A child of God educating other children.

I picked out my pajamas that I am wearing tomorrow for our pj party that the kids earned for good behavior.

I am in the middle of preparing for the girls staying over here tomorrow night for Acquire the Fire.
I'm looking forward to the worship, fellowship and teachings of this weekend...not so excited about the late nights and non-stop activities. This week has worn me out with the ESL study sessions, early Wednesday morning pastries with parents, and trying to get the house ready for company.
I need to do a little more laundry then grocery shopping for breakfast Saturday.

Maybe tonight I'll be able to fall asleep soon after I get in bed.

Posted in: on Thursday, March 30, 2006 at at 4:35 PM 0 comments    

I didn't have my observation today...I didn't write it down on my calendar...it's actually next Tuesday.

I am really enjoying teaching dinosaurs to the students. It's a fun subject and the kids really like it.

Scholastic made a very good goof for my teacher and gave her double on an order. So now instead of purchasing the students books when they read a certain amount she has a couple boxes of books for them to choose from, and also gave me some really cute and some really helpful books that are building my classroom library!

I had the ESL study session again tonight. It's really good and really helping me. I'm pretty sure I'll pass the ESL practice test in April after these sessions and looking over the material again.

I got to work out again tonight to my Crunch Standing Pilates video. I really like the total body workout it gives. Makes me feel healthier.

Tomorrow is our Pastries with Parents so I have to be at the school at 7, which means I need to leave no later than 6:20, which means I need to wake up at 5, which means I need to be in bed now.

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 at at 6:29 PM 0 comments    

I dug for dinosaur bones.
I sat in a dinosaur foot print.
I laid on a bed of nails.
I walked across a construction beam above lots of buildings.
I road on a bus.
I took a lot of Kindergarteners on their first field trip.

Today was wonderful! It was so much fun to see the excitement in the kid's eyes. For most of them even the bus ride was a highlight of their day because it was their first time on a bus. I got to walk around with a group of the kids all day and help explore and discover many things. The kids and adults were all exhausted after the day long field trip, and the students were wondering why they were going home 30 minutes after they got back to school. I think they were assuming we'd have our regular day of school afterwards. So cute.

I also started my 3 day ESL study session. I just finished printing out the preparation manual again. They gave us wonderful study papers for this, and now I need to manual to answer the questions we will go over tomorrow in our next session. 3 days of 2 hour sessions, then reading through the material again should prepare me for my ESL certification.

I realized this weekend that my transcript from one school I was only at for a semester was while I was still in school there, so it doesn't have my grades or GPA. Have to wait until that gets mailed to me this week to fill out applications. Will I ever get around to these? I know I will, but it just feels like this process is taking way longer than it should. Maybe I could go ahead and fill some out, but I'm too scared to start an application and not be able to finish it online and then have to start all over. Maybe that wont happen, but I don't know what will. I'd rather have everything together and ready to be filled out.

Posted in: on Monday, March 27, 2006 at at 5:42 PM 0 comments    

Tomorrow is . . .
. . . our kindergarten field trip . . .
. . . the first day of a 3 day study session for ESL certification . . .
. . . a day without seeing Tim . . .
. . . when I will prepare for my first kindergarten evaluation on Tuesday . . .
. . . another God blessed day.

Posted in: on Sunday, March 26, 2006 at at 7:34 PM 0 comments    

After school my teacher and I talked about the discipline strategies of Love and Logic. I think the whole school I am at uses these techniques. I was first introduced to them by the 3rd grade teacher I worked with. It takes a little while to get thing ingrained in your head to where you don't even have to think about what you do. I've picked up some of it, and other parts I am having to make myself do, and then there's still more that I know what to do, but am having a hard time switching my vocabulary. It's hard to force something into your vocabulary, but I just need to.

I've seen Love and Logic work and totally support it. This is not only recommended for teachers, but parents also, so if you want to look into it here's the website:

http://www.loveandlogic.com/

Posted in: on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at at 6:13 PM 0 comments    

Today was good also. The kids were more squirmy, but I'm getting use to the wiggles and the noise level. We are studying dinosaurs right now, so it's fun getting excited about the information and then seeing the kid's excited face. It makes me so happy to see how the smallest thing means the world to these kids and their face just lights up with excitement.

I talked to the assistant principal a little this morning. We crossed paths in the front offices. She talked to me about how to go about applying for jobs and gave me some good tips. Looks like this weekend will be my time to get everything in order and start filling out my online applications.

It's 9pm and time for me to get in bed. I've been super tired lately and not feeling the greatest. I've been getting around earlier in the morning because my teacher gets to school early, and with me getting to school earlier it gives me time to relax and go over the morning lessons. Time for some cold medicine and sleep!

Posted in: on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at at 6:57 PM 0 comments    

I did the majority of the morning today in Kindergarten. The kids were good. I was a little lost only seeing some of the routine once before diving in, but I think I did pretty well. I wasn't as nervous giving it a try as I was with third grade. I'm thinking that's either because I've done this before or that I am more comfortable with the younger kids. I'm not really sure which it is. My teacher sat down with me during our planning time and went over how I did and suggestions on areas to improve in. I felt pretty good about it, so we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

I picked up my graduation packet today and my robe. I am so excited to say that I get 10 tickets to invite people for graduation. This means I've got the 5 for my family, one for Tim and then both sets of grandparents! And I don't even have to worry about seeing if I can get extras. They have a limit on extra tickets anyways...we can only get a max of 2 more tickets on top of our ten. And the morning they are letting people get extra tickets I have a doctors appointment back home, so I wont be able to get them. But it works out perfectly that I get 10 tickets. I couldn't be happier.

I had a chance to sign up for announcements and a class ring, both of which I passed on. It'll be a lot cheaper to make my own announcements, so thats another thing on my list of things to do before I graduate. This will be put behind my applications and portfolio though. And then I wouldn't ever wear my class ring. I like the education department at my school for the most part, but I'm not proud enough of the school to sport a ring. I don't know how much I would wear any school ring since I don't ever wear rings anyways.

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at at 6:46 PM 0 comments    

It was hard waking up this morning, although I got out of bed faster than right before Spring Break. I need to get to school a little earlier tomorrow morning to make sure I'm reading for taking on some responsibilities in the classroom. I'll soon find out how I do with Kindergarten. I love kids. I loved my third grade class, and I'm already getting attached to the kindergarteners. I'm not really sure which I like better. Right now I would say third, but that's cause I have spent more time with them. I just need to wait.

At our team meeting today the teachers were very helpful. I was sharing my frustration with not knowing how much work goes into getting a job. Then we started talking about portfolios, which I don't have one. So on top of filling out online applications I need to start putting a portfolio together. Which this probably means going home some weekend and getting the things for that which I left at home. Maybe one weekend Tim will be so kind to spend a Friday night in Texarkana so I don't have to make the trip on my own and then if he is even sweeter he can help me with the technical photo album part of my portfolio with making a scrapbook of me with my student teaching experience. So much to do, and I'm afraid I won't have time or the energy. Now is the time to let God's strength shine through my weaknesses.

Posted in: on Monday, March 20, 2006 at at 7:00 PM 2 comments    

I had a fun time being home this week. I got to spend time with my family and sleep in twice. I am now on Facebook and am another step closer to applying for teaching jobs. Tomorrow I will go to Church, more than likely the youth Sunday School and help out, eat lunch with the family, pack up and head back to Carrollton. And then see Tim!!! I am so excited and ready to see Tim again, but I don't feel like I've had enough time to hang out with my family. That's mainly my fault 'cause I decided to sign up for facebook and that's been taking a lot of my time. I get addicted to things so easily.

I'm excited about facebook though because as far as I can tell so far it's so much more secure than myspace, the level of pornography is much much smaller, and I've been able to find people I've wanted to get in touch with for a while. I'm thinking I will probably for sure get off of myspace by the end of this semester. There are a few people on there that I don't want to loose touch with, so I'll just have to make sure I get their email before cancelling. I like myspace for the youth and campers I've had in previous years, but I'm sick of the pornography in people's pictures and the adds across the top, and I'm not fond of random interent people popping up every once in a while to "get to know me." Don't worry, I don't respond to them, in which they in return don't write any more.

So anyways, this week was great. I had a few good talks with Dad, went shopping with Mom, read the Bible with Katelin and pampered Faith (our kitty). And I get to bring back my mop flops to Carrollton that Katelin, Mom and I made together. I have pink, Katelin has purple and Mom has orange.

Posted in: on Saturday, March 18, 2006 at at 9:03 PM 0 comments    

I didn't know that teacher applications took so much effort and time. I'm still trying to get everything together and right so I can fill out and complete my first application. I started about 4 days ago with the basics and am slowly finding more and more that I need to get together before I can complete an application. My goal now is to have all of my applications in by the end of this month. It's going to take a lot of dedication and determination. Too bad there wasn't a course at school that prepared us for this. Either way I'm learning it now!

Posted in: on Friday, March 17, 2006 at at 8:10 PM 0 comments    

Spring Break is finally here! I've been needing a break so I can get myself organized. I was going to start filling out teaching applications online for various school districts, but then saw that I need 3 references handy to fill out...and I need to get those. I emailed a couple people today about it, but will probably try to call them tomorrow or choose someone else. We'll see.

I came home yesterday in time for dinner. My family went to some really good bbq place where I got a rib plate. Sooo tasty! Today I went shopping with my mom and then played DDR with my sister tonight. Oh...and my blonde moment for the day...
Katelin and I needed to go to the store to get batteries and we were trying to decide which brand is better: Energizer or Duracell. They were both the same price, so then we were looking for an expiration date on them. Well Energizer had "Use By: 2012" We thought for about 5 minutes about what date 2012 is . . . trying to figure out what month, day and year it was trying to tell us. Then finally Katelin with all her brains figured out it was only the year 2012. We had a good long laugh at ourselves for how long we pondered that. We ended up getting Energizer because Duracell didn't have a date on theirs, so figured we'd be safe and go with a batter that should be good for the next 6 years.

Tomorrow I don't know what I'm doing. Hopefully doing my first online application, or at least typing up my resume for a teaching position. Today I went through and found the website for a few school districts I'd be interested in and then looked up the starting pay. That took a good amount of time 'cause I have about 15 different school districts on my list. Some in the area, and some that are places that I think would be fun to live. My ideal position would be to get hired on where I am student teaching, and if that doesn't happen then that district is nice, but then I started thinking about that I really don't have anything tying me down . . . I can venture off and live somewhere I wouldn't normally. But then again I know I will want people around my first couple years of teaching for when I have my hard days which will be many. But I don't know what will happen. It's in God's hands, and I need to get on the ball and do my part of applying so I do have options that God can work with.

Posted in: on Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at at 9:29 PM 1 comments    

I'm tired of failing the esl practice test. Third time, and I only went up 2 points since the last time, which probably means I only got one more question correct than last time. At least this time I'll be able to find out which sections I am understanding and which ones I need work in. I just pray that the study session with the school district I am student teaching in will teach me all I need to know.

This week has been interesting. I started Kindergarten, went on the 3rd grade field trip Thursday, and then today was the Kindergarten Rodeo and then saw Cowboy Grady who came to talk. I also got moved to another classroom for a little bit to help out another teacher.

Tonight was fun. Tim took me out on a date. We went to see 16 Blocks with Bruce Willis. Great movie. And then we went to dinner at Bennigan's. Tim brought his video camera to blog about it on his site, so that should be up shortly. And then to end the night we visited the park where we first started dating and to see our Willow tree where it started. And guess what . . . they chopped down the Willow! All thats left of it is a little stump. We still took pictures to keep our tradition, but I'll be surprised if we go back again. I guess we'll have to find another special spot. We didn't spend much time with the tree, and decided to play around on the playground.

And then I started falling asleep in the car on the way home, so I'm about to go to bed.

Posted in: on Friday, March 10, 2006 at at 7:41 PM 1 comments    

I have never been able to remember a certain car that I drive with in traffic each day until this one lady. One morning I was completly shocked by the bad driving of this lady who cut me off at least 2 times and a few others at least 2 times within a 10 minute period. While turning left at an intersection she drove into the next lane while a car was there causing the other car to have to switch lanes also. I was hoping that this was a one time thing and I wouldn't be on the road at the same time with her ever again.

Then the next morning there she was again. I was actually behind her for a while before I realized who it was 'cause she was driving better. I didn't recognize the look of the car until after her driving skills gave her away. At the same turn that started me noticing her bad driving she was completely off the lane of the road and on the shoulder then quickly cut someone off. Again, I didn't recognize the car until I remembered the driving habits.

And then again this morning, although she is getting a little better, she totally went into the next lane while turning left at an intersection while someone was driving in that lane. I knew better than to drive next to her and decided to stay behind and take my time.

I think I might need to start leaving earlier so I wont be out at the same time as her.

Posted in: on Monday, March 06, 2006 at at 6:10 PM 2 comments    

Tim and I went to Abilene Friday night for a friend's wedding Saturday. I wanted to go early so I had time to see my friend Sherrie before her wedding and I wouldn't get a time to see her. I also wanted to have more time to hang out with friends. My mind is still boggled by the lessons I learned this weekend.

The main one is that some people don't grow up. I'm embarrassed to think back and figure out if I actually acted like these people still act. And sadly enough, more than likely I probably did. I've come to a point where I've realized that a lot of this immaturity just has to be shrugged off, and along with that the person too and move on with life and surround myself with other people. I wasn't really shocked, but dismayed when I got a bad look from the girl who was my best friend when I lived in Abilene when I sat with my friend Sarah instead of with all the sorority girls during the wedding. Little petty stuff like that isn't really worth any time fretting over.

Another lesson I learned is that I need people. I thrive off of people. This isn't a new concept, but I am really realizing that I need more than Tim to satisfy my social needs. And I don't need just anyone, I need girls. I need girl friends who I can hang out with and relate to. Tim tries to fulfill my needs, and I try to make him fulfill my needs of attention, but it's not enough. No one person can fulfill my need for attention. On the drive back from Abilene I started wondering how I would do if I gave this need to God. Can God fill this attention void I have? I bet he can, and I'm curious to see how that would work. Guess this is my next life lesson to learn even deeper.

Tim wrote some about these two lessons on his blog, and also put a short video of our trip.
Check it out...
http://www.timschmoyer.com/2006/03/04/lessons-in-abilene/

My favorite parts of the trip were getting to see my friends Sarah, Jenny and Kelle. These girls have grown and matured over the years, and it's so nice to know that as I have changed, they have too and I can relate to them.

I have also become completely grateful that I moved away from Abilene. I've always kinda regretted it, but I am so glad now that I left.

Posted in: on Sunday, March 05, 2006 at at 7:28 PM 1 comments    

I finished up with my third grade class on Thursday. My teacher came and observed me then I left early for our student teacher meeting at 1:30. I really enjoyed working with my teacher and being in the 3rd grade classroom. I already miss them tons. Monday I start Kindergarten, I'm nervous, but I'm sure I'll have a good time in there also.

My teacher got me two wonderful teacher gifts to help me decorate when I get my own classroom. I've shown everyone I possibly can. And the students wrote me goodbye cards which are too adorable. There are 3 specific ones that made me crack up laughing . . . and I read these during my student teacher meeting. :) One was a picture drawn of me, just found it too funny, another one a student listed everyone's name in the class "in case I forget about them," and the other one said, "You teached us good." Sure does look like it! The cards are all so sweet. I'm really going to miss the kids. It's amazing how attached you get in such a short amount of time.

Posted in: on Saturday, March 04, 2006 at at 7:57 PM 1 comments