It's Almost Over!

Two finals down, one more to go! I am handing in my Economics final at 2:30 today and then I have my Geography test tomorrow and then it's my winter break! I can't wait, its so close to ending! I got a phone call the other day from West Essex Middle School because that is where I will be observing next semester. I am so excited to be back there, I loved it this semester. The teachers are great and make me feel so comfortable. I would love to teach there one day. It has a nice feeling and the students seem to enjoy learning from the teachers. I hope that I can be as great of a teacher one day as they are.

LAST DAY OF CLASSES!

Today is the last day of classes! I am so excited that classes are over. The semester was extremely stressful. Today, I presented my first lesson plan and I think and (hope) I did a good job. I was a little nervous but as soon as I started, I really enjoyed it. My family got some good news yesterday when my stepdad came home from the hospital. Finally, a sigh of relief. He looked really tired but was happy to be home and in better health.

Stress will consume my life this weekend, starting as soon as I get home from school today. I need to study for American Government, ED 348 (which is now a cumulative final), and Geography.  I know that by the time Monday rolls around, I will have done all the studying I could possibly do. I feel that I need to tackle the subjects one at a time and not get flustered because there is a lot of material to study. Winter break means that my best friend comes home from college. We have been in the same school and the same class since the first grade. When we decided to go to different colleges, it was a very different experience. Not only did I not see her as much, but I missed having class with her. She is more like a sister than my best friend. She finishes the semester a week after us so I am anxiously awaiting the end of the semester. As soon as she comes home we are going to have a sleepover, go shopping, and go on a few adventures to the city. I am so excited but I need to focus on school so I can have six weeks of relaxation.

The end is in sight!

This is the last week of classes! I am so ready for the semester to be over! With all of the papers and presentations going on this week, I am going insane. I am so stressed out. I have already started studying for finals and I hope I can ace them. I have my demonstration lesson on Thursday and after seeing the other people in my class go today, I feel confident that I will do a good job. I am really excited to do my lesson. It doesn't even feel like December today because it is so warm outside. I love when the weather is cool and when it is snowy out. I love snow, even though I am always cold. I am super excited for the Christmas season.

Finally the weekend!

Finally it's the weekend! The weather is gorgeous although it is a little cold. This weekend I have to prepare for finals studying and prepare my lesson to be presented on Thursday. I am a little nervous to present my lesson because it will be the first time that I will be doing a presentation. Although I am nervous, I am confident that my lesson will go smoothly. Other students in my class are going on Tuesday, so I know exactly what I will need to do for Thursday. On Saturday, my sister and I are throwing my mom a surprise birthday party in the city! It is also my dad and aunt's birthday so my mom has no idea that we will be throwing her a surprise party. I hope my mom likes it!

The end of the semester is coming so fast! I can not wait for it to be over because I am mentally checked out for the rest of the semester. I need to put in my all for finals and then I have six weeks to relax. Christmas break can not come soon enough.

Thanksgiving Break!

Wow, what a week! On Wednesday, I had my American Government class. I fixed my paper and my professor really liked it. I was so relieved my professor liked it and appreciated all the hard work and effort I put into revising my paper. When I went home on Wednesday, my mom told me that my stepdad was going to be admitted to the hospital because he was having trouble breathing. The doctors said he had a blood infection because of his diabetes. Now it is all under control and he is supposed to be coming home sometime this week. I am happy that he is feeling better. I had a Geography test yesterday that was really hard so I hope I did well. There are only two weeks left of the semester and a week of finals and I can't wait until this semester is over!

So Many Problems!

I have had a rough week. Not only was registration a hassle, but my Political Science professor gave my class back our rough drafts and after we all received them, he explained how he wanted to do the paper. I was extremely frustrated that I was not told this information prior to working hard on the paper. It required a lot of time, effort and research. Now, I have to redo all of my research and submit a rough draft to my professor again to make sure that this is what he is looking for. I just wish I would have known what he wanted for the paper prior to writing it. I just learned that my ED 447 class will be canceled on Tuesday! I am happy because I can use this time to finish my webquest and study for my Economics test. I can not wait for Thanksgiving on Thursday, I really need a break. Plus, my best friend is coming home from school on Wednesday night so I am really excited to see her. Friday is black Friday and I am so excited to go shopping! It is my favorite time of the year! I love shopping for sales.

Registration!

Registration is the most stressful time of the semester! I woke up at 6 a.m. to be at the library to make sure I had a computer for 8:30 to register. As I started to register, things were going well. Then, disaster struck. I was not able to register for my ED 448 class because I did not take the prerequisite which I am also taking with that class. I was extremely upset. I went to the Education department and talked to the person in charge. She helped me by signing me into the class. This was a huge relief but I am extremely stressed from the whole experience. I have to do 100 hours of observation next semester and it is freakin me out! I only have four classes, so it shouldn't be too bad. I have Fridays off which is also a bonus so I could do additional observation hours if necessary.

Weekend!

This has been a long week. I have to do so many papers and projects before the semester is over! My ED 348 class was canceled this morning because of the teacher's convention. I would have liked to have gone, but it is mandatory next year so I figured I would just wait. Besides, I need to catch up on homework and studying. This weekend my friends and I are going out to Jose Tejas for dinner! I love it there, they have the most delicious food!

I made my schedule for next semester and I only need 12 credits for the next 3 semesters! This relieves so much stress from my life! Only having four classes will definitely be easier!

The second week of November?!

This semester is flying by. I can not believe that it is already November! Before I know it, my first semester as a junior is almost over. Although it has been a lot of work, I have learned so much from the different classes that I am in. I also love having my best friends in my classes with me. It makes things easier when I am unsure of what I have to do for an assignment as well as a comfort in a difficult class. Picking out classes for next semester has been extremely difficult. Some classes that I want to take are offered at the same time as my other classes. This is a problem since some courses only offer one section of classes. However, I think I picked out a good schedule.

Crazy week? I would say so.

This week has been crazy! It snowed on Saturday night and Jersey got hit really hard. I couldn't believe all the damage that the snowstorm did to Caldwell. I was very fortunate that Staten Island only got about two inches of snow and did not lose any power. I feel terrible for all of those who did not have power for 3-4 days. Over the weekend, my friends and I went to a haunted house the night before Halloween. I am not easily scared but I thought I was going to have a claustrophic attack. While it was scary, the place we were in was very narrow. I started not to be able to have trouble breathing.

School was canceled for two days because of the power outages in the area. Then, this morning at around 9:40 the power went out again. I had my ED 348 class in the dark. My professor said it was a test to see if we could survive as pioneers. Sadly, most of us would probably not have been able to survive. It goes to show how important electricity is to our everyday lives that we don't even notice until its gone.

Observation hours complete and a finished survey!

Today was my last day of observing and I am so upset. I am really going to miss the 7th and 8th graders that I observed. Although I didn't have all that much interaction with them, they definitely brightened up my days when I was there. I will also miss the teachers that I observed. Each one taught me something different of how to be a teacher. The youngest teacher he focused on the use of technology in the classroom. Since we are close in age, it was very useful to see how a young teacher just out of college, provides students with different ways of learning. The most experienced teachers incorporated technology as well but sometimes had a little difficulty using the equipment. However, the students were there to help the teach and offer guidance and assistance. They were extremely knowledgeable about their topics and were alwaays willing to offer extra help to struggling students. I can only hope that I am a successful teacher like these three teachers are.

Here is my survey! I hope you like it!


<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BCZJSD7">Click here to take survey</a>

Good week so far!

I was so nervous to get back my American Government midterm yesterday even though I know that I studied. I got a 95 and I couldn't be happier! I didn't know how my professor was going to grade or what the exact questions for the test were going to be so I was freaking out before hand. There was a lot of material covered for the midterm because it was cumulative. Now I know to prepare the same way for the final.

In my Ed 348 class this morning, we talked about bullying. I did not really engage in the conversation because it brought back bad memories of high school. Although I went to an all girls catholic high school and there was bullying really in the school, bullying occurred outside of the classroom. Since my sophomore year, girls talked about me online and posted nasty comments, they made rude comments at school, and in my senior year, one girl even pushed me into a locker. When I went to report these girls, the comments had already been removed and I did not feel reporting the girl who pushed me into my locker was a good thing especially since there was about 3 weeks left of school. I couldn't wait to leave high school to escape the drama and the useless non sense I experienced. I developed some issues that I still deal with today. Bullying is not to be taken lightly, no matter what the circumstances are.

The Stress Is Over!

Finally, all my midterms are complete! I have gotten two grades so far and I have received A's on my ED 348 and Economics midterms. I guess all the stress was worth it. I am relieved that I no longer have to worry about them. It seems all my hard work studying for them paid off. This weeked I am going to Connecticut for my cousin's Confimation party. I am excited to see my family and spend time with them.

I have been observing at the Middle School for almost 5 weeks. I have 9 hours of observation left and I am so sad. I am definitely going to miss the students as well as the teachers that I have been observing. They make me realize that there are simple worries in the world and things should not be taken so seriously. They definitely open up my eyes to see that life should be taken day by day and not to be stressed way too easily.

Sunny Days!

It is absolutely gorgeous outside today! The sun is shining and everything looks really bright. The only thing that isn't good is that it is a little bit windy. I am so happy that it is nice outside. FINALLY a day without rain! Tomorrow I have my American Government midterm and I am extrememly nervous. I feel really prepared for it but I hate waiting to take the tests. I get too anxious when I have to wait and then start to doubt myself. I can not wait for Halloween! It is one of my favorite holidays because you get to dress up and be someone different for a night. My friends and I are going to a Zumba dance party and I am so excited to see everyone in their costumes! I have a feeling it will be a good night.

What a weekend...

This 5 day weekend was eventful to say the least. When I got home from school on Thursday, I went to see the doctor. He told me that I had penumonia. I literally felt like I was on my death bed. I was congested, had trouble breathing, and had the chills. After a few days of taking medication, I feel so much better. On top of my penumonia, the Yankees lost game 5 in the playoffs. I was extremely disappointed in them. They didn't show any heart or will to win. I am a huge basketball fan and I have learned the first two weeks of the NBA season will be canceled. Am I having a week or what? I am hoping that this week is better than last week, especially since I had my ED 348 midterm today. It was what I expected, but I had to write a bunch of information. It covered an extensive amount of material but I am positive that I did well on it. I am so happy that I only had classes for two days this week.


The one thing I have come to realize is that I have the most amazing group of friends a girl could ask for. Since I was sick, my friends were constantly checking up on my to see how I was feeling. Each offered advice on how to get better quickly and how they hoped I would have a speedy recovery. Escaping from the realities and stressed from school by talking to my friends helped me to realize how important they are in my life. I have a tight, close knit group of friends who I trust with my life. Friendship isn't measured by how many friends you have, but by how you get along and how much trust there is.

Hello 5 day weekend!

After my Economics class, in which I have my first test, I will be on my way to a 5 day weekend! It is definitely needed, especially since I feel sick :( I want to be able to sleep in a little bit and rest. Then I need to focus and concentrate on studying for my midterms. I just want to feel better! The Yankees won on Tuesday night so I am pumped for tonight's game 5. If they win, the advance to the next round. If they lose, their season is over. I have full confidence in the Yankees to win. I have a good feeling about tonight :) The Yankees have all the adrenaline from the last win and they are playing in the Bronx tonight at Yankee Stadium. The atomosphere is unlike any other I have ever experienced. The fans are what make the Yankees focus and compete at a higher level.

Freezing Cold...It must be Fall !

Finally, it's starting to feel like fall. Although I am always freezing in this weather, I love it ! Fall means baseball playoffs! I am a born and raised New York Yankees fan. Even though they are down in the series 2-1, I know they will pull it off and play like the champions that they are. If on the off chance they lose, I WILL NOT be a happy camper. Hopefully they win so I can be in a good mood the rest of the week :)

October is breast cancer awareness month and it is one of my favorite causes. My mom and aunt both are breast cancer survivors so I feel personally connected to it. Breast cancer can affect any woman at any age, which is really scary. I want to be able to participate and do my part to help find a cure for breast cancer.

Thunderstorms!

Where is the fall weather?! I am so tired of the rain and now it's starting to thunder outside. I don't enjoy traveling when it is raining. People are sometimes overly cautious and it causes traffic and accidents. The day seems to be dragging on. I have so many things that are due today. This has been a really hectic week! At 2:45, all the stress that I have been experiencing will be gone. Tomorrow, I am observing at the Middle School and I can not wait to see my 7th and 8th graders. I never realized how attached you can become with a group of students, especially when you are not their teacher. They are so much fun to be around and I learn something new each and every day from them =)

Middle of a hectic week!

Today is only Tuesday and there is so much to do! Tomorrow I have a HUGE geography test and I am so stressed out about it! I have been studying for it for about a week and I feel confident in my abilities to do well, I just want the test to be over so the worrying stops. For Thursday, I have to present something I have been working on in my ED 447 class. I have decided to show my photo story of my Sweet 16. I hope everyone likes it! Then, I have to hand in my Economics paper and be able to talk about it. After that, I need to submit my first lesson plan. I am freaking out about that too! I can't wait for tomorrow and Thursday to be over!


The one thing keeping me sane through all of this work is my observation. I have fallen in love with my 7th and 8th grade students at West Essex Middle School. Since they are younger, they have no real concerns or cares in the world. This makes me happy that they focus on the little things in life and worry about everyday things. Although I want to teach high school, I believe if I was offered a job in a middle school I would definitely accept it. The students are great and I think I could make a big impact on their lives. The three teachers I am observing with are fun to work with. Not only do they portray their information in various ways, they love the students they are teaching. It gives me inspiration to keep going and work hard to become a teacher.

It's time for a birthday celebration!

Today is my sister Alessandra's 23rd birthday! My sister is my best friend even though we constantly fight. I would do anything for her. She is my inspiration for my future career as a special education teacher. When Alessandra was five years old, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her brain tumor was wrapped around her brain stem, making it inoperable. The doctors did massive chemotherapy and radiation to shrink the tumor. Alessandra is considered a miracle because she is the only survivor of a brain stem glioma. Parents often call Alessandra to talk to her to give them hope that maybe their child will become a survivor. Alessandra is an inspiration to everyone. She has overcome so many obstacles that her been put in her way. She attended Community School in Teaneck, N.J. where I hope to teach. The teachers love the students and even though they have learning disabilities, they make learning fun. Alessandra may have processing problems but she is by no means stupid. Her IQ is near perfect and she attended the French Culinary Institute in Mahattan where she became a certified pastry chef.


Since last Thursday, my sister has been working in the San Gennaro Feast in Mahattan. She works for the family restaurant, Umbertos Clam House. They have the best fried calamari I have ever tasted! Umbertos seafood is delicious. They also have a variety of different types of food. My family is treating my sister to dinner tonight and I can not wait to see her!

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall :D

Although summer is my favorite season because it is gorgeous all the time, there is no school, and my birthday is at the end of August, I am so happy that it is finally fall. Fall is my second favorite season. I love how the leaves are changing colors, there is a crisp feeling in the air, and I absolutely love fall clothing! Boots are my go to item of clothing in the fall. I have Uggs, knee high boots, and short boots. You name it, chances are that I own it. Sweaters are also a necessity in the fall. Since I am always freezing, I love getting to wear layers of clothing, especially when I can add a scarf to my outfit. Fall means that there are many holidays coming up. I LOVE celebrating holidays because I get to spend much needed quality time with my family :) Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. You get to dress up and be someone else for a night. Sometimes, it feels good to let go of yourself for one night and be a different character. Fall is happening all around us and I can not wait to see what this fall season brings.

The end to a long and tiring week...

This past week was extremely difficult. Sunday marked the anniversary of 9/11. It has been ten years since the World Trade Centers were attacked. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I was sitting in my fifth grade music class in St. Clare School when all of a sudden my classmates were told they were leaving to go home. I did not comprehend what was going on because the teachers were not allowed to disclose anoy information to us. My best friend, cousins, and I stayed in school the entire day. When I went home and saw the news, I was shocked. From a 10 year old standpoint, I did not know why anyone would attack the United States, especially New York City. Since I am from Staten Island, I personally feel the tradegy affected me more than people in different states. New York is the best place in the world and seeing my home attacked made me angry. I fortunately did not know anyone who died in the 9/11 attacks. However, my friends did. My heart goes out to all those who were affected by this devastating tragedy.

Yesterday, I also got the chance to observe again. I am really enjoying my observation so far. The cooperating teachers try to incorporate me as much as possible into their lessons. I have mostly been observing 8th grade Social Studies classes. The students were given a pre-test citizenship test yesterday and surpisingly most of them did really well. I am excited to see how the next few months turn out for these 8th graders =)

First day of observation complete!

Since I am registered in ED 348, I am required to do 40 hours of observation. Today was my first day observing in the middle school I was placed in and I absolutely loved it! The cooperating teachers that I was assigned to work with are so nice and they really enjoy their subject. Even though it was an initial meeting, I am aware that they are enthusiatic about getting their students to love the subject they teach. Social Studies covers a variety of topics and I am interested to see how each teacher tackles different eras in history. Although I want to teach at the high school level, observing in a middle school can open up a variety of possibilities that I never thought of. The students were a little hesitant to see me in the room but eventually warmed up to me and even asked for my assistance while working at the computers. I am so happy I finally get to observe!

I have so much school work to do in the next few days and I hope I am able to get through everything that I need to do. I am super stressed! However, being around kids during my observation is giving me motivation to keep going and not to stop pursuing my dreams of becoming a teacher :)

Thursdays are my new Fridays!

Having classes for four days out of the week is great! It allows me to save money in gas traveling back and forth to school and I get to sleep in on Fridays! Next week I am going to start my 40 hours of observation and I can not wait! Being able to finally sit in a classroom and see things from a persepective other than a student is going to be extremely interesting. I am really enjoying my ED 348 and ED 447 classes. These classes are not structured to textbook learning. They provide hands-on activities that make you think outside the box.

Last night, I watched the Republican debate as a requisite to my American Government course. I am a registered Republican but I do not vote strictly within my party lines. I think it is important to listen to each candidate and what they plan to do to fix our economy. The candidates united in attacking the Democratic party. Each candidate has their own ideas on how the economy should be fixed and the steps to do so. Tonight President Obama is addressing the nation and I am intrigued as to what his response is. By incorporating speeches into a class, I am more apt to want to know more about the topics the candidates are presenting. http://2012.republican-candidates.org/

What a weekend

My four day weekend was eventful, to say the least. On Thursday night, I did some homework and then reunited with my Zumba family. Zumba is a dance workout and I have been hooked on it ever since I started going in July. It is a great way to have fun with your friends, without realizing that you are working out. The intructors are so friendly and make you feel welcome. Some of them have become my best friends. Being with my Zumba family allows me to escape from all the stresses of school. It calms me down and gives me energy to push through any obstacle in my way.

On Friday, I was off from school. This afforded me the opportunity to sleep late and get a jumpstart on homework. On Saturday, I got into a huge fight with one of my best friends. She feels as if I am replacing her, which is not the case. Sometimes I wish she would see that we have a good friendship and not to question it. Right now, I am unsure of where our friendship stands. Whatever happens, happens.

On Sunday night, I attended two Zumba classes along with my best friend since the first grade. Although we had a falling out about a year ago, everything has been resolved. I am really happy to have her back in my life.

On Monday, I spent time some much needed time with my family. Its nice to have my family around when I am stressed or have problems. It helps to talk about things instead of keeping them inside.

I fell in love with the song stereo hearts by gym class heroes as soon as I heard it.  This song has been on repeat on my Ipod ever since :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NbrnCtEM8&feature=feedlik

First week of classes complete =)

My first week of classes is complete! Since Labor Day is on Monday and I have no classes on Friday, I have a four day weekend :) I am super excited to have an extra day off so I can get back into the routine of school. Getting up at 6:15 was definitely not easy this week, I am exhausted!

My ED 348 class started to discuss positive and negative experiences we have had with different teachers. It seemed that each student had both a positive and negative experience throughout their education. Personally, my 10th grade global history teacher inspired me to become a history teacher. He turned a subject I always found a little dull, into one full of excitement. Through the use of visual aids, handouts, group projects, a class website, and notes, I was constantly engaged in the lesson. Sometimes he was graded me harder than the other students because he wanted to get the best out of me. My negative experience was with my math teacher during my junior year of high school. She taught straight out of the textbook and did not know how to relate the information to the class.

In my ED 447 class I am starting to get the hang of the website delicious.com. It allows us to get websites we find interesting and add them to our profile. I have already found so many interesting websites that I would use for teaching, as well as informational websites.



http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Ke%27e+Beach+Hawaii&view=detail&id=1879A2010A9FB226D436CFA31BD362472D0176E8&first=0

First Day of Junior Year!

Wow! I can not believe it is my first day of my junior year in college! I honestly don't even know where my first two years went but I am so excited to begin a new semester. Summer vacation was fun but I missed all of my friends at school. Since yesterday was my birthday, I feel as if my birthday gift was getting to see all of them.

Most people think I am crazy, but I commute from Staten Island everyday. Although I might not always like driving in bad weather or leaving extremely early to beat the traffic, I am more than overjoyed that I live at home. I have the best of both worlds. I get to spend time with my family and have my own room but I receive the "college experience" with the commute. Caldwell is my home away from home. There is no place I would rather be.

My classes this semester seem interesting. I am very exciting to begin observing! Finally, I get to see different teaching methods and how I would or would not apply them to my future classroom. I believe this is going to be the experience of a lifetime. Since I want to be a special education teacher, I am always enthralled with new ideas to teach students beyond the textbook.

My first day was successful even though I am exhausted! Hopefully the rest of the year is just as great.