Student Teaching

I started student teaching in a 2nd grade classroom on Tuesday and my first day was a huge success!

Echolation

Back in October we were reading tons of books about Halloween. One day we specifically focused on Bats. We read Stellaluna, made upside-down hanging bats and watched this YouTube video called, Echolation. We also had Mrs. R stand in the middle of the room and a student hide somewhere. The student and Mrs. R would "beep" at each other and eventually Mrs. R found her. The kids loved that and they really seemed to enjoy learning all about bats! 

Since I was in such a batty place, I wanted to introduce the 16 month old I nanny for to bats too. She enjoyed my singing of the Echolation song and the cute bat song below:

Flutter, flutter little bat,
How I wonder where you're at.  

Swooping through the darkest night, 
You find your way without a light.

Flutter, flutter little bat, 
How I wonder where you're at!

A Case of the Mondays

Last night at 10pm I was scrambling to get all my stuff ready to go for today. I was printing off and reading all my methods class lab expectations because lets face it, I am a procrastinator so I hadn't even opened these documents yet. I showered and got everything ready to go because I am most definitely not a morning person. I thought I was set up for a smooth successful morning but I was wrong. I woke up at 6:40 but my alarm wasn't set to go off until 7:10 so I tried to go back to sleep. At 7:10, I rolled over to check Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, e-mail and of course my text messages. At 7:12 my mom came in, "Aren't you supposed to be there at 8?" Oh crap!! I don't know what I was thinking but I needed to be at the school by 8am. I quick got up and ready to go in 20 minutes (this is why I showered last night) and I was out the door. Thankfully, I didn't hit any traffic on the way but I got to my exit and went left. My GPS told me to go right but I was convinced I knew where the school was. My GPS kept telling me to make a u- turn, but I did not do it. I got to the school that I was sure was it and guess what? That was the wrong school!! Keep in mind now it is 7:52 at this point. I quick pull in to the parking lot to turn around and of course, I can't get out of the parking lot... Cars just kept coming. So at 7:55 I pull out and I now have 5 minutes to get to the school. My GPS is saying I'm only four minutes away so I stay hopeful but know I will hit every light along the way. Amazingly, I hit all green lights so I pulled into the right school at 7:59. I practically darted out of my car and into the building. I got there and the doors were all locked. I pulled on one and this lady came over and directed me to the office door. I was in such a hurry I didn't even notice that there was a door to my left with a giant sign that read, "OFFICE." The lady in the office needed to make my nametag and said she would show me around the school so it did not appear that I was late even though I pretty much was.

Thankfully, from this point on my day went up. My classroom teacher is very nice and I think her and I will get along. People in the office said she was VERY excited to have a student teacher in her room so that is a good sign. She gave me a tour of the school and introduced me to other teachers and specialists. Her and I got to talking and realized we went to the same grade school. She was in middle school when I was in elementary school (same building though). I didn't recognize her maiden name but for all I know, she was my spirit buddy. I also taught her daughter when I did childcare. She was like, "I knew you looked familiar I just couldn't place you!"

Pretty much all I did today was observe her teaching and their routine. During morning meeting we played a ball toss greeting game. I thought I should probably sit down but then I thought I really should play so it looks like I have enthusiasm (we get graded on that you know). I played and at the end it was me and two boys. The teacher said, "J, you can greet Miss. S or K." He had a huge smile on his face and greeted me. I was to toss the ball to the other kid who of course had a name I could not pronounce. I had no idea how to say it so I took a guess and it was wrong. Oh well, I tried. I am determined to get his name right next time and I will. After all, isn't everyone's favorite word their own name? I had a win in the classroom today though. The kids had the opportunity to listen to books, read with a partner, read silently or do word work. My classroom teacher had a reading group so I was just walking around talking to students, making sure they were on task and observing. One girl who was working on word work came up to me with a card that showed a picture of a trick or treat bag. She asked me what the words said. I told her to try sounding it out. I wasn't sure if that was the right approach because everything I am reading for school pushes away from sounding out words. Anyway, she tried sounding it out and she got it! I celebrated quietly with her because the room was quiet but I feel as though I should've been more enthusiastic or asked for a high five. Next time that situation comes across, I will be more prepared- I'll get that high five!

GPS

I took a GPS or Spiritual Gifts Assessment and found my results surprisingly close to what I expected the results to be. Now that I know my strengths and weaknesses I am working on ways to fine tune each area. I started by ordering 3 new books off Amazon tonight. Here are my gifts from my strengths to weaknesses. Many of these fell into the same number category. 

Teaching: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by teaching sound doctrine in relevant ways, empowering people to gain a sound and mature spiritual education. 
 
Exhortation: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by helping others live God-centered lives through inspiration, encouragement, counsel- ing, and empowerment.

Healing: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by healing and restoring to health, beyond traditional and natural means, those who are sick, hurting or suffering.

Hospitality: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by providing others with a warm and welcoming environment for community.

Miracles: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ through supernatural acts that bring validity to God and his power.

Leadership: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by casting vision, stimulating spiritual growth, applying strategies, and achieving success where God’s purposes are concerned.

Pastoring: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by taking spiritual responsibility for a group of believers and equipping them to live Christ-centered lives.

Wisdom: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by making wise decisions and counseling others with sound advice all in accordance with God’s will.

Giving: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by joyfully supporting and funding various Kingdom initiatives through material contributions beyond a regular tithe.

Faith: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by stepping out in faith in order to see God’s purposes accomplished, trusting him to handle any and all obstacles along the way.

Service: Offering others assistance in reaching goals that glorify God.

Knowledge: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by communicating God’s truth to others in a way that promotes justice, honesty and understanding.

Discernment: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by recognizing truth or error within a message, person or event.

Apostle: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by launching and leading new ministry ventures that advance God’s purposes and expand his Kingdom.

Mercy: Serve and strengthen the body of Christ by ministering to those who suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually, or relationally. Their actions are characterized by love, care, compassion, and kindness toward others.

Administration: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by effectively organizing resources and people in order to efficiently reach ministry goals.

Evangelism: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by sharing the love of Christ with others in a way that draws them to respond by accepting God’s free gift of eternal life.

Prophecy: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by offering messages from God that comfort, encourage, guide, warn, or reveal sin in a way that leads to repentance and spiritual growth.

Tongues/ Interpretation of Tongues: The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by communicating God’s message in a special language unknown to the speaker. / The God-given ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ to interpret the special language that is unknown to the speaker of tongues.

Thank you EBC for the video and definitions of each category. To view more or find your Spiritual Gifts please visit: http://eaglebrookchurch.com/gps

Introductory Speech

-->

What Makes You Tick?

Do you have a passion? My name is Liz and I have had a passion for young children for as long as I can remember. I enjoy working with children, teaching them, and watching them try new things. My passion for children and my knowledge of education inspired me to become a teacher in a private school and teach Kindergarten or Third grade. I know I can use my talents to help children grow, learn, and make a difference in their lives.

In school, I always enjoyed English, Science, and Art. I struggled with Math. I didn’t enjoy that subject until 7^th grade when I had a great math teacher. She made math more enjoyable by creating activities to go with each lesson. If a student didn’t understand a concept, she would explain it in multiple different ways. She was always willing to go out of her way to help make sure her students did the best they could.

            When she was my teacher, it was the first time I understood Algebra. It was also the first time I was able to get excited about math class. In high school, I would occasionally go to her house on the weekend for math help. She was very patient and knew how to explain the material in a way I would understand it. She and I have become very close, and I consider her and her family a part of my family. In high school, I started babysitting for her children, and I’ve been able to watch them grow and am honored to be a part of their lives. She has been a tremendous influence as to why I want to become a teacher. She showed me that you can influence a student’s life, make a difference, and be the one to help a student find love for a subject they thought they would never enjoy.

             Growing up, reading was a hobby of mine. I was considered a bookworm. I read books on the school bus, when I’d go for a walk, and I’d stay up late every night because I was so engaged in whatever book I was reading. The older I got the less I read for fun. The books which were chosen for me to read in high school and college had no interest to me so over time I lost interest in reading all together.

After taking a Children’s Literature class a couple years ago, I became a Children’s Literature fanatic. I believe reading to young children is important for many reasons. Not only is reading fun, but books help children develop language skills and provide background knowledge to all subject areas. My entire bookshelf is dedicated to Children’s Literature and for many; I have correlating lesson plans and activities to go with the story. I am constantly ordering books off Amazon, pre- ordering books from my favorite authors, and receiving the new Scholastic book order form makes my day. I love the illustrations, story lines, and memories children’s books include. 

             Good experiences with teachers, a love of learning, and a love for Children’s Literature all made me wonder if a career working with children would be a good fit for me. It was not until I started working with children in a setting outside of babysitting that I discovered it was my calling. I took a job at the YMCA working with children ages 6 weeks to 10 years old. I loved the structured setting and being able to implement curriculum to a group of children whether it was games in the gym, craft, or story time. My job at the Y helped me determine what age I wanted to teach. I enjoyed all the ages, but I felt like I could spend all day with the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers so I chose a degree in Early Childhood Education.

            Now that I have my Associates in Early Childhood Education and am going on for my Bachelor’s at Southwest Minnesota State University I am even more sure that teaching is the right career. I have had the opportunity to work at Sacred Heart as a Preschool paraprofessional and I loved it. I enjoyed watching the children try new things, make new friends, and find a love for learning that will hopefully stick with them for years to come. I took a Kindergarten Methods class and had the opportunity to spend a semester in a Kindergarten classroom. Teaching Kindergarten was everything I had hoped it would be and more. The best experience I had was doing an externship at Sacred Heart with my 3^rd grade teacher. I learned a lot from that experience as it was my 1^st time in a classroom setting where I was in charge and had to create all the lessons and activities.

            My love for children, hobbies, and the positive influence of numerous people around me has played a vital role in helping me decide to become an Early Childhood Educator. I know I can take my talents and help children grow, learn, and make a difference in their lives.