Tuesday, April 22, 2014

My Fav. Web 2.0 Tool


The Web 2.0 tool that I will use most as a future educator would have to be Pinterest. I used to always hear people speak about it but never understood why until I got in this class. I literally type whatever pops up in my head and somebody has already pinned things that I can relate to. I will use Pinterest for ice breakers mostly and some lesson plan ideas or fun games that I can use in order to get my point across to the students. I will also use it for the helpfulness of what professional and what isn’t, so that as a teacher but also a role model I set a good example for my students. I feel that Pinterest does have a few minor problems but overall it has been my favorite weekly assignment. I also like how you can see what the people you are following pin and what things interest them. Because I started this in class I follow my fellow classmates but eventually I am going to follow other people who are also going into the education field.

Last Minute


Oh my gosh so this past month has been so stressful for me, due to teachers piling all these major assignments and activities on me during the very end. Not only are they at the very end but it causes me to have to present multiple times during the day. I have had a major project due in every class but not only that but most of them are multiple parts, meaning I will have to do one thing and then go to the next part and have to sometimes write a paper about whatever I presented. I have literally pulled nearly 4 all-nighters within a two week span period. I know when I become a teacher I will not put this much stress and hard work on my students right before they go onto break. But yet I will spread it out throughout the school year. I will also help them when they are struggling whether it’s hard or not.



Thursday, April 10, 2014

Listening to Music while Studying


I have really been thinking about the kind of music I listen to but not only that but when I listen to it most. Lately I have really had to listen to music while completing any of my school work which is weird because I use to have to be in a quiet area. I often listen to Gospel or R&B songs when doing work just because it works better for me. I feel like when I hear certain songs it lifts my spirits and gives me the encouragement I need to complete the assignment. The only downfall for this is because when I am taking my certification I won’t be able to have any noise and so now I have began studying in complete silence which is kind of a stretch. When I become a teacher I will ask any class I have how they feel about having music playing quietly while they are doing assignments such as writing prompts. In the class I have been observing plays music in two out of four of her classes because the students requested it and also they act appropriately when the music is on. I am going to look further into this thought.







Friday, April 4, 2014

Hardest Month

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal”

Today marks one month since my brother have been taken away from me. I have smiled and I have smiled some more but today is a mixture between smiling and crying, I know he would want me to smile but it’s hard. I can’t wait to graduate so that I can move back home because being out here at Prairie View has been tough. Imagine seeing somebody three or four times a week to none, my daily routines have changed and therefore I am reminded of what is going on. I will say before Tyler left we were talking about the goals I wanted to achieve before the end of March and I did exactly that by passing my representative exam for my particular content area. I couldn't do anything but shout because I know he would have told me great job. I am now preparing to take the actual exam which will cost so by the end of July I can hopefully be fully certified, which will make student teaching even easier. Also in March I was recognize along with some other students for being on the Deans Honor Roll not one semester but two. I feel like that is a great accomplishment for me because I always put school second from 2009 until 2012 due to just not focusing but once I sat down and focus I did over and beyond. So I’m here to say if you put your mind and heart to it you can do anything. 






Fast Semester

Wow I can’t believe how fast this semester has went by; it feels like the year has just started and now we have about a month left in school. For the past year at least it feels like I always become much stressed out around this time of the semester because most of my teachers wait until now to assign all these huge projects and then I have to cram everything in while still trying to do well. I knocked out two presentations this week, as well as two papers equaling 18 pages all together. If everything works out correctly with summer school, which I pray it does this will be my last full semester in classes, because I will be student teaching in August. I cannot wait to student teach because I feel like it’s going to be a great experience especially because most likely the school I’m going to work at will be like the one I want to teach at. My dream job is to teach at a low income school, because I feel like it will be a bigger challenge and that is the kind of school I came from. Most times at those kinds of schools the teachers that are there don’t really care about the students or feel like they can’t teach them because of the way the child acts. So in the next year I plan on teaching at a school exactly like that.




March 04, 2014

It’s been said time heals all wounds. I don’t agree. The wounds remain, in time the mind, protecting its sanity covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. March 04, 2014 I lost my best friend/my brother and I would be a liar to say that it doesn't hurt and isn't hard. Being at Prairie View was only because he went here and I knew he would look out for me. I remember being at work and receiving the phone call to rush to his apartment only to be told that he was already gone. I thank God for taking him away peacefully but yet I still wonder why. I can say Prairie View student body has done over and beyond to not only make sure that I am okay but also just showing their love for Tyler. He was a football player, graduate student, barber in University College, friend, brother, and a son. To me he was a fighter, lover, protector, motivator, best friend, the best play brother I have ever had.

I remember when I was about to drop out of college and give up due to everything seeming to knock me down and Tyler said “If you quit, I will quit and we will both be stupid!” That saying has stuck with me for the past two years and anytime I feel like I can’t do it I remember what he said, because he has graduated with his Bachelors degree and was pursing to get his Masters. That in itself was great because that was a promise we made with each other. So I love you Ty-Ty and know everything I am doing is for you.



Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Stranger Anxiety/Attachment Theory

This past week we talked about the Emotional and Social Development of children and I found quite a few things very interesting. We had a mini class discussion about the attachment that a child has towards their parents which is what the book spoke about but while reading a couple of magazines it spoke about parents being too attached to the children. It was weird to hear students in my class speak about how they are still so attached to their parents or guardian even at the age of 20 and older. Me personally I broke that attachment at a young age, but now it seems as if it’s coming back. Well I won’t say I’m becoming attached but I do want to be around my family more now than I have ever wanted to be. Another topic discussed was Stranger Anxiety which is when a child cries and becomes scared when you aren’t around and a stranger comes around. When the child goes through this it means that your child is starting to grasp the concept of “object permanence”, which is the idea that objects and people continue to exist even when he/she can’t see them. To help your child bi-pass this stage or get over this stage you as the parent have to slowly introduce them to new situations as well as people while reassuring that everything will be okay. These two topics stuck out to me most, because you do often in the elementary ages see these kinds of things happening, and you as a teacher need to know how to deal with it also.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Fears before Graduation

I often thought I had no fears at this point in my life, until I realized that I plan on graduating December 2014 and have to take my certification test. I am basically freaking out and so stress out that I can barely focus on anything else. I have never been a great nor good test taker and to know that this could hold me back from doing what I long to do blows my mind completely. I have began doing the necessary study methods and practicing on Certify Teacher and taking practice TeXes exams but I feel that it’s just not enough for me. I recently looked into purchasing the Generalist Ec-6 Study manual so that I could have some more study materials, but then I think do I really need that or should I just do what the school has provided. I am a believer in the almighty God above, so I have found myself praying and asking him for guidance. Guidance to help me do over and beyond on the actual test but also so that I can be the best teacher I can be. Glad I could get this off my chest, now it’s time to get to studying. I claim I will be fully certified by the end of the summer 2014.

Article about overcoming fears(Read if you may): 


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Teaching is Life

Today while observing the students were talking about different career fields they want to be in and why. While I was sitting there the teacher ask me to think about why do I want to be a teacher. I immediately began to ponder and realized that one this is something that I have wanted to do all my life, but also I feel like I was called to do this. I have a passion for teaching, and my heart desires to see somebody else in the world especially the newer generation to do something incredible. I have always thought about how I would run my class, and I know for sure it would be very discipline and great classroom management, but my students will also have freedom of expression. I believe that every child is different but that they are all going to be something in life.  Right now in my life I am only a couple of steps away from making my dream reality and it is very bitter sweet. At times I get really nervous and wonder will I be a great teacher and then I realize that I can do anything I put my mind to.  My current biggest fear within my degree is not passing my classes but getting certified by July 2014. That is a goal I have set for myself and I pray that I do just that. Teaching is not what I have to do but what I want to do, and I am going to go over and beyond for my students. 




This link tells a few points about the importance of being  a great teacher.










Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Professional Goals


As an educator you should have more that you want to achieve than to just stay where ever you begin. Meaning you should have multiple professional goals. When I hear professional goals, I think about what I want to achieve as a teacher but also where I want to go in my professional life. Right now as a student my professional goal and focus is to become certified by the end of summer 2014, and also to do an amazing job student teaching. Those are my short term goals but as in long term I want to go to graduate school and receive my Masters in Education and also receive my degree in Counseling. I will then use this to move further up in the education field. I do not want to be in the classroom all my life, because I feel like there is more than just teaching students in the room but maybe doing some hands-on activities. I also want to move into teaching more than just up to sixth grade but when dealing with the counseling aspect I want to counsel and help students mainly in high school, during that transitioning part from high school to college.  When thinking about professional goals remember there is a lot that comes into them and make sure they are meaningful to you.