Friday, April 30, 2010

final relfections on *student teaching*

Here's what I wrote in my
final reflection paper
to my supervisor about
*student teaching*:


"Looking back on my twelve weeks of student teaching at P.S. 26Q, I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I’m especially thankful to my cooperating teachers for being as welcoming as they were. Mrs. Georgatos and Mrs. Stromberg are extremely dedicated and seasoned in their profession and take such great pride in calling themselves teachers. I saw in them an attitude about teaching I also hope to attain when I’ve had my own room for as long as they both have.

Having had many long-term substitute teaching jobs over the past year and a half, I was not new to the classroom environment. I was, however, new to observing other teachers in their own particular environment.

Looking back, there are many things I’ve learned about classroom management. I’ve observed that all teachers raise their voice. I even found myself doing it a few times, and when I reflect on it, I realize it’s not how I want to relate to my classroom. I saw my cooperating teachers yell, and it’s not because they haven’t taught their kids routines, or told them what they expect, it’s because they need control and order at a particular moment when they’re not getting it. I think the key is composure. Consistent and constant composure at all times. I will talk to my students in a direct manner, strive to communicate thoroughly, and try to never raise my voice since it heightens the energy level of the classroom, rather than easing it. My students will learn to respect me if I don’t waver in my calm, cool, and collected demeanor. This is what I aim for.

Also, from observing Mrs. Georgatos’s 5th grade and Mrs. Stromberg’s 1st grade, I’ve learned how crucial it is to plan. I’ve always been a good planner, but after observing how one split second of undirected time can snowball into quite a predicament for the teacher, I realized how over-prepared a teacher actually has to be. I hope to utilize every square inch of my classroom with meaningful activities for my students to choose to do (insert term student-directed learning here). No matter what grade I teach, I will have multiple centers that the kids will become familiar with and where they can go when finished with work early. Such centers include a make-your own story center, a collage corner, math games center, an educational magazine center (maybe National Geographic for kids), a drama center, etc.

Through my student teaching observations, I’ve also learned that communication is an irreplaceable practice to have in your classroom. I mean this on an academic level and I mean this on a personal, relatable level with my students. On an academic level, I’ve learned that communicating various explanations of the same concept is key. I’ve observed that each student learns differently, so I need to approach the teaching of a skill at many different angles. I plan to do this through extensive interactive use of the SMART Board, various visuals (charts, graphs, illustrations by me, timelines, etc.), small group and one-on-one conferences, parent-cooperation at home, etc. On a personal level, constant communication is key to create that community atmosphere in the classroom: my students and I work as one entity, a unit to make the classroom work. I plan to have a CQC Box (Comments Questions Concerns Box) in which my students can place any comment, question, or concern they write on an index card for me to read. I’ve already come up with ideas like the ‘Trust-o-Meter’ to communicate to the students how the classroom family is built on trust. I would say to my students, “the more I trust you to be good and do the right thing, the more you can trust me to make your classroom as lively and enriching as I can.” The Trust-o-Meter would show that visually. I’ve also come up with the idea of the ‘Sound-o-Scope.’ This would be a visual way to communicate to the students where I’d need the volume level of their voice to be at any given point in the day. I would also send home a monthly classroom newsletter to communicate with parents, and create a classroom website where I’d post the homework and daily happenings of my room.


Maintaining composure in the classroom, over-planning, and providing constant enriching communication are just three of the hundreds of things I’m taking away from this wonderful experience. Perhaps most importantly of all, I’ve learned that I really and truly can do this and be great at it. It is a profession I have such affinity and respect for, and hope I will only get better with each passing year I work at it."

* * *

[please play this video & contintue scrolling down]

****
***
**
*
...and I'm done!

I swear, since the first meeting with my supervisor on February 2nd, I walked out and said to myself,

"Oh, no. This has got to be done with...like now."

...and at precisely 2:40pm today, I am officially done with student teaching!

Gosh, remember my first day? [Feels like it was ages ago.]

Back to gettin' paid for subbing [*yay* for $$], and hopefully working toward getting magically, divinely hired for September.

please God please God please God please God please God pleeeeaaaasssseeee.

In the meantime...

...I'll be bloggin', I'll be joggin' and bikin' and I'll be subbin' and schoolin', and we'll be Summerin' it up, ya'll, pretty soon.

Hallelujah.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

I've got a *fever*...

...that only wearing a pretty dress and high heels can cure.

I heard it's something going around.

* * *
Anyone else
feel stricken??
I am attending a day wedding on Saturday,
so...
...I need to survive just two more days of Ugg-filled normalcy.
* * *
Can ya tell I'm psyched?
* * *
*
*
[I'm finally going to get to wear these.]
*yay yay yay*
* * *
*
*
P.S. -- I'm super fond of this necklace.
[Do I sense an end-of-Student-Teaching celebratory gift to myself from myself?]
tee hee!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

a gift poem

a gift poem is a short, one- or two-line poem for friends and family members that reveals why they are special to you, and in the process, demonstrates a simile or metaphor.
* * *
gift poem 3
by me
*
My sister is a hot pink highlighter: she makes every word I say stand out.

*happee wednes* monkeys.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

a gift poem

a gift poem is a short, one- or two-line poem for friends and family members that reveals why they are special to you, and in the process, demonstrates a simile or metaphor.

* * *
gift poem 5
by me
*

My cat is a black and white ball of meows and head-butts and fish breath and kitty litter clay claws all up on my comforter;
You might think this unappealing, but I can’t get enough of her.



Happy Last Tuesday of April.
[*hugs*]

Monday, April 26, 2010

Southside Fish & Clam

[worse song ever.]
***************
last weekend,
i had watched an
episode of
and consequently
all
week
long
i was
craving some awesome fish dish.
***************
i told the boyf of this craving.
***************
he spoke to co-workers.
***************
one recommended SOUTHSIDE.
***************
the idea took off.
***************
a date night was set.
***************
that date night occurred friday.
***************
oh,
it
was
yum.
***************
the following
are photos
taken from
that
date night.
* * *
this is how the photos really looked:
but this is how the experience *felt*:
... like something out of a brutally intense
graphic novel,
or a film noir drama.
* * *
it was some surreal,
confusing, but thoroughly enjoyable
hour & a half or so...
...and that is why, my dears,
the rest of the photos of
Friday *date night*
will look like they are
scenes out of a Quentin Tarantino movie:

walk in, pick up a menu, & decide what you want

i wanted this.
* * *
* * *
there was a fresh seafood market right there!!
take out, anyone?
* * *
* * *
the boyf
still can't decide
[he LOVES seafood too much]
* * *
* * *
baked clams!
baked clams!
baked clams!
[this Italian girl's favvvvvorite!]
* * *
* * *
the sea bass
* * *
* * *
blurry me,
eating blurry sea bass,
but
the *taste* was clear: delicious
* * *
* * *
the boyf
got
*crab legs*
* * *
* * *
...and went to town!
Dey wuz like buttah!!
* * *
* * *

*hammerhead*

[the view on the way out]

* * *

Oh, it was fun and delicious.

* * *

friday date night continued with a visit to a surf shop, making fun of the local Long Islanders [we Queens people have to], seeing Clash of the Titans 3D, eating some after-movie chocolate Haigen Daz, and a sleepover.

*yay* for boyfs, *yay* for mine.

* * *

Happy Monday!

[pssssttt...my last day of Student Teaching is Friday!!]

Sunday, April 25, 2010

*magic formula*

a little bit o' my planner for you,
on the
subject of
exercise & health:

[side note:
I totally got in a good run Thursday.
I was so proud of myself.
Ran outside
for the first time
in years,
to
and schooled it.
Really schooled it.
I just gotta keep that momentum going.
You guys make any
exercise-accomplishments
lately?]
[this really has been the *magic formula* for me since March]
anything??
I wouldn't really say anything.
Working out makes me feel
healthier
&
happier
[true story.]
and
I guess, in turn,
that could make one feel
capable of anything.
Okay!
I'll buy it!
okay, Hilary Swank:
you're cool.
I mean, c'mon!
Homegirl's won two Oscars!
She's gotta be making some kind of
correct life choice.
Anywho...
if you think this pic is
motivational,
uhhhhh,
check this one.
[Yeah. That's Swank, in a shoot she did for Vanity Fair.]
Holy crapoli, right?!
The girl looks good.
...and I'm sure she feels good too.
***
**
*
That's all I'm trying to achieve.

Bottom line, though:

Everyone's *magic formula* is different.

Find what works for you, and find the inspiration everyday to stick with it.

***************************

**************

Happy rest-of-your Weekend.

Friday, April 23, 2010

...and the rest will follow!

Happy free-yo'-mind Friday!
**
**
**
I'm having date night with just the boyf & I tonight.
I've been looking forward to it all week.
I wanna get fish...
...like, a really awesomely prepared Chilean sea bass.
**
I think it's a plan.
**
Nowww...the video:

[I was in 2nd grade when this video came out.
I would dance around the living room, pretending to be
the fifth member of En Vogue
...I was always pretending
...hmmmm...still am.]
**
Haa haa!!
Have a good one!!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

sorry, Earth Day.

my Bitt
planted some tulips
for Easter.
*
*
*
This was them two weeks ago:
*
*
*
This is them today:
*
*
*
Haa haa!
Oh my goodness.
We clearly suck at horticulture.
*
*
*
I feel so friggin' bad for those tulips...
...and the worse part is...
we walk around the neighborhood
and see gardens of gorgeous
tulips everywhere!
*
Cruel joke.
*
I guess what they say is true:
plants
do
need
water
to
grow.
*
*
*
So sorry, tulips.
We neglected you.
*
*
*
Care for your plant-loves today,
and everyday,
people.
It's Earth Day,
for goodness sake.
*
*
*
Wuv ya.
'kay??

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

mud *masques* + cucumbers...

+ yuh Bitt = a decompressing Sunday night
***
{{sighhhhhh}}
***
**
me, above, doing a facial
***
**
Bitt, above, doing a facial
[minus the giggling & cackling that went on the entire time]
***
**
hilarious mud 'masque' man,
oh
so
enjoying
his
mud
'masque'.
[Can anyone answer why it is 'masque'??!!
Haa haa!!
Is that the fancy French way??
Oooo lah lah!!]
***
**
Bitt is reading up on whether or not
the intense burning sensation we were
both experiencing should've been
expected or not.
***
**

mud *masque* is drying. [tee hee!]

It was a truly a Bittah's night on Sunday....

...and just what I needed to face this week.

*******************************************************************************

I bought those mud mask packets in Stop&Shop for like, $1.50 each. Nothing's stopping you & your girlfriends from decompressing too. I sooo encourage it.

[P.S. -- I thought the pics looked kinda artsy-cool with the cartoon effect on them. You'd never think of an artist painting people grooming, but hey...might not be a bad idea...]

******************************************************************************

Happy Wed-deh-nezz-day!! [<---i said it like that when i was little. me = "L"oser]

*pet peeves*

pet peeves
by me
*
too slow drivers
blocking the lane,
when pieces of lettuce
clog the drain,
*
interruptions when
I’m writing a poem,
when people wave ‘hi’
and I don’t even know’em,
*
when I’m a day late
for the big blowout sale,
when all that I get
is bills in the mail,
*
when my socks are all
saggy down by the toes,
when I can’t pick the booger
out of my nose,
*
when I wash my face daily
but the zits keep on coming,
when I’m trying to sleep
but there’s an incessant humming,
*
when the photographer snaps me
at the most unflattering angle,
when I condition my hair
but it’s still a frizz tangle,
*
when there’s plenty of Cheerios
but not enough milk,
when I invest time in a lover
who turns out a bilk,
*
when I get a wedgie
of gigantic proportions,
when I look in the mirror
and see a million distortions,
*
when I feel young at heart
but am too old in age,
when I have a bunch more to say
but run out of page.

Monday, April 19, 2010

J Brand *skinny cargo jeans*

***SKINNY CARGO PANTS***
Hilary Duff, Khloe Kardashian, & Ciara pick the season's hottest trouser – J Brand's "Houlihan" cargo pants – for sexy days and nights out.
* * *
However,
they caaaannnnn because
they're friggin' rich!!
* * *

[click on pic above for info]

$231.00

********
I don't understand.
...but, there are billions of things I don't understand,
so don't go by me.
* *
* *
needless to say,
these are on my
hypothetical wish list.
* *
* *
happy Monday, ya'll.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

*smidgen*

this post is a smidgen of how i think about LoVE.
*
*
"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived." -- Anthony Hopkins, as the character William Parrish in the movie Meet Joe Black

*

The song below has been crazy popular in NYC over the past few weeks.

His words are hard to understand, so it needs several listens, but something about the composition of the song as a whole, it speaks *LoVE* in such a tactile way.


[[play this while following along with the lyrics:]]



lyrics to the song
Hold Yuh

by Gyptian

oooohh ohh yeeaah
ohh
Gyal me wann fi hold yuhhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hol' me eva get ina my life
*
Gyal me wann fi just squeeze yahh
Put me ting right around ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hol' me eva get inna mi life ohhhh
*
Me eye dem dry and me nuh care
Me tek it anytime and anywhere
Inna de spare
So we nuh care
And as a woman. I will be there
*
Mi want a girl weh tek mi aweh
Me want a gyal who cyan wine pon me
Wid it gooddd
And mek mi feel it
Show me that you could girl
*
Gyal me wann fi hold yuhhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest grip me eva get inna my life
*
Gyal me juss wann fi holdd yahh
Put me ting all around ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hold me eva get inna my life
*
Like a fast bike pon di road vvruum rumm ruum ruum
Climb pon di back and she a boom boom boom boom
Gimme a moggle(model) run a di fat cu cuum cuum
Mi nuh ramp wid mi nozzel
mi a get my boom boom
*
She deh out a control
a mi first she want in har soul
she say more pon more
and still she groan
and still mi multiply more
*
Gyal me wann fi hold yuhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hold me eva get inna my life
*
Gyal me juss wann fi hold yuhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hold me eva get inna my life
*
Like a fast bike pon di road vvruum rumm ruum ruum
Climb pon di back and she a boom boom
Gimme di moggle run a di cu cuum cuum
Mi nuh ramp when a time fi watch my pum
*
She deh out a control
a more fire she want in har soul
she say more pon more
and still she groan
and still mi multiply more
*
Gyal me wann fi hold yuhh
put me tinnngs right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hole me eva get inna my life
*
Gyal me juss wann fi hold yuhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest hold me eva get inna my life
*
Gyal me wann fi just squeeze yahh
Put me ting right around ya
Gyal you give me tightest hold me eva get inna mi life
ohhhh
*
Me eye dem dry and me nuh care
Me tek it anytime and anywhere
Inna deh spere
So we na care
And as a woman I will be there
*
Mi want a girl weh tek mi aweh
Me want a gyal who cyan wine pon me
Wid it gooddd
And mek mi feel it
Show me that you could girll
*
Gyal me wann fi hold yuhh
put me arms right arounddd ya
Gyal you give me the tightest grip me eva get inna my life
*
Gyal me juss wann fi hold yahh
Put me ting right around ya
Gyal you give me tightest hold me eva get inna mi life
*
ohhhh
*
Ohhh ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
*
Holddddd yuhhhhhhh
Right round yaaaaaaaaa
My lifeeeeeeeeee
Right round yahhh
*
My lifeee
****************************************************************************

Hope your Sunday is filled with more than a smidgen of LoVE.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Hawaii (Hula) Vibes is BACK!...[for today]

from
posted some pics & some words about a trip to
Hawaii
she took.

wish i was goin' sometime soon.

i am, today, actually...in my dreams.

good gosh, how I need the peace of the sun on my cheeks and the calm of the tropical breeze in my hair right about now.

Love yous. Happy Sat.

Friday, April 16, 2010

*color* poetry w/ *Miss Zampelli*

i read the kids
this book:
we filled out
this chart in
the meeting area:
i was showing them
how to think about a color
using their 5 senses.
*
***
*
these are some finished poems:
haa haa!!
ya gotta love
Winnie.
** *** **
i love how she spelled lettuce: letis.
love it.
** *** **
i love that *pink* sounds like her mom
spraying perfume on her hair on Sunday.
oh, Ting Yu,
you're too cute.
[what color sounds like your mom?]
** *** **
* * *
***
*
Hey!
I never thought before
of what
Dr. Seuss actually looked like.
**
**
**
**
well,
ya'll,
he
looks
like
this:

i thought he'd look weirder for some reason.

Friday's here. Enjoy.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

...

quick post:
*
*
at the end of my school day yesterday,
around 2:30-ish,
i was helping Subhan,
one of the little first-grade boys,
revise and edit his writing.
his writing was very good,
but the capitals & punctuation
were non-existent.
so, in the last ten minutes of the day,
i sat with him explaining a sentence is not a sentence
without those two things.
[you know how we teachies do...]
*
*
next thing I know,
he looks away from his paper
and up at me.
I said,
"What?"
*
*
then...
...with those big,
grey,
first-grader
eyes
Subhan said,
"Miss Zampelli, you make my brain work."
*
*
OH.
*
*
LORD.
*
*
IN HEAVEN.
*
*
he absolutely made my day.
probably made my week, and
my heart is ten notches bigger than it was yesterday morning.
*
*
*
Happy Thursday.
*
*
*
What is something this week that
suddenly made the mouth go...{{cheek-to-cheek}}...for you??

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

*watermelon*

okay, loves,
so
we
know
it's been a tiring week for me, so far.
*
*wah wah wah*
*
cry me a friggin' river,
we all ti'ed!
okay.
i got it.
let me explain the reason for the
*watermelon*...
* *
i am student teaching for 12 more days, not counting today.
i've been a licensed, certified substitute teacher for over a year and a half.
i've been teaching since i could talk.
i played 'teacher' with my friends growing up.
i had my mom buy chalkboard paint & paint two entire walls of our basement!
i used to make up student attendance sheets with random names on them & assign one of the names to the class clown who'd always get in trouble.
I
need
to
teach,
like,
now.
*
okay, so why the *watermelon*?
*
well,
the whole process has been like this:
*
imagine it's a blistering, hot summer day.
the sun is baking you.
you're sweating,
you're parched.
in the shade, in the distance, you see
a tray of sliced, cold, juicy, seedless
*watermelon*.
you make your way over to the tray,
and your mouth starts to salivate.
you know that this will be just what will
grant you some relief.
you pick up the fruity-scented slice to your mouth,
the cool vapors playing around your lips,
and
right before you take the first bite,
someone drops from the sky,
snatches the slice
and begins to lecture you on the growth process
and benefits of *watermelon*.
*
like, WHA??!!??!!
*
I don't need anymore 'talk' about teaching!!
I need my own classroom,
pronto, people
so I can start doing what I know
I was born to be doing!!
*
Would you deny Michael Jordan a basketball??!!??!!
*
Would you deny Michael Jackson a microphone??!!??!!
*
*
{{deeeeep sigh}}
*
*
i'm just part of this waiting game.
*
i guess that's what connects me with so many other people in this life, if nothing else.
[that's comforting...no sarcasm intended...really, none intended, i do actually find that comforting.]
*
we'll see
we'll see
we'll see
what
happens.
*
for now,
today,
off again
to
*1st Grade*
*
how can I complain??
they
are
so
cute.
*
*
*
*
Happy Wednesday!
[thanks for reading]
*
*
*
*
oh!!
speaking of *watermelons*:
"I carried a watermelon!"
**
**
**
"I carried a watermelon??!!??!!"
**
**
**
[i love that part.]

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

quick game of...

hee hee.
I've never actually played MAD GAB like, to win,
with the rules or anything,
but
taking those cards out
and
reading 'em is hilarious fun.
*
[Taboo is my game of choice, however...needed to clarify. Needed to.]
*
Sooo...
...because it's been
a hell of a
Monday-Tuesday
so far,
here's a game of
MAD GAB
for today's post.
* * * *
** **
***
*
How am I feeling today?
*
eggs
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
horse
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

dead

*

*

eggs horse dead.

*

*

I'm feeling...

'eggs horse dead'

today.

*

*

Get it yet?

*

*

eggs horse dead.

*

*

egggg-sauce-ted

eggs-sausted

*

*

[yep, aw huh!]

*

*

EXHAUSTED!!

tee hee. yes. lame, but correct. yes. exhausted. me. i am.

okay: tues.

love.

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