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newbeginning5's LiveJournal:
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| Friday, May 23rd, 2008 | | 5:30 pm |
| | Thursday, May 1st, 2008 | | 11:54 am |
Dear Rogers: You suck! Please stop sending email from my friends to my bulk mail and leaving CRAP in my inbox!! Why do you even let so much crap get to my inbox in the first place?! I'm paying you a small fortune every month for the privilege of having a flaky connection. The least you could do is stop the spam and let me keep genuine emails. Thank you. | | 7:31 am |
say no to plastic bags today
There's a movement online to "say no to plastic bags" today. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=27342965864http://bettercarnation.blogspot.com/2008/04/say-no-to-plastic-bags-on-1-may.htmlI think it's a great idea to raise awareness. Yes, remembering reusable bags is sometimes inconvenient. I admit I had to get several plastic bags yesterday when an impromptu trip for milk and bread turned into many more groceries. BUT, I try to make an effort to remember my reusable bags most of the time, and refuse to take a bag if I only have a few small items. It's about baby steps. Very few people can radically overhaul their whole way of life and what they're used to overnight. But the majority of us can take steps in the right direction. Plastic bags are terrible for many reasons. I encourage you to google it if you're not already well aware :) /preaching ;) | | Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 | | 7:12 am |
gas prices = bad
The state of the world makes me angry this morning  Gas prices keep climbing higher. Which isn't SO bad, but the effects of it are. It negatively impacts the already-poor, and puts more people on the brink of poverty, because basic needs like food and utilities cost more! Some asses are getting insanely rich, beyond what they could ever possibly need in this lifetime or many more, by forcing other people to live in horrible conditions  By making people poor. By widening the 90/10 split. Of course, on a broad scale, even the poor of Canada seem rich. But that doesn't make it any easier to survive the current economy, given that housing prices keep going up too (whether you buy OR rent). And I just heard on the news that World Vision has to scale back their operations and won't feed a bunch of people who were expecting it this year. Cause they can't afford it. Sad, sad state of the world 
| | Sunday, December 23rd, 2007 | | 7:10 am |
| | Tuesday, December 18th, 2007 | | 8:43 am |
ROFL
Travel warning for the Christmas Season in Ontario!
I just wanted to give you a warning that if you are planning on visiting Ontario, and are heading up toward the Toronto area on the 401 highway this week.
The Ontario Provincial Police are cracking down on speeders.
For the first offence they are giving two tickets to the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game.
If you are stopped the second time they make you use them!!!!
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| | Thursday, November 29th, 2007 | | 10:02 am |
changed my answer (yet again)
Here's my new answer for question 1. I chose to talk about my high school co-op experience since a) it's relevant, and b) it makes my reference person a logical choice.
As an OAC co-op student, I had the invaluable chance to work directly with a high school music teacher. Not only did I get to observe her teaching firsthand, but I also had the opportunity to plan lessons and teach classes to grades 7 and 8, grade tests, repair instruments, order supplies, and conduct the high school band. In planning lessons, I followed the examples provided by Mrs. Maclean from her own teacher’s college days. These plans consisted of two columns: the first was the main goals or ideas for the day, and the second was the techniques, broken down into small steps, that I was to use to teach them. Following my classroom teaching, Mrs. Maclean offered me written feedback from her observations, which I used to improve my future lesson plans as well as my actual teaching technique. One of the most rewarding aspects, aside from the hands-on experience I gained, was being able to provide a sense of continuity for the students when Mrs. Maclean took maternity leave. Having a new teacher for a few months at the end of the year can be unsettling for students and I was proud to help ease that transition by being a constant in their classroom and band experiences. The replacement teacher also appreciated having a liaison between herself and the students, someone who could explain what the students were accustomed to. Perhaps the most challenging aspect was classroom discipline. I remember one boy who had no desire to do anything but play drums, but it was important for the class to learn the necessary theory first. As an 18-year old high school student, I hadn’t gained the life experience or techniques necessary to engage students who weren’t interested in learning or participating. Fortunately, the classroom teacher was always present to assist if I ran into trouble. These days, as a parent and home daycare provider with more than 10 years of life experience, I have a much greater handle on discipline. It was very fulfilling to watch students learn and progress. It was gratifying to build interpersonal relationships with the students and get to know them as people. What I learned more than anything from those 5 months is that I am capable of handling a classroom scenario and that I do have a genuine desire to teach, despite the challenges that may arise. | | Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 | | 10:59 am |
question 2
Question 2:
What do you believe are the five most important attributes of an effective teacher? Explain how experiences in your life demonstrate your strengths (or your potential) in EACH of these attributes. (600 words) – (Note: Although there are many attributes that successful teachers possess, you are being asked to focus on the 5 that you identify as being key to your future success and which reflect your own personal strengths and talents. Attributes could include characteristics such as patience, creativity, flexibility, communication etc.)
I've got lots of options and notes written, but have chosen 3 [edit: adding a 4th] concretely so far:
Adaptability: I became a young single mother at 19. When my kids were 14 months and 2.5 years, I started a 4-year degree that I finished in 5. During a battle with major depression, a failed relationship, and loss of daycare for my own children, I missed a previous opportunity to start my B. Ed in 2004. I’ve learned that life rarely follows “the script”; no matter how much or how well you plan, things may not go as expected. It’s important to remember that a bend in the road isn’t the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn. Rather than being discouraged, a teacher must remember to go with the flow, see the big picture, and take advantage of “teachable moments.”
Limit setting: A teacher must be able to establish limits within the classroom. As a parent and home daycare provider, discipline is an issue with which I am very familiar. I have done much research on the subject and feel that I have a good grasp of what is effective and what isn’t. A teacher must also be able to establish limits within her own life. She must find a balance within her own schedule, comfort level, and previous commitments; she should be able to say “no” when necessary. As someone who has overextended herself in the past and felt the aftermath of that, I have learned to respect my own limits and I am confident that I will be able to avoid the new teacher pitfall of taking on too much.
Commitment to lifelong learning: Teachers, new and experienced alike, need to remember that they don’t “know it all.” Theories and methodologies change. There are always new ideas and strategies to discover. While I was on hiatus from formal education as a stay-at-home parent of young children, I used the opportunity to take a variety of parenting courses and seminars that taught me valuable lessons, many of which commute well to teaching scenarios. As an undergraduate university student, I attended a “Teacher Toolbox Day” aimed at current and future music educators. I have always had a desire to learn about a variety of different topics. A well-rounded individual will have a wealth of knowledge and experiences on which to draw examples when teaching.
Team player: A good teacher is not only a good educator, but also a good faculty member, respecting and working well with both her coworkers and the principal under whom she works. Having been an executive on the Music Students Association for 4 years, I have been in a similar position. I was able to lead and inform the students of the Department, while connecting with my fellow association executives and also gaining and maintaining the respect of the professors and the Director of the Department. | | 9:31 am |
how's this?
I've started reworking my answer. Not being able to come up with a way to amend the former answer, I will just take bits and pieces from it to answer the next question. This is only a rough draft, but feedback and suggestions are appreciated:
When my children were young, I had to teach them how to brush their teeth. Following advice from the dental hygienist, parenting books, and the Internet, we practiced “up like a rocket, down like the rain, back and forth like a choo-choo train.” It was also important to teach them why we brush our teeth and how important it is to maintain good dental hygiene for the health of our teeth and gums as well as for overall health. With young children, persistence, consistency, and routine are of utmost importance. We had to brush their teeth together every night before bed, with my assistance for many years before they had the fine motor skills to adequately do it alone. Many times it was a struggle to get them to cooperate. It can be very difficult getting a child to do something they don't want to. At times, I used positive reinforcement and rewards to encourage cooperation (e.g. “If you brush your teeth nicely 5 times in a row, you can choose a toy from the store.”) Other times, I had to use consequences when they failed to cooperate (e.g. “Since you aren’t brushing your teeth nicely, we will have to start earlier tomorrow and you will go to bed early.”) I have found that most of the time, positive reinforcement and rewards elicit more cooperation and continued good behaviour than negative consequences, though I have often used a combination of the two.
Now that my children are older (9 and 10 years old), they can brush their teeth unassisted. It is still a struggle sometimes; I still have to remind them to do it. It is an ongoing process. I hope that as they continue to practice and get older, they will adopt the routine as their own, and brush their teeth solely for the satisfaction of a job well done and knowing that they are protecting their teeth and overall health for years to come. Until then, it is my job as parent and instructor to insist on it. | | 6:57 am |
thanks
Thank you to those of you who offered feedback on my answer. As much as it is discouraging to read all the criticism, I did ask for it, and it's better to hear it now than to have them reject my application because they feel/think the same way. My problem now is that I have no idea what to talk about. I really can't think of any decent concrete examples, except to talk about my high school co-op placement, where I actually was teaching music. But it was a million years ago. They could go "Sure, but what has she done since?" I also think it's unfair for them to say "prove that you're a good teacher" when I'm supposed to be learning and practicing those skills IN teacher's college. It's sort of like my 1st year solfege teacher who constantly told me my dictation was wrong, but never actually taught us how to do it :P I basically have 2 days to finish my application and I'm feeling less and less like I can pull it off. | | Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 | | 12:54 pm |
B Ed application - feedback wanted
I started looking over the Statement of Experience for the B. Ed. application. It seemed daunting, especially the first question, which I deemed the hardest. But I've come up with an answer, and I would really appreciate all honest feedback. Thanks! :)
The first question:
Describe a situation when you have taught something to somebody. Include explanations of the strategies you used, the most positive aspects, and the challenges. What did you learn from the situation that you can see is relevant to your future role as a teacher? (400 words) (Note: This teaching example can be drawn from many situations from coaching to teaching someone to tie his or her shoelaces to actual classroom teaching. What is important in this response is your experience in the role of teacher and reflections on this experience.)
My answer: As a mother, a moderator of online groups for young mothers, a frosh guide, a students’ association executive, and a home daycare provider, I have had countless opportunities to teach countless things to countless people. Yet I believe the most important thing I have taught anyone is what I’ve taught myself. My high school co-op teacher once said that everyone should have at least 5 years of real life experience before they teach. I’ve had more than 10. I became a young single mother at 19. When my kids were 14 months and 2.5 years, I started a 4-year degree that I finished in 5. During a battle with major depression, a failed relationship, and loss of daycare for my own children, I missed a previous opportunity to start my B. Ed in 2004. I started doing home daycare when I couldn’t pay my bills anymore. Too often we are conditioned as young people to think that life should follow a script: you finish school, start a career, get married, buy a house and have kids. But the majority of the time, life doesn’t follow the script exactly as written. My life certainly hasn’t! Time and time again, things have not progressed the way I thought or hoped they would. The most important lesson I have learned in all of this is summarized in the following quote: “A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn.” Author Unknown I’ve had to remind myself regularly. I’ve told it to friends when they’ve struggled. If I could teach one thing to every student, every person, that would be it. Life may not turn out the way you expect it to. You may stray from the path. Your path may change numerous times, but that doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path, just a different one. The important thing is to keep going forward, with your chin up and your eyes looking ahead to whatever new adventures may be around the next corner. Current Mood:  pleased | | Thursday, November 22nd, 2007 | | 5:18 am |
"green" Christmas gifts
I have a lot of people on my list who are hard to shop for. People like my parents and my aunt. They don't need any material goods and I don't want to give them more clutter. I was thinking something along the lines of donating a tree in their name, giving to charity, etc. Does anyone know of any good, reputable sites? Or, if anyone has any other ideas, I'm totally open to those too. I'm starting to get excited about Christmas :) | | Wednesday, October 10th, 2007 | | 7:17 am |
my reply about that awful email
(I made this entry public, in case anyone wants to let their friends read it. It's not personal, so I don't feel the need to "protect" it.)
I finally replied to that horrible email I got about the referendum. For your consideration, I'm copying both the letter and my reply here.
| | Friday, September 28th, 2007 | | 4:03 pm |
I don't get people
I received an email forward from a friend today about the upcoming election and referendum. The basis of this email was basically "vote against MMP." One of the reasons they provided was this:
This voting system will produce two classes of politicians: those elected by the voters (90 MPP's) and those appointed by the political parties (39 MPP's). That is the 129 seats in the province of Ontario legislature will be divided between those elected by the 90 individual ridings, while 39 seats will be chosen by the political parties, according to the percentage of votes each party obtains in the election. Those appointed by the parties will obviously adhere to the party's ideology because their appointment will be dependent on it. Consequently, these MPP's will not be interested in the views of the public or any of their lobbying efforts because such concerns will be irrelevant to them as their role will be to support their party's policies only. My question is: how is that different from the system we have now?!? MPP's already have no interest in what their constituents think or want. I know this from experience. I've written to them before, and received nothing but form letters and unhelpful information. (e.g.: I emailed about how hard it is to struggle as a single parent on OSAP, and was told that I had to apply for OSAP and given instructions on how to do that...) MPP's who are elected are already responsible for voting with their party and "toeing the party line".
Another argument this author had was: The greatest beneficiaries of MMP, apart from the small parties, will be feminists, homosexuals and other special interest groups, as the major parties will certainly place them at the top of their list for appointments to the legislature.
Only they say this like it's a bad thing. *scratching head*
I just don't get people. | | Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 | | 4:19 pm |
anyone else see a problem with this?
OTTAWA-CARLETON DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD POLICY P.100.IT TITLE: ACCEPTABLE USE OF COMPUTERS AND INTERNET/INTRANET TECHNOLOGY Date issued: 21 November 2001 Revised: Authorization: Board 22 October 2001 Next review: 11/2003
Current Mood:  confused | | Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 | | 2:41 pm |
math info
For anyone who's curious:
MATH 209 (Finite) at Athabasca
Mathematics 209 consists of eight units, listed below. | Unit 1 | A Beginning Library of Elementary Functions | | Unit 2 | Additional Elementary Functions | | Unit 3 | Mathematics of Finance | | Unit 4 | Systems of Linear Equations: Matrices | | Unit 5 | Linear Inequalities and Linear Programming | | Unit 6 | Probability | | Unit 7 | Data Description and Probability Distributions | | Unit 8 | Games and Decisions |
| | Friday, June 15th, 2007 | | 11:54 am |
summer concert
I've been asked to sing in a concert. It's tentatively called "Music of a Summer Evening", or so I'm told. It's being put on by the church, but it's not a religious concert. Specifically "Light classical stuff. Mostly small groups of strings or the like. It would be great if you had a couple of songs you could sing." I have no idea what to sing. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated :) | | Thursday, May 3rd, 2007 | | 7:34 am |
quotes
The Bend in the Road is not the End of the Road, unless you fail to make the turn | | Thursday, April 26th, 2007 | | 4:58 pm |
ROFL This is probably my favourite drink ever! | You Are Sex On the Beach | 
When comes to drinking, you like it to go down smooth.
You really don't like the taste of alcohol - just its effect on you.
So, you're proud to get drunk on fruity, girly drinks.
Because once you're liquored up, the fun begins! |
| | Monday, April 23rd, 2007 | | 6:22 pm |
I think this is what I usually get...
| You Are An ESFJ |
The Caregiver
You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first.
A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change.
You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project.
You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people.
You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher. |
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