Student Life

I'm a student again, and I've decided that although the life of a student is more relaxed and laid back than a teacher, it's more fun being the teacher who gets to direct what's going on in the classroom.  In the past week I've felt like for the most part, all I'm doing is 'jumping through the hoops' of the education system rather than truly learning and moving forward in my 'education journey'.  It's been nice to connect with my school friends again.  I"m trying hard to enjoy my time back in school since I know the days are ticking down quickly until I will no longer be able to call myself a student.  

I've had a bit more time this week to visit with friends and try to get a hold on what life should be like which is good.  I've also got a long list of homework that needs to get done this weekend, so hopefully motivation will find me tomorrow morning when I sit down at my desk to get started.  

As to entertaining stories for the week...not many really.  I went to one of the middle schools in town to do a presentation on ethnobotany (study of how people use plants) which was pretty fun.  It was a group of students who are part of a program that focuses on helping mostly aboriginal students develop self-confidence along with helping to teach some of the cultural history that many children miss out on in their homes.  The kids were a handful, but it was pretty fun as well.

Another highlight was electrifying a  dill pickle in science class.  That's right...plug in a pickle!  It makes a bright yellow glow and I'm told that if you leave it plugged in for long enough the pickle will actually blow up!  (I still want to try that one day!)

Click on this link to see a youtube clip of a teacher electrifying a pickle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVkrs6&VNYo

I'm sure there are other random 'education' moments that could be shared with you but they probably would not be as interesting for you as they have been for me.

Hope you're all staying warm (it was almost -30C these past two days).  Winter has arrived!

Enjoy the weekend.

Practicum Complete

So I finished my placement on Friday, which leaves me with mixed emotions.  Just as life was starting to settle into a routine at school with me as the TEACHER, I return to classes on Monday as the STUDENT again.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, I know that the life of a student is generally easier, but at the same time it was nice being the teacher and being the one who TELLS the students what they are supposed to be doing-a power thing I guess.  I am looking forward to getting back to school and seeing my friends again and hearing everyone's stories from their practicums.  It makes it easier knowing that there are only 31/2 weeks of classes left until Christmas break so I know I only have to work really hard for a short period of time and then I get another break:)  

The snow has begun to fall again outside my window which helps make it seem like Christmas is all the closer which I am excited about.  I've begun burning candles in the evenings to help cheer up my room during the long winter nights:)

Back to talking about my placement (sorry for the random rambles folks), my co-op teacher was super nice and took me out for breakfast on my last morning.  She also gave me a gift (one that only fellow teachers/stationary fanatics will appreciate), an apple shaped paperweight that is magnetized so it can hold paperclips and also a package of apple shaped paper clips!  Yup, pretty exciting folks:)

In the middle of my practicum I was reconsidering why I was even in the teaching profession, but by the end I had come around and realized that I do enjoy teaching.  There's just times when it seems overwhelming and consuming which I do not enjoy!  There some things that would be easier if it were my own classroom, I guess I'll just have to wait till next year to test that theory out:)  I'm sure there are many things that just take time and practice/experience to make them easier.  I just wish I could be a fantastic/perfect teacher right NOW!  Forget this waiting and learning thing.

This weekend has been a lovely chance to have a mini-holiday before starting up a busy 3 1/2 weeks.  I did a bunch of baking yesterday-blueberry banana muffins, Reese's Pieces pie, chocolate-peanutbutter rice krispy cake along with tacos!  I also got a chance to go out and do some shopping with my mom and help her buy some new shoes:)  Girls, you'll understand the excitement of making sure your mom gets some nice shoes...shoes for myself would be even more fun but I'll have to settle for spending other people's money for now;)  And then to top off the weekend, my friend Julia, from Winnipeg came in for a visit.  Her family was staying up at Elkhorn for the weekend so she came down to visit me.  We ended up going for some delicious sushi at a new place in town (well not actually all that new, but new to me!) and I have nothing but good things to say about it.  Tokyo Zone!!!  What a friendly place with fantastic sushi (not that i"m really an expert, but it was fresh and super tasty).

And now a lazy Sunday afternoon that lets me catch up on emailing friends and writing on my blog!  Until later friends.

# 101

Post #101 Folks! Wow, it's hard to believe that I've had enough to say that I could make 101 posts. I decided that since this is post 101, I should do something special I'm going to try and make a list of 101 things you may/may not know about me...

One other thing...this was supposed to be post #100, but I accidentally posted a different post before I could get this one up, so I wanted to make something special for #101 instead;)

Here we go:

1. I love sushi (though not too much raw fish)

2. I want to live somewhere near the ocean & the mountains

3. I want to live where there are palm trees

4. I love to bake (almost anything, and it is a form of stress relief for me)

5. I have considered getting my nose pierced for awhile...not sure when it will happpen

6. My chiahuahua's name is Indiana Jones.

7. Watching snowflakes fall on a winter night is one of the most beautiful sights

8. I lived in Ethiopia for 3 months

9. I've been to Europe twice

10. I detest flying in or out of Heathrow Airport

11. I am a vegetarian (most of the time)

12. My favorite colour is blue.

13. Reading is a lot of fun.

14. Singing can pass many hours.

15. Being outdoors is what I like best.

16. Living outdoors during camping/canoe trips is so freeing.

18. My camp name is IKEA

19. One day I hope to have many children of my own

20. I am the eldest child in my family.

21. Smaller groups of friends is better than big parties for me

22. I enjoy a variety of granny sports.

23. I am currently knitting a cabled toque for myself.

24. I have travelled/visited the USA.

25. I don't really like eating spaghetti & red sauce.

26. Water-skiing is a fun summer sport for me.

27. Laying around on our ski boat and listening to the tunes=a great day!

28. I have lived in the same house for the past 21 years

29. I've never kissed a boy (yet!)

30. Never been on a real date (yet!)

31. Chocolate cheesecake=favorite dessert

32. Favorite Fruit=Apples (or mangoes, it's a tie)

33. Size 11 feet

34. Naturally curly hair

35. Love playing card games (and some board games)

36. I have travelled/visited Mexico.

37. Prefer pants to skirts.

38. I love growing plants in my room...cactus, ivy, umbrella tree...you name I'd like to grow it

39. Would like a mac computer when I have money

40. I have travelled/visited the Netherlands

41. Dogs win over cats!

42. Cooked for over 250 people at one time

43. Directed camps for 2 summers

44.I have travelled/visited France

45. Worked at Manitoba Pioneer Camp for 3 seasons (12 months in total!)

46. Love cross-country skiing

47.I have travelled/visited Belgium

48. Wish my friends could all live in one place so it would be easier to see everyone

50. I know how to drive a boat.

51. I am a Teacher

52. Hope to write my own songs one day

53. Hope to visit China during my lifetime

54. I have travelled by boat, by train, by car, by bus and by plane. (to get between countries)

55. Sailed a double-masted schooner (with assistance of course!)

56. I have travelled/visited Germany

57. Never want to own a reptile or bird for a pet (something with fur please!)

58. I have declined several marriage proposals

59. Love going to concerts

60. Live closer to the university than most people park

61. try not to be a facebook addict

62. Beginning to acquire a taste for wine (thanks Julia!)

63. Want to learn how to play the guitar

64. love cozy fleece pants

65. I have travelled/visited Austria

66. I have worked in a gym (if you can imagine that!)

67. Think wool is too scratchy to wear next to my skin

68. Coffee AND Tea are my friends, especially on a cold day

69. I do not own a cell (and i suck at texting)

70. I've been a maid of honor once (so far)

71.I have travelled/visited Italy

72.I have worked as a lab assistant (aka lab rat!)

73. Want to learn how to make my own pasta

74. Dream of playing in a professional band one day

75. Prefer being the passenger to the driver (in most situations)

76. I really enjoy ironing clothes

77. I do not have my own car.

78. I really don't like dusting

79. I have worked in a funeral home.

80. Wishes to own a grand piano one day

81. I have travelled/visited Greece

82. Hope to visit Australia & New Zealand in the future

83. I haven't coloured my hair in almost 1 year (that's a record!)

84. Worked with girls who lived on the street...eye opening

85. Can't get enough of little kids (especially babies!)

86. Wishes I could do more baby-sitting...it's so much fun

87. I played volleyball in high school.

88. Love going out to make snow angels

89. I choose fruit over vegetables, but vegetables over meat! (carbs usually win over everything)

90. Love packing Operation Christmas child Shoe Boxes

91. Slurpees are delicious at any time of the year

92. I have travelled/visited England

93. Travelled across a lake in a dug-out canoe (just a little terrifying)

94. I started university planning on becoming a physician.

95. I played basketball in high school.

96. Shared a taxi with a sheep and some chickens once

97. After tasting, decided that chicken feathers are not good for eating by humans

98. Always up for trying a new food (especially if I get to cook it)

99. I am surprised if you actually read all the way to #99...congratulations!

100. I played the French Horn in band class.

101. Its really hard to think of 101 interesting things about your self...try it and then let me know how it goes!

Transitions

Transitions seems to be the word of my life right now. I am definitely in a big period of transition as I come to the end of my life as a formal student and move into 'real' adulthood:) Move from student to professional. Move from practicum back to classes. Move from old friends to finding new friends. Moving from camp back to home. All of these movements are not necessarily good or bad, they just are. The key is deciding how to approach these transitions. Right now I am trying to be open to whatever the transition will look like.

I don't have anything really profound to say about this, but that in general my life feels like a big transition right now. It's exciting and scary at the same time. Good and bad. Both sides of the spectrum.

Any words of wisdom or ideas from any readers who have moved through big transitions in their life and can speak from experience? I'm open to whatever people might have to add;)

IN OTHER THINGS...

I am coming up on my last week of my practicum. It's hard to believe that my 5 weeks are almost up (well almost 6 since I went in while we were still on strike). I'll be back in class for only 3ish more weeks and then it will be Christmas break! Yipee!! I booked my flight to Calgary to go and visit old friends and their beautiful children! I can't wait to meet the two youngest ones (twin girls born in May) for the first time. I need to finish that second baby blanket to bring with me...

It snowed for the first time on Thursday. The city was white for a day or so. It's still cold but the snow seems to have gone away for now. I think winter is coming upon us and I"m excited. I enjoy winter sports and the beauty of fresh white snow. The sparkling diamonds that fall from the sky are always enthralling. I know that not everyone in this part of the country would agree, but winter isn't all bad. There are some pretty fun parts to it.

So there you go, some random babbling about my life, incase you're interested.

Make it a good week folks. Remember to wear a poppy tomorrow!

updated

I wanted to let you know that I posted those pictures from Halloween. So if you're looking for a good laugh, then take a quick peek at my post from Sunday.

Busy**Updated with Pictures

Hi Folks. As you can probably guess by the lack of blogging, my life has been kind of crazy these past weeks. I have 2 weeks left in my placement and I'll be honest, I'm looking forward to being done and getting back to the 'easy' life of a student. This placement has been quite draining and I've spent WAY more time working on prep and marking during this placement than my other two. I guess that's sort of what's supposed to happen as I have more responsibilities and I teach all the classes every day, but it's still a lot of work. Welcome to the real world princess:0

For the most part I am enjoying my placement. There are days when I wonder why I teach senior high...maybe a younger grade would do my heart good...we'll have to see.

I had a fun time on Halloween night. Kendelle and I dressed up and joined a bunch of folks from the university to go trick-or-treating for non-perishable food for our university food bank. It was a lot of fun because we got to dress up (which I love) and we got some candy out of the deal too. It was kind of funny to see people just hand-out candy to us without asking why people so tall (and obviously adult) were at their door...for the most part people were really generous with giving us food for the food bank. Apparently the foodbank at the school gets almost 80% of their yearly food supply on halloween night alone...wow, that's a lot of food! I dressed up as "WHMIS Woman"...for those of you who know anything about chemistry this will mean something to you, the rest of you may be confused. I was a super-hero with flame-throwing powers. I had the flammable symbol on my cape and shirt, wore a flame colored (via tie-dye) t-shirt, red cape, mask and black tights for my ensemble:) KEndelle pulled out a shiny purple prom dress with puffy sleeves from the 80's and added some bad make-up and puffy bangs to complete her '80's prom Queen look. It was a good time.

Here is a couple of pictures to show you our look:

The rest of my weekend has not been nearly as fun or exciting...just marking (several projects) and lesson prep...oh school how you seem to consume my life-I am definitely not doing well with the whole balance thing these days...gotta work on that.

So that's what's new with me...until later!