Follow my new blog!

I have changed the name of my blog and moved it so that I could have a fresh start. Follow me at my new blog, Sixth Grade Tales, to find out what happens during my first year teaching!

A New Adventure

I have some exciting news to share with everyone.  First, I am finished with my Master's degree!!  I will be moving out of Raleigh this weekend.  It is very bittersweet but I do have something amazing to look forward to....a new job!  That's right, after all the interviews I finally was able to pick between a few different positions and chose to take 6th Grade Language Arts and Social Studies at a school near my home.  I have been waiting to have my own classroom for years now and finally the time has come.  Teachers go back on August 20th so I still have a few weeks to start planning and do some professional development.  Here are a few things that I would like to try to get done before the start of the school year.


1.  Take a vacation!  As happy as I am to get to start planning for my classroom I really need to take a break for anything to do with school even if it is just for a weekend.  I am hoping to go to Dollywood sometime in the next few weeks.


2.  Find some easy but tasty lunch recipes.  I don't want to eat cafeteria food every day and I definitely don't want a sandwich or frozen dinner, so I'm going to be searching Pinterest for some lunch ideas I can take to school.


3.  Read for fun.  I haven't had any time this Summer to read the books I have been wanting to read so I look forward to that.  I still haven't finished The Hunger Games!

I plan on changing the name of my blog now since I am no longer a future special educator and will have my special education degree.  Although I'm not teaching all students with disabilities, I will be teaching an inclusion language arts class that I am looking forward to.  If anyone has any blog name ideas, let me know!  Hopefully I will find time to keep everyone updated on my first full year of teaching.

Finishing up my Master's

Sadly I have been unable to update my blog frequently this year.  However, I am now finished with my internship and all of my graded classes for my Master's degree. All I have left to finish the degree is some independent study work which I will be done with later this month.  It is a great feeling to know that I will very soon be licensed in Special Education.  I have no idea what the future holds as far as a teaching job, but I feel very prepared to take on whatever is handed to me.  This Summer I will be taking 2 different PRAXIS tests in order to gain certification in Middle Grades Language Arts and Special Education: Emotional/Behavioral Disorders.  While this Summer isn't as relaxing as I would like, I am so thankful to have gotten as far as I have.  A few years ago I would have never thought that I'd be doing as much as I am now and have learned the amount that I have.  Getting a Master's degree has really inspired me to be a continual learner.  Throughout the process I've realized that no matter how many classes I take or how many books I read, there is always more that I can learn in order to be a better teacher.  It is especially rewarding to learn when you are doing it for your own good and not for the benefit of others.  I am lucky enough to be ending my degree with a 4.0 and what makes me the most proud is realizing that I did it for myself.  Not once did I say to myself, "I have to make an A so that 'so and so' will be impressed."  Rather, I worked hard because I enjoyed what I was learning and wanted to take in all that I could.  

I challenge everyone to learn something new for themselves.  Really think about something you want to accomplish for yourself. I had absolutely no help from anyone in deciding that I wanted to get my Master's but now I'm very grateful that I did what I wanted for myself.  

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.
Abraham Lincoln

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.
Napoleon Hill

Problem Solving Graphic Organizer

I have been looking for a good graphic organizer to help my students with word problems.  After looking at a few different ones I decided to come up with my own. It is pretty self-explanatory and I hope that my students will quickly memorize what goes in each box on their own so they can use the organizer on tests and when doing homework. 

"Doctor" Math

I found this within this article. I wanted to save it because I believe it will be a great way to teach problem solving skills in the classroom while allowing students to be interactive.

DOCTOR ROUNDS  FOR PROBLEM SOLVING

Simulation Vocabulary

• Patient = Problem 

• Symptoms = Arithmetic Vocabulary 

• Diagnose = Choose Operation  

• Operate = Solve  

• Final Check-Up = Is The Answer Reasonable? 

Group Roles: 

• Chief of Surgery = Leader – Poses Question 

• Pathologist = Identifies The Facts (Symptoms) 

• Diagnostitian = Chooses Arithmetic Operation 

• Surgeon = Solves The Problem 

• Cardiologist = Ensures That Team Got To The Heart Of The Problem – 

Operation Was Successful

Summer is around the corner

I haven't had a chance to blog lately with end of the semester assignments and exams.  It's currently finals week and I will be done next Wednesday for the semester.  This has been an amazingly busy semester but I believe I have learned a lot about Special Education.  Now I find myself checking teaching job vacancies every hour in hopes of finding the perfect job this Fall.  I need a break though so I am hoping to have plenty of time this Summer to enjoy some things in Raleigh that I haven't done yet. 

Here is my list of fun Summer activities: 

1) Check out Pullen Park

2) Go skating at Jellybeans

3) Grill out

4) Go to the beach

5) Go to North Hills for beach music.

6) Farmer's market trips

7)  Picnics

8) Try locopops

9) Fishing

10) Lady Antebellum concert

Anyone else know of fun things to do in Raleigh or nearby over the Summer please let me know!

Individual Reward System

One of the student's I tutor has a hard time staying motivated when we work on reading comprehension and phonics.  A reward system motivates him to try his best and stay focused. The systems I have been using have cost me a lot of money because I would have to continue to buy rewards too often. I am implementing a new variable reward system using a deck of cards. Here is how it will work:

1) Whenever I want to positively reinforce student behavior or something the student does well (correctly answering a question, using a strategy we have discussed, etc) he will get to flip a card over from the deck.
2)  If the card he flips over is hearts then he get's additional reinforced by adding a check to a table I have created for him.
3)  If the card isn't in the hearts suit then we continue to work and he isn't additionally reinforced.
4) On a sheet of paper I have a table with 10 boxes per row.  For every row he gets fully checked I will bring in a prize.

At the beginning, I will make reinforcement easier so he understands the concept. I will do this by allowing him to check a box anytime he turns over a black card.  After a few days of this, I will change to reinforcing him for only the hearts suit. I really like that this system will allow me to fade rewards by changing what card reinforces him.

Triple Coupons

Today started triple coupons for the week at Harris Teeter. Coupons tripled up to .75. Some of the best items I got included milk for .75, free steamables rice, and free napkins. The picture below includes everything I bought today with an ending total of $8.61. I saved over $40.

Fluency/Punctuation Strategy

 One of the students I tutor struggles with stopping at punctuation while reading.  Today I came up with a strategy to help him better visual what to do at punctuation in a story.  I drew a stoplight and had him tell me what each color of the stoplight meant.  We then drew a period, exclamation mark and a question mark in the red light, a comma in the yellow light and capital letters in the green light since they occur at the start of each sentence.  I then had him use colored pencils to color over each of these things in a reading passage.  It was a great visual for him to see when to stop and take a breath when reading.  I also used hand motions to show him when to stop, pause and go.  I did these while he read the passage and then had him use them while I read.  This really helped him and I'm hoping after a lot of practice with seeing these colors he will eventually begin to use punctuation correctly on his own.

Word Work Game

This week Walgreen's has Easter tumblers on sale for 6 for $1.  I got six of them in three different colors because I knew I would be able to create some kind of game with them.  I decided to use them as a way to reinforce spelling words.   I cut index cards in half and wrote the spelling words of the student I tutor on them.  Under each cup I will place an index card, making sure to remember what word is under each cup.  I will then give my student clues for each cup to see if he can guess the word that is hidden under the cup.  For example, I may say, "Under the blue cup is a word that rhymes with joint," or "Under the green cup is a word that means to gain knowledge through reading and it also starts with the st blend."  After he guesses all the words under the cups I will have him choose different words to place under cups and give him the chance to create clues for me to guess the words with.

Teaching Spoken Language

Currently in my Functional Academics course, we are learning about teaching spoken language skills.  I learned a few strategies to help children who are not wanting to speak often.  First, give them choices they have to make and do not give them the materials for their choice unless they verbalize what choice they want.  Another idea is to put things out of reach that they will have to ask for.  A third strategy is to put a lot of objects in their environment that they are interested in to spark conversation.

Other things I am learning about spoken language include language development.  It was interesting to learn that for some children they will not learn how to properly voice all sounds until they are 8 years old and this can be normal.  The sounds "sh", "r" and "z" are usually the last sounds to develop.

Finally, I learned some websites for language instruction.  Here are a few of them:
Education World
Read, Write, Think
Lesson Plan Page

Taco Casserole

 Last week ground beef was on sale so I stocked up.  Today I wanted to use some but wanted to try something different than the normal hamburger helper I fix.  I decided to come up with my own recipe so I came up with my own version of a Taco Casserole.   It was kind of spicy because of the salsa I put into it but it made for a very tasty meal!

Jamie's Taco Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:  1 lb hamburger, 1 cup salsa, couple handfuls of tortilla chips, 1 flour tortilla, 1 tablespoon onion powder, taco seasoning, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2: Brown hamburger and add in taco seasoning.  Once it is mixed in well, add in salsa and onion powder.

Step 3:  Layer a casserole dish with crunched up tortilla chips.

Step 4:  Pour half of hamburger mix on top of chips

Step 5: Sprinkle cheese on top of hamburger

Step 6:  Put tortilla on top

Step 7:  Pour the rest of the hamburger mix on top of tortilla and sprinkle cheese over it.  

Step 8:  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Step 9:  Add shredded lettuce on top and more cheese if you would like, enjoy!  I had Spanish rice on the side.

Free Printables

There are always a ton of worksheets and activities online for the general education classroom but it is always harder to find them for special education classes.  I came across a site with some pretty neat free printables today.  The website is called SEN Teacher and there are printables for behavior charts, working on feelings and teaching facial expressions.

I also found a website with several graphic organizers on it.  These are useful to use in any content area when teaching special education since visualization can really help students understand the concepts.

Tips for Improving Spelling and Grammar

I will admit that I am not the best writer when it comes to using proper grammar. I also rely on spell check way too often.  That is why I am putting together a list of suggestions for improving grammar and spelling.  

1.  Visit Grammar Girl Daily

This is a free website with daily tips on grammar rules that we should be using everyday.  From how to use "effect" and "affect" correctly to when to use a comma, you can learn it from Grammar Girl.

2.  Don't rely on spell check.  

We will never become better spellers if we continuous use spell check without trying to spell the word ourselves correctly.  I have really been trying to figure out the spelling of a word before asking the computer to do it for.  If you still can't spell it on your own then of course use spell check.  No parent wants a newsletter full of mistakes from their child's teacher.

3.  Use prepositions correctly.

It is easy to forget what a preposition is when it isn't in the course you teach. It is even more difficult to remember how to correctly use them. However, using prepositions correctly can make your writing sound much better.  

Quick Tip:  The main rule you need to know is that prepositions go in front of a noun, not a verb.

For example, in the sentence "We rode to the mall for lunch.," to the mall is the prepositional phrase, with to being the preposition.  To is before a noun, not a verb. Click here for a list of prepositions.

4.  Changing Y to I

If you are adding a suffix like -ness then you change the "y" to an "i" and then add the suffix, like in the word happiness.  However, if the suffix you are using starts with an i then you leave on the y, like in the word carrying. I've often see people want to throw away the "y" before adding -ing, so make sure you remember leave the "y" alone.

Easter Egg Guided Reading

I bought several Easter eggs because I knew there would be many things I can use them for with the students I tutor.  I mainly bought them to use with literacy activities.

Motivation with Guided Reading:

Materials:
Easter Eggs
Guided Reading Questions cut into small strips
Small Rewards (stickers, candy, free time pass, etc)

Using this strategy:
 I took guided reading questions and cut them into small strips to put inside the Easter Eggs.  Since I tutor students who really struggle with reading I wanted to add a bit of motivation.  I put small rewards into just a few of the Easter eggs.  After we read a few pages together I will stop and have the student pull out a Easter egg from my bag.  Then I will have them answer a question or if it is a reward I will still ask them "What do you like about this book so far?"  After answering the question we will continue reading until the next stopping point where they will then pick another Easter egg.

I'd love to hear of other ways to use Easter eggs in the classroom or with individual students.

Awesome Teacher Site

Lately I have became very addicted to Pinterest in order to find teacher ideas and things to use with the kids I tutor.  One site I discovered through Pinterest is TeachersPayTeachers.com.  This site has so many free lesson plan ideas and printables.  You can search for anything you are looking for and most likely find something to use.  They also have lesson plans you may have to pay a couple dollars for but I'm sure it can be worth it.  

Holt Lake BBQ

Joe and I went to Smithfield, NC this weekend to go to the Carolina Premium Outlets.  While we didn't find much at the outlets we did however find a great southern restaurant.  Joe had found great reviews on Holt Lake BBQ so we decided we would give it a try.  When we got there the line was backed out the door and for a non chain restaurant I was pretty surprised to see this.   We didn't have to wait too long though and the people in line were very friendly to talk to.  There were pitchers of tea waiting on us when we got seated.  Now since I come from Lexington where BBQ is what our town is known for I very rarely order BBQ anywhere else but since this place seemed to have such good reviews I decided to give it a try.  I ordered the BBQ and fried chicken combo with potato salad and french fries. I must say that I was impressed that the BBQ tasted as good as it did, the sauce to put it on it wasn't near as good as Lexington, but that was to be expected.  On the other hand, the fried chicken was some of the best I've tasted and the "tator salad" was just as enjoyable.  So for anyone ever traveling to Smithfield, I highly recommend a stop at Holt Lake BBQ.

We also made a stop to the Belk near by and each bought a new outfit.  Blue is definitely our color.

Instagram

Thanks to my new iPhone I have been taking a lot more pictures lately.  One of the best apps available is Instagram.  It helps you change the look of the pictures you take.  Here are some instagram pictures I took this week.

Now I'm hoping for some snow I can take pictures of!

Cheap Magazine Subscriptions

I just ordered a year of Time magazine for $2.  That's 56 issues for less than 3 cents an issue!!  They had other magazines you could order as well.  Check it out at:  https://www.mybonuscenter.com/10003075/splash.html

Happy Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day I made a Jeopardy game for Joe to play and he had to win to get his Valentine's present.  I got him a case for his cell phone and tickets to see the Beauty and The Beast in 3D which he had been wanting to see for a while.

He got me a really neat picture frame that was engraved.  I need to print a picture for it and then I'll post it on here. He also got me a heart shaped box full of Reese's. On our way to see Beauty and the Beast I got a call that I had a flower delivery.  He did a good job since I love pink. 

It wasn't fun having class on Valentine's Day but after class I went over to Joe's to play games and while I was playing he made me breakfast.  We eat breakfast food a lot together but this was even better than usual.  He tried to make the pancakes in the shape of a heart but the best part was that they were chocolate chip!  

Recent Top 5

 Lately I've been able to try a lot of places in Raleigh that I had been wanting to visit so I thought I'd start making 5 top lists every month.  This list mainly consists of places I went at the end of January and first couple days of this month. Please let me know of any places you think I should visit in Raleigh. I'm always looking for a new attraction or restaurant to try.

#5 NCSU vs Virgina Basketball game

This was the most exciting game I have been too.  We were jumping at the end in excitement, but still lost by a point to Virginia.

#4 Cheeseburgers at Char Grill 

Char Grill has been around Raleigh for many years.  It's considered one of the top 50 places in America to get a burger.

You fill out an order ticket outside then slide it through the slot to place your order.

#3 Sushi Nine

Buy one get one free Sushi.  I recommend the Wolfpack roll.  Very tasty!

#2 Volunteering for Special Olympics

Anyone that has some time in the day to spare should volunteer for Special Olympics.  It is a very rewarding experience.

#1 Picnic at Lake Johnson

One day this week it was almost 70 degrees so Joe and I had a picnic at Lake Johnson.  The dining room can't get any better than this!

Our picnic table got taken over after we ate and feed one some bread.

A day at the flea market

Today I decided to visit the Raleigh state flea market. My roommate Melina, Joe, and I left for the flea market a little around lunch time. I didn't think it was going to be as packed as it was but when we arrived it took us a while to find a parking spot. I was definitely amazed by how big it was, I wasn't expecting it take over the whole fairgrounds area. The area outside was like a big yard sale with different vendors selling all kinds of things from antiques to jewelry to pocketbooks to DVDs and movies. Inside there were more notable retailers selling things such as peanuts, wireless accessories, and furniture. My first purchase was at one of the indoor vendors where I purchased a pair of NC State earrings and a wax bar for my Scentsy warmer. For both they were only six dollars! Melina bought a ring for $15 which was very pretty. I was happy to find a vendor selling a lot of watches. I have been looking for a new watch for a while now. It is hard to find a small face watch but luckily this vendor had a silver watch with a face I really liked. He even removed some of the links for me so that it fit my wrist perfectly and the watch only cost $9.95.

I also bought some DVDs that were two for five dollars. One of the DVDs I got was the Dawsons creek series finale. Walking around it wasn't as crowded as I had thought it would be when we arrived. The weather was perfect for shopping outdoors today and I'm glad that I got the chance to visit the flea market. I will definitely be making some more trips to it in the future. 

Myself as a Reader

Reading has had its ups and downs for me. When I was younger my mom read to me many of the Golden books which I still have today.  I remember by favorite story being "The Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown.  I also remember my mom making up stories to tell me each night.  She would put people I knew into the stories so that I could relate to the story. Throughout elementary school I read books like Junie B Jones and the Amber Brown series. I continued to enjoy reading and  stories until the fifth grade.  In the fifth grade I had to read the book "Island of the Blue Dolphins" and after each chapter was required to answer questions about it for homework.  For some reason I just couldn't comprehend this book so I ended up doing poorly on the test and then lost my love of reading for a while.  I can't remember reading much more for pleasure, unless it was just a magazine, until I started college.

On the other hand, writing has been something that I've always liked.  When I was younger I would write in a diary. I can also remembering always writing notes to friends in school.  We had a big box of notes we wrote that I kept. I also loved getting writing assignments in school and did pretty well with them. I probably owe my imagination and love of writing to my parents.  By creating their own stories to tell me it helped spark my own imagination. I've always like expressing myself through writing and still do today.

When I started college I started reading the news, magazines, books for pleasure, cookbooks and the list could go on.  I developed a love for learning that reading helped me feed.  Books I read for fun were The Twilight Series, Memoirs of A Geisha, and several books that were made into movies. I also loved music and found myself searching for lyrics a lot. I like reading anything that I could make a connection to.  Any time I picked up a book and wasn't able to connect with it within the first few chapters I put down.



My passion for literacy grew a lot in my Junior year of undergrad at Appalachian.  I remember sitting in classes and working in groups to discuss textbook chapters.  There were a lot of people I came across that had a very hard time comprehending or with the vocabulary.  I found out that these same people didn't really enjoy reading for pleasure.  The worst part was that these people were getting their Elementary Education degree!  In my opinion, even if teachers aren't the best readers they should still have a passion for reading.  That year I created a club on campus called Appalachian Literary Society.  We had meetings that made reading and writing fun through cookbook nights, scrabble tournaments, read alouds, book discussions etc.  My goal was to show college students that reading and writing can be very enjoyable.

Currently, I read books that are about my future career, Special Education.  I don't much time to read books for pleasure now, but when I do I try to read books that teach me more about being a good educator.  As for writing, I love writing this blog.  It is a great way for me to share what is going on with my life and to be able to look back later to see what I have accomplished.  Another way I use writing is through Facebook, which I use to keep up with friends from undergrad and even to write to friends from high school.

My own experiences with reading and writing have made me very aware of the importance of good reading teachers.  Every teacher, no matter the grade level or the subject has the chance to affect the value of literacy in a child's life. When my fifth grade teacher chose not to help my reading efforts with the "Island of the Blue Dolphins," my love of reading left me.  That was the first bad grade I had made in elementary school and that left a mark that stuck with me.  I was lucky enough to later begin reading for pleasure on my own. I know people who something like this happens to and even as adults they chose not to read for fun.  I want to be a teacher who is always sharing my love of literacy with each student I come across.  Whenever I see a struggling reader I want to get down to what that student needs help with in the reading process and help them begin to enjoy reading.  By reflecting on my experiences I can see that making connections was the biggest way for me to want to read and write.  This is something that I will definitely remember as a teacher.   Developing good readers is about getting to know each student and finding out ways to help them make their own connections.  As for writing, even though I have always enjoyed it I wish I was better at it.  I really don't remember learning much about spelling or grammar use and it's something that I still am not very good with today.  Now that I'm aware of this I am working on it and want to make sure to blend all parts of literacy into my classroom.  Literacy isn't just about learning to read, it's about learning the process of reading and the development of good writing skills.  I look forward to helping all of my students become more literate and fostering their passion for reading and writing.

Easy ways to earn some extra money

I thought I would share with you all how I make a little extra money online just by doing the things I normally do.

The first thing I use is swagbucks.  Swagbucks is a search engine that you can use to earn "swagbucks."   When you randomly search for things you will earn these swagbucks.  Then you can trade in your swagbucks for gift cards and other prizes.  I always cash in my swagbucks for amazon gift cards.  I've probably earned $100 in amazon gift cards so far.  I highly recommend using this site.  Even if you don't like the search engine if you just make a random search you are likely to earn swagbucks and then you can go use the search engine you prefer.  If you think you'd like try it click the banner below and I will get a refferal.  Referall's also lead to free prizes so then make sure to tell your friends about it.

The second thing I use is Ebates.  Ebates is a site that you can go through to get cash back for online purchases.  All you have to do is log on to ebates and search for wherever you want to shop at online.  Then from their make your purchase.  It even will tell you online coupon codes you can use to save you even more money.  I earned $22 just for purchases my textbooks online.  

Another great site I use to find coupon codes is retailmenot.com. Here you can search for coupons to use online or to print out for stores.  If you take the time to search for a discount then you will most likely find that their is a discount out there somewhere.  I rarely pay full price for anything anymore and you don't have to either.

The Hunt for Motivation

Why is that we say things that we want to do so badly but yet never find the time or motivation to do it?  For example,  how many people make New Year's resolution's to find themselves only keeping them for less than a week?  A recent study showed that only 12% of people actually achieve their resolutions.   How many college students wake up in the morning and say "I'm motivated today," but then end up only getting 15 minutes of work done?  I know I'm not the only one that this happens to but I wish I knew why it is so hard to find the motivation to keep the promises we make with ourselves.

Everyone finds motivation in different ways.  For me, I think I will try writing a list of small goals that I want to accomplish each day.  Tomorrow's goal will be to finish an assignment for an online class by lunch so I have the rest of my day free. If this works then I will gradually increase my list of goals each day.  It is time for me to start taking action in my hunt for motivation instead of sitting and waiting for it to come to me.

The Waiting Place

Booksneeze.com sent me "The Waiting Place" by Eileen Button to review.  I actually read it a while back but haven't had a chance to write a review.  Inside this book are several stories that help us to learn to take the time to breathe.  It is filled with stories about waiting for something.  Button writes with humor and passion that makes the reader fell as though they are waiting with her.  This book is a great read for anyone who finds themselves always looking for tomorrow.  It teaches us to embrace the current moment and enjoy "The Waiting Place."

Teacher Alert

For all my teacher friends make sure you check out Scholastic this week.  They are having their huge dollar sale.

http://teacherexpress.scholastic.com/grade?cat=174

Sale prices good till Jan 18th

Back In Raleigh

After a few weeks at home for the break it is so nice to be settled back into Raleigh.  On Sunday I went to the NCSU vs Maryland basketball game with my roommates.   It was a great game and State ended up winning.   Tonight I went to Piola with Callie where we ate some great Italian pizza.  I got a pizza called the Rossa which had tomatoes and basil on it.  It was very good and the best part is that I have plenty for lunch tomorrow!

Classes have started for the semester and I'm pretty excited about it.  I think I will be learning a lot this semester which hopefully won't become too overwhelming.  I am taking 2 online courses and 2 courses on campus.  So far I have plenty of reading to do for next week which is always fun.  I'm very glad that I'm interested in my courses otherwise I don't know if I could survive this much textbook reading.  

I still need to start getting up earlier, I've gone to bed way too late recently which doesn't help getting much done in the mornings.  Tomorrow I plan on getting everything organized for my classes and creating a schedule outlining when all my assignments are due and when I need to read for each class. Staying organized is the key to doing well in graduate school. 

Coupon Update

I apologize to all my friends who always are looking for me to inform them on the latest bargains.  I have been slacking since I started school as it is hard to find a lot of time to look for good deals.  But I have some good news; this week starts Harris Teeter Super Doubles.  It will start Jan 4th and last a week.  Here are a couple of links to go to where they post coupon matchups:

Southern Savers

Coupon Teacher
For those of you who haven't been keeping coupons, still check out those sites to get printable coupons you can use.

I'll try to keep you more updated this year, as I need to start saving a lot of money if I'm planning another NYC trip!

Memories of 2011

I am very thankful for the year that I had last year.  Looking back I can say it was the best year I've had yet. Here is a short summary of my year:

At the end of January I went to NYC with my best friend Felicia and my sister.  This was an experience I will never forget.

In February I took my first teaching job at Central Middle teaching sixth grade Math and Science.  This is me and my teammate.  I couldn't have asked for a better teammate and teaching experience.

In March I passed the Praxis II for Middle Grades Math, which to me was awesome because Math isn't my best subject.

In May, I was accepted to graduate school at NCSU for Special Education.

In July, I moved to Raleigh and fell in love with the city.

In August, I started a job tutoring for a tutoring company.  It is an amazing opportunity and I'm still learning so much from this job.  All of my roommates moved into the apartment this month too and we have become sisters.  I couldn't ask for better girls to live with.

In September, I went to my first NCSU football game.  I've been a big football fan ever since.

In November, I was able to watch the Carolina Hurricanes play the Maples Leaves in vip seats! I also bought my own laptop and new gps this month.  Moving on up, haha.  Also, in November I went to see the Rockettes in Durham with my friend Callie.  I recommend this show to anyone who hasn't seen it yet.  I hope to see it one day in New York.

Finally, in December I took my final exams and ended up ending the semester with a 4.0 gpa.

  

I don't think I could have asked for a better year.  I hope God blesses everyone in 2012 the way I was blessed in 2011. Happy New Year!