Happy Hump Day!

It's Wednesday!!! Which means...it's hump day!  Yay!

Anyways.. I have so much to blog about because this week has been eventful, interesting, and memory-filled!  So, let's get started! :)

Monday was the kindergartner's FIRST FULL DAY of school!  Needless to say, I'm happy that I rested up over the weekend because this girl is tired!  But, their first full day of school went really well.  They absolutely love school and they were so excited to finally get to play in centers, play with math manipulatives AND of course...they got to go to PE!!! That's exciting for anyone :)!  So, I was chatting with my sister on Monday night and I realized I never really told you what a normal day looks like in our classroom so below is our schedule so that you know exactly what I'm doing every minute of the day ;)!  Plus, it will help when I'm talking about the kindergartners and things they do throughout the day ;)!

Classroom Daily Schedule

8:30-8:50: Kids arrive at school; table activities until morning meeting

8:50-9:15: Morning meeting (calender, alphabet, attendance, lunch count, etc.)

9:15-10:30: Reading (mini lesson, reading workshops)

10:30-11:00: Lunch

11:00-11:20: Recess

11:20-12:10: Reading/Writing (teacher read-aloud, alphabet writing)

12:10-1:00: Specials (PE, Music, Library, Art)

1:00-1:25: Recess

1:25-2:40: Math (mini lesson, math workshops)

2:40-3:15: Center Time (kids favorite)

3:15-3:30: Get kids ready for home

3:35: Dismissal of students

So, as you can see from above, our daily schedule is jam packed with different things but Reading and Math, as you can see, are the main focus of our school day.  I find it interesting that Social Studies and Science have been left out of the kindergarten curriculum, but I don't make the rules...!

Let's move on to Tuesday...Tuesday was the first day I got to lead morning meeting!  Each week, I will be teaching a new area plus the area I taught the week before...so by weeks 5, 6, and 7 of student teaching I will have COMPLETE, FULL control of the classroom! Crazy...I know :)!  But anyways, morning meeting went really well!  The students actually listened to me...can you believe it?! :)  Needless to say, I felt much more relieved after it was over because I was kind of nervous, but my teacher said I did great so I was very happy to hear that and from now on, I will be doing morning meeting!  So exciting!

Wednesday = Early out day for student (YAY for them)...Professional Development for teachers (kind of boring) :).  However, I kind of like professional development as a student teacher because it's primetime for new and exciting things that are happening in schools today.  Today in Professional Development we focused on the "Workshop Model" classroom.  As you can see above in our daily schedule..we have reading, writing, and math workshops.  Workshops are supposed to provide more interaction with curriculum then teacher-directed activities.  I really like the "Workshop Model" because it lets the kids have more hands-on interaction and that is one thing students thrive off of in today's society.  Below is a picture of the "Workshop Model" and how it should look during the content-focused time of the day.

Today was a great day and it ended with even better news...

We get out EARLY Thursday AND Friday at 1:30 because of the heat.  Now, let me confirm one thing...my school is air-conditioned!  However, some of the schools in the Waterloo School District are not; therefore, we are dismissing early because of heat and they are required to dismiss all schools and not just a select few.  I was happy to hear this news ONLY because I'm going to Iowa City this weekend and I wanted to be able to get an early start...and now, I CAN!  :)

So, let me now fill you in on my upcoming weekend!  My mom and I will be leaving from home but unfortunately...not in her NEW Ford Edge.  Nope, instead we get to take Dad's OLD Ford pickup and pull the boat all the way to Iowa City.  Let me tell you, we are going to be looking like SERIOUS hicks!  Haha it should be quite memorable.  So, anyways...let's get past the transportation issue and move on to the fun and exciting things happening!  This weekend will be the last weekend we have as a family without a baby!  So, needless to say we probably won't be being too responsible (besides the pregnant sister) haha!  Oh...too funny.  Love you Brooke...but it sure is nice to have a d/d :)!  Anyways, we will be camping, boating, but most importantly...just spending some much needed quality time together as a family.  Labor Day weekend as a family has been a tradition for a very long time in our family and I'm so excited to get to spend it all with them again this year.  And next year, most likely we will be perhaps celebrating a 1st birthday or possibly taking the new little one in the boat! How exciting! :) :)!  Anyways, here's a picture from last year as a family at the Iowa game over Labor Day weekend....Next week, I will post a new photo from this coming weekend!

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week and three day weekend!  Yay! Until next time, stay safe.  Love you all! :)

Few updates...

Cute thought for the end to a great week/weekend....

Again, I am so happy and so blessed with what is happening in my life right now and I have everyone to thank...my parents, my sisters, my grandparents, the teaching staff I am working with, my friends, but most importantly...God.

Here's a few updates on my week/weekend :)!

First, my week was awesome!  The kindergartners had a week of school, but they only had half days so they were only there until noon and then we did testing for the rest of the afternoon.  Testing is being done on each student in kindergarten to find out what academic reading level they are at.  We have found out that our classroom has a wide range of academic levels so it's going to be very difficult to plan for all students within our classroom.  However, it's our job and I know we will be able to do it successfully.  This week was filled with more rules, expectations, and procedures for the kindergartners.  I can definitely tell which students have been to a preschool program and which have not because of their behavior and attention span :).  But, the week went really well and I'm excited to start tomorrow with having the students for full days of school, but I can tell you one thing, I am going to be VERY tired tomorrow night :)!  I will be going to bed early allll week :)

Another thing I've been busy planning for and preparing for is my unit that I am required to teach in order to complete my student teaching successfully.  It's been a rough road trying to figure out what I wanted to make my unit about, but I have finally decided on teaching a math unit and it's focus is going to be Numbers:1-10.   For those of  you who don't know, a unit is a whole bunch of lesson plans and activities to help the students learn a certain curriculum area and its specific focus objectives.  As I said before, my unit is going to be based on learning numbers 1-10 and I will be responsible for teaching the students how to count to 10 orally, how to write the numbers 1-10, and many more things.  I will post my unit on here once I get it all organized and complete :).  Let me tell you...this may be a very long process but I promise you it will get done and it will be awesome! :)

That's really all I have to tell you about right now...I haven't had many experiences in teaching the class all on my own yet, but when I do, I will definitely be sharing the experiences with you.  Hope you're excited to hear about it!

One cute thing I must share with you because it made my ending to a week even better than it already was...

One of our kindergartners brought my teacher and I flowers on Friday :)  What a gentleman huh?! He's going to be a lady's man when he grows up :)  So adorable, but the funniest part is...he took them from his mom's bouquet at home (His Grandma shared this information with us) Haha.  Aren't they gorgeous?!

Sharing with you a few things about my weekend...

I stayed home this weekend again...because I talked to my sister and I told her I kind of felt like a loser staying at home again all weekend with my parents; however, she then informed me that I would be busy the next three weekends with family and Iowa Hawkeye football (GO HAWKS!!!)...so I decided to stay home and relax again for the weekend...however, my dad had other thoughts in mind.

On Friday night, we layed low at home and made supper and then pretty much went to bed right after.  The Nederhoff household was silent by 9:45 p.m.  Can you say 'old folks?!'  Haha, but we had to get to bed early because Dad was planning on keeping us busy on Saturday.

On Saturday, we primed with paint the entire garage.  As many of you know, we have added on to our house and the only part left to finish was the garage.  So we primed the entire garage...I did all of the walls and Mom and Dad trimmed and did the ceiling.  It was a busy day at the Nederhoff household and after we were finished, Dad informed me that he would treat myself and Mom to supper and that we could pick!!! We take advantage of these moments so we chose Texas Roadhouse.  Yum!  That topped off a perfect Saturday at home :)

On Sunday, we attended church and then came home and when we got home, I then convinced my parents to go boating.  So, as last minute planners, we hurried up and cleaned the boat up so that we could get on the lake as soon as we could.  However, we had a bit of a hold up...check out the picture below :)

We found these kitties in the boat...all nestled up next to the life jackets :) :)!  We were very happy we found these kitties...but they couldn't go on the water with us.  So we gently moved them to a box into the shop and the mommy took them and moved them immediately!  It was a humor-filled moment though :)

So anyways, my Sunday afternoon was spent on the boat at George Wyth Lake with my parents, Alex (my cousin) and two of his friends.  It was a great time and I was happy to finally be out on the water again.  

That concludes my fun-filled week/weekend and I can't wait to write again!

I hope you all had a great weekend!  Stay safe and thanks again for reading! :)

Milestone #3: Beginning the Teacher Work Sample

Teacher Work Sample:

Let me guess your thoughts right now about those three words above:

-a lesson plan

-an activity

-a collection of plans

-a collection of student work

-anything that is created by a teacher

Well...those are all great guesses, and some of them are somewhat correct...however, this document called the Teacher Work Sample is SO much more than that.

A Teacher Work Sample is a 40-50 page document that a student teacher must complete in order to pass student teaching...You've guessed it...I don't get to teach kids all day and pass student teaching, that'd be way too easy :)!  Haha, that was a joke of course  On top of student teaching for 16 weeks, each student teacher must write a Teacher Work Sample about their experience at their first 8 week placement...so, guess who started their's today?! You got it...THIS GIRL! :)   But first, I must explain to you the different parts of the Teacher Work Sample so this way, when I'm blogging about it, you will know exactly what is going on ;)!  Here it goes!

Parts of the TWS: (Teacher Work Sample) that we must include in order to pass:

1) Contextual Factors:  This part of the TWS describes the demographics of the community, school district, specific school you're in, and your classroom.  It may sound easy, but let me tell you, it is a difficult section to write because there are so many different parts to include!

2) Learning Goals:  Through student teaching, we are required to create an entire unit and teach the unit to the classroom.  For those of you with an educational background, learning goals may look familiar to you and you know exactly what they are.  For those of you who don't...learning goals are goals that teachers write in order to show the expectations they want each student to reach during their unit.  These learning goals are then aligned with the Iowa Common Core standards to be sure that we are reaching that one special rule...You've guessed it.. the No Child Left Behind rule!! Duh silly readers, didn't you know that!? :)

3) Assessment:  The assessment is created and done by the student teacher in order to show that their students have learned throughout the unit.  We must create and perform a pre-assessment (before beginning unit), formal assessment (during unit), and post assessment (after unit) to ensure that at all times, our students are learning.

4)Design for Instruction:  Design for instruction may be better described and known as lesson plans, activities, games, etc. to help students learn the material in the unit being taught.  This is the part that most student teachers spend time on because we need to find and create activities that will help successfully teach our students the content we want them to learn.

5) Instructional Decision-Making:  So, everyone knows that some things don't always work the first time...right?  Okay, well the same thing happens in teaching so this is the part in the paper where we have to admit our faults and why the students may not have learned, and then better prepare and organize activities that will make them learn.  Simply said...everyone knows that nobody is perfect, and this is the point in the paper where we may have to admit that :)!

6) Analysis of Student Learning:  This part in the paper is where a student teacher may get to brag a little bit...(me hopefully ;) )...because this is where you show student work and how they did throughout your unit!!! Usually this is always a positive section because you see awesome results and as a teacher, that is an amazing feeling!

7) Reflection and Self Evaluation:  A huge part of teaching is being a reflector and that is one main reason I like to blog.  It lets you think about your day and what worked and what didn't.  This part in the paper is where we reflect and self evaluate ourselves on what worked vs. what didn't work, what succeeded and what failed, etc.  It's a fun section to write because it's pretty simple and reflecting is usually one of the easiest things for myself to do.

So, now that you've read through the description of the Teacher Work Sample...how do you feel?  Do you feel overwhelmed?  Maybe a bit confused?  Well lucky for you, you don't have to write one...but this girl does!!!

And that is what brings me to Milestone #3:  I have begun my Teacher Work Sample!!! YAY ME!!! :)  I have almost finished the Contextual Factors section and I couldn't be happier.  It's taken a lot of work, but it's almost done!  I will keep you updated on how this paper is going, but now, when you see TWS in my future blog posts, just think to yourself...oh ya...it's that 50 page paper that I will never have to write :)!

Hope you all enjoyed the slight humor ;)  Goodnight everyone.  Stay safe and sweet dreams!

God is GOOD! :)

If there is one person that has doubted God so many times in the last few months...it is definitely me.  Even though this is a teaching blog and I'm telling of my great experiences...we know everyone is not perfect and I will be the first to admit that.  So let me tell you what I'm feeling right now...and I promise...it's good! :)

I have always been brought up in a Christian family and I could not be more thankful for that.  Being brought up in a "God-centered" home is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Now, I will admit I have doubted God many times because of some events and experiences that he has put me through and has tested my relationship with him.  However, I know that I cannot doubt him because he is so good and amazingly powerful in so many different ways.  I am sharing a personal experience from the past couple weeks that may not be what you all want to hear but it's going to happen anyways! :)

As everyone close knows to me, I have recently moved back home and have been away from some of my closest friends for almost three months now.  It is so hard from going to living on my own to back under my parents' roof and being a minute away from my friends and now being over an hour away from any of them.  Not only that, but I have been through ups and downs with friendships, guys, teaching experiences, etc. and in the end, with all these challenging events being thrown my way, I have never given up praying.  As lonely as I have been at times...my sisters, my parents, and my friends have been the best support system out there.  I know God has a plan for me and everyday I wake up and say, "Brittane, just start over.  Today will be a better day.  Be strong in the Lord and don't ever give up."  As cheesy as that may sound, it motivates me every single day and I begin everyday knowing that it could bring a new beginning.  That new beginning MAY have started today.

It's perfect.

I woke up this morning, surprisingly in a good mood (for those of you who personally know me...you know I am not one to be in a chipper mood in the morning).  However, I woke up and got to get ready with my mom because her bathroom is being renovated...Can you say "bonding?!"  Haha, it was actually great and it was nice to finally have someone getting ready with in the morning.  It let my lonely feeling disappear.  Then, I was actually ready early for work so I had time to make a great lunch to take to school!  Once I was on the road, I was driving and every song that I love came on the radio on my way to work.  That NEVER happens.  So I told myself..."Brittane, this is going to be a good day.  I can just feel it!"  And a good day it was.  I heard some amazing news when I got to school today and that news will be shared later in the weeks of student teaching once it hopefully (cross your fingers) becomes confirmed.  Last night, I specifically prayed to God to show me a way and to lead me in the direction of life he wants me to live...and today, I think I got a hint of his plan and since I'm a very impatient person, want to know the entire plan...RIGHT NOW! :)  I'm writing this blog and explaining to you my amazing day because I am personally asking now that everyone pray for me and tell God to show me his plan and to lead me in the right direction.  This could be a life changing event and I'm very anxious to see how it all turns out.  Again, the details will come if they are later confirmed but for right now, I'm just asking you to simply pray for me and be excited for me because my future holds great things and I can't wait to share all these great things...with you.

Until next time, stay safe.  I love you all.  Thanks so much for the prayers.  I know they will be answered.

And remember...God is good.  Never give up.

Much Needed Rest

Just to update you all...

I am feeling very refreshed and ready to return back to school tomorrow!  I was very tired after Friday but now, I am feeling a lot better after catching up on sleep and relaxing all weekend.  At times I did feel like a loser...staying home with my parents both Friday and Saturday night, but today, I thank myself for doing that because I need to realize that I am in the real world now and that going out Friday and Saturday night and then trying to work a 40 hour week just will not work!  So, I am happy to say I was responsible this weekend by staying in...but I reassure you that once football season begins, more action will be taking place on the weekend!  Get excited everyone...Less than 2 weeks til Iowa Hawkeye football...BEGINS! Go Hawks! :)

Little humor to add on the teaching aspect of this blog... :)

Just saying ;)!  Night everyone!  Hope you all had a great weekend!  Until next time, stay safe!

Milestone #2: My first day of student teaching!

My first day of student teaching in kindergarten went absolutely fabulous!  I can't even think where to start because so much happened throughout the day that I want to share with you.  I wish I could share absolutely everything with you, but because of privacy reasons I will not be able to share any personal stories or kids' stories with you.  So sorry :(. 

However, I'll now get started with all the exciting events that happened that I CAN tell you about!

I arrived at 8:15 on Thursday morning, and I couldn't stop smiling.  I knew that in 20 minutes I would be meeting the 25 kids that I get the privilege of being with and teaching for eight weeks!  It seems so crazy that I only get eight weeks with them but I am bound and determined to make every single minute worth it, for them as well as myself!  Anyways, back to what I was saying...I arrived at 8:15 where I discussed quickly with Mrs. Hammar about the plans for the day.  Then, around 8:35 the students started rolling in...and they all looked so cute!  Most parents came with their children to drop them off...and even though there were tears of joy and laughter, we reassured the parents we would take care of them and that it wouldn't be long until they got to see them again!  It is so adorable to see the parent-child relationship and I was honored to see how many awesome parents there are in this community.  Once the students arrived and were sitting at their desks, they were asked to put their name tags on and begin their All About Me books, where they colored and drew pictures of things that described them.  

Once all of the students arrived, which was around 9:00, we had them come to the carpet for morning meeting. Morning meeting is something that Mrs. Hammar likes to do every morning to bring all the students together, welcome them, and tell them what is going to happen on that particular day.  However, today was a little bit different because it was the first day of school!  We did different things like get to know you games, lunch count, singing and dancing, and many more things.  After we were done with Morning Meeting, we then gave the students a tour of the school to show them where they would be going for different things such as lunch, recess, P.E., Art, & Music.  They loved it and did a wonderful job walking in a line very quietly...which leads me to my next exciting and new thing I learned on the first day of school!

Mrs. Hammar has a wonderful way of showing and teaching students on how they should be walking and acting in the hallways.  She used the phrase, "Hips and Lips" which is translated as...(in kindergarten language)..."Put a hand on your hip and your finger on your lip.  If I could have taken a picture of the students doing this so perfectly, I would have.  They were awesome at it...and it was only their FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!  We also taught them another way to get their attention and make them know that they should be listening to the teacher in the classroom.  The fun way of doing it is saying to the students, "Freeze and Give Me Five!"  Once a teacher says this, the students must stop what they are doing, freeze, and look at the teacher who gave the cue.  The students loved it and were awesome at it!  Look below at the picture to see what "Give Me Five" should look like from each student!  It was crazy to see how much they already respected and listened to Mrs. Hammar after one hour of being with her...and this encouraged me because often my worst fear of teaching is having the students not listen to me.  Mrs. Hammar reassured this fear in myself and told me it's not possible...students know they have to listen and she's never had a problem in all of her years of her teaching. 

After showing them the school and teaching them new ways to get their attention, it was then lunch time...and yes, we are the first in the building to eat lunch which means we eat at 10:40!!! Crazy I know.  I'm going to be hungry by 2....but think of the kindergartners! We are working on getting them a snack program in the afternoon because there is no way they will be able to concentrate the rest of the day if they are eating lunch that early.  Anyways, lunch was a little crazy because it was the first day, but overall the students did really well and we were very proud of them.  Then, it was the favorite part of the day...for the students!  RECESS TIME!  YAY! :)

After recess, the students came back and gathered on the carpet and Mrs. Hammar read a book to them called, Mrs. Bindergarten Gets Ready For Kindergarten.  It's the cutest book every and if you haven't ever read it or don't have it in your book collection, be sure to go and get it for your future classroom!  It is awesome! :)  

Once the book was over, it was time for the kids to go home.  For the first seven day so school the students have half-days, so they are at school from 8:30-12.  This is because in the afternoon, all of the kindergarten teachers must do DRA Testing on their students to see where they are at academically in order to know where to begin with instruction.

The day was then filled with a lot of testing which can be boring, but it is very useful for Mrs. Hammar and the other teachers because they are able to find out what levels their students are at and where they can begin instruction at.  Once testing was done, our first day was over!   It was an awesome day and there are so many more things that happened and I wish I could share them all with you.  If you are wondering what happens, then I have the perfect solution for you...BECOME A TEACHER :) Let me say again...It is one of the most rewarding and amazing careers and I am so happy I chose it because every day is different and every day brings new surprises.  Teaching never gets boring, and you never do the exact same thing you did the day before.  The students bring new experiences and opportunities to your teaching career and I cannot wait to see what is in store for the next eight weeks!  Stay tuned :)!

P.S...Sorry this post is so late, but I was worn out from the first couple days so I needed a break from blogging and time to catch up on sleep :)!  

Last thought for the day...

"The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn."

 -John Lubbock

Less than 12 hours...

Oh. My. Gosh.

It is approximately less than 12 hours until my first day of school with Mrs. Hammar and her kindergarten class and I could not be more excited!  However, I first must inform you of the exciting events that took place today....the day before the first day of school!  Get ready to be...AMAZED! :)

So, according to the school schedule...teachers didn't have to technically be at school until 10:00.  However, for those of you who don't underestimate teachers and see a teacher's job as a very busy and particular career...you understand that teachers can't come in at 10:00 AM the day before school starts.  No way.  So today...we were there at 8:45 AM and I did not leave the school until 6:15 PM.  Let's get a few things straight...a teacher's job isn't as easy as everyone thinks.   Alright, I'm done with my venting...let's move on to the fun and exciting events that I promised you :)!

I arrived at school at 8:45 this morning.  My teacher and I chatted for awhile, and then attended a PBIS meeting.   Mrs. Hammar is the head coach of the PBIS Team at Fred Becker Elementary and for those of you who do not know what PBIS is...no worries, I am going to explain it.  PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.  This PBIS system is a school-wide behavior model that is a model of how all students should act within a school.  I had a background of this behavior model before entering this school; therefore, I could actually understand what was being talked about.. (it was a good and reassuring feeling).  Through this meeting, the PBIS team members discussed which expectations were required for certain areas within the school such as the cafeteria, the hallways, bathrooms, and during recess.  It is a very confusing model if you aren't familiar with the "teacher lingo." :)  However, through this meeting, I learned a lot of different things and realized that a school-wide behavior model isn't easily implemented.  It is a very complex process with many different parts to it, but I am thankful I was able to experience one of these meetings to prepare me for my future teaching career.

After this meeting, we then attended a staff meeting where they polished up the final details...such as the master school schedule, lists of lunch/recess duty (one of the many pleasurable jobs of teaching ;) ), and any questions, comments, or concerns from teachers were answered.

Once this meeting concluded, Mrs. Hammar and I went back to the classroom and began working some more on organization and then attended lunch with the other kindergarten teachers at Pita Pit, and then followed up our lunch with a Scratch cupcake.  For those of you who don't know what Scratch cupcakes are...you're missing out :)!  They are delicious...see picture below.

Don't they look amazing?!?!

When returning from lunch, it was a three hour race against the clock to prepare the classroom for the Fred Becker Preview (aka: Open House).  We had to make finishing touches such as name tags on...literally EVERYTHING (cubbies, lockers, folders, binders, etc.)  It was so much fun doing this part of the organization because it is the fun and creative part of teaching and I'm so organized that I enjoy doing these kinds of things...yes, call me crazy!  :)

Then, the time was here...let's meet the kindergartners!!!

Wow, I don't even know where to begin.  The kindergartners are so incredibly adorable and precious and so in love with school that I was on cloud nine for the entire hour.  The comments they made and the looks on their faces were priceless and in this moment, everything I was doubting was washed away and I could not be more excited for what the next eight weeks bring.  We completed many different things in a fast amount of time with the parents and kids.  We welcomed each family personally, had the parents fill out paperwork, let the kids complete a scavenger hunt of their classroom (see picture below), and organized all their school supplies they had brought.  Yes, each of them was very excited about their pencils, crayons, markers, book bags, etc. :)  Some things never change....and being excited about school supplies is one of them.  Who doesn't love shopping for school supplies?! I can't say a lot about the kids because of privacy issues, but I am honored to say that I have 25 of the cutest and inspiring kids within this classroom and I cannot wait to start working with them.  I am so excited to teach them, make memories with them, and make a positive impact on their life.

Back to School Scavenger Hunt :)

This moment is the moment I've been working toward and waiting for.  I now know that these last four years of college was worth it, and I couldn't be more blessed with where I am in life right now.  I have the most exciting experience of my life starting tomorrow, and I can't wait to begin.  I hope sharing all of this with you shows that teachers aren't just an instructor to kids.  Teachers are mentors, caregivers, role models, and many more roles.  The role a teacher serves makes a lifelong impact on each student they come into contact with.

A student won't remember what you said, 

but they will remember exactly the way you made them feel: 

like they could achieve ANYTHING.

Again, thanks so much for reading...and as you finish up reading this post, I will leave you with a picture of beautiful CHOCOLATE candy bouquet given to me by my parents today as a GOODLUCK present for my first day of student teaching tomorrow!  Thanks Mom and Dad <3!  I cannot thank you enough every day for the support and care you have provided me with every day of my life.  I am so blessed to have you both as my parents because I know I am very lucky and I don't go a night without thanking God for blessing me with two of the most incredible parents in the world.  Love you more than anything!

Stay safe everyone! Thanks again for reading! :) 

Shout Outs!

A few shout-outs (thank-you's) I must address...

As I have said in one of my recent blog posts...my family has always been supportive of my career and have always been encouraging, inspiring, but most of all, so loving towards me and my busy life of becoming a teacher.  Today when I arrived at home, I found a package...and it just put a huge smile on my face.  I received a Good Luck present from my sister Brooke, who always spoils me with "teachery things" and the nicest, sweetest card that pretty much brought me to tears.  Look below to check out what was in my package....

A huge THANK YOU to Brooke for sending me a goodluck present for my student teaching experience!  So thoughtful and encouraging to realize that someone appreciates what I do and recognizes it in such an amazing way!  Thank you sis, you're the best! :)

Also...a quick and VERY important note...my sister, Brooke and her husband, Paul are expecting their first child in less than TWO months!  I would love to tell you what it's going to be...but they aren't finding out.  Serious disappointment...I know :).  Please send a quick prayer their way to wish them the best in the delivery of their first child and my FIRST niece or nephew!!! So excited for them and their new little blessing that is going to be here sooner than we know it!

Another shout out to my Mom who literally surprises me with new books all the time!  My mom works as a secretary at Grundy Center Elementary School and often, they get rid of books that are of no use to them anymore.  So, even though the books aren't "brand new," they are brand new to me and I love receiving them!  A teacher can never have too many books and I get excited about each and every one I get!  Look below to see the book she brought home to me today! :)

I absolutely cannot wait until I have a Dr. Seuss Unit in my future classroom!  :)

A huge THANK YOU to my mom for always thinking of me when seeing books or any sort of teaching material that will be a resource to me in my future teaching career.  My mom is so thoughtful and I couldn't be more blessed to have such an amazing and caring mother.  She's fantastic <3. 

So...after returning home from school after a very stressful, learning-packed day, I was rewarded with some awesome new materials for my future classroom or even possibly my student teaching experience!  Thanks again Mom and Brooke!  Love you both so much!

Take a deep breath...

Take a deep breath...

Although the students haven't arrived yet, my stress level by the end of today was pretty high and my brain was on serious overload (I even told Mrs. Hammer this :)... ).  Today was my second day of student teaching, where the day was filled with an opening day celebration for the entire Waterloo Community School District, a BASE Team meeting, a literacy meeting, and then followed by more organization in the classroom.  Our days have been so busy but I am constantly learning, but today, I learned so much that my brain didn't know what to do with all the information.  However, when I got home, I did take a long walk to relax myself, took a  few deep breaths and told myself that everything was going to be okay.

I had so many amazing learning opportunities today that I need to share them with all of you!  So, let's get started!

My first and biggest learning experience yet was the opening day celebration for the entire Waterloo School District.  All of the teachers in the Waterloo Community School District met at Gallagher Bluedorn for an opening ceremony to welcome all the teachers back into the school year.  Let me tell you...I have never seen so many teachers all in one place! :) It was so amazing to see so many teachers all there for the exact same reason...to make an impact on student lives.  The theme of the opening ceremony was "Believe."  The main speaker was John Draper, the CEO of the Educational Research Service.  I will talk about him more in one my next blog posts because he had such an inspiring message and I want to share it with all of you.  Overall, the opening day ceremony was an awesome opportunity to partake in and I got to see a few familiar faces within the school district.  I experienced a very important event and I am so lucky to have had this opportunity to attend such a phenomenal event...it was even on KWWL! :)  Below are some pictures of the brochure we received when entering the auditorium!

Presenting...

Waterloo Community School District's 

Opening Day Celebration

In the inside of the brochure there was an agenda for the opening day celebration, the mission of the Waterloo Community School District, and the three teachers who received the 2012 Gold Star Teacher award!

My aspiring dream is to be a Gold Star Teacher...one very important goal I have for myself in my teaching career!



After the opening day celebration, my coworkers and I set out for a lunch date at Hu Hot.  It was a great lunch and gave us some time to sit, relax, and visit with one another...but then, it was back to work!

After returning from lunch, we went straight into a meeting with the Lead Teacher of the school to discuss BASE Team meetings.  These BASE Team meetings are done within each grade level, where all teachers of the same grade meet with one another to collect data on their students, analyze it, and see what they need to improve to meet the learning needs of each student.  Through this meeting, I learned a lot about the BASE Team procedure, but I will have more intense information after attending my first official BASE Team meeting, which is set for August 28! :)

When we were done with that meeting, the Kindergarten teachers and I met with the literacy coach who provided us with some materials about the student's writing curriculum.  This year, they are trying a new curriculum, so she presented us with a booklet of information to serve as a guide when teaching this new curriculum.  Each student will be presented with a writing handbook to practice their handwriting in general, their alphabet, and numbers.  This information was great to be exposed to and it's awesome that these teachers are providing me with all of this awesome information and materials!  Below are some pictures of the handwriting guide we received...I can't wait to start using it! :)

Doesn't it look so professional?? :) 

This seems so mindless, but we all had to learn it somehow! :) I just love it...don't you?!

As you can see, this day was filled with many amazing learning opportunities and I couldn't have been more thankful for each and every one of them.  I learned so much today.  I hope you all are enjoying reading all of this wonderful information...and as you can see now...teachers don't just play with kids.  Their roles are so much more important and often people underestimate the life of a teacher.  It's tiring, stressful, and always busy...but so ENTIRELY worth it when the kids show up on the first day and are so excited to be there!  I cannot wait for this moment to happen in less than 48 hours!  Let the countdown begin! :)  Until then, stay safe and enjoy reading!

Milestone #1: My first Lesson Plan Book!

Alright, so let's face the obvious...as much as teachers hate writing lesson plans...it is still exciting to get your first lesson plan book!  I was so excited to pick mine out and I couldn't decide...(It literally took me 20 minutes..).  For every person who knows me, I'm such an organizer that buying this lesson plan book was literally like me winning a million dollars! Silly...I know.  But anyways, it's the most important thing in my life right now (career-wise of course)!  So, here it is!  Check it out!!! :)

Front of my lesson plan book...very girly but I love it :)

Inside of my lesson plan book, first week doesn't show anything toooo exciting :)

So happy you could all share this first milestone with me! :)  No worries, there will be many more to come! :)

The "Nuts & Bolts" of Student Teaching

As many of you have already read, I did begin my student teaching yesterday.  However, a few details about student teaching that will help all of you understand the process of student teaching and what it all entails will be explained through this blog post.  These details include but are not limited to deciding which schools I student teach at, how long I student teach, what grades I'll be student teaching in, etc.  These details were all determined and decided by May 2012, so now I will share them with you :)!

I graduated with a major in Elementary Education and a major in Early Childhood.  This means that I will be a certified teacher for infants-6th grade students.  As stated by the state of Iowa, a teacher pursuing their Bachelor's Degree must complete 16 weeks in a classroom according to their majors/minors they have studied.  This means that according to the state of Iowa and its regulations, I must complete an 8-week student teaching experience in one grade, ranging from Kindergarten-6th grade to fulfill my Elementary Education major.  I also must complete an 8-week student teaching experience in one grade, ranging from Infants-Preschool to fulfill my Early Childhood major.  One important thing to note is that I cannot make my own student teaching placements; therefore, each UNI student is placed with a student teaching coordinator/supervisor to assign us our placements in the schools and supervise us throughout our student teaching experience.  Below will be information on both of my student teaching placements and I am very excited to complete each of them!

My first placement will be at Fred Becker Elementary, as stated in my blog post from yesterday.  It will be in a Kindergarten classroom with my cooperating teacher being Mrs. Hammar.  Fred Becker Elementary is located in the Waterloo Community School District in Waterloo, Iowa.  In this school, there are four different Kindergarten classrooms and I cannot wait to get started with the kids as well as my cooperating teacher and coworkers.  I will be at Fred Becker Elementary for 8 weeks, and then move onto my second placement.

My second placement is one that I absolutely cannot wait for!  My second placement will be located in Chicago, Illinois at William H. Brown School of Technology.  I will be in a preschool classroom and my cooperating teacher will be Jessica Thoresen.  A fun fact about Jessica is that she also graduated from the University of Northern Iowa so we are both originally from Iowa and that will be exciting to know that I will be student teaching with a girl just like me :)!  I am so excited to move to Chicago, where I will be living with my sister, Brie.  We absolutely cannot wait to live together because it has been five years since we've been in a house together and it's so exciting to know that I will have my best friend literally seconds away from me!  I could not be more excited.  

So these are the basic nuts and bolts of my student teaching process and I hope that writing this has helped you understand the process of a student teacher as well as the schools I will be student teaching in!  Keep reading in order to learn more about my student teaching process along the way!  I can't wait to share it with all of you!

Let the student teaching journey...begin!

Let the student teaching journey...begin!

My student teaching experience has started off awesome and I have been placed at Fred Becker Elementary, which is a phenomenal school with amazing teachers.  Fred Becker Elementary is located in Waterloo, Iowa and is part of the Waterloo Community School District.  This school district consists of many different elementary schools.  My cooperating teacher's name is Kris Hammar and she is a Kindergarten teacher at Fred Becker Elementary.  She has been teaching at Fred Becker Elementary for five years, all those five years being in a Kindergarten classroom.  She has hosted many student teachers; therefore, I know she is  a great teacher as well as role model and I have heard nothing but great things about her.  

Fred Becker Elementary, courtesy of Google Images.

Today was our official start to the year, and we started off the day with setting up the classroom.  We were busy hanging posters, organizing materials, etc.  Completing this task has prepared me for what is in store when I have my own classroom.  It takes a lot of extra work and time to set up a classroom and I'm so happy I could provide Kris with a couple extra hands through this process.  We then met with the staff at noon to have a catered lunch and then, the meetings began!  Through this school-wide meeting, we discussed rules and expectations of teachers, students, etc. as well as discussing Data Teams (more to come later in the blog), curriculum expectations, and many more important areas that make up a successful learning school community.  Overall, my day went great but I am worn out!  I am excited for all the experiences ahead and cannot wait to meet all the kids that are entering our class! 

Most important and exciting thing that happened to me today...I received my badge for the school!  :)  

Check it out!

I can't wait to share all the amazing and awesome experiences I have with Mrs. Hammar and her Kindergarten classroom.  I hope you all look forward to it as well!  Keep reading... :)

Soon to come...pictures of the classroom!  Get excited :)!

Let's take a few steps back to...Graduation!!!

Now presenting...

Brittane Nederhoff, Class of 2012

Through my four years of college, I can say that overall, it was an enjoyable and meaningful experience; however, there were many ups and downs.  I can officially say that the University of Northern Iowa is my home away from home, not only because of the education I received but because of the friends I have met along the way and become best friends with.   

The University of Northern Iowa is one of the most known colleges for their Teacher Education program. It is known throughout the country, but especially the state of Iowa.  I had the opportunity to complete two and a half years at this wonderful college and it has provided me with so many meaningful and inspiring experiences.  This past May, I had the opportunity to walk with the Class of 2012.  Although I am not an "official" graduate until after student teaching, the college allows their student teachers to walk in the spring with the rest of the Class of 2012.  I could not have asked for a better four years of college, but this day was truly the best day of my life.  I have come so far from the first day of freshman year of college and I can say that I am truly happy and blessed in so many ways.  So through this post, I would like to share photos of my graduation...these photos include everything from receiving my diploma, spending my special day with my amazing family, as well as celebrating with some of my closest friends I have met along the way.  Hope you enjoy! :)

Let the memories begin...

This photo is taken right before I received my diploma...I can't even tell you what I was thinking at this moment besides..."Brittane, do not trip in front of thousands of people!" :)

This next photo is of me receiving my diploma from the Dean of Education.  At this point I'm shaking and tearing up because I can't believe, after four years, this time is finally here.

Celebration time!!! 

These next few photos are of some close friends that I have met throughout my time at UNI and I can proudly say that they had an amazing effect on my education and are all great girls with amazing futures ahead of them.   I am so lucky to call them my friends and so happy I could share this special day with them!

Nicole and I...Random friendship, but we are great friends.  We met each other through one of our classes, found out we both wanted to student teach in Chicago, and from there, we have become amazing friends.  She is a faithful friend, always being there for me when I need her and I'm so happy we will be together when completing our student teaching experience.

Kelly and I...strange but fun story...we met as coworkers at Scheels, both attended UNI but studied different majors.  She is truly an awesome girl who has been there for me through everything.  I could not ask for a more amazing friend than her.  She is majoring in Leisure Youth and Human Services and is currently completing an internship with the Ankeny Recreation Center.  You go girl! :)

Erin (right) and Kaitlin (middle) are some of the most fun and hilarious girls ever.  Wow, where do I begin.  Alright, so I knew of these girls a few months into attending UNI, but had never really gotten really close to them.  Having class after class with one another, we became friends and I have never laughed so hard in my life at these two girls.   Even though we are now separated by student teaching, I still remain in touch with them through Facebook and Twitter.  They are amazing friends and hopefully, maybe someday, I will be lucky enough to call them my coworkers.  Until then, I know they have both made an impact in my life and the day we meet back up, it'll be just like normal.  Goodluck out there girls! :)  

Sending best wishes to both of you!

These next few photos are of my amazing family who have supported me through everything...yes, LITERALLY everything!  Without them, I would be lost and have no idea what I would be doing with my life right now.  My parents have supported me in every decision I have made, whether it be transferring schools, friendship changes, etc.  They are truly the best parents and I am so lucky to be raised in such a caring and loving family.  I give thanks to God everyday for the life they have brought me. 

 Next are my sisters...they aren't just my sisters but truly my best friends.  I cannot thank God enough every day for blessing me with two older sisters...I can't imagine life without them.  I'll begin with Brooke...she knows how to keep me in line and throughout the past year, we have grown incredibly close.  She knows every little thing about me and I cannot be more thankful for that.  Brie is like my twin who doesn't exist, but through every journey we've had, it's made our relationship stronger and stronger. 

 

I am truly blessed for my family and friends.  They have been my support system, the encouragement I needed, a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with, but most of all...role models.  Every single person who has come into my life has affected me in some positive way, and I learn something from each and every one of them.  I truly can say that my graduation day was one day that will never be forgotten.  To share this amazing day with so many of the people I love the most is an awesome feeling.  

Last but not least....I graduated!!! :)

Overall, an amazing day shared with amazing people and I hope that through this, everyone becomes inspired to receive a four year degree, meet inspiring people, and just enjoy life because it has so many great things to offer. 

Thank you to all who helped me celebrate on this special day...it is a day that will never be forgotten <3.

Definition of a Teacher

What is the definition of a teacher?  Does a dictionary say it all?

Stated below is Webster's exact definition of a teacher: 

       Teacher (noun) : One who teaches; a person who's occupation is to instruct.

Now, let me give you my definition of a teacher...which is a quote I have been motivated and inspired by:

"A great teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, 

touches a heart, and shapes the future." -Unknown

This may not be a definition, but in my view, it is exactly what a teacher's life and career looks like.  I am so blessed to say that I have went through four years of intense instruction, field experiences, and numerous ups and downs in the Teacher Education program at the University of Northern Iowa.  In four short months, I can officially call myself a teacher and I could not be more proud of myself.  

You may be asking yourself, "Why four months?  Isn't she done now?"  Well, I almost am, but today, I have officially begun my four month student teaching experience and I am on cloud nine.  My student teaching experience has begun and I couldn't be happier with the way it is going after just one day, but those details will come later!  As for now, enter my blog wanting to learn and I hope those of you who still have yet to choose a career, may consider teaching as your future career. It is an inspiring and rewarding career and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for me.  

Enter to learn, but share and enjoy with me all these experiences and memories that are about to be made.