Math_conference_2012

Hi!
Today is the day....I am turning in my Phase 4 Portfolio! It is one of the last steps before graduation and I could not be happier.  It's been a long road (about 8 years since I started back to school in Michigan). I'm grateful to have had the chance to attend school and meet wonderful people along the way.  In celebration of our upcoming graduation, I decided to post one of my favorite videos from the Math Conference earlier this year.  Katie, Sarah, Natalie, and I had such a fun time!





Happy Friday!

It's been awhile...

Hi!
It has been awhile since I've posted a blog. I have been hard at work finishing up things for school and in order to finish all of it I had to take a break from Facebook, Blogger, and Pinterest.  I'm usually done with assignments and papers well in advance but this semester has been a little different.  I have not been late with my assignments, but I certainly have not been early.  :)

So, I figured I would post a "catch up" blog.

1) I found these cute keyboard stickers on Amazon a few weeks ago.  I was thinking of using them as part of a Word Work station for Daily 5 but I'm scratching the keyboarding from Word Work all together.  I still think they are cute and Riley seems to like them. :)

 

2) Riley participated in Election Day again. The first time she came and voted with me (2008) she was asleep in her car carrier.  This time she went in with Nick and I and got to see the voting booth.

3) At school, Riley had to decorate a turkey to make it look like a member of our family. This is what Riley's turkey ended up looking like:

 

4) We had a great day at school yesterday! There was a PBIS assembly in the afternoon and Grandparent's Day in the afternoon.  On the calendar Grandparent's Day comes around in September, but our principal decided to schedule the Grandparent's Day right before Thanksgiving break.  This is brillant because it meant that grandparents who live out of state could come and celebrate at our school while they are in town!  We had a great time. :)

For the next 5 days I will be enjoying a nice break and spending time with my family.  I hope you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving. :)

Honesty is the Best Policy

One thing I love about kids is that they are brutally honest- especially younger ones.  Some of them have not learned how to filter their comments yet, which can be helpful when you are looking for truthful answers.

I just finished Week 9 of my student internship and one of the components I have to complete for the University is a mid-point evaluation.  I complete one, my cooperating teacher completes one, and then we compare notes.  Well, I thought it would be a good idea to have my students complete one too.  After all, they see me teach every day and they can offer valuable insight into how I teach.  I used one of the surveys I found in the text  Comprehensive Classroom Management: Creating Communities of Support and Solving Problems, Vernon & Louise Jones, 8th Ed., 2007 and added two additional questions.

Here's what I ended up with:

This survey offered me some valuable insight into how my students view me.  They also liked having the chance to "grade" me.  Enjoy your day!

Just another ordinary Friday...

Friday was quite the day! It's not every day that the Vice President of the United States makes a stop at a local middle school gymnasium. :)  Now, I have to make a quick disclaimer:  I am not making a political statement about either party! I am simply saying it is kind of exciting that the current Vice President comes to a school district to speak. So, I had to go and check it out.  Mr. Jones took some students with him from his school and I went with.

                 

 I have to say the teachers and staff at Aldrich did an AMAZING job getting ready for this event and handling all of the "things" that went along with it. :)

Superintendent Steve McNeal 

Tom Barrett

The media

V.P. Biden

Picture taken on my cell phone (not the best). :)

 After this event wrapped up, I hurried back to my school in time to have our class Because of Winn-Dixie party.

We just finished reading the book and celebrated by watching the movie and throwing a party just like the one in the story.  I cut out lots of dog pictures and decorated the hallway with them.  We put up pink, orange, and yellow crepe paper on our door and wrapped some horehound candy in tin foil for Littmus Lozenges.  Our wonderful parents set up a table full of egg salad sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, pickles, and Dump punch too!

It was quite the day and one I won't soon forget!