Read Aloud

1. Kittens First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

This book is about a kitten who think the full moon is a bowl of milk. The story tells the struggle of the kitten trying to get the 'bowl of milk.' This book would be good to use in a science class teaching about the phases of the moon. 

2. I Knew You Could by Craig Derfman

This book is about a train that had to have determination to make it where he was going. This would be a good book to teach about pushing through your problems and being successful. 

3. Mr. Tall and Mr. Small by Barbara Brenner

This book is about a giraffe and a rat that compare themselves to each other but have to work together to save themselves. This book would be good to start a lesson on opposites. 

4. Big Black Bear by Wong Herbert Yee

This book is about a bear who is using bad manners and taking over a woman's house. Another little bear comes in and uses good manners with the woman though. This would be a good book to teach  manners or rhyming. 

5. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

This book is about an owl who is scared to go to school because he does not want to leave his mom. I think this book would be perfect for a lesson on nocturnal animals and it incorporates a good story line. 

Learning Experiences

I absolutely loved doing the skit about self esteem. I really enjoyed meeting the people in my group that I did not previously know and I also really enjoyed getting to dress up. I'm glad I have grown closer to the people that were in my group. I have learned a lot about those people. I also enjoyed watching all of the other groups presentations on self esteem. 

Current Event

This article is about an elementary school that decided to assign students to read for 30 minutes after school instead of assigning homework. The school says this is making the students more motivated to read which is helping them learn. 

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/19477877/gaithersburg-elementary-school-abolishes-homework

Quote of the Week

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
Epictetus

I think this quote pertains to older students. I know I've seen people in my classes that think they know everything and do not want to listen to their teachers. I think this quote shows how hard it is for teachers to teach their students, especially higher level teachers. It also shows that a student needs to be willing to learn before a teacher can really teach him or her. 

Observations

At cheerleading practice one day last week one of the girls on my team was very upset but she did not want to talk about what was wrong. Instead of my team trying to figure out why she was upset, we decided to ignore the fact that she was upset and tried to make her laugh instead. We kept just kidding around with her trying to make her tell us. I thought this was a good way to make her happier so that we could continue to have practice. I am proud of my team for making her cheer up and finish practice strong. 

Reflections

I know this is not a reflection because it has not happened my but I can't contain my excitement. I am getting baptized tonight and I am so excited. I know it is going to be a great experience that I will remember forever. I am so happy I am getting the opportunity to get closer to God and officially become one of his children. 

Read Aloud

1. Mrs. Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou

I though this book was very clever. I loved the way the fact that the whole story was an extended metaphor for students growing like flowers. I thought the book was cute for little kids. This book could be used in a science class planting seeds.

2. My Losing Season by Pat Conray

“The great teachers fill you up with hope and shower you with a thousand reasons to embrace all aspects of life. I wanted to follow Mr. Monte around for the rest of my life, learning everything he wished to share of impart, but I didn't know how to ask.” 
This is a quote from the book. I think this quote really shows how much of a difference a teacher make make on a students life. I think this would be a good book to read at a teachers meeting. I feel like this excerpt from the book really shows teacher the way they should aspire to be in order to leave such an impact on their students. 

3. Teachers Pet by D. Jakobs

This book was so cute. I thought it was  wonderful for teaching many different classes. The book stressed the importance of being active in school and it said things about many types of animals. This book would be wonderful in a class learning about animals, along with a class teaching about the types of careers available. These Hands by Hope Lynn C price

4. These Hands by Hope Lynn C. Price

This book is about the many things you can do with your hands. It expresses the many things people don't think about that they couldn't do if they did not have hands. The book makes you appreciate your hands more. This would be an awesome book to use in a class learning about the hand such as an anatomy class.

Learning Experiences

My favorite activity we did in class these past two weeks was the bag sharing activity. I learned a lot about my classmates that I did not know before. Even my classmates that I have know for a long time said something about themselves that I did not know. I enjoyed getting to learn the new things about the people i get to spend the next year with in teacher cadets.

Current Event

The current event I read is about the potential outbreak in sicknesses such as whooping cough in schools. The writers of this article believe that the reason for the increase in sicknesses of students is from the decrease in the requirements for kindergarten vaccinations. 

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2012/08/study_more_students_forgoing_i.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

Quote of the Week

“Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well.” 
― Aristotle

This quote is meaningful to me because it resembles how important teachers are in a child's life. I feel like this quote really pertains to younger children because if adult figures aren't around at home then a teacher at school becomes a child adult figure. 

Observations

Friday night at the first football game of the year I was on the sideline cheering with my team. We were located right in front of the student section. I noticed one of the foreign exchange students that is in my economics standing on the front row of the student section. It warmed my heart to see that my peers had allowed to let her on the front row of the student section so she could have a wonderful first experience of her first football game ever. They pep club takes who gets to stand on the front row very seriously, to them it would be the end of the world to not be on the first row. I could tell how much she was enjoying being at that football game. I want to make sure I include "new" students from now on. They might not always be able to put themselves in the front row like she did. 

Reflections

I have been thinking a lot about college, obviously considering that time is coming, but I got an offer to cheer at a school in Montana. The school offered to pay half of my tuition if I became a cheerleader there. They also offered to pay the other half of my tuition because of my grades. This has been a very eye opening experience for me. Montana is very very very very far away. I have always wanted to go to college in South Carolina, but not I have to make the decision to go to college for free in Montana or pay for college here in SC. Decisions, decisions.