Miss Fisher it is...

It's been awhile since I've updated my blog and I wasn't sure what I wanted to title this post...I've decided to name it what is now my name 5 days of the week... Miss Fisher. 

That's right...I am a teacher now. A real, still breathing, getting paid to be, 5th grade teacher! Where to begin...

• I interviewed for a 5th grade position at Bluffdale Elementary right before Thanksgiving.   All of my references were called and questioned: apparently my references said some very nice things, and two of them gave very impressive reviews for me...thanks Wendy and Principal Shumard! The next week I received a call and was offered the job. Needless to say, I accepted the offer. The teacher I would be replacing was moving to Colorado and having a baby. I would begin teaching the first day they came back from Christmas Break (to be politically correct...Winter Break).  

• I spent days (many) going through my classroom getting rid of junk and organizing everything. My classroom was a disaster! The desks were chaotic, piles of stuff everywhere, books strewn about all over the place. There were only three more days I could go set up before school started again and I was just getting started! Stressed and overwhelmed, Wendy and I spent a lot of time there and at home organizing my new classroom library and I was ready to go--nervous, but thankfully ready! (My classroom library rocks by the way--organized in bins, numbered and labeled with my awesome labeler I got for Christmas)

• That was three weeks ago--and today, I'm still getting up early and making the commute to Bluffdale. I'm not ready to quit...yet. ;)  I've really enjoyed it actually, despite the many mistakes already made. My class is great. A lot of challenges, but nonetheless great. I'm learning that all my years in college did not prepare me as well as I would have liked. For example:  
  

-What's the best way to teach how to make high and low estimates in math?

-How do you even use this grading program?!

-How do you play Head's up, 7-UP?     ;)

-Can I drink Dr. Pepper in front of my students? (um...YES)

I sure am grateful for the opportunity I have to be a teacher. Not only do I love what we do and learn about in class, but I love learning something new everyday. I sure appreciate all the help and support I've received---this is where I give a little "shout-out" to Wendy~ :)  

Well....that was a lot to read, I know. 

Blogging more than once a month should help that from now on :)   

Priceless

Tuesday (the 9th) was my last day in Kindergarten, my last day student teaching, my last day of college as I've known it.

I've reflected upon these three parts of my life, and have realized how priceless they have been.

• Kindergarten: Tieing shoes, zipping coats, unscrewing my smile at the end of each day---a tough and tiring 8 weeks.

Getting to spend everyday with hilarious little kids...PRICELESS.

• Student Teaching: Paying tuition to do everything a teacher does, planning lesson plans upon lesson plans, having to teach someone else's way---frustrating.

Getting 6th graders to pose in different ballet positions---PRICELESS

• College: Gaining the experience of living with a roommate (very first one) who would show me her dandruff crumbled up in her hand...disgusting. Being required to take random, and sometimes pointless, classes...funny.

Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree tomorrow morning... PRICELESS

ABC's and 123's

I haven't posted in awhile due to the many things going on with school. In case you haven't heard, I switched from student teaching in 6th grade to student teaching in Kindergarten. Yeah--two completely different worlds.




I would like to share with you apart of my everyday:



"Does anyone have any questions about what to do when you get your paper?"

• Um--guess what? I have one of those (referring to a DVD case shaped like a rectangle)
• I have one of those too...and my dad bought me a new one yesterday (referring to the DVD case shaped like a rectangle)
• I have a dog too (not referring to the DVD case shaped like a rectangle, or anything we had just talked about)
  
  

Aside from not knowing what the difference between a comment and a question is, I find myself over-hearing random, hilarious things from these kindergartners:

• I'm the best at smelling water
• I knew that way before teacher did
• I'm going to tell teacher that you just ate your crayon (literally)

And I find myself having to say things I never thought I'd have to say:

• Everyone needs to keep their hands, their feet, and their mouths to themselves (yes-they were licking/kissing each other)
• I said "walk" to your table, not army crawl
• Could you please stop squeezing glue into Katelyn's hair?

Welcome to Kindergarten

Congrat "U" lations!

To the many of you (ok..3 of you) who participated.... here are the answers to last week's quiz:

1. Capital- Salt Lake City (Wendy was right, the capital in Utah is"U") j/k
2. Highest point- King's Peak
3. Origin of name - Ute Indians
4. Nickname- Beehive State
5. Motto- Industry
6. Bird- California Red Gull (seagull is incorrect)
7. Animal- Rocky Mountain Elk
8. Flower- Sego Lily
9. Tree- Colorado Blue Spruce (Blue Spruce and Colorado Spruce were accepted)
10. Insect- Honeybee
11. Fossil- Allosaurus (i did however accept "dinosaur")
12. Fruit- Cherry
13. Fish- Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
14. Rock- Coal
15. Mineral- Copper
16. Gem- Topaz
17. Emblem- Beehive
18. Dance- Square Dance
19. Cooking Dish- Dutch Oven
20. Bordering States-Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona
    

Drum Roll..... ( no really, be drum rolling )....

In 1st place:

Nikki @ REID reviews (private blog) will be receiving this prestige Utah-Topia award for her 12 points!

And in 2nd place...Wendy @ View From the Grove received 10 points...

Right behind her with 8 points was Jenny @ Oh Fiddlesticks!

Congratulations ladies :) Let me know your addresses so I can ship your prizes.

Thanks for participating!

Utah-Topia

I had the privilege (it was required actually) to attend part of the UEA Convention for teachers on Friday. It was held at the South Town Expo Center this year--and I've never seen so many freebies being handed out...

Anyway,
There was a booth that was advertising a U.S. Geography Computer Game and I just had to play! (Map Play)




Here's your test: without cheating (a.k.a. google-ing) see how many of the UTAH facts you can get right on the first try---post your answers by commenting on this post and whoever wins will receive a prize!


Ready?

Go!

1. Utah's state capital:



2. The highest point in Utah:



3. The origin of the name "Utah":



4. State nickname:



5. State motto:



6. State bird:



7. State animal:



8. State flower:



9. State tree:



10. State insect:



11. State fossil:



12. State fruit:



13. State fish:



14. State rock:



15. State mineral:



16. State gem:



17. State emblem:



18. State dance:



19. State cooking dish:

and finally...

20. List all 6 states that border Utah:

Well--good luck to everyone, I will post the answers and the winner on

Sunday the 26th of October (that's one week!)

Entertainment of the Season

This is before it all went down.

USU vs. BYU

I went to Logan this weekend for the most entertaining football game I've ever been to. I was really excited for BYU to wipe out Utah State. (Yes, I am an Aggie but c'mon, does anyone really expect me to cheer their football team on?)

Anyway, I made it to the game just before BYU scored the first touchdown. Typical.

While watching the game, I realized there was just as much entertainment going on around me, as there was on the field.

• To the left; One intense Aggie fan who was fond of saying bizzarre things such as: "#22, where's your house?" Also fond of picking a fight with the BYU guys behind us and brushing the dreadlocks out of his own face.


• To the front; a couple of older gentlman who happened to be die-hard BYU fans. They also happened to be severly annoyed with the fact that no one would sit down. (especially during time-outs and media breaks). "Why doesn't everybody take a seat?!!"


• Above; the BYU marching band


• Below; the USU marching band


• The ENTIRE stadium; decked out in blue and white.

Not one person was surprised when half time came and the Cougars were winning.

Everyone was surprised when the Aggies scored their first, then their second touch down.

So many flags, fumbles, play reviews, fight songs, banners, fan-fights, and more. Seriously, an entertaining game. I have never seen a team so mad about winning, and the other so thrilled about losing. Hilarious.

Utah State never expected to win, hence the reason many Aggie fans were found wearing a shirt specifically designed for this game.
---"Win or Lose.... you still live in Provo.... "nuff" said."

Congrats to the Cougars for winning!
Congrats to the Aggies for surpassing all expectations.

Courage

Today I taught a reading lesson to my 6th graders about a man during Hitler's time and the
Holocaust, titled Passage to Freedom. Quite a remarkable story about a Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of lives.

Behind this story lies a theme that was so fitting for today.

Courage.

What a great opportunity I had to talk to my students about courage and the significance of this day. As we talked about September 11, 2001 I was reminded of the horror, the sadness, and the fear. I was reminded also of courage.

• The courage of the firefighters and police officers who gave their lives trying to save others.
• The courage of those passengers who went down in a Pennsylvania field.
• The courage of the families and friends of those inside the World Trade Center and the airplanes.
  
  

  

I remember being in highschool on this day. I remember being scared. Watching the television for weeks, feeding off the news converage, searching for hope. I remember feeling torn apart yet united.



Today, as we discussed courage in school, I remembered all of these things and I felt proud to be an American. I came home and watched some videos, read some blogs and felt motivated to share my feelings.


I will always remember this day and the people who lost their lives.

I will remember the courage.