CR Round 3

What I've been doing: I just got back from another trip to Costa Rica.  I never get tired of going there and spending time with family and friends.  My sister decided to study abroad in CR for a month this summer.  We went down a week early before her program and showed her around parts of the country I love so much.

Wednesday: Spent time in San Ramon, got a maracuya milkshake, coffee at Lucy's, church that night.  I think sis was overwhelmed with the Spanish.  That night I was texting my friend in English and I could not remember how to structure the sentence in English!  It felt good to speak Spanish 24/7 again.

 
Thursday: Trip to Manuel Antonio.  We went to the crocodile bridge, my flip flop broke, sis and I parasailed, we saw monkeys, swam in the rain, body surfed, watched the sunset.

Friday: Walking around San Jose, bought a stuffed sloth, hot springs, sleeping at la finca.

Saturday: Started the day with ziplining, then stopped by the river, and then watched the CR vs Netherlands soccer game.  Devastating loss after double overtime and penalty kicks.  Movie night and looking at San Ramon from my favorite viewpoint.

Sunday: Church, family lunch, playing cards, movie night.

Monday: Coffee with a friend, dropped sis off at the airport to meet with her study abroad group, mall in Heredia, English class with my brother.

Tuesday: Spent all day in San Ramon with the people I love, making crafts, playing cards, eating dinner at a friend's house.  Heart to hearts with my host sister.

Wednesday: I always leave a piece of my heart there.  Until next time Costa Rica...

PS: Shout out to my Aunt Terry for reminding me that people actually do read my blog.  :)

Con mucho amor.

Twitter

What I'm learning: WOW.  I just finished my first Twitter chat with educators across the globe.  I've had a personal Twitter for several years now.  Last semester I used Twitter to connect with students and share homework assignments during my time student teaching.  We did class discussions and I had the students tweet their thoughts and opinions when they weren't sharing aloud in class.  This summer I have been learning how to use Twitter for professional development.  I got up bright and early to participate in the #nt2t (New Teachers 2 Twitter) chat.  It's Saturday mornings 9am EST, aka 6am in Oregon.  When people say that "teachers have summers off" they do not know the amount of time and energy teachers put in over the summer as well.  I have been working hard this summer to read, connect and grow professionally.

This morning I learned about Evernote.  One teacher sent me the link to THIS conference presentation about Evernote that I need to watch.  Someone else sent me the link to an e-book about Evernote: The Complete Guide to Evernote in Education.

People also shared their blogs.  Here are a few that I want to check out.
http://creatingsuperheroes.wordpress.com/
http://adolescential.blogspot.com/
http://btcostello05.wordpress.com/
http://tritonkory.wordpress.com/
http://principalhowell.blogspot.com/
http://thecompellededucator.blogspot.com/

Here is a spreadsheet with all the different Twitter chats about education.  One teacher asked me to join the #tlap chat on Mondays.  Teach like a Pirate by Dave Burgess is a book I am currently reading.  It's SO GOOD.  Lots of neat ways to improve as a teacher.

I only wish I would have had the courage to try out Twitter as a teacher earlier.  I can only imagine how much I would have grown and improved by now.  My first chat was exciting, fast-paced, and overwhelming.  Connecting with other teachers was incredibly fulfilling.  I am not working for a specific school district next year, so it is neat to start to form a community.

Student Teaching

What I've been doing:  Full-time student teaching stressed me out like no other.  I thought fall semester was challenging, and then I jumped into the spring.  I taught at a small, rural school for the past four months.  I taught freshmen and sophomore English, and two periods of Spanish 1.  I taught one freshmen English class, but I had to teach the same thing my mentor teacher was using with the rest of her classes.  I had much more freedom and developed everything for the Sophomores.  I taught To Kill a Mockingbird.  Toward the end of the semester I was able to develop and take over two Spanish 1 classes as well.

I wish I would have taken more pictures throughout the semester.  I started journaling every day at the beginning, but then I had no time for that either.  It was a semester full of highs and lows.  Here's a list of exciting and engaging activities I put together throughout my time at the high school.  I wanted to share these, and have a list compiled of what I've done for when I need to look for a job next.  :)

Sophomore English Class: 

• Magazines for students who finish early: I noticed that when students were bored or not doing anything, they would start to cause classroom management problems.  I thought of a great idea to find magazines for students to read when they finish early.  It's a sneaky way to get them to read more.  I asked my grandpa and uncles for hunting and fishing magazines.  Ladies from my dad's office donated US Weekly and decorating magazines.  The system worked well and kept students from becoming distractions.  
• Websearch to start the To Kill a Mockingbird unit over Scottsboro trial, the KKK, and Jim Crow laws of the time period:  Incorporating technology was an important part of my student teaching.  I began my work sample by having the students complete a webquest.  
• Bell ringers:  Each day the students come in and there is a prompt on the board.  This gave me time to take attendance and get set up for the day.  
• Fishbowl discussion: This activity worked really well.  The inner circle was discussing while the outer circle was tweeting about the same questions and prompts.  I created a common hashtag and the students replied to each other.  The two groups changed periodically.  Students worked on using academic language.  "I agree with _____."  "I disagree with ____, but I would like to add that..." 
• Article of the Week assignment developed by Kelly Gallagher.  
  
• Teacher Twitter to remind students about assignments and classwork: Worked really well and I wish I would have started it earlier in the semester.  Good way to provide assignments with candy incentives like extra videos to watch, or book recommendations for the summer. 
• Walking in Someone's Shoes activity stolen from here
• Character foldable from here
  
• Having students make a Twitter, Pinterest or Facebook from a specific character's point of view.  Forms purchased from Teachers Pay Teachers.  Two of the girls used the Pinterest page from Scout's perspective.  They had things pinned like "soap carvings" and "how to create a ham costume."  It was so fun and interactive.  
• What "stuck" with you today? board for exit slips from here
  
• Flyswatter review game before a quiz 
• Word sort: organizing the events of Part I of TKAM
• Wall graffiti/Chalk talk: What is courage?  What are examples of courage from real life?  Books?  Movies?  From To Kill a Mockingbird?  First they made a mini one at their desks, which was their brainstorming session.  Then, I had all the students come up from their desks and write an example on the board.  Next time I would probably have them write down more than one example.  
  
   
• Connection to real life: creating a big Venn Diagram comparing the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin trial, to the Scottsboro boys trial, to the Tom Robinson trial in To Kill a Mockingbird  
  
• Writing postcards from one character to another
• Magazine scavenger hunt: I never got to actually do this with the students because we ran out of time, but I wanted to combine non-fiction and fiction.  They love looking at magazines, so I was going to incorporate the magazines and have them search for connections between the information in the magazine and the novel we were reading. 
• Poll Everywhere:  This website has cell phone voting.  I used this once with my students to see if they liked if I read aloud to them better than if they read independently (it was a tie).  The students LOVED getting to use their cellphones in class.  I would definitely incorporate this into further curriculum and activities. 

Spanish Class:

• Plan a birthday party: The students were learning birthday party vocabulary.  We had just finished a mini unit with Green Eggs and Ham, so I made that the theme for my example.  They had to create an invitation, and they had to tell what they were going to do at the party and what they have to do in order to prepare for the party.  It was a speaking grade.  I made mini green eggs and ham out of white chocolate, pretzels, and M&Ms.  
  
• Alebrije: I finished off my time at the high school with an animal unit.  It connected to their lives, and it was just fun.  The students learned about animal parts and verbs.  I explained what an alebrije is and the students made their own crazy animals.  They wrote paragraphs describing their animals and what they can do.  
• Verb chart: I used with ir, tener, estar and ser.  Could be used with any verbs. 
  
• Cup activity with present tense verbs (can be modified for preterit, subjunctive, etc.) from here: This worked really well.  I had many boys in my classes, so using kinesthetic learning techniques helped keep them engaged. 
  
• Animal charades outside as a reward for good behavior 
• Flyswatter game
• Twiccionario: These worksheets were interactive and connected Spanish and the technology aspect of their lives. 
• Me gusta poster: What do you like to do?  What do you not like to do?  Create a creative poster using photos and drawings, then present to the class for a speaking grade.  I did this one of the first weeks I was teaching.  It gave the students a good glimpse into my own life and what I like to do in my spare time.  
• Spanish texting: real life example from a conversation with my host sister, then practicing use the abbreviations and "texting" with a classmate (ex: jaja, TQM, qx)
• Jesse and Joy - Corre: I made a powerpoint and worksheet to help them translate the lyrics of this song.  They all LOVED the song, and many of them downloaded it when they got home.  Some students downloaded other songs by them, and one student even had her mom listen to the song.  Getting them to listen to Spanish music outside of class?  Too priceless. 
• Hand for conjugating verbs 
  
• Madlibs (never got to actually use, but I created a few that I thought would be fun)

What I'm reflecting about: The semester challenged me, but I am so much stronger than I was in the fall.  I miss my students.  This quote below sums up the semester pretty well.  

From: here

Con mucho amor. 

Update

What I've been doing: Many things have happened in the past few months.  I finished and survived the hardest semester of full-time student teaching.  Last Sunday I graduated from college.  In July I am going back to Costa Rica for a week with my sister.  In August I am moving to the Dominican Republic to teach for a year.

It still seems so surreal that I graduated from college.  Four years flew by way too quickly.  Last semester after church an elderly man and I were talking.  He asked what year I was, and I told him I was graduating from college.  He asked if I was excited, and I replied saying no.  I told him I wasn't ready for the real world.  He stated, "NO.  The real world is not ready for YOU."

His words have stuck with me.  I want to continue blogging over the summer and throughout my journey in the DR.  I cannot wait to see what God teaches me over this next year.

What I've been reading: Fault in Our Stars and My Sister's Keeper in one week.  I have been tearing up over and over again.  Two amazing books.  Two amazingly sad books.  But sometimes it is good to keep things in perspective.  My little struggles are nothing compared to cancer.

From: here and here

Con mucho amor.

List #4: Small, Medium, Amazing

I realized I forgot to post this from January...

A 

Small

Medium 

and 

Amazing 

thing that happened this week.

Small:  I ran into one of my favorite English professors as I grabbed a handout for my class.  I hadn't seen her since last semester.  She gave me a huge hug and we caught up about our winter break activities.  She also told me about these anthologies the English department was getting rid of.  Guess who has two new anthologies of stories and poems to use for teaching?  THIS GIRL.  I was so happy.

Medium:  I got to catch up with my friend who stayed with my host family this last year.  It made me so sad and so happy at the same time.  We reminisced and compared semesters abroad.  My host mom sent my favorite cookies with her to give to me.  My host sister sent along a little pouch for change.  My heart yearns for my other home in a country far, far away.  I miss it so much every single day.

Amazing:  I am obsessed with sunrises and sunsets.  Lately, it has been incredibly sunny and semi-warm.  It does not feel like January weather.  Over the month I have worked from 7:30am-9:30am every single day.  Although it's early, I love staying in the habit.  Next semester I will have to get up even earlier for teaching.  This week I was making my frozen waffle with peanut butter and I wandered over to the window where I saw the prettiest sight I have ever seen.  I ran back to grab my phone and snap a bunch of pictures.  As I walked to work I just kept looking over my shoulder at the beautiful sky God painted just for me.

May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace. 

Con mucho amor. 

List #3: Posts that Inspire

What I'm reading:  My mom always forwards me amazing blog posts that really fill me with joy.  I have also been seeing amazing articles popping up on my Facebook feed, as well.  Putting more joy in the world is always a good thing.

1) Eyes Up

2) Bravery

3) Be Beautifully Human

4) Don't Date a Girl who Travels

5) Stop Doing These Things

6) Let Go

Con mucho amor.

List #2: Favorite Places and Spaces

What I've been doing: I have been busy taking a creative writing class.  But it's still my resolution to take time to blog and be creative.  Here's list numero dos.

1) My bedroom at school: It's where I watch television and where I do my homework.  It's where I take naps and where I read.  It's filled with people and things I love.

2) The coast: My grandma has had a beach house since before I was born.  I grew up spending summer weekends playing in the sand and walking along the shore.  The Oregon Coast never ceases to leave me breathless.

3) Bookstores: I could easily spend hours wandering Barnes & Noble.  In high school I would rather receive books than anything else for presents. :)  Good thing I want to teach Language Arts.

4) Costa Rica: My second home with my second family.  A place that will always have my heart.  Sunsets and hills filled with lights.  Doesn't get much better than that.

5) Wildhorse aka Washington Family Ranch: The summer camp that changed my life over and over again.  I have transformed and learned so much at this amazing place.  I have seen other high schoolers and leaders change, as well.  Jesus does big things here.

6) The couch at home: My favorite place to nap.

7) Hawaii:  Going to Oahu last spring break was incredible.  Getting to spend time with loved ones and enjoy the warm waters and lush scenery was priceless.  The fact that I get to go back this year is too perfect for words.

8) Forever 21 & Nordstroms: A girls favorite place.  Putting together outfits and hunting for deals.  Heaven.

Con mucho amor.