Web Design

Today in class we discussed how to create blogs in order to have a presence on the World Wide Web. I realized it has been since last year that I have posted and decided to get back into the swing of it all this year. As I taught the kids how to add a post, I also added this! : ) I need to be better about postings.

Second Semester

I have made it through to the second semester! We are about 3 weeks into our second semester due to all of our complications with snow this year! We have missed a total of 7 days now I believe. Can you believe it! It has been hard for the students and teachers to stay focused due to the coming a few days and then missing a few, then coming back and trying to stay on track with our lessons! I am hoping this semester will go as smooth as last did once I got some things figured out! Hold on for the ride as I take you through the journey of our second semester!!!!

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!

Twilight craze

I guess just like the students I too got interested in the Twilight series books. I mainly got "sucked" in by the hype of all the students. I like to stay up on the latest books they enjoy as to try to make a connection with them and any links to classroom material that I can use are an additional bonus. I read the first book only and have now seen both the first movie as well as New Moon this weekend. I enjoy the books because they go into so much detail and you get to create the characters in your own mind. I must say that several people in my classroom have made comments that the books are much better than the movie and I was impressed that they have been reading them. Maybe due to all the hype and wanting to see what is going to happen before it actually does. I get impatient while waiting for movies but hate to spoil them by reading ahead. I read the books after the movies. I guess that is a bit backwards but always seems to keep me interested in the books and the movies. So on to the review.... I like the fact that the book describes Forks in so much detail in the book. This is the place Bella has chosen to go to live with her boring dad. She did this so her mother could be happy to travel with her boyfriend, a selfless move on Bellas part. She thinks more of othersa than herself. This theme continues throughout the book as she seems to have no fear or concern for the outcome of herself. I think it went on for four to five pages aboutForks, as well as the part about the vampire skin and how it shines like diamonds. The first was needed to enhance the story the second about their skin was a bit cheesy and over the top if I am being critical. Overall, I liked the book better than the movie because of the details. You get a better understanding of Bella and her family in the book. In the book she is really witty and stubborn, she is very clumsy and seems to be fun. The information about the Cullen family is so well written it makes you get really into their life and want to know more about them. I love how Edward Cullen is so drawn to Bella not only because he can read all minds but her. Also, because she appeals to him as a snack saying "he can smell her clear across the room" and he makes reference to wanting to eat her so bad. As this love story builds it is well written and it doesn't imply any sexual conduct like most books and movies today. In fact, each time he touches Bella in the book you are amazed, like wow he touched her cheek. I love that it makes you so happy for their romance and how it progresses slowly and respectfully. I also love that about the book, the suspense builds as they take their love very slowly and get to know each other very deeply. I love how these books are popular with several age groups and it is very rewarding to see students walking around reading a large book like this, a challenge so many pass on these days due to video games and other forms of enertainment. Things come so easily now days and it stifles creativity. I would say this is a vampire book for all types of people even those who hate vampire stories can appreciate a love story with such a great story line! I encourage you to get "sucked in" as well!

Preparing for End of Course Exams

Next week we will be off the whole week for Thanksgiving Break! I am so excited about this and I know the students are as well. After we return we have to get ready to take the state EOC exams. My students are dreading them about as much as I am. I think the best way to prepare is to do some review and then go over the vocabulary again with some quizzes. I think we will try to cover the material in a fun way like Jeopardy or another game that will be fun but act as a review to the material. Any ideas from others on what you do in these cases? I have to test three of my six classes. Desktop Publishing, Marketing, and Fashion Merchandising all have to take these exams.

Confessions of a Shopaholic Book Review

Rebecca Bloomwood lives in one of the trendiest neighborhoods in London, she has a fantastic job writing for a Financial press "Successful Savings", she has all of the seasons must haves and the latest fashions lining her closet. You would think by looking at her that she had the perfect life. As you read this book you will find out that Rebecca tries to act intelligent and she is bored to death by her job. She has all of the latest and greatest clothing but piles of credit card bills to go with them. She appears to have it all together but yet she seems to be going crazy as she tries to make up one lie to cover the other about her financial situation. She sees no way to get out of her desperate situation and she comes up with very humorous schemes to avoid the bill collectors. This book will have you laughing but also feeling very sorry for Rebecca and you really want her to get her problems all worked out. See what happens to Rebecca by reading this book. It is a very fun book. Follow Rebecca as she attends meetings, tries to budget, deals with love interests and best of all as she tries to avoid her extreme stories and urges to purchase!