Tolerance

Tolerance. What comes to mind when you think of that word? For me, lately it is people wanting us to be tolerant of everything under the son....world religions, politics, you name it. And right now, the issue is of sexual orientation. For my English class, in one of the upcoming weeks, I am supposed to read a play "Angels in America" which is a "gay fantasy play" basically two homosexual men...foul language...details. I refuse. And, well, I was polite about it. I told my professor I am not comfortable with the material and asked for an alternative reading assignment, and that I would even do "extra" work to make up for the discussions on Web CT. Pretty much begged. Got nowhere. My professor said "I do not customize course content...you can take an F for that week if you choose" pretty much. Ridiculous. We as Christians are expected to always "tolerate" all of the garbage around us...not to offend anyone...not to judge anyone. Well, what about tolerating that I am a Christian and I do not want to read material I am not comfortable with. I am so outraged about this. I do not understand how in the world things are expected of us, but who respects that we are Christians and have a strong faith? I spoke with several people about this, and they agree that I am doing the right thing. Many have said I should speak to my cohort advisor about this because it is not fair. I may do that. I may wait to see if the one week's "F" affects my grade or not. I really want an "A" in the class and I have been working my tail off to get one, so it would really upset me if I couldn't get one because, basically, I am a Christian. Ok...that's off my chest. Had to say it. I love everyone, including homosexuals, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with their behavior. It's not right and I won't stand by it. On a happier note, tomorrow is FRIDAY! =) Whoo hoo! I soooo need the weekend to come. I need a break. Well, at least a break from going to work. Still have plenty to do at home, lesson plans, grading papers, Master's work. At least I can work on it on my pajamas.


Goodnight,
Nicole

Fall

Cooler weather on its' way, UGA football, fall festivals, yes...this is a happy time of year for me. I LOVE the fall. (Well, once the seasons change and my sinuses aren't so aggravated). I want a funnel cake. Random...yes, but I really do. I might just have to find a festival or go to a ballgame soon to get one. Okay, enough about that. So, what's going on with school and school (1. "school" as in teaching high school and 2. "school" as in my Masters degree classes.) First off, in my British Literature (Senior Language Arts) classes, we are working on SAT prep, vocabulary, grammar, personal essays, and starting the Anglo Saxon time period materials. In American Lit. (Junior Language Arts), we are working on grammar, persuasive essays (for the GHSWT), and starting with the Native American Literature (just finished origin myths).

Then, for my Piedmont classes, in EDUC 702, we are working on several things (this blog for one). We have our reflections #2 due Tuesday, as well as our Technology Connected Lesson Plan #2 and DVD of ourselves teaching for 30 minutes. Whew...gotta get busy! I did record myself teaching...that was nerve racking. I said "okay" as a filler word I believe a hundred times in the first 5 minutes. I was nervous. what can I say? :) As far as my English class goes, we are reading reading reading and posting posting posting! LOTS to do for that class.

As you can see, I am busy busy, so I must keep this short and sweet. Lots to do...grade papers, lesson plans, work on "my" work...the list goes on.

Happy Fall & talk soon,

Nicole

Yay for a 3 day weekend!

So...can I just say "Yay for a 3 day weekend!" Whoo hoo! I really need a 3 day weekend. I have so much work to do with my grad school work and my "work" work (lesson plans, grading papers, etc.) Not to mention, I am the assistant Sunday School teacher for the Young Adults class, and I will be teaching Sunday School for the next 2 Sundays. So, I have to study for that. And I have to work on a brochure or flyer for my husband for the youth group regarding their trip. So yes, a 3 day weekend would be much appropriate right now. Doesn't beat December's break, but it will have to do for now.


Not to sound whiny, I just have a lot to do, that's all. I feel like maybe on my blogs I sound like "poor pitiful me" alot. I really don't mean to. I am blessed. Truly I am. It just helps to sometimes get my thoughts out. This is a great way of doing just that. Nonetheless, maybe I should focus on some positives now...


Fall is coming! YAY! I really hope we have a long fall this year. I hate going from summer to practically winter with little room in between. I love love love cool weather and the leaves changing and football season. I love pumpkins and fall decorations and corn mazes. I love candy corn and the great selection of Halloween candy. I should've gotten married in the fall I love it so much, but just didn't work out where we could be off of work and school then. That is what we get for getting married so young. Trent was 21 and I was 22 (four years ago, August 5). We are thinking of celebrating our 5th anniversary in December. We really want to go back to Disney World (that is where we went on our honeymoon) and it is SUPER hot in August, so maybe we will get to go next December, not only to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, but also as a sort of "yay! I finished my Master's program" (*hopefully*).


Well, off to do more work...grade papers...etc. Story of my life. One day I will be less busy, right? No....next comes a baby or two, a possible Specialist's degree, work work work, etc. I need to learn to MAKE time for fun and relaxation. Oh, how does one do that? I shall certainly try.


Until next time,
Nicole

Is it December yet?

     Is it December yet? No, of course not. It is only week 4 of school. Well, at least next Monday is Labor Day, which means no school! At least it is a small break. I know I sound whiny. Don't get me wrong. I am very greatful to have a job, but sometimes I just wonder how I fit everything into my schedule. This grad. work is killing me. I think I have said it before in a previous post, but I am realy okay with my EDUC 702.62 class. (And, I am not just saying that because Mr. Bagwell, you will be reading this). Seriously. I am learning a lot in the class, and have some outside work to do, but not an overwhelming amount. On the other hand, for my online English class, I am swamped. We'll just call her "Professor X." Well, Professor X not only assigned us 11 books to read this semester, and 3 movies to watch, but he or she keeps sprining more reading on us each week. This week, in addition to my novel that I have to read, and part of another book that goes with the literature, she decides to add a video for us to watch online and a 48 pg. document to read to go with it. We have to post at least 4 times on Web CT, but really to answer all of the questions asked AND respond to other people, it turns into more than that. But, I can and will get through this. Let me just say I AM couting down to December mostly because I will be finished with that. :)

     Ah....that feels better. Hope you don't mind my "venting." It really helps. As far as my classes I teach, they are going fairly well. I have a few students who don't seem to get that at school they need to actually do work and pay attention, but they'll get it. No worries. I love it for the most part. Some days are harder than others, but I am there for a reason. That I know.

     I am glad it is Sunday tomorrow....church time! Always helps me get "rejuvenated" for the week. And, helping out my husband with the youth on Wednesdays always brings me great joy. Without God, I don't know how I would make it. Honestly. I think about that, and all of the people who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal savior, and it saddens me, and I wonder how they handle all of the stress in this life. I also hope to be an example for others as best I can, and hopefully tell others about Christ when I can. :)

     Well, off to bed soon, so I can get up in the morning. I feel like I had a productive day. I graded a lot of papers, and worked on some homework. More to do, but I will make it happen.

     Goodnight,

     Nicole =)

Things to Do...

I don't know quite what I'd do without my "things to do" lists I make...checking off assignments for my Master's classes, lesson plans, copies to make, birthday cards to write, groceries to buy, etc. I must stay organized or chaos will begin (literally and symbolically). And, let's just say when I get to check something off (like this Blog #2 of the week) and the list begins to diminish, that makes me happy. If only for a little while, because essentially another list begins or I add to the one already started.

I feel okay about things right now. Things are going relatively smoothly. I do sometimes wonder how I get everything done on time and manage to fit sleeping and eating in there. Nonetheless, I do seem to balance things most of the time.

I wonder what people do who have no spouse, no family that lives nearby, no full time job on top of Master's classes, no helping out at church, no helping out around the house, etc. I can't remember the last time I wasn't busy. In high school, in addition to my classes and homework, I worked a part-time job, and was active in Marching Band as a flagette (twirler), and in clubs. The fall after graduating, I began college, working part-time, then full-time eventually, while also taking a full load of courses. Then, I got married. That spring I completed my student teaching, and this is my 4th year teaching. I have always been involved in church in one way or another, from teaching Sunday School to helping my husband with the youth (he is a youth minister), to singing in choir, or whatever else comes my way. And now, I am working on my Master's degree while continuing to teach full-time. After I obtain my Master's degree, we plan to try to have our first baby. And, well, after a baby, one will pretty much ALWAYS be busy. Oh well, despite my busy life, I have lived a good life, and I hope the years to follow will be pleasing as well. Some days I do wish I had time for my hobbies such as scrap booking and reading (other than school-related materials). Maybe I will find time one day. Speaking of time, it is about time to get some zzzz's.

Goodnight all,
Nicole

Week Two? Check!

So, week two back at work and starting my Master's degree....check! It has been a long and tiring week, nonetheless. Right now I have my EDUC 702 class and my ENG 628 class. I still have a lot of homework to complete this weekend for both, as I am so busy with teaching throughout the week that time doesn't lend itself to working on it as much as I would like. I did work on reading a book this week a few days so that I could get through it. This semester in my ENG 628 class I have 11 books to read and 3 movies to watch, as well as other readings that seem to "pop up" every week. We also have to post several discussions on Web CT. I can do it...I can do it...

My classes I teach went fairly well this week. My first 3 periods better than the last 2, but none of them are extremely bad or anything. I am beginning to get them and myself in the "school routine" so hopefully it will be a good semester. In my Senior classes this week, one thing we worked on was prefixes, root words, and suffixes. We started with some common ones, and I found a great lesson plan from ReadWriteThink. So, although the lesson wasn't direclty technology related in that the students used computers or software, I used technology to find the lesson. The last thing we did was the game. Students had to first make cards with the prefixes, root words, and suffixes on them. Then, much like a card game, students got in groups to play the game, and form words with the prefixes, root words, and suffixes. They seemed to really enjoy the hands-on approach once they understood the game. Like many new lessons, there were a few "glitches" but overall it went well.

My Junior class is less than enthused about starting to work on preparing for the GHSWT (Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test). But, in the end they'll thank me, or at least deep down inside know that I helped them prepare to pass it. Sometimes we don't exactly have a thankful job in the education world, but I know that whether they verbally admit it or not, they are thankful that I help them with what they need. Motivating the students I have to enjoy reading or writing is not the easiest thing to do, but I give it 100% in hopes that I will have some success.

Well....off to do more homework now. Until next time, "just keep swimming...just keep swimming" (Finding Nemo) =)

~Nicole

Only Monday?

Is it only Monday? Why, yes it is. It is only lunchtime and yet I feel that I need a nap. I didn't sleep well last night, but hopefully tonight will go better. I am not feeling quite as overwhelmed as yesterday. I completed alot of my "to do" list yesterday and I am trying to break things down into smaller chunks instead of looking at the big picture and feeling like I will never complete everything.

So far today my classes have done pretty well. 4th period seems to be the "most alert" so I will have to stay on my toes there. Maybe it's because they are finally waking up by then? My first 4 classes I teach Senior Language Arts, then I have lunch duty and lunch within my planning period 5th, and I finish my day up with Junior Language Arts 6th period. If all other motivational techiques fail, I can always throw in the "You have to have this class to graduate...I suggest you stay on task and complete your work" line.

So today and tomorrow are my longer days. Today because we have either department meetings or faculty meetings on Mondays after school, and tomorrow of course because I have my EDUC 702 class. I am excited about learning new ways to use technology in the classroom. As our students become more driven with technology, it is important that we, as teachers, try to keep up. Unfortunately, I am not in the "digital natives" category, so I have to work harder to keep up with the technology than do my students and the younger generation. I am only 26, but it is pretty crazy how much things have changed since high school in only 8 years. I feel older every day =)

Looking forward to Friday again,
Nicole

Overwhelmed

Overwhelmed is an understatement. Whew...this week has been a long one, and very tiring. Getting up at 5:15 a.m. is not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, that is what I had to do this week. I started back to work at Berkmar High School. This year I am teaching four classes of Senior Language Arts (British Literature) and one class of Junior Language Arts (American Literature). My students seem pretty good so far; then again, we could still be in the "honeymoon stage." Maybe not. I would love to have a great year. The first day back I was all nerves, as I always am the first day back, but I quickly loosened up and my personality allowed me to overcome my fears. Having a sense of humor with the students is essential. Making them laugh is just another way of helping me make it through the day.

As if the first week of school isn't enough, I started my Master's classes this week. My first class is EDUC 702 Integrating Media, which meets on Tuesdays from 4:30-8:30 pm. Luckily, I do not have to drive anywhere, because they class meets on Berkmar's campus. That is a major relief! This blog site just happens to be one of our assignments for this semester. It is really a great way to relieve stress. I am looking forward to all that I will learn in the class so that I can use it in my own classroom. My second class is ENG 628 American Literature of the 20th Century, but my professor is only focusing on American Literature of New York...should be interesting. I look forward to that class too, but am feeling that it is going to take up a lot of time that I really do not have. I already ordered my 11 books and 3 movies for the class and as if that wasn't overwhelming enough, I just received the syllabus and assignments posted yesterday. This is going to be a LONG semester. I can do it...I can do it...

On top of working and getting my Masters, I try to be involved at church. My husband Trent is the youth minister there, and I try to help him out when I can. I also sing in the choir. And, I am going to assist in the college and career department.

Did I mention that I have a husband, two cats, and a dog that I like to spend time with. Family and friends...yeah, I have those too. I pretty much told everyone "See you in December!" I know that this too shall pass, and it is just part of life. I will just have to do the best that I can to manage my time well and maybe fit in sleep sometime. Yes, sleep would be nice.

Looking forward to a great week. Starting out positive and hoping I can get everything done.

Until next time,
Nicole