Solutions

     In light of the tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary last Friday, the same question echoes through every American's mind: "Why?" Why did this happen? Why did this happen to those kids and educators, who were doing an everyday, normal task... Simply going to school.      

And why is it, that a school is no longer a safe environment for our kids? As an educator, and as a person who adores children, this not only angers me to an extreme extent, but causes me immense heartbreak.      

These children's parents should be planning Christmas mornings, not funerals. Those kids had every right to graduate, get a job, enjoy birthdays, play in the water every summer, find love, and have kids of their own.      

They had every right to see the new year. But they are forever frozen in 2012.      

And for that, there is no justice. There is no peace of mind. There is only the anger, sadness, tears and rage that drives the fire, ensuring this kind of tragedy never happens to another educator, or another child ever again.    

And to do that, we must not forget. 

We cannot forget the slaughter of those twenty innocent  children, and those brave six teachers and educators. We cannot forget the feeling of sheer terror we all felt, when the live coverage of the event flooded every TV station. We cannot forget the images we saw of the neighbors, coworkers, friends, sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers. We cannot forget the sensation when the breathe was knocked out of us, as we heard all twenty-six names of the dead in President Obama's speech. We cannot forget the names of those children. We cannot forget the faces of those children.

We cannot forget
Noah
Emelie
Jack
Jessie
Victoria
Grace
Catherine
Dawn
Mary                                          
Lauren
Olivia
Rachel
Jessica
Ana
Charlotte
Daniel
Josephine
Chase
James
Dylan
Anne
Avielle
Benjamin

Field Trips

     My favorite field trip I went on was when in the third went to the planetarium. We were studying stars, their different patterns, the shapes, and how they line up in the sky. When we went to planetarium we had a presentation that showed us the stars above our head, and the people who worked at the planetarium told us about the different stars that were less known.

     I remember being totally entranced in the show, and loving every second of it. The screen above us made it feel like we were sitting under the stars. And when they'd focus on one star, or constellation, the screen would zoom into it, and it felt like you were in a spaceship flying through space.

     What made this trip so memorable to me was that it a lesson I had never done before. When we had talked about the stars in class, we'd look at pictures in books, or on the internet. But it always felt like we were in the classroom. This gave us a kind of out-of-body experience and made us forget that we were learning, and all we had to enjoy the field trip.

Ethical Dilemma

                    Decision Making

An ethical dilemma is when you are faced with a problem or decision, in which you question your ethics and beliefs. You are stuck between doing what is popular, or doing what you believe is right. An ethical dilemma can be prevented by being very strong in your morals and ethics, and learning that in some situations, there is no grey area. By learning that most things are black and white.

In the ethical dilemma that Mark faced, many different conflicts arose, that would sway what he would do. He wanted to be popular, but not a snitch. He wanted to maintain his social standing, but felt as if Christa was being subject to cruel bullying. He was put in a very awkward and unfair position, and was then faced with a decision he shouldn't have had to made. 

The Facebook page on was private, and in a ideal world the postings shouldnt have had to be monitored. Yes, they have to freedom to post whatever they want. But that does not mean they have the right to degrade a poor girl's reputation for laughs. That's where the morals of the members of the page would have to come into play.

     Often times we all feel the small feeling in our gut to alert us that something isn't quite right. Call it our conscience, call it intuition, call it God; call it whatever you want. But it's that warning, that feeling that something is about to go terribly wrong, and you're caught in the eye of the storm. I have been in this situation many times. Personally, I deal with it in many ways. I ask for guidance, by God or by trusted adults, then I try to slow down the whirlwind of events and problems by slowing down myself; taking a breath, and letting it be.

     If the rest of the community had gained access to the Facebook page with Christa's distorted picture, I think the school should discipline the students who posted and encouraged the photo. Though the students who did nothing, are as wrong as the others, they were not encouraging it. I believe it's a school issue because parents entrust their child's safety with the school. Mental safety, as well as physical safety. The kids who put that in jeopardy should be punished to discontinue copy cat situations in the future.

     When using the internet, we all have responsibility. Think of the amount of young, impressionable children who spend a lot of time on the internet. We need to exercise the correct morals and ethics that we wish the future generations to maintain.

     Mark has many options. He could either...

                      1. Tell the administration of his school.

                      2. Confront the students who posted the picture, and tell them to take it off.

                      3. Make a post himself, about the picture and ask for it to be taken off.

                      4. Ask his parents for guidance.

                      5. Do nothing.

If I was in Mark's shoes, I would confront the students who posted it, and ask them to take it off. I would tell them that it was highly inappropriate and completely unneeded. I would then, give them an ultimatum. If thy did not take it off the Facebook page, I'd go to administration and turn them in.

Lesson Planing 101 Blog

Useful websites for Lesson Planning!

http://havefunteaching.com/tools/lesson-plans/
The link above is a great link to use for many different types of lesson planning, discipline charts, word walls and organization! 

http://www.personal.psu.edu/scs15/idweb/lessonplanning.htm
The link above is a great link for first year teachers because it lays out lesson planning step-by-step, and clears up any confusion the reader may have.

http://www.lessonplans4teachers.com/templates.php
The link above is a awesome link for teachers looking for templates! 


In my experience when I shadowed another intern student, Skype is an awesome tool to use in the classroom. In the theatre class that Apryl DeLarosa was interning in, they were discussing the many type of technical roles you can participate in for a production. She used Skype with a family friend of mine, Brian Stuart, who has his own lighting company, and has worked on many productions. It also came in handy when she Skyped with the theatre director at Richland High, asking him about technical sound, lighting and other things. It's an awesome tool to use, because you don't have to deal with the stress of booking a guest to come in your room, you don't have to schedule a field trip, and your students love the use of technology in the classroom!

Reflection

     In this past year, I've learned many things. Some of the things that I have learned, will escape my mind as quickly as it was taught to me. Some other things, however, will continue on with me throughout life. Some, to help me figure out my budget savings, tell time, or even be able to recite the Preamble to my future children. In my adult life, I will probably never use the Pythagorean Theorem, never have to explain to someone the highlights of JFK's presidency, and never have to explain why molecules react with others. But the things I have learned in Ready Set Teach, will continue on with me forever.
     This year, I've changed. I've changed habits, people I've hung out with, and things about myself. And a lot of that has coined from not only me growing up, but also from Ready Set Teach. I've learned that kids look up to me, and I have to be a role model in and out of the classroom. In the beginning of the year, I was so afraid of making mistakes in front of my kids, looking dumb, and them thinking of me as a joke. Now, I'm not scared to take risks, do things that might be considered a little crazy, and having fun having fun. I am a lot more enthusiastic to become a teacher, mail because of the kids. My kids and I this year have bonded so much. I can't wait to create more life changing relationships with my future students. I brought closure to my students by talking to them about how much they've changed me for the better, and hugging each student and telling them something that was special about them.
     Mrs. Stevens is the best teacher ever. Her beauty, charm and wit surpasses all. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Many people come up and ask me, "Taren, why is Mrs.Stevens so awesome?!", to which I reply, "She just is". Then they ask me, "Taren, how did Mrs.Stevens become so awesome?!", to which I reply, "How did the sun get in the sky? Because it wanted to. Mrs. Stevens wanted to be awesome.... So she was."

My Animoto Video! :)

Better late, then never? :)
My Animoto Video

The High Cost of Education.

     I plan to pay for college by my grandparents, along with as many scholarships and loans as I could possibly recieve. I feel though I have not fully done my best with preparing for college, I have done well. I have not applied for FASFA.

    

Financial Literacy Can Pay-Off!

           


     In my years of being a student in public school, something I have felt that has been greatly missing is a teaching of foreign language at a young age. Studies have shown that children learn language the best at a younger age. But yet, most public schools only offer foreign language opprotunities, as late as 7th grade.
     When asked if I feel capable enough to manage money and finances on my own, my answer would be no. Though I understand the importance of saving money, and being responsible for it, I feel it hasn't been imbedded in my brain.
     I would definitely feel more secure in my future finances if I had taken a class over. It would teach me the right way to spend and save money. While also, keeping the subject in the front of my mind.

Here is an article about one school's ability to make real world connections relevant for students.

What Teachers Really Want Parents to Know.

    
     Teachers need parents to understand that we're not the bad guy. They need to realize that we really do have the child's best interest at heart. We're not the Wicked Witch of the West, and we're not the Big Bad Wolf. We simply look out for students and hope that the short year that we have with them, will teach them not only, what they need to know for the next year, but life lessons for their future.
     They also need to realize that a little correction for students is helpful and creates character. Because, we are simply pushing them in the correct direction. Kids are going to make mistakes. But there comes a time when one must learn from them. And a little help from a teacher, wouldn't hurt.
     A teachers job is to TEACH. Teach them anything we feel necessary for their upmost sucess. Teach them integrity, morals, and above everything else, self-confidence in their work.
     The phrase "Parents as partners rather than prosecutors" means that we, teachers, crave the parents approval and acceptance from them. We are not looking for a fight, but we are looking for the best opprotunity we could ever give our kids. The parents and teachers ARE ON THE SAME SIDE. Both want to see the child suceed in life. Teachers and parents fight the same fight. The fight for the future.

     This article, written by Ron Clark, further explains the diminishing relationship between teachers and their students' parents.

Glogster

My Glog!

The Rulez.

The Rulez.

1.) Give Respect to Gain Respect.

2.) Be Punctual.

3.) No Dishonesty.

4.) Thing Before You Speak.

5.) Be Encouraging.

6.) Support Each Other.

7.) Get Your Work Done.

8.) Use Phones at Appropriate Times.

9.)Take Things Seriously.

10.) WE ARE A FAMILY.

"Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity?" Response

In Sir Ken Robinson's speech entitled, "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" he discusses the flaws in public school by explaining how  modern schools reinforce only a small variety of subjects.

Creativity is the use of the imagination or original ideas, ect. in the production of an artistic work.

Creativity matters in Education because it not only gives the students a reason to enjoy school, but also fosters original ideas, and a new sense of originality and a sense of self confidence.

I see creativity in my site school class in many ways. In my class, we emphasize originality profoundly. The kids are often assigned writing assignments, to write about ANYTHING that is somewhat connected to the prompt. They are able to express themselves in their writing on a weekly basis. Also, every other day before class officially starts, they are given ten minutes to write about absolutely ANYTHING in their writers journal. Most entries consist of anything from between diary entries, to short stories, to picture comics.

Another way I see creativity in my site school class is by Poetry Island. Poetry Island is a competition we are doing, and for the expanse of four weeks, each group of students receive one poem to memorize, and then preform in class on Friday. The students are given free reign of their presentation. They can sing, dance, act, do puppet shows, ANYTHING that can be construed as a performance. Creativity is very prominent in my site school.

Hire me, please!

I think some of my strengths in a job interview would be that I'm really personable, and easy to like.
I also think, that some of my weaknesses in a job interview would be that when I'm nervous, I either say too much, or too little. I either can't shut my mouth, or can't seem to open it.


I think I can get over my weaknesses but not psyching myself out. Because when I am nervous about something, I dwell on it, which makes me even more nervous.


I have never interviewed for a job, but I think when I do, I hope I will be nice, pleasant and presentable.

The Ideal Classroom

In my Ideal Classroom, when the students come in they would work on vocabulary for about 10 minutes, to become more acquainted with the terms we will use in class. Everyday we will go over three new vocabulary words, then review the words from earlier in that week and before.

Then, we would do improv, or work on the scenes/monolouges that the kids would be doing. About 20 minutes before class ends, we would have volunteers go up to show what they've done.

Grinch or Santa?

     I think that we should celebrate the Christmas holiday in the classroom. Though Christmas is a Christian holiday, it is also a holiday that characterizes good cheer and happiness in the holiday season. Keeping it within the classroom emphasizes nice feelings and sense of peace.

     It also promotes a sense of unison and harmony within the classroom by those good feelings as well.

     While also, providing a well deserved break to the students for parties, gift exchanges, holiday snacks, ect.