Make It Happen in 2012!

Mrs. Stevens Blog

1. I have ambition but I believe I can do better! Ambition is a big part of getting things done and this last semester I am kicking it into gear. WORK WORK WORK

2. Study for test more often. I make good grades on daily paper but tests I don't do so hot. I will make sure to take out the time to study for tests when it is needed.

3. Procrastination. I get things done and I get them done on time but I wait till the last minute do everything and it is absolutely horrible. I don't know why I do that to myself but I will not longer.

The Ideal Classroom

An Ideal Classroom? ->Lewisville I.S.D
I believe that the ideal classroom should be a place where the kids feel safe, not only from the obvious, but I want them to feel like it's a second home. I believe if it is possible to make this happen students would learn more. The classroom these days are taking away from the fun and I know people need to grow up but makinf everything so strict isn't the way.
Students pay attention a lot if it's about technology, having something fancy and shiny in their hands is like a bran new feeling. They feel they can be trusted and that they can do something right and learn something new.
In my idea classroom it would be like home but better!

Grinch or Santa!

Two articles that I have read before posting this blog:
Bah, Humbug
Santa Claus can

I believe that schools should be able to celebrate the holidays in the class room to an extent.

Cards never did anyone wrong! They are just a simple thing to make someone smiling by letting them know someone cares. Cards in the class room is one thing compared to santa being there. Now it's understandable that he is kind and teaches kindness and generosity, but they can always see him outside the class room and it wouldn't be taking any of the teachers time out of the classroom.

Also I think having a little fun towards the break like a small party would be good for the kids. It shows that its not all "boring" and that they can have fun, but to an extent of learning something at the same time.

The holidays is a special time to anyone and everyone, rather they be religous or not. The celebrations don't have to be celebrated in a religous way, but just a fun way, the right way!

American Teacher

Mrs. Stevens blog
American Teacher website
The two links above are what I am basing my information off of since I was not able to watch the documentary.

My view of being a teacher stayed the same after watching the previews to this documentary. Most of this information I already knew because I have researched it myself. I have wanted to be a teacher ever since second grade and I don't think anything will change my mind because teacher is where everything starts.

I feel that most teachers are most frustrated with the salary that they are given because people who sell cellphones even make a bigger salary than teachers, it's like the government thinks teachers aren't anything and in reality they are everything.

Teaching conditions could improve in just the support they get. Most teenagers don't appreciate them, they think school is just something to go through to get to the real stuff, but this not true, teachers need respect, just like everyone else.

Why Do Students Procrastinate?

Mrs. Stevens blog

Overcoming Procrastination

"Difficulty Concentrating. When you sit at your desk you find yourself daydreaming, staring into space, looking at pictures of your boyfriend/girlfriend, etc., instead of doing the task. Your environment is distracting and noisy. You keep running back and forth for equipment such as pencils, erasers, dictionary, etc. Your desk is cluttered and unorganized and sometimes you sit/lay on your bed to study or do your assignments. You probably notice that all of the examples that you have just read promote time wasting and frustration."

This is my biggest task. I don't concentrate very well at all. I tend to space out when teachers talk to much even if it is something important that I need to be listening to. If my environment is too noisy or distracting I tend to move into my room or a closed area. I think this will be better but then I just tend to think and think some more. Never do I really do the task at hand, I mean I try but it seems it never gets completed. I have learned that working in small groups helps me with this problem. With a little group I have someone to count on if I space out or I am not concentrating and the work seems to get doen a whole lot faster too.

Study in small blocks instead of long time periods. For example, you will accomplish more if you study/work in 60 minute blocks and take frequent 10 minute breaks in between, than if you study/work for 2-3 hours straight, with no breaks. Reward yourself after you complete a task.

I am actually trying this this weekend and it's working! I have this blog to finish, theatre things to research, a poem to write for the talent show, and english homework. I have finshed all but this blog and my poem.
I started all of the work today, but instead of working on it from 3pm-8pm, I started at 12pm and worked for an hour ate lunch, then just sectioned everything off and I am almost completely finished.
It's exciting to not procrastinate as much anymore because it puts your mind at ease!

If I could change education I would make everything a stage!

My reflection over Changing Education

Sir Ken Robinson does a spectacular job of expressing expressing how teenagers and kids are being brainwashed in school. We are taught only one answer is correct to basically everything! So how does that teach us to think outside the box?

If I could change education I would make everything a stage! Making everything interesting and connecting every lesson to real life would be the way to go! In doing this it would bring everyones attention and with the connections to things people would remember it more! 

Imagination is the best thing when it comes to thinking outside the box. This is why I think theatre for being in my life. I would just be a walking zombie if all I did was take core classes. Theatre allows myself to express different ideas, and being able to connect them to life.

Now not everyone likes being infront of an audience or even a group of people and in that case I would just make the education learning prosses something they can connect to easily and something that they would feel comfortable doing, but sometimes it is a good thing to get out of your own comfort zone.

Lesson Planning 101

My blog is a response to Mrs. Steven's blog

I intern for Mrs. Panfil, who is a theatre teacher. There really isn't any spacific grade level exept that 6th graders are all in one class and so are the select theatre students, and it turns out that I do not have either one so my grade levels would just be 7th and 8th.

I believe that a fantastic idea would be to teach them to make puppets and have them write a skit with these puppets and of course they would put on a show with them! :) (In groups)

or

perhaps they could write a play and the class will pick some and sqeeze them down into one minite
interpretations of them! (In groups)

TEA for theatre

GRADE 7

(c) Knowledge and skills.

(1) Perception. The student develops concepts about self, human relationships, and the environment, using elements of drama and conventions of theatre. The student is expected to:

(D) express thoughts and feelings, using effective voice and diction;

(F) include setting, character, and plot in improvised scenes.

(2) Creative expression/performance. The student interprets characters, using the voice and body expressively, and creates dramatizations. The student is expected to:

(A) demonstrate safe use of the voice and body;

(B) define characters by what they do, what they say, and what others say about them;

(C) select movements and dialogue to portray a character appropriately; and

(D) create and improvise collaboratively and individually stories that have a beginning (exposition), middle (climax), and ending (denouement, resolution).

GRADE 8

(c) Knowledge and skills.

(1) Perception. The student develops concepts about self, human relationships, and the environment, using elements of drama and conventions of theatre. The student is expected to:

(D) express thoughts and feelings, using effective voice and diction;

(F) create setting, character, and plot in improvised and scripted scenes.

(2) Creative expression/performance. The student interprets characters, using the voice and body expressively, and creates dramatizations. The student is expected to:

(A) demonstrate safe use of the voice and body;

(B) analyze life interactions, choices, and responses to describe character motivation;

(C) portray characters through familiar movements and dialogue; and

(D) create, improvise, and record individually and collaboratively characters, setting, dialogue, and actions that have tension and suspense and that reflect a beginning (exposition), middle (climax), and ending (denouement, resolution).