Winter Update

This last semester has flown by so quickly! I have completed my internship for student teaching and will have one final semester before I have finished the requirements for my elementary education certification. I really did not think the day would be here so rapidly!

I finished my internship in a 3rd grade classroom with an educator who has been teaching for over 20 years. I have been able to reflect about her teaching style and know the techniques I will take with me and those I will leave behind in her classroom. I am always amazed at the distance many teachers keep between themselves and their students. I built a successful relationship with each 3rd grade student and will greatly miss them as I finish my semester with another mentor teacher.

I have recently been transferred to a 6th grade classroom and it is a completely different world with these students. The particular teacher I will be working with feels very strongly about the mental and emotional health of her students, so it will be intriguing to work with the students in this atmosphere. I have always believed that educators should teach the whole child and this classroom will give me ideas as to how to approach this philosophy and be successful.

The time I have spent in these classrooms has given me a chance to compare and contrast my own method of educating my children at home. I can honestly say that I am providing my children a comparable education at home. I did not realize how many methods I have learned over the years that has given me an advantage with student teaching. It is a great feeling to know that my children will have the knowledge to help them excel in life and be well-adjusted citizens.

In Remembrance

My father passed away, at the age of 77, on September 11, 2010, due to complications from diabetes. He was born on Oct. 27, 1932, and was the seventh child of nine children.

He served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955 and was stationed in France. My father loved being a father and grandpa, supporting the local 4-H program, sharing stories about the past, wood working in his garage constructing new things (cherished items include a cradle and rocking horse for his grandchildren), and going to coffee with his pals every morning. He will be deeply missed by all.

A Science Fair Project in Biospheres

For my science methods class, I chose to create a freshwater biosphere for the science fair. I would liked to have experimented with a marine environment, but it involves a significant amount of time to research and, as usual, I was already short on time. The freshwater biosphere turned out very well and the organisms are still living after three months. I might venture out for some fish and see how they survive in the existing environment. I found a great site that has good information about creating natural environments without chemical filtration: http://naturalaquariums.com/ .

During our science fair, I had the opportunity to visit with Barbara Morgan, the first female educator in space. She is definitely an inspiration to educators! I really enjoyed speaking with her and gleaning ideas for my future experiences in the classroom. She brought with her basil seeds that have flown on the space shuttle along with K-12 lesson plans for students to design, build, and evaluate their own lunar plant growth chambers. More information can be obtained from: http://www.nasa.gov/education/plantchallenge

I have to say that the science elementary methods class has been one of my favorite classes. I had an amazing instructor who has definitely inspired me to bring inquiry-based hands-on projects to my own children and future classrooms.

A Fishing Trip to Alaska

My hubby has just returned from a fishing trip to Ketchikan, Alaska and brought back 50 pounds of yummy fish. We are so excited!

Back to Work for Megan

We have enjoyed having Megan home for the last 10 days. It has been wonderful to spend time together over the summer when everyone is home and not worried about work, exams, and school schedules. We had a great time moving furniture, painting, and organizing Megan and Jordann's room and the school room. We will miss you today Megan and your humorous perspective on life!

Enjoying the Summer Break!

Our weather here has been a bit crazy and we never know whether to expect a cold breeze or the blazing hot sun. This photo was taken during one of our recent storms that occurred after a 100-degree day.

It has taken me a little time to unwind from the hectic pace of school and begin to enjoy the summer. I was very thankful to finish all of my methods classes for elementary education. It seemed like I was constantly working on one major project after another to satisfy the requirements for these classes. I will begin posting the results of some of these projects over the next few weeks.

I have already received my placement for my professional year that will start in the fall. I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to complete my student teaching at a harbor school. I have heard amazing things about how the harbor method works and I am anxious to see for myself how it benefits children.

Shelby's Graduation Day

Congratulations, Shelby!

Shelby completed her last two classes for high school this week, so she is now completely finished with her high school requirements. She will get to enjoy some well-deserved time off before starting college this fall. I am so proud of her for all her hard work and finishing early!

Happy 10th Birthday, Whitney!

Tissue Paper Collages

I am taking an art methods class this semester and I had to create a large tissue paper collage in a window. This is my attempt:

Whitney loved to create her own:

A Curious Creature

I was trying to figure out my new webcam and discovered a very curious creature! Yes, Demon, I know you want to go for a walk!

Shelby's Birthday Quilt 2010

With great secrecy and a few late nights, I was able to pull off this quilt for Shelby's birthday. She was very delighted!

Back to School for Spring Semester

We have all jumped back into school for the spring semester and everyone is staying busy, busy, busy!

I am currently taking art methods, science methods, math methods, and kinesiology for elementary school teachers. It will be a very full semester, but I am thrilled that this is the last of my required courses prior to starting my student teaching.

Megan is taking math, history, art, and educational technology this quarter. She is learning what it means to write lesson plans and reflections. Fortunately, I have plenty of resources and suggestions for her!

Shelby is finishing high school and is enrolled in her last two courses: consumer economics and speech. She will be finished in March and is excited to have her high school courses completed.

Jordann and Whitney are busy working through multiple courses this year. I have been thrilled at all the knowledge and new skills they are requiring. Their course list consists of: literature, grammar, composition, spelling, math, history, science, art, and Spanish.

Happy 18th Birthday, Shelby!

Shelby has grown up to be a lovely young person! We are so proud of Shelby, her dedication to education, and the great accomplishments she has already achieved in life! We wish her the best as she finishes high school and begins making decisions for her future. We know that she will do great things!

Ready for School

This is how my little darling dresses for school in the cold of winter! I think we are expecting a high of 25 degrees today. I guess this is another reason for homeschooling .... let's hope the furnace doesn't quit!

Author Janette Rallison

I discovered author Janette Rallison over the Christmas holiday and the girls and I have been having a fabulous time reading and discussing her books.

We started with My Fair Godmother which transports the reader into the land of fairy tales. I spent much of my youth reading Grimm's Fairy Tales, so this was a charming read for any fan of classic fairy tales. Here's a synopsis for the book:

When Savannah's boyfriend dumps her for her older sister, she idly wishes for a true prince. Chrissy, her fairy godmother, shows up. Only Chrissy is not a real fairy godmother. She's only a fair fairy student. In her attempts to grant three wishes for Savannah, Savannah is sent to the Middle Ages smack into the stories of Cinderella and Snow White.

When Savannah finally gets out of the Middle Age mess, she discovers that Tristan, a boy from school, has been sent back to prove himself a worthy prince for her. Together, Tristan and Savannah have to conquer mystical creatures and find a way back into the present day.

We also discovered the following book that Whitney was delighted to start reading. This was not surprising since she has decided she wants to have a career in fashion merchandising. I think she's been out shopping with her oldest sister way too much!

It has been delightful to find a clean, humorous author for children and teens with the current trend of vampires, witches, and wizards taking over the young adult genre. For more information about Janette Rallison, check out her blog .

~Kim