A World of Difference!

Above, is a picture of the large bulletin board outside my classroom. It is going to be the start of an entirely new thing to my students....the writing process. From what I have gathered, they have done little to no writing in their high school English classes. The writing that I have had them do so far for my class, I've been told, has been more writing than they did "all of last year." I keep asking myself how that is even possible. I've only had these students for two months! It makes perfect sense why they didn't make AYP in Reading or Writing the past two years.

On a different note, I seem to be getting along rather well with my students, and have had very few discipline issues in my classes. I missed a day last week to attend a workshop, and ended up coming to my classroom to get the papers to grade from that day. When students saw that my light was on and my door was open, I had many of them tell me that they missed me. It was hard for me not to laugh because I know they were being genuine, but I was only gone for a day! It definitely made my day, however. I'm glad that things are still going so well.

Living my Dream

I am still in shock that I finally have a job. My mom and I always talked about me becoming a teacher and I still can't believe that I am finally doing it. Above, is a picture of a bulletin board that I created for my students.

It is officially seven weeks into my first year of teaching, and I really am loving it. I admit that it took a while for me to get used to the amount of work I needed to do, but I am truly living my dream.

I am teaching five sections of English class and I have freshman through juniors. I am really loving this teaching thing so far!

Needin' Some Cheery Ambiance

-----Cheergiver.com (The nerd in me loves this photo!)




I discovered this great website called Cheergiver.com. Some of the info on there really made me smile. Sometimes it's necessary to find a way to laugh...even if it's at myself. ;)


Quote of the Day: "Today my own well-being is my top priority."

"Butt-Aid"

Yup, this product actually exists. I still cannot stop laughing at this one...

Iridescent

This is a song by Linkin Park that I recently found on YouTube and absolutely fell in love with. The words speak to me so much right now...

Iridescent: "displaying a spectrum of colours that shimmer and change due to interference and scattering as the observer's position changes"
-----Dictionary.com

Let the Job Search Begin!

So I have finally graduated from college. There is still a part of me that feels that I'm in some sort of dream. It has been my life-long goal in life to go to college and get my teaching degree. I still cannot believe that I have finally reached that point. I know that there is still a long road ahead of me in actually finding a job, but I've literally lost count on just how many teaching applications I have filled out. I am lucky to have a job to fall back on if I don't get a teaching job by the end of August. I know that many of my friends who graduated in the same program aren't so lucky.

The above picture was from teaching interview number 2, about 4 hours from my home. I love the area, love the school district, and am checking the website every day for the English postings. I am keeping my fingers crossed on this one. And if this doesn't work out, then I have interview number 3 in a couple of days!

This is what happens when you set English college students loose on creating a "children's" story...

---Image copyright of Chris Van Allsburg, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

The following children's story was written today during a college-level education class from the picture included below. Our goal of this story was to produce a light-hearted, soap-opera of a story, living up to its cheesy stereotypes. Enjoy!

Even with her mighty engines in reverse, the ocean liner was pulled further and further into the canal.

As the captain watched the rubble from the crumbling buildings spill across the deck, he could not stop his heart from aching. While his crewmen scattered about to throw the anchor, Captain John Stamos remained as rigid as a board. He knew as long as he yearned for his love, no earthly machine could keep them apart.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the city of Venice, Captain John Stamos' love, Cher, could feel his presence grow nearer. Although she had been forced into marriage with Mr. Sonny Bono, her unfailing flame of desire for Captain John Stamos would never be extinguished.

Finally snapping back to reality, Captain John Stamos ordered his crew-mates, "Don't lower the anchor! Our journey isn't over yet, and is far more important than these man-made structures!"

Though the crew thought Captain John Stamos had clearly lost his mind, they obeyed orders and retreated to their cabins to avoid the showers of rubble.

Finally Captain John Stamos found Cher on the horizon. His heart burning with passion, he tossed her a life raft with his love. They lived happily ever after in a long life at sea. Although most of the entire city of Venice had to be rebuilt, Captain John Stamos and Cher's hearts were welded together once more.