Time sure is Marching on quickly! How am I only a month away from the end of my student teaching already?!
Last weekend the dreaded Teacher Work Sample was due. Oh Man that took waaay more time than I thought it would - and now that it is finally turned in I still just have a little bit of worry in the back of my mind whether or not I will pass... Basically the Teacher Work Sample is my capstone project before I can graduate that basically tells the McKay School of Education that I am capable of being a teacher and effectively instructing students as well as assessing, measuring, etc. It was huge. Cross your fingers for me, ok? :)
The day that I turned in my TWS was the day I started at a new elementary school also. I am sad to no longer be working at Sharon Elementary with the amazing 6th grade team. I learned a LOT there and had some really neat experiences. I am now at a school in Lehi where I am working with 1st graders. I went from 6th grade to 6 years old! BIG difference! They are so cute though and so eager to learn, it is great. I have a lot of adjusting to do, but I am excited to spend more time in the lower grades and learn as much as I can from my new mentor teacher.
The first week in 1st grade was interesting, but also super fun - because Friday was Dr. Seuss' birthday and that is a holiday in the younger grades! We had a read-a-thon, parents come in to read, fun activities like drawing what you would do on a snowy day instead of getting into trouble with The Cat in the Hat when he comes back, throwing Wockets into pockets, Hop on Pop Hopscotch, Thing 1 and Thing 2 patterns, and even some green cupcakes and green milk to celebrate. I also got to make my own Cat in the Hat hat along with all the kids and we had fun wearing them all day.
First graders are so young in their schooling, so its a big adjustment for me, but I think I am really going to enjoy my time working with them :) I only will be with this class until April 4th [exactly one month from now] and then I will be all ready to graduate! Crazy!! AND- tomorrow is Scott's birthday! This is just a great time of the year!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
3-Day-Weekend!
Last week was a particularly long week... not like I had a ton of things to do compared to other weeks, but the problem was that every day I kept thinking it was Friday- and then I would be disappointed. This happens to people every once in a while, but there were several days where I had to realize over and over and over and OVER that it was in fact only Tuesday. Or Wednesday. and no Wednesday does not magically become Thursday once you finally realize it is NOT Friday. It was bad.
So when Friday finally really did come I was so happy! I had a little work meeting to go to right after the Elementary school got out, but once that was over I was free! Scott and I had delicious Indian food with some friends from church and decided we wanted a fun relaxing weekend and didn't need any elaborate plans. We never have the luxury of getting bored, so this was a very exciting plan for us :)
Saturday I cleaned a bit while Scott had a review session, then we ate our leftovers and did some school work, relaxed, went for a run, and watched Inception. We also were able to rescue our friend Ashley who was locked out of her apartment and hung out with her til Mark got off work. It was a fun relaxing day.
Then Sunday [today] was snowy and we stayed cozy inside reading, making yummy Cafe Rio style burritos, and talking to family. So nice!
Tomorrow is the final day of this extended weekend and I don't know what we will do, but it will be nice to do it together :) I Looooove 3-day weekends!
So when Friday finally really did come I was so happy! I had a little work meeting to go to right after the Elementary school got out, but once that was over I was free! Scott and I had delicious Indian food with some friends from church and decided we wanted a fun relaxing weekend and didn't need any elaborate plans. We never have the luxury of getting bored, so this was a very exciting plan for us :)
Saturday I cleaned a bit while Scott had a review session, then we ate our leftovers and did some school work, relaxed, went for a run, and watched Inception. We also were able to rescue our friend Ashley who was locked out of her apartment and hung out with her til Mark got off work. It was a fun relaxing day.
Then Sunday [today] was snowy and we stayed cozy inside reading, making yummy Cafe Rio style burritos, and talking to family. So nice!
Tomorrow is the final day of this extended weekend and I don't know what we will do, but it will be nice to do it together :) I Looooove 3-day weekends!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Awesome Sunday
Today Scott and I taught our very first lesson together in Sunday School. It was nerve-wracking, but it went well. Somehow it is way easier to teach twenty-three 6th graders about multiplying decimals than a room of BYU married students about 2 Nephi chapters 1-2... Good thing I have Scott by my side!
Our lesson was about choosing eternal life rather than captivity and how we have to be active in doing so. We talked about habits that lead us on the right path and help to prepare us and as we did so we shared this cool story Scott had. Here it is:
There is an interesting story coming out of India to the effect that in that country 50,000 natives are killed annually by pythons. These deadly reptiles first coil themselves about their victims and then crush out their lives. In the spring of the year, as the pythons lay their eggs in the sand and grass, the natives search out and destroy as many eggs as possible in order to reduce the risk that they themselves may be later destroyed by the pythons.
We should take a leaf out of the book of the natives of India and destroy the eggs while we can. We have the awful alternative that either we get rid of the eggs, or the pythons get rid of us. We should stamp out our bad habits while they are in their infancy. It is easier to dispose of alcoholism before the taste is developed or at elast while it is in the egg stage, than it is to fight the deadly python when it holds us in its vice-like grip.
Idleness or the lack of a purposeful design in life provides excellent breeding sands for pythons, and it is pretty difficult to clean out the reptiles from our minds as long as those minds are lying idle and unused. And where we allow ourselves to vacillate between distractions, we no sooner get one problem out of the way than another takes its place.
--Sterling W. Sill The Law of the Harvest
While we were in church the world of Provo continued to whiten and become completely blanketed in snow, so as I now sit in our awesome little home this is the view I have:
Life is great! And now I'm going to go cuddle to stay warm with my husband as we enjoy this weather :)
Our lesson was about choosing eternal life rather than captivity and how we have to be active in doing so. We talked about habits that lead us on the right path and help to prepare us and as we did so we shared this cool story Scott had. Here it is:
There is an interesting story coming out of India to the effect that in that country 50,000 natives are killed annually by pythons. These deadly reptiles first coil themselves about their victims and then crush out their lives. In the spring of the year, as the pythons lay their eggs in the sand and grass, the natives search out and destroy as many eggs as possible in order to reduce the risk that they themselves may be later destroyed by the pythons.
We should take a leaf out of the book of the natives of India and destroy the eggs while we can. We have the awful alternative that either we get rid of the eggs, or the pythons get rid of us. We should stamp out our bad habits while they are in their infancy. It is easier to dispose of alcoholism before the taste is developed or at elast while it is in the egg stage, than it is to fight the deadly python when it holds us in its vice-like grip.
Idleness or the lack of a purposeful design in life provides excellent breeding sands for pythons, and it is pretty difficult to clean out the reptiles from our minds as long as those minds are lying idle and unused. And where we allow ourselves to vacillate between distractions, we no sooner get one problem out of the way than another takes its place.
--Sterling W. Sill The Law of the Harvest
While we were in church the world of Provo continued to whiten and become completely blanketed in snow, so as I now sit in our awesome little home this is the view I have:
Life is great! And now I'm going to go cuddle to stay warm with my husband as we enjoy this weather :)
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Epic Fail
I have been neglecting this blog and I finally need to pick it back up again.
A LOT has happened since my last post.... all the way back in OCTOBER. Yeesh- I'll do better now I promise! Here is a brief re-cap for the time being:
The last couple months/weeks leading up to the wedding were very stressful as I had classes, Practicum, huge final assignments, and then actual finals. As well as last-minute wedding details, packing up my apartment, and packing for the whirlwind Christmas break.
It all worked out though! Despite a few hiccups here and there [remind me to tell you about the life lesson I learned at the airport when we flew to CA].
Scott and I were married on December 17, 2011 and I am the happiest ever because I am sealed to him for Time and All Eternity!! I love Scott so much and am so grateful to be his wife :D
From CA we flew to Saint John, US Virgin Islands for our honeymoon which was incredible! Mike and Shannon seriously hooked us up and we had the BEST time! After a few days of paradise we flew to VA for Christmas through New Years. We had a blast with the Whitlocks and had a great Open House/celebration in Virginia.
Then on January 1st we flew back to UT and Scott and I started setting up our home together. Its come a long way and we love our apartment!
We are now getting close to half-way through the semester as I am student teaching and Scott is taking lots of science classes. Married life is the best and having Scott by my side makes anything possible :)
A LOT has happened since my last post.... all the way back in OCTOBER. Yeesh- I'll do better now I promise! Here is a brief re-cap for the time being:
The last couple months/weeks leading up to the wedding were very stressful as I had classes, Practicum, huge final assignments, and then actual finals. As well as last-minute wedding details, packing up my apartment, and packing for the whirlwind Christmas break.
It all worked out though! Despite a few hiccups here and there [remind me to tell you about the life lesson I learned at the airport when we flew to CA].
Scott and I were married on December 17, 2011 and I am the happiest ever because I am sealed to him for Time and All Eternity!! I love Scott so much and am so grateful to be his wife :D
From CA we flew to Saint John, US Virgin Islands for our honeymoon which was incredible! Mike and Shannon seriously hooked us up and we had the BEST time! After a few days of paradise we flew to VA for Christmas through New Years. We had a blast with the Whitlocks and had a great Open House/celebration in Virginia.
Then on January 1st we flew back to UT and Scott and I started setting up our home together. Its come a long way and we love our apartment!
We are now getting close to half-way through the semester as I am student teaching and Scott is taking lots of science classes. Married life is the best and having Scott by my side makes anything possible :)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Conference Weekend
I remember being little and sleepily semi-watching General Conference... or at least being in the same room where conference was on. Now I look forward to Conference twice a year and enjoy watching all the sessions! General Conference is so incredible! Its amazing to have the opportunity to listen to a living Prophet and Apostles and leaders of the Church!
My Dad and Jill flew up to Utah for conference weekend so Scott and I got to pick them up Saturday morning, get some lunch together, and then attend the Saturday Afternoon Session at the Conference Center together. We then got a snack, the guys went back for Priesthood Session, and then we enjoyed dinner together.
Sunday morning Scott and I watched the Morning Session together and then drove back up to Salt Lake to meet up with my parents for the Sunday Afternoon Session at the Conference Center. It was amazing to be in the conference center for 2 sessions and hear the words of the General Authorities.
I also loved being able to spend time with family and enjoy the weekend :) Good times for sure!
My Dad and Jill flew up to Utah for conference weekend so Scott and I got to pick them up Saturday morning, get some lunch together, and then attend the Saturday Afternoon Session at the Conference Center together. We then got a snack, the guys went back for Priesthood Session, and then we enjoyed dinner together.
Sunday morning Scott and I watched the Morning Session together and then drove back up to Salt Lake to meet up with my parents for the Sunday Afternoon Session at the Conference Center. It was amazing to be in the conference center for 2 sessions and hear the words of the General Authorities.
I also loved being able to spend time with family and enjoy the weekend :) Good times for sure!
Busy Semester
It is already October and I am over a month into my last semester of classes at BYU. WOW. The time has just flown by! I really like my schedule and the professors that I have so that helps the time go by quickly.
In a month though, my classes will stop and I will have my second Practicum. This is where I will work with a mentor teacher and spend my days in an elementary classroom gaining experience and teaching lessons. Just last week I found out that I will be placed in a 3rd grade classroom at Orchard Hills Elementary in Santaquin, UT. I am very excited! I have always said that I want to teach either 2nd or 3rd grade so I am excited that my 2 practicums will have been in both a 2nd grade and a 3rd grade classroom. Its gonna be a busy/crazy/amazing experience!
But for now I am trying to keep up with my class assignments, I'm working a fair amount with Catering, and we are getting plans all set for the wedding on December 17th [74 days away!!]
Speaking of which - Scott and I took our engagement pictures a few weeks ago. We had the chance to meet up with a local photographer whose blog I have followed for over a year. It went so great and I am super happy with the preview we have so far. Go to Sheena's Blog to see a glimpse :)
In a month though, my classes will stop and I will have my second Practicum. This is where I will work with a mentor teacher and spend my days in an elementary classroom gaining experience and teaching lessons. Just last week I found out that I will be placed in a 3rd grade classroom at Orchard Hills Elementary in Santaquin, UT. I am very excited! I have always said that I want to teach either 2nd or 3rd grade so I am excited that my 2 practicums will have been in both a 2nd grade and a 3rd grade classroom. Its gonna be a busy/crazy/amazing experience!
But for now I am trying to keep up with my class assignments, I'm working a fair amount with Catering, and we are getting plans all set for the wedding on December 17th [74 days away!!]
Speaking of which - Scott and I took our engagement pictures a few weeks ago. We had the chance to meet up with a local photographer whose blog I have followed for over a year. It went so great and I am super happy with the preview we have so far. Go to Sheena's Blog to see a glimpse :)
Sunday, September 11, 2011
10 years ago
My mom and I had planned to go for a walk around a park before my school started at 9:30, but in the morning she called me on her way over and told me that she was pretty upset and we wouldn't be going for our walk that day. She was upset because someone had flown some planes into some towers in New York.
I had no idea what that meant. I was only 11 years old. I had never heard of the Twin Towers before, or of a Terrorist Attack. We watched the news in the living room of my dad's house for a while and then I had to go to school, but at school we had the news on the tv in the classroom also. I still didn't really know what everything meant or what was going on, but I remember my 6th grade teacher having us write down a journal entry about that day. She said that someday we would want to remember our experiences that day, so maybe that is why I remember it the way I do even though I was only 11.
I remember that everyone was really scared for a while, waiting for another attack. And everyone bought US flags to hang up, especially the ones that you place on your car windows. Those were everywhere.
I don't remember when I really understood what happened on September 11, 2001. Maybe I still don't fully understand it. But now I am proud of those who willingly went into those burning towers to help those in need. I am grateful for those who serve this country to keep us safe. I am now 21 years old and I will always remember September 11th.
I had no idea what that meant. I was only 11 years old. I had never heard of the Twin Towers before, or of a Terrorist Attack. We watched the news in the living room of my dad's house for a while and then I had to go to school, but at school we had the news on the tv in the classroom also. I still didn't really know what everything meant or what was going on, but I remember my 6th grade teacher having us write down a journal entry about that day. She said that someday we would want to remember our experiences that day, so maybe that is why I remember it the way I do even though I was only 11.
I remember that everyone was really scared for a while, waiting for another attack. And everyone bought US flags to hang up, especially the ones that you place on your car windows. Those were everywhere.
I don't remember when I really understood what happened on September 11, 2001. Maybe I still don't fully understand it. But now I am proud of those who willingly went into those burning towers to help those in need. I am grateful for those who serve this country to keep us safe. I am now 21 years old and I will always remember September 11th.
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