My oldest child is in 1st grade. Last night was Parent/Teacher Conferences. Kylei is a bright child who at this point in her academia hasn't really struggled. Her teacher is pleased with her progress and has started her in an Enrichment Program. But the thing that pleased me most was hearing that her teacher allows Kylei to help her classmates, because of how calm and helpful she is with her fellow classmates. Her teacher was impressed that she is not over-bearing, bossy, or arrogant.
One of the funny stories her teacher told me happened last week. Her teacher wasn't feeling well and Kylei told her that if she just left her things with her (Kylei) that she would teach the class and her teacher could go home. How sweet!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Galapagos Rap
Taken from here, but thought it was pretty cool and wanted to pass it on. I know it's probably not great for elementary education students, but as a college student who had to study a lot of this in my Biology classes, I rather enjoyed it.
Galapagos Rap
This video, 3.5* til Infinity, was created by some Stanford students on their trip to the Galapagos Islands. While some people may not agree with everything in the video, it's still an excellent demonstration of using multimedia resources to demonstrate knowledge. If you do teach about Darwin in your classroom, this video is an engaging summary of his ideas. There are also some great images from the Galapagos Islands in the video.
Galapagos Rap
This video, 3.5* til Infinity, was created by some Stanford students on their trip to the Galapagos Islands. While some people may not agree with everything in the video, it's still an excellent demonstration of using multimedia resources to demonstrate knowledge. If you do teach about Darwin in your classroom, this video is an engaging summary of his ideas. There are also some great images from the Galapagos Islands in the video.
Great Costumes to Wear at School
Stolen from fellow blogger
This Halloween, scare up some fun with these history- and lit-inspired costumes:
Ten US History-Inspired Halloween Costumes
1. Put on a three-corner hat and cape, pull a cardboard boat around your waist, and pose as George Washington crossing the Delaware during the American Revolution.
2. Dress up as Benjamin Franklin with a kite and singed hair. Be careful around the French maids.
3. Pretend to hitchhike as Christopher Columbus with a sign that says “India or bust.”
4. Dress up like Abe Lincoln – with two tickets in his breast pocket.
5. Test people’s knowledge of US history trivia by putting on a turn-of-the-century suit, carrying some bags of fake money, and painting your nose purple. Yes, JP Morgan really did have a purple nose.
6. Try a scandalous costume for a trio: Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy.
7. Wear a suit and a Richard Nixon mask. Carry a hallowed-out pumpkin filled with film. You’re reenacting the “Pumpkin Papers,” in which future President Richard Nixon used to take down Soviet spy Alger Hiss in one of the Cold War’s most notorious espionage cases.
8. Dress up as Betsy Ross with a half-finished American flag. Include a rainbow flag, a pirate flag, and yellow smiley face among your book of samples.
9. Sport your finest 1920s-style outfit, a plastic Tommy gun, a cigar, and your best Al Capone accent. Rave about the merits of the 18th Amendment and Prohibition.
10. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to flex those guns. Rosie the Riveter is one of the best “girl power” costumes in history. (World War II: Home Front)
Ten Literature & Poetry-Inspired Halloween Costumes
1. Bust out the Photoshop to make an “oil painting” of yourself aged about 50 years. Frame it, put on your best Victorian-style outfit, and trick-o-treat as Dorian Gray. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
2. Go on a hunt after your friend who is dressed as a white whale with bloodshot eyes. Chase the whale around the streets with a toy harpoon in hand. Rant and rave to strangers about catching the whale. (Moby-Dick)
3. Dress up like a grizzled old sailor, rave unintelligibly, and hang a fake albatross around your neck à la “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
4. Put on a collared shirt, a tie, a long coat, and a red hunting hat. Carry a record under your arm and collect candy as Holden Caulfield. (The Catcher in the Rye)
5. See who gets the Scout Finch reference when you walk around barefoot with a banged-up ham costume and knife slash through the back. (To Kill a Mockingbird)
6. Put on a straw hat and some ratty old clothes, pull a cardboard canoe around your waist, and try your luck as Huckleberry Finn. Don’t be afeared to use *some* Antebellum Missouri slang. (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
7. Pay your dues to George Orwell by dressing up like a pig brandishing a liquor bottle and insisting that “two legs are better than four.” (Animal Farm)
8. Put on a long, plain dress and plaster a scarlet “A” to the front. Get your friend to dress like a priest. (The Scarlet Letter)
9. Dress up like Lady Macbeth and try to scrub imagined bloodstains off your hands. Rinse, repeat. (Macbeth)
10. For a truly terrifying Halloween costume, give your kid brother face paint, some tattered rags, a conch shell, and a (fake) pig head on a stake. Don’t let him see that you’ve got glasses. (The Lord of the Flies)
11. You'll need tights and Renaissance garb: Hamlet. Pace the streets emoting: “To be or not to be?” and “Methinks it is like a weasel.”
This Halloween, scare up some fun with these history- and lit-inspired costumes:
Ten US History-Inspired Halloween Costumes
1. Put on a three-corner hat and cape, pull a cardboard boat around your waist, and pose as George Washington crossing the Delaware during the American Revolution.
2. Dress up as Benjamin Franklin with a kite and singed hair. Be careful around the French maids.
3. Pretend to hitchhike as Christopher Columbus with a sign that says “India or bust.”
4. Dress up like Abe Lincoln – with two tickets in his breast pocket.
5. Test people’s knowledge of US history trivia by putting on a turn-of-the-century suit, carrying some bags of fake money, and painting your nose purple. Yes, JP Morgan really did have a purple nose.
6. Try a scandalous costume for a trio: Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy.
7. Wear a suit and a Richard Nixon mask. Carry a hallowed-out pumpkin filled with film. You’re reenacting the “Pumpkin Papers,” in which future President Richard Nixon used to take down Soviet spy Alger Hiss in one of the Cold War’s most notorious espionage cases.
8. Dress up as Betsy Ross with a half-finished American flag. Include a rainbow flag, a pirate flag, and yellow smiley face among your book of samples.
9. Sport your finest 1920s-style outfit, a plastic Tommy gun, a cigar, and your best Al Capone accent. Rave about the merits of the 18th Amendment and Prohibition.
10. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to flex those guns. Rosie the Riveter is one of the best “girl power” costumes in history. (World War II: Home Front)
Ten Literature & Poetry-Inspired Halloween Costumes
1. Bust out the Photoshop to make an “oil painting” of yourself aged about 50 years. Frame it, put on your best Victorian-style outfit, and trick-o-treat as Dorian Gray. (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
2. Go on a hunt after your friend who is dressed as a white whale with bloodshot eyes. Chase the whale around the streets with a toy harpoon in hand. Rant and rave to strangers about catching the whale. (Moby-Dick)
3. Dress up like a grizzled old sailor, rave unintelligibly, and hang a fake albatross around your neck à la “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”
4. Put on a collared shirt, a tie, a long coat, and a red hunting hat. Carry a record under your arm and collect candy as Holden Caulfield. (The Catcher in the Rye)
5. See who gets the Scout Finch reference when you walk around barefoot with a banged-up ham costume and knife slash through the back. (To Kill a Mockingbird)
6. Put on a straw hat and some ratty old clothes, pull a cardboard canoe around your waist, and try your luck as Huckleberry Finn. Don’t be afeared to use *some* Antebellum Missouri slang. (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
7. Pay your dues to George Orwell by dressing up like a pig brandishing a liquor bottle and insisting that “two legs are better than four.” (Animal Farm)
8. Put on a long, plain dress and plaster a scarlet “A” to the front. Get your friend to dress like a priest. (The Scarlet Letter)
9. Dress up like Lady Macbeth and try to scrub imagined bloodstains off your hands. Rinse, repeat. (Macbeth)
10. For a truly terrifying Halloween costume, give your kid brother face paint, some tattered rags, a conch shell, and a (fake) pig head on a stake. Don’t let him see that you’ve got glasses. (The Lord of the Flies)
11. You'll need tights and Renaissance garb: Hamlet. Pace the streets emoting: “To be or not to be?” and “Methinks it is like a weasel.”
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Student Teaching Seminar
Yesterday was a loooong day, and only part of the reason is because we (my classmates and I) had to drive to MTSU that evening. It's about an hour's drive to the campus, but then you have to find parking.... At any rate, I didn't get home until almost 10p.m.
The seminar was a little insightful I suppose, though we still don't know many specifics and won't until closer to January. It amazes me that we won't know our placement until the week that we are to be there.
While the seminar left many of my classmates more worried and stressed, I decided that I have too many other things going on right now just with the classes at hand to allow this to stress me out YET. lol I know the day will come when it will and that that day isn't too far off.
As a side note, during a class (interesting enough, one that I'm not a part of but attended anyway- long, crazy story), I read this and thought you might enjoy it too:
YOU MIGHT BE A TEACHER IF....
1. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.
2. You can eat a multi-course meal in under 25 minutes.
3. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and planningn period.
4. You start saving other people's trash, because, most likely, you can use that toilet paper tube for something in the classroom.
5. You want to slap the next person that says, "Must be nice to work 7:30-3:00 and have the summers off."
6. You feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their behavior when you are out in public.
7. You spend more money on school stuff than you do on your own children.
8. You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his/her parents.
The seminar was a little insightful I suppose, though we still don't know many specifics and won't until closer to January. It amazes me that we won't know our placement until the week that we are to be there.
While the seminar left many of my classmates more worried and stressed, I decided that I have too many other things going on right now just with the classes at hand to allow this to stress me out YET. lol I know the day will come when it will and that that day isn't too far off.
As a side note, during a class (interesting enough, one that I'm not a part of but attended anyway- long, crazy story), I read this and thought you might enjoy it too:
YOU MIGHT BE A TEACHER IF....
1. You get a secret thrill out of laminating something.
2. You can eat a multi-course meal in under 25 minutes.
3. You've trained yourself to go to the bathroom at two distinct times of the day: lunch and planningn period.
4. You start saving other people's trash, because, most likely, you can use that toilet paper tube for something in the classroom.
5. You want to slap the next person that says, "Must be nice to work 7:30-3:00 and have the summers off."
6. You feel the urge to talk to strange children and correct their behavior when you are out in public.
7. You spend more money on school stuff than you do on your own children.
8. You understand instantaneously why a child behaves a certain way after meeting his/her parents.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Fall Break
For the last 2 weeks my children have been on Fall Break. Needless to say, I didn't get much of ANYTHING done. My husband fussed, but I felt like they should have a real break and be able to go and do stuff, so we went and did stuff.
Today and tomorrow are my days of Fall Break....but guess who's at home catching up on housework?
Wah-Wah-Wah.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Site to be Seen
This is a site I just found that it's pretty neat. Thought it would be nice to share. Enjoy!
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