Geography is GREAT, or maybe not!

Geography is GREAT....
For me, geography was just another subject taught in high school. Much like the social studies content, it was full of facts and memorization. The only thing I remember from my high school days about geography is latitude and longitude. and possibly a few locations of various countries. It was all boring and very routine. But awwwwh, geography can be much more than facts and figures. It can be BOX CITY!! I have never imagined all the possibilities that could be used with Box City! I love this idea and this is just one more example of how social studies can be engaging, and still educational. I am making sure to document everything that I learn, so I can use it in my own classroom.... this blog is perfect for a "resource kit."


Or maybe not...
On another note, my daughter is in sixth grade and her opinion of social studies is not that great right now. Ya see, for the first six weeks, her teacher was on maternity leave and their substitute teacher (which is a retired teacher) taught the class & it was wonderful... interactive, engaging, and fun for the students. Well, now...that has changed. The teacher is back! She has been back for about three weeks, and my daughter is starting to hate this class. Same material is being taught, but the teacher is making all the difference. It is very routine and boring. A 4-5 page homework packet is worked on during the week and a test on Friday. I hate this for my child! : ( She isn't learning as much, and even worse, her attitude is negatively changing about social studies. My daughter actually made the comment, "The teacher hates it as much as we do!" This is so sad, and as a future teacher, it frustrates me. This just proves that the teacher sets the mood for the classroom, and has the power to turn students "off" or "on." This teacher has only been teaching for about four years, so I would think that she would still have passion for teaching. If she's not interested or passionate, then why would her students be?? Very frustrating!

“Mission accomplished”

I’ve been watching the rescue in Chile, of the minors trapped deep underground. The emotions are hard to imagine, but must be extremely profound for the minors and their families... and for the rest of the world. It took just 21 hours and forty four minutes to rescue the last of the 33 men.

If this doesn't give you goosebumps or convey some kind of emotion, you may want to check yourself!

Make Teaching Worth Learning!!

As a future teacher, I think of all of the negative experiences I have had in my social studies classes. Social Studies was never my favorite subject in school. I could take it or leave it. In my experience, it was filled with random facts and dates about historical happenings and old people. I only recall two of my high school social studies teacher- both were males and soccer coaches. Coincidence? Neither of the classes were fun or even interesting. At the time, we still had chalkboards and filmstrips. BORING! Every now and then, our class would get to play Jeopardy, or at least a game that resembled Jeopardy. That was a semi-fun day, because I didn't have to take notes all period. Do I remember much from those classes? Nope!

I do realize that my experiences with this seemingly dull subject in the past will make me a better teacher. I love our methods block class...it's not my initial idea of what I thought social studies was. I haven't written one note, but I have learned so much! Every activity connects social studies to real-life. This is the kind of stuff that students need to be learning. So why not making learning something students will actually remember...beyond the test?

Why teach? Duh...stickers!

As a follow up to Imani's recent blog about the little boy wanting to be a teacher because he could get big brownies at lunch, I also had motivation to become a teacher.......STICKERS! As a kid, I remember my teachers always having stickers....smelly stickers, shiny stickers, smiley stickers, glow-in-the-dark stickers, stickers, stickers, stickers!! What more incentive was needed to become a teacher? Awwww, I could just imagine having a desk drawer full of stickers and I was the only one that could decide if I gave any away. Life was good.

Like Imani, I have also reformed my way of thinking and know there is so much more to teaching than stickers (although that's a biggie...lol!) I could give a very cliche answer about why I want to teach, but the truth, I just do and know it's what I have always wanted. Yes, I want to make an impact and claim a little piece of a child's life, but teaching is like no other profession. A career in teaching is the most important job one can hold. Teachers are the people who produce future doctors, lawyers, politicians, and other model citizens that make our society as powerful as it is today. A teacher may also be the only person that can reach a "troubled" child, and give them a chance at future success, rather than settling for less than they are worth. So yeah, I still love stickers, but I also love the idea of being able to do more than just "teach" a child... I want to transform their way of thinking... and give them stickers! : )

I also want that big brownie for lunch! ; )

What Teachers Make...

This video is a poem from Taylor Mail. Mali is a teacher turned slam poet whose mission is to inspire 1,000 people to become teachers through his poems and his life experience as a teacher. The title of this poem is "What Teachers Make". To me this is one of the most motivating poems I have ever heard. I hope you enjoy.

Stereotype

I just experienced something today and wanted to share it through a quick blog. There has been a lot of talk lately about stereotypes, and I witnessed something today that caught me off guard. As I was driving on the interstate, I noticed a car was pulled onto the shoulder, with a flat tire. As I passed the car, a WOMAN was changing her own tire. Not a burly, manly woman, but a well-groomed, feminine lady dressed in business attire. She was down on one knee jacking up the side of her vehicle as she was preparing to change the tire herself.

First thought? OMG, that's a woman! Second thought? Hope she doesn't get grease on her skirt! Third thought? Heck yeah, that's a woman! Yeah, I was immediately shocked when I noticed a woman was changing her own flat on the side of the interstate. Why? I guess it's just not a common scene and yes, I assumed it would be a man doing it for her. I'm all for a woman being independent and not relying on a man, but the stereotype is still there and I was guilty of it today. Final thoughts: KUDOS TO THAT WOMAN!

Apple Dip Recipe

Apple Dip Recipe

(In an attempt to live a more balanced life, I thought I would share a great recipe today.)

If you are looking for a great and easy fall recipe, the Apple Dip is a huge hit. It is the quickest, easiest thing I have ever made. I got the recipe from my neighbor over the summer and have made it several times since then. I have no idea where it originated but I would love to thank the person who figured out this combination of ingredients.

I use a regular size pie plate to serve this in.

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1 large container of whipped cream cheese
1 large container of caramel apple dip
1/2 bag mini chocolate chips
1/2 bag crushed Heath bars
8-10 apples

Take 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 large container of whipped cream cheese. Mix these together with mixer.

Spread this onto bottom of pie plate as 1st of 3 layers.

For the second layer, use a large container of caramel apple dip. Microwave it a bit until it is spreadable and then spread it on top.

Finally, for layer 3, cover caramel dip with mini-chocolate chips and crushed Heath bars. Use enough to completely cover the caramel.

This is great with apples or graham cracker sticks. Or actually with anything :-)

Enjoy!