oh just some o' that stuff you experience

Some things I have learned at King Intermediate in the past few weeks:
1. Don't ever let the students find out your first name, you will never hear the end of it.
2. Do NOT ever start any type of word problem with your mom. Big accident. HAHA
3. Some students will lie to their parents, and their teachers, at the exact same time, telling them opposite things. Never let a student call from their own cell phone.
4. If you pronounce any word wrong in front of the class, it will NOT be forgotten.
5. Remember, 7th graders will be 7th graders, one announced he farted in class.
6. 7th graders will listen to me, and follow directions I can make them stay after school. It feels great.
7. If you get a sunburn, haircut, bruise, cut, or anything else the students will notice RIGHT away.
8. It is REALLY fun, and almost an evil feeling to hold all of the students in your last class period after school.
9. Don't underestimate student's talents, I have some that will sing to me in chipmunk voices.
10. These students are spoiled. REALLY spoiled. and I thought I was for having a phone when I was in high school, nope some of these kids have had phones since they were in FIRST grade. RIdiCULOUS!

Inspiration!!!

Ohhhh where to begin..

Prince of Peace by Akiane Kramarik

I have been inspired by so many different people this week. I just finished reading the book "Heaven is Real" by Todd Burpo. It was such an amazing story with amazing people in it, in which they endure many trials and have much faith in God. As I was reading this book, there was a part of it that started talking about this little girl named Akiane Kramarik. She is this AMAZING artist, who started drawing, and painting at the age four. She claims to have had visitors, and been to heaven, and even seen Jesus. With talent like her, I do not doubt it. If you have not checked out her art, I highly recommend you do so ASAP ! Here's her website. http://www.artakiane.com/
I am obsessed with her. She is soooo amazing!! She has such a wonderful talent! And it's crazy to think that God gave us all talents, and some people are still waiting to discover theirs.

The next person that inspired me is this lady from Utah named Stephanie Nielson. My roommate showed her blog to me and her YouTube video. She was in a plane crash, and burned 80 percent of her body. She has an amazing story, and an inspiration to everyone around her. It reminded me of that movie Beastly. If you have seen it, then you know what I mean. I admire her so much! I wish everyone in the world would all learn to view everybody for their inner beauty. :)

The last inspirational story was about this boy from Ghana who was born disabled. He only has one real working leg. There is a movie about him, and at school today, for my advisory class we watched a shorter version of the movie. This boy is sooo awesome! He decided he was going to change how people viewed disabled people, and that is exactly what he did. Watch the trailer! This is the kind of mind set that I want to have! Emmanuel is so optimistic and although he comes from one of the poorest countries in the world, he makes a major difference not only in his country, but for the world to see.


These are just three out of millions of inspirational people out there! They are just some that have happened to come across my path this week, who have made me rethink the way I live everyday, and to question myself. Am I striving to be my best self?

Why do Tests Matter soooo Much?

So here I am, end of week four, teaching a couple of classes now, and wondering why state tests are at such high stakes for students AND teachers. These past couple days, we have been reviewing random questions for the HSA (Hawaii State Assessment). Mostly questions from material we haven't covered yet, so if it is on their test, they might have an idea of how to solve, or answer it. They actually get three different chances to pass the test, and prove they are "smart enough" or they have "learned enough" to move onto the next grade level. I mean I can see some importance in doing so, but there is sooo much pressure on the teachers to make sure your students pass. As well as on the school to pass AYP. So are we math teachers here to teach students, and help them gain a wide understanding of mathematics, or are we here just to teach them material that they will see on the test? Because sometimes that is what it seems like! Teachers are just pushed to make sure their students do good on tests, but is that the only way to measure learning? Anyway.. just some thoughts...

Bullies

     So here I am, and another Friday has come once again. I love fridays almost as much as I love cats, so that's saying a lot. This week has just added to my experience points as I go up the scale and start teaching more classes. I have been thinking a lot about bullies lately, as well as the types of students that tend to be bullied. I just read a short book called "Give a Boy a Gun" by Todd Strasser. It's a story about two boys that are bullied all throughout their school years, and decide to take revenge, and hold a school shooting. You can read more at http://www.toddstrasser.com/html/gabag.htm.
     I can't stop thinking about this book, and it makes me wonder how much bullying actually goes on at the school I am teaching at. I know there are bullies everywhere, and sometimes we just don't see them. We don't see the bullying going on and no one wants to be a tattletale. How do we stop this kind of violence? How do we see the signs of a child that is being bullied?.. and to that extent how can we help that child? I hate bullies more than anything, this book is definitely a wake up call to stop violence and bullying!
     The boys in this book that are bullied hate their lives. They don't think they have anything to live for, and so they decide to take their own lives, as well as their enemie's lives. That's how school shootings happen. So how do we recognize one of these boys, and how can we help? Well first things first, we need to stand up against the bullies, and make sure the proper measures are taken so they aren't bullied anymore, inside and outside of school. 
     In middle school and high school, I always saw signs against bullying hanging up around the school, and I never thought much about it. I never really saw much bullying, although my schools were MAJORLY cliquey. I thought most people minded their own business. It wasn't until one day when I realized there are bullies everywhere, including my own schools. I was a senior in high school, my younger brother was a freshman. We have very opposite personalities. I am the loud type that talks to everybody, and he is the very shy and quiet type that doesn't talk to many people. One day after school my dad and I were asking him about his yearbook, and for some reason he wouldn't show it to us, so I jumped up and ran to the bedroom to grab it, and he fought really hard and got it away from me. So i let it go, but I walked back into his bedroom a little later and I found him sitting there scribbling in his yearbook with a black marker. I started asking him what it said, and who wrote it, and why he was scribbling, and he wouldn't answer any of my questions. He just started crying. I felt so bad. I even started crying. Why would someone do this to my little brother is all I kept thinking. Why are some people such jerks, and why would someone deliberately ruin his yearbook. I still never found out who the bully was, but I will never forget that moment, when I knew there were people in my school being bullied, my own little brother! To this day my brother still doesn't talk much, and I never know what he's thinking. It bothers me to know someone out there could be saying hurtful things to him, and he would never tell a soul. We should all strive to put bullying to an END, and teach our students, children, peers, and all that we know to love one another. That differences are okay, and everyone is unique! We shouldn't judge other people!!!

Early out Days

Oh the energy at school on an early out Wednesday, is incredible. All of the students are so loud and obnoxious. I often wonder, and try to remember how I acted in middle school, what I was like.We used to have early out Wednesday's every other week, which was disappointing when we found out South Sevier (our rival school) was getting out early every Friday. Our school was not slow to follow though. We soon started getting out early every Friday, and I can remember LOVING Fridays. Extra long weekends. I never saw it from the teachers side until now. The teachers don't get out early. They have to continue their day by attending boring meetings, in which everyone complains about whats wrong with the education system and what needs to be fixed. I've also been thinking a lot about when you get older, and get more privileges to make your life easier, it actually is just making it more complex. Everything is about progression. At King Intermediate, they have an advisory class, in the middle of the day on Tues, Wed, and Thurs. Well on Tues, and Thurs they use it as a study hall, but every Wednesday their teacher is supposed to give advice to the class, and have them do some small assignment. Today we watched this video about adding things to  your "toolbox". And although the students don't see it now, why they need to stay in school, and work hard, later on, depending what they have in their toolbox is going to determine their future. It's all about progression. Here's an example i have been thinking about. Before you have your drivers license, you have to walk everywhere, or ride the bus, or convince friends/family to give you rides. But once you get your license, and a car, you feel soooo free!! At least that's how I felt. BUT it comes with all these responsibilities. You have to know how to drive the car, you have to get it registered, and have insurance. You have to keep up the maintenance of the car. There are all of these hidden responsibilities that you don't see until you are given the freedom to "drive". I have just been thinking about responsibilities lately, because once I become a teacher, and have my own classroom, I'm going to have a whole TON more of responsibilities. I have been teaching one class a day this week, and it has been a lot of fun. I am starting to learn the students names, and getting to know all of these little aliens. Looking back at my life in middle school, it seems like it was a different life. Everything is so different now. Everyone was immature back then, and no one cares about middle school now. I just need to remember that as I am teaching these students. They are just aliens, and will one day grow up, and maybe become real human beings. Anyway maybe I will make an impression in some of their lives, that's what I hope for.

The Beginning to New Endings

Well its a brand new year! And I have just started student teaching. It's my third day at Samuel Wilder King Intermediate School with seventh grade math. I have been mostly observing so far, and I will start teaching at least one class next week.  oh and by the way, TGIF.
This is what I've learned thus far:
1. Seventh grade girls like attention.
2. You have to repeat all directions at least five times, before they know whats going on.
3. All of the students like to "talk story" with you.
4. When the power goes out, the students are ecstatic.
5. Students will believe almost anything you tell them.
6. Almost all students can play the uke better than I can.
7. All students are "free-loaders"
8. Mr. T really does love teaching.
9. Some students STILL don't know how to add.... what is -2 plus 1.... "three?"
10. I am the minority here, and not just cause I'm white.
Well, I plan on learning and gaining a lot more experience, and I will write more fun stories as they come to me, and keep you updated.

You know you are in Hawaii when:

The students bring uke's to class, and will play "the lazy song" and sing to you after class.

I remember when:

I was in middle school, seventh grade math actually. I think it was the pre-algebra class. One day I was bored out of my mind, and really tired. I was sitting next to the wall, which was carpeted. I looked at the wall and decided to draw on it. I started drawing an S, for my name I think. Clueless, as I was, the teacher was watching me, and walked over and yelled at me. I was never yelled at during school, because I was generally a good student. I was scared, and embarrassed out of my mind! He told me that I was going to have to come in after school with the janitors and clean all of the desks, and walls. I think it was one of the only times I had ever seen my teacher so angry. Now I can't believe I'm this old.. well young actually. It wasn't too long ago when I was a middle schooler. I always thought student-teachers were so old. Turns out their not!