Finally!

Finally! The last of the Mohicans had finally completed the case report! Thank you, Drs. Rivera and Stoicovy, for your continued support. It's such a great feeling to have wonderful professors.

A lot of work and there's still a lot more next semester. Soon I can actually fill the shoes of a reading specialist. I hope all of you have a great Christmas holiday!

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." --

Benjamin Franklin

In reflection of this past semester, this quote suits well. I was told that reading was the key to a learner’s success. And I forgot and I went on teaching….I was taught that reading was the key to a learner’s success. And I went remembered and I went on teaching….I was involved in learning that reading was the key to a learner’s success…Now I just learned that reading is the key to a reader’s success.
The image reflects of the teamwork that we have among us in the inner circle because it is the sincerity of friendship and support that makes the struggle a little fun and easier.
I can say that I have learned so much during my coursework and all that I have learned was used in this course. I look forward to next semester’s classes with my inner circle of friends. Until next semester….my friends….

The Inner Circle

"It is not what is poured into a student that counts but what is planted." -Linda Conway

Knowledge is not like water that is poured and has to go somewhere and dry off. It is like a vine that grows and grows to a lengthy plant.

Was that deep or what? I was feeling so conscious about what Dr. Rivera said. She said I had deep reflections. Were they making any sense at all? Sometimes when I write, I can ramble on and on. Let me know, somebody, please!

I enjoyed being in this class. Lot of work and still wrapping up! Wait for me. I'm still part of the Inner Circle, right? Thanks for the laughs and support. We need them till we're done! Have a great Christmas holiday! See you all next sem!

Our last session was great! My meeting with Mrs. Vila went extremely well and she is pleased with the outcome of Ahrian being enrolled in the Literacy Center. My Livetext just needs a few fix-ups, but I'm practically done. I wanted to say "AWESOME JOB!" to everyone in completing the semester with style. We are almost done! One more semester until UOG stands and claps at the Language and Literacy Spring Class of 2009! Go Inner Circle!

The quote that I chose was short, but it summed up why I wanted to go into teaching and of course to become a reading specialist.

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." Albert Einstein

This is Ceferino Duarosan Jr. signing off....

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

Well...we made it! Another successful semester complete. Tonight's class was a wonderful way to unwind and destress after a long diagnostic case report write up. I really do appreciate all the support you all gave me throughout the semester and during my slight meltdown last week; it's always nice to know you are there to listen and support, and going through the same thing. The stress will be worth it next semester though when we see our students making progress and having success in reading and writing. We will make a difference in their lives and the satisfaction will be truly fulfilling. The quote I chose has always been a favorite of mine and I try to live by it especially with my own kids. I think every teacher should read it at the beginning of their day and again at the end. It's very inspiring and a great reminder of the immense difference you can make in a child's life.

"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank...but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child." -- Forest Witchcraft

"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve". --Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

I love this quote. I believe that we can all achieve our dreams and goals that we put our minds to. We are just a semester and a diagnostic report away from graduating. Let's all reach for the stars!

By the way as a Mary Kay Representative, does anyone need to buy any cosmetics? I need to make sales. The holidays are right around the corner. HAPPY THANKSGIVING LADIES!

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thank you

to my inner circle of friends who have been there thick and thin,

...at midnight and early morning hours,

...texting and sending messages,

...answering phone calls of HELP!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

"Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants." -- John Gardner

My interpretation is that as an educator we must always keep in mind what our goal is for our students. Why do want the learner to take away from my instruction. Would this lesson be of some value to his life? Learning would be much more effective when a learner is given the opportunity to investigate and research independently and to find their own answers rather than the information given to the learner and the teacher expects the same information to be just given back. I also believe that not all learners learn the same and not all learners come to a solution the same way. So as an educator, I have to keep in mind- differentiated learning. It may be a difficult task but we don't pick and choose who comes to our classroom doorway. If I try, I may have a classroom of young gardners with a variety of flora...not a withering pot of plants.

Hahahaha.......

"A very wise old teacher once said: "I consider a day's teaching wasted if we do not all have one hearty laugh." He meant that when people laugh together, they cease to be young and old, master and pupils, jailer and prisoners. They become a single group of human beings enjoying its existence." -- Gilbert Highet

As I read through the list of quotes, this one caught my attention in a huge way. I interpreted it as that every now and then we may be seriously engaged in our work and everyday lives that we sometimes tend to forget to laugh to break the monotony of our existence in this life. Laughter tends to bring out the human in ourselves no matter who we are. I find this very true especially when I my students are placing their challenges on my plate all throughout the day until someone or something creates some kind of hoopla to bring out laughter from everyone.

I think I can, I think I can

My favorite quote at the website was this one:

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence." -- Helen Keller

Just when I thought I was done, my diagnostic case report was returned to me with a lot of "red", I'm not use to seeing that :) I spent the night awake, my stomach in knots and my head throbbing because I could not figure out how I would be able to squeeze one more assessment session in this week since it is a very short school week.

I feel a bit better this morning (even after no sleep). It's 7:30 am but I have already talked to my student's mother (God Bless you Lucille!) and will be able to complete my parent interview in two hours when she is available to talk. My next step will be to work out one last session with Nathaniel and his mother. I have a feeling of optimism this morning. I can get this done, a few red edits is not the end of the world and a little time crunch kind of makes this exciting.

I also get to end the week with a much needed family vacation to Australia. This will be the first trip we've taken off Guam that my husband will be home for and we are all very excited to get away. We leave Thanksgiving night and will be back bright and early Monday morning. Hopefully my case report will be ok'd by Wednesday or I'm bringin my laptop with me. Optimism, optimism, optimism.

I'm thinking of all of you this morning as I was last night. We can get through this, we are almost done and I am so thankful that I have my inner circle to go through this with (I might even reconsider and walk through graduation with all of you).

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Pain...The Pain

Hey, everyone! I’m back! It is so wonderful to be back at home and in front of the computer, blogging! I have been in the past week and a half laid up at GMH nursing myself back to health due to a gi-mongous gallstone nestled in my bile duct. The gallstone was removed along with my gallbladder. I am now “gallbladder-less.” It may seem a bit funny but having the pain wasn’t. I had an attack one Sunday which made me stay out of work the next day, the day we have classes for ED643. I had to see my regular doctor who finally told me that I had to have surgery. Because it was a stone that was mobile, she thought it would be a laser procedure. Well, it wasn’t.
I was in so much pain after leaving school on that Wednesday that I made a trip to the Emergency Room. I was admitted that evening. After two days of liver function tests showed pretty high numbers and several Demerol shots later, I was told that surgery would happen on Saturday morning. Well, I didn’t feel a thing until after the anesthesia wore off. Several more Demerol shots were ordered to alleviate the pain. I was starting to think to myself that was the kind of high drug addicts enjoy. I tolerated the pain as much as I could. I was off oxygen the following evening. I was starting to use the breathing exercises and coughing to help get better.
I still feel soreness. Anyone would after having major surgery. I still have a four-inch incision stapled along with a bag that helps drain the fluids from the inside where the incision is located. Every day after my showers, I have to have the dressings changed so I don’t develop some kind of an infection around the site. It is such a task! I walk at a slower pace and can’t lift any thing heavier than 15 lbs. I hate feeling so helpless and at the same time, I don’t want to open up the stitches. I am moving around a lot so I can gain more strength. All in all, I feel better!

Image source: writelysew.wordpress.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear ED643 Students,

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the holiday with your family, and be sure to give them thanks for supporting you in your academic endeavors. Good luck with completing your final course requirements!

Best regards,

Dr. Rivera

Up the Ladder..We Go!

Here we go..up the ladder! Who would think that we are this close to our final semester of our program?!!

Monday evening's session was enlightening for Andrew and me. After we reviewed the reading assessment results, we agreed on some reading goals for himself. It will be another semester of commitment but both Andrew and I will be working closer toward our personal goals- meeting reading goals for Andrew and for myself- the completion of my graduate work!

Time is ticking (quickly) for the diagnostic reports and the end of this Fall semester. This only we are getting closer to going "up the ladder."

Image: therecruitingedge.blogspot.com

I am happy about the turn out of tonight's class as it was very productive. I understand what I need to do and it is just a matter of me getting around to do everything before the due date. I really like my quote today, "Those who lose dreaming are lost." I always do picture myself daydreaming about the "what ifs" in life and always wanted to pursue higher education. I thought that having my bachelor's degree in teaching would keep me content, but I am so close in obtaining my master's. Who would have thought that the shy kid with a problem with reading comprehension who was always stuck with the smart, obnoxious GATE students in elementary is just a semester away from being a reading specialist? Dreams do come true! All we have to do is go after them.

I enjoyed tonight's "duo" session of ED643 and ED638. I am relieved I fully understand the Geo-Narrative now even if it took me FOREVER to understand what Dr. Rivera was explaining. I sure was a few yards short of the finish line tonight-- Sometimes I worry about myself!

It's amazing to me that there are only two weeks left in the semester and our diagnostic case reports are due on Monday. Time sure does fly by.

Hopefully the full inner circle will be back next week--Lucille we miss you! I hope you are home soon and feeling better!

Kate

We're Getting There!

After a bout of ear infection, bronchitis (Andrew with the ear and I had the lung thing) and parent teacher conferences..., we're getting there. I had to squeeze in the sessions in between. Andrew seems to slowly "enjoy" reading. We actually finished a book together. As we both read the chapters, we used some strategies to strengthen our comprehension and maybe enjoy reading books.

Throughout the reading sessions, I came to a realization that Andrew could choose books of his interests then maybe then he would enjoy reading. After the story, "Tuck Everlasting", I asked Andrew if he could go to the school library and select a book of his choice. He went home with a book title "Code Talker." Andrew chose this particular book to connect to a topic in his Social Studies class this quarter. I am not sure if his teacher introduced the book title in class or if it was his own choosing. For whatever reason it may be, I am just satisfied that he was able to make a choice and actually enjoy reading it. I would catch him reading before his volleyball practices and on the rides to school and home.

We're getting there...See you all in class!

Last session with Ahrian

Today was my last session with Ahrian and to my surprise we had the whole reading lab to ourselves. Imagine that!

Ahrian is such a trooper. He was out the whole last week because of the flu. I wanted to keep the session short today, but he just kept wanting to read and read despite his cough and runny nose.

I did a couple of running records and retellings with Ahrian. He got to read two books that he chose. They were Sammy the Seal and a Clifford Book. He was so excited!

I have seen so much improvment with him since the first session now that I get to see him at Machananao for reading. His writing has improved as well since we do journal writing in the morning. I am just happy that I get to see him progress.

To my inner circle-don't forget to finish off your sessions with your students. Our diagnostic reports are due in two weeks. Have a great week and hopefully, I will see all of you next Monday.

Good Luck Lucille!

I hope your appointment with the doctor went well Lucille. I remember what that pain was like and I feel so bad for you! Watch what you eat and take it easy. I will see you on Wednesday unless the doctor has different plans for you. In the meantime, I will light some red candles for good health you! I hope everyone else is doing well. I will use tonight's class time to start typing up my case report.

Until next week, take care everyone!

Kate

Getting There!

Andrew and I have meeting outside our home life to meet our reading goals. We completed the story, "Tuck Everlasting." It was a struggle to read the chapter when we could and go over the chapter's events each time. I learned that before we begin to read a chapter, I remind Andrew that when we finish reading the chapter, we will share the details of what was read. As I prepared him, I was hoping that by thinking aloud, it will model and help him create a habit each time he reads. I want him to prepare his mind before he reads and to be able to recall information about what he read.

Andrew will take a test on our school program, Scholastic Reading Counts on the story. It will benefit his reading goals with the reading clinic at UOG, the school's reading goal for each student (to read 25 books in a school year!), and to build his comprehension skills.

We are getting there..not quite but almost...

Orlando Trip

I returned from a trip to Orlando, Florida, accompanying my husband to a Warrior Leadership Conference for the United States Army. My husband was a recipient of the United States Army Reserve Top Recruiter of the Year.





Along with the Awards Ceremony, there were a couple of days of training for the spouses or FRG (Family Readiness Group) members. An interesting workshop that I attended was on DODS ( Dept. of Defense Schools). The group was educated on the transition life and academic life of the military child. It was beneficial for me both as a parent and as an educator in the school system.

Image: Disney World, Orlando, Florida www.iifc-hq.org

Military children are faced with many challenges on top of their move. The workshop highligted on the concern that despite the challenges, the school system goals were to applaud the high test scores and to push for even higher achievement most especially in the area of reading and writing.





The workshop supplied a laundry list of ways to support the child's reading. It gave ways to improve comprehension and expand vocabulary. The training proved to be educational on my part as a parent, an educator, and a graduate student in Language and Literacy.





It was an enjoyable trip!