artists with certain people.  I have been very lucky to go to a lot of concerts, and I've never had a bad time at a concert.  When I hear music from a person or group that I have seen, I automatically think of the great time I had with one, or more, of my very close friends at that show.  The songs bring back memories of good times, and cloud the current feelings looming over me.

     Quotes also can brighten my day. Whether I put it as my facebook status, tweet about it, or just read it and keep it to myself.  I see quotes all over the place- facebook, twitter, picture captions, song lyrics, ANYTHING!  They help you realize you are not alone, and that other people are going through the exact same thing you are.  People have felt that way before, you're not the first!  Look for help!  You can be surprised what you will find.  

     Friends also are always there to cheer me up!  There are those certain people that no matter what is going on, if we are fighting, or if I haven't seen them in a while, I can just text and call them and they are always there for me. One of my close friends, and sorority sister, put up a status today about quotes, and I realized it was a lesson I had truly learned. 

Lesson Learned:

Quotes get you through the days you think no one knows what you're going through.