Reflection

As I sit here and reflect about my first semester and this blogging experience, I find myself being really proud of the work that I have done! I had never blogged before this project and decided to make the most of a school assignment and teach myself a thing or two about blogging. In addition to this blogging adventure I found that my students enjoyed seeing the blog pictures and I had a chance to express myself and my thoughts on teaching to other people who are going through exactly what I am. I enjoyed putting it all together and learning new ways to adjust the background and add pictures. I think blogging is a great way to reflect on ones goals and achievements throughout the year. I hope that just like my knowledge about blogs has grown by doing this assignment that my knowledge of teaching and my ability to help my students continues to grow as well. This blog could serve as my journey from a first year teacher to one who comes back next year, a little older, a lot wiser with my first year and the MAT behind me, and a lot more time to devote to my lesson plans and students events. Thanks to everyone who took this journey with me and learned a little bit about me and my classroom and I hope you will follow me in the future not because you have to but because you want to! I plan to continue this blog through the year.

Christmas gifts

My Desktop Publishing class is my biggest class and right before lunch. The kids are so excited and easily distracted. I love to give them projects so they can stay busy and hopefully gain knowledge by doing something enjoyable to them. They started cookbooks yesterday. They have to follow a rubric, add borders, use decorative fonts, then format the backgrounds and pictures. After these ar complete they will get to laminate them, bind them, and wrap them as a gift for a family member or friend! They have been so excited about this project. When I looked around the quiet room today they were all busy at work! Several of the guys even pointed out that they had made copies of some of the recipes to give to their mom for dinner tonight!!!! I have been so excited that they not only seem to be enjoying the activity as they put to good use skills learned earlier in the semester but they are wanting to help out with meals at home and see what all is involved in cooking a dinner.Several students in my other classes have been coming in on their own time to start a cookbook or make a gift. Here Christina works on a digital scrapbook gift. As maybe the best bonus of all they are going to be giving a gift to someone special in their life that they created. Afterall, Christmas truly is about celebrating those you love, giving to those less fortunate and remembering the meaning of Christmas!