Laurie Amos

4th Grade! YIKES!

2010-03-09T06:07:00.001-08:00

So I am officially in my new classroom. I have to say it is not what I was expecting at all. I am in a 4th grade inclusion classroom. There are 19 students, 9 with disabilities. These students are unique, and can be very difficult at times. I have already started writing lesson plans, which for the 2nd week, I have written the Writing/Grammar lesson plan. Next week I will start writing the Math lesson plans. These lesson plans are not as detailed as the last lesson plans, which honestly I am not complaining. =)

There are, of course, the strange things that students say. Here is my list of wacky things I have heard thus far.

- I am going to beat the gorilla outta you!

- You look like a raccoon.

- (Student)= Ms. Amos, your the nicest teacher ever (Me)= I haven't even taught yet! (Student)= Exactly!

I know its not alot yet... But hey, I am just getting started ;-)

Hoopla!

2010-02-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

We are already into Week 6, and I still feel great! I love getting up early to see the sunrise, sip a cup of coffee, and head off to 'work' (and most of you know I am NOT a morning person). I have really enjoyed every little step that I have gone so far. My CT, she has become an amazing aide in showing me how she runs the classroom, but allowing me to incorporate my own style in there. The kids are still small blessings in disguise. I know that I will be really sad when I have to leave.

I still haven't seen the principal, but after being evaluated by both my mentor and teacher, I know that I feel 100% better about this. Of course I did have my doubts! I think that everyone goes through that small period, where they say, 'Is this really for me?' But with the support of my family, friends, and new collegues, I have found teaching to be a blessing!

Please keep my family in your prayers. My mother went through a surgery this morning. Praises that she is doing great and comes home tomorrow! (Prayers for me because its parent teacher conferences tomorrow!) Heh =) Goodnite!

Student Teaching- New Beginings

2010-01-10T21:34:00.000-08:00

Oh, what a way to start the new year. My dad got me a new car (2007 Toyota Coralla- aka Lil Greenie) and on January 4, I started student teaching =) It has been quite the experience doing so. My CT (cooperating teacher) has been such a super help in showing me the school and teaching me new things to do in the classroom. It, so far, has been amazing. I am in a kindergarden classroom, with all the tiny ones. For the longest time, I have wanted to teach the older kids, because they can do SO MUCH MORE! But, being with the tiny tots... I might have a change of heart. I love the small ones. They have so much that they seem to want to soak up in their minds.

So far, the students have all been adorable. I have gotten an "I love you Ms. Amos" and "Ms. Amos, your eyelashes are pretty". They come up with the strangest things as well. When teaching patterns by using fruit loops, one student created a pattern, then added a yellow fruit loop at the end. I looked at it, and told that student, "Hm, maybe you should think about that one more time..." The student smiled at me and said "The yellow one doesn't go there." I could only smile and say, "Yep, your right! Fix that please." The student grabbed the fruit loop and ate it. Sometimes its small things like that, that make you laugh. For afternoon snack, the students got a big date. One student just smelled it, another just looked. One brave student took a nibble, covered his mouth, and spit it back in the cup. The faces those kids made eating them... priceless. Kindergardners say and do... the darnest things. =)

To Tweet or not to Tweet....

2009-12-04T08:06:00.000-08:00

Just a random thought for today... should I start tweeting? I mean, I used to be the kid that found tweeting absolutely pointless! Now, I want to do one... I wonder what that means. Am I conforming to the trends in the US? First it was myspace, the dreaded time killer, then facebook appeared. Oh facebook with your many applications... (no I have NOT started to play FarmVille, nor will I) Last would be tweeting. Then my technology based life would be complete. But the question is... is it really worth it?

Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

2009-11-20T07:25:00.000-08:00

It must be that time of year again, where in the middle of the eight weeks, things start to get stressful, and coffee becomes a person's new best friend. I always feel like I am missing something when I am doing an assignment, like a huge chunk of the assignment has gone uncompleted. My sleep schedule is completely off, staying up til 4 in the morning drinking an Arizona green tea and staring at my computer. I still have to pay my graduation fee, and I am never on campus when the office is open. =/ I think its time to re-prioritize.
The first thing I need to do is pay that fee! Good gracious, I put things off, and then at the last minute I am stressed out to the max because I haven’t done that. If I go and pay it, then I would not be so worried about it. Looks like Monday, I am making a special trip to Regent =). Second is that I need to figure out when I do my homework. I never write things done (unlike Kristen, who writes everything down… love you Kristen!!) and then I forget that something is due until the last minute, then I am scrambling to try and finish. I should have everything spaced out so that I am not rushed to finish and I have plenty of time to complete everything. Oh the wonders of homework. Last, I need to get back into sleeping at normal hours. Oh geez, the late nights that I stay up are crazy. It started out staying up until 1 in the morning. Now its 3:30-4 in the morning and I am still awake, staring at Blackboard, trying to figure out the best way to phrase something! I am not sure when the sleep pattern started, but I feel that when my student teaching comes around, I will be in deep trouble, because I wont want to get up in the morning. Time to fix that!
Life in general has been hectic. The storm last week really made a mess in the front yard, and Wounded Knee (the Wonder Horse) tore up the yard. We tried to save it, but there are just some things you can't save at all. =( Other than that the storm has not been mean to me. I managed to stay home, taking one class online. My sister comes home from college on Sunday (YAY!) and I think my brother will be home on Wednesday (YAY) so that the entire family will be together again. (That has bee a while)
I am back to observing in Mrs. Greene's classroom again. She is a wonderful teacher, and I feel like I learn so much from her. Her class is so different from the last time that I was here. They seem to have picked up on their reading skills so much better, and they are better behaved then before. There are still one or two troublemakers, but Mrs. Greene seems to keep them in order. It is very exciting to see this huge change in such a short period of time. =)
That is all that I can think of for right now. I am sure that I will have more for everyone to read later =) Stay dry in this wet weather!

I'm not going to write you a Love Song

2009-11-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

Reasons I love Fall/Winter

1- Warm sweatshirts
2- hot cocoa
3- Thanksgiving
4- Cute boots
5- Peacoat/scarf combos
6- CHRISTMAS!
7- One step closer to GRADUATING!!!! WHOO!

I am sure that there are many other reasons, but as of right now, I can't seem to think of any! =)

6 Little Eggs

2009-09-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Good Lord! I am an official senior! And it does feel great! Except all this homework, that I could do without. So far this semester has been absolutely insane. I have had so much going on, and at the same time I have been trying to enjoy my last year of school. (for now) My mom and I have been talking about going on to get my masters. I haven’t really decided that one just yet. It is a lot to think about! Another 2 years of school? I am ready to be done at this point. I know that my brother is going back to get his MBA. (yay) and then there's my little sister, who out at Tech is enjoying the science and chemistry classes. (GO HOKIES!) And here I am at Regent University, graduating next year. I never thought that I would get this far for real. I have a lot of people to thank. I have my loving family, who without their support, I would be nothing.
I participated in a walk for MS on Sunday along with Yvette, Kristen, Tim, and my poochie Rimmy. We walked an entire mile and raised money for the MS Society (Hampton Roads Chapter) I know that I plan on doing it again next year! I was really disorganized this year…. Not raising enough money, and just being scatterbrained, but I am so glad that I did it. I feel like I DID something.
Right now, I am in the middle of observations at Carrollton Elementary, with Mrs. Greene's first grade class. The kids are such cuties, and they are so smart! It is really amazing to look at them and think that at some point, I was the same way. And now, I will get to teach children, and that is a scary thought! I always thought that I was going to be a teacher, but now as I get closer to student teaching, that little dream is getting bigger and BIGGER! It is so crazy insane!!
I am thinking that is all for now. I will give a shout-out to the "group". I am still not sure why we have the reputation we have, but I am so lucky to have those ladies in my life. Love you girls!

Are You Sure?

2009-03-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Recently, a person that I know asked me, "Are you sure that you are going to school for the right thing?" At first I was stunned. I had never been questioned as to why I wanted to become a teacher. Most people tell me that I should go for it, because I love working with kids. After I was asked this, I had to think really hard. Why was I in this program. Why was I working so hard to become a teacher. There are so many other options out there. I once considered being a hair stylist. I love hair, especially styling it. What bumped me out of that was that it was a profession that I was not totally sure about. Another profession? Police officer. I thought about that when I was in high school. I thought it would be really cool to pull people over and give tickets. Then I took a government class, realized how boring all that stuff was, and that idea was out the window. ( For any government majors I apologize, that is just not for ME!) I then considered running my own business. After seeing how successful Pet Paradise is, I thought that it would be really neat to do something like that. Then I went to visit my old job, Lil Folks Learning Center. I talked with my old boss, who wanted me to come back to help out the school age. That was when it hit me. I missed my old job with the kids. I missed my classroom that I decorated with Desiree. I missed having that power over the children. (Maybe that sounds a little power-hungry) I missed everything about that job. I knew that if I missed working with kids that much, then I would HAVE to become a teacher. Then I would get to work with kids all the time. This is my dream. This is everything to me. I don't know what else I would do! I now know that this is it. I am going to do this. Besides. I have already spent all that money on tests and schooling. Why back out now? I am happy where I am, and I can't wait to start student teaching. That will be my ultimate test.