HIGH SCHOOL HAS ENDED!!!!!! My last day was Tuesday and I just had 2 exams in the morning and I was done by 8:30 :) Except before leaving I forgot to turn in my Alg 2 notebook and textbook.. :( Had to go back to turn that in today. This friday is graduation rehearsal and the senior picnic and then next friday is graduation!! I'm so happy for this year to be over. It's been a great year and all but still. Tuesday in teacher academy we all had to write valediction speeches (goodbye speeches) plus brought in food so that was a good way to end it. It was good to hear what everyone had to say.

Some of the things I said were: I started off this year not really knowing what to expect. Before last August I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do as a career but luckily Teacher Academy helped me answer that question. I never expected to learn as much as I did from Teacher Academy or from my internships as I did. I can't say that I have any complaints about this class and I'm really glad I chose it.

How could I sum up what I've learned? That could take ages! From always being the student I never really thought about all that a teacher does and all the preparation they have to do. It just never occurred to me to think about those things. After talking in class about what makes a good teacher good it made me look at teachers in a different light, appreciating what they do and of course sometimes thinking what they could do better. I never really cared for school but being on the other side of the spectrum and being as a teacher was much different. I looked forward to my internships and enjoyed them a lot.

In my teacher academy class we accomplished so much. 24 essays, 11 chapters, 6 internships and lessons. We worked together in class often and scaffolded off one another. It was a lot of work and I totally wasn't used to it but I'm still really glad I did it!

I interned in 1st, 4th, 5th, 8th grade and special education with 5th and 8th grade. I realized that 1st grade was too young and 8th grade was too old for my preference. I liked 4th and 5th grade the best. Each internship has brought different experiences. It really helped to have experienced teachers there to ask questions about anything I was thinking about. Having the feedback they gave me on a weekly basis and for my lessons helped me to know what I did well on and what I could do to improve. Using that feedback to correct problems for the future definitely helped me to be more well rounded and learn what it takes to be a teacher from others perspectives. I could also definitely say that my Teacher Academy teacher knew her stuff and was a great example to us of a good teacher. I said in my speech that she never let us break the rules but she was a good example of what we should be, which is true. :) I can't stand when someone is meant to be looked up to so much and they do not do what they should. Be an example!!!! Just my opinion :)

On a different note, I walked a lot today. Went on the path in Austinburg with some people from church and then met my brother again at some river thing in Jefferson. We walked all around there for a while too. Plus driving around. It's always nice when it's so hot out to drive around with the windows down :D

Plus, I was thinking today I hate how disrespectful people are nowadays. Ha teaching good idea right? It'll be alright though. I just don't understand how people can let others treat them and speak to them the way they do.. I'll tell you right now when I'm a parent there is noooooo way that is going to happen! Not that people do, but I don't let anyone talk to me like some people do and especially not your child. I guess there are a million things that I can't comprehend why people do but I can say that I won't be like them.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie was such a good book! I read it in a day! It made me think a lot though. I found some quotes while reading that I really liked:

"Accept what you are able to do and what you are not able to do; Accept the past as past, without denying it or discarding it; Learn to forgive yourself and to forgive others; Don't assume it's too late to get involved." These are all things that most people have to work on. Most people can't get over things from the past but that takes time and doesn't happen overnight.. Plus people hold grudges over the littlest things for so long it's pointless. Those that do not forgive others in him lies the greater sin. (goes something like that) Just saying :)

"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted."

The first part we just need to decide what's the best use of our time and which will benefit us more. Usually, not what I really want to do.. After reading this book and seeing how well Morrie took everything he had to go through and his sickness it just makes me think I have so many things to be thankful for. Its so easy to just focus on the bad and not realize what you have in front of you. I'm horrible at that.. :( Plus letting little things work me up and just put me in a bad mood. This book has really made me see a lot of things I want to change about myself.

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

I don't really see the things I do as purposeful or meaningful but I think going into teaching will do that and be for a good cause. Plus I devote myself to others and do the best I can for others :) A quote that I actually live up to :) I don't waste my time on unrealistic goals or something that I can't reach.

"Look, no matter where you live, the biggest defect we human beings have is our shortsightedness. We don't see what we could be. We should be looking at our potential, stretching ourselves into everything we can become."

I think I look more towards the future than the here and now. I'm always waiting for the next thing in life rather than appreciating what I have now. I just always think the next part of my life will be better which is not the best way to think about it. I'll never be happy if I'm just waiting for something else. I'll try to endure school and "try" not to rush through it as fast as possible. It's just never been my thing I'm just ready to leave and do what I really want to do. I have to get over the things that I don't have control over but that's never been my strength, I like to be in control.

Its about time for a new post :) In my last post I talked about my acceptance to BYU-I. Can't remember when I got the letter but I'm going for the Winter/Spring Track. I start January 4th and go to July. I think I like that a lot better than going for the typical year. I get to have a long break after High School before I start :D hehe. Plus I'll have whenever I finish in July through December off. I'll also be home for the holiday's and won't have to worry about going back and forth!

Now, I'm done with my 4th internship that was 8th grade. I'm still saying I liked 4th and 5th grade the best. For my lesson in 8th grade I wanted to do debates and luckily that's what she usually did. I didn't know I just knew that I liked debates and I liked the idea ;) It was a big research thing the class just worked with a couple other people and used what they already knew. Everything worked out really well, actually. I was pretty happy about that. The one class that debated "should olympic athletes be drug tested" got a little crazy about it because everyone was trying to say there opinion but other than that everything was pretty organized.

My next internship is Special Education. The teacher I'm interning with goes to different classrooms. He's gonna be in 8th grade math and science. I had those teachers so atleast I'll have that, but I don't really like those subjects that much.. He also goes to 5th grade social studies I like that idea :) Plus, already working with 5th and 8th grade I should somewhat know some of them so its not like starting all over with new people.

Not much is new besides that.. Basically done with Young Women personal progress. Just focusing on school and trying not to let senioritis get to me but it is a little..

ACCEPTANCE!!!!

I am so EXCITED right now!!! :) Just got my acceptance letter for BYU-Idaho. I thought I was going to have to wait in agony for a few more weeks but luckily not! I've been pretty stressed lately trying to think about everything I still need to do but this just made my day! I almost got up and started jumping up and down but I didn't. Happy to know where I'm going and that its the place that I really want to go. I know everything else will fall into place. I'll miss people but I know this is the right thing and can't wait!!!

I was just saying today how I've never really liked school and this year isn't any better. I really like my internship and don't miss days that I go there. I know teaching is what I want to do, also. I've liked 4th and 5th grade I start 8th grade tomorrow. We'll see how that turns out. I just want to know I made a difference in other peoples life and not just a class someone couldn't wait to be done with. I appreciated my elementary and middle school teachers more. I think they actually had a variety of ways to teach instead of doing the same thing everyday and not mixing it up. Taking Teacher Academy has made me think a lot about teachers. Typically I would like the classes with the subjects I like or if I liked a teacher but I didn't actually think about if that teacher was a good teacher or not.. My class has made a big list of what makes a good teacher good and I've really learned a lot this year that I never even thought about. Kindof looking forward to college in a way and what it will bring even though I don't really like school now.

Amazing Day!!!! :D

I have not written a blog in so long! Christmas vacation was good. Then, started school and this week had finals. I thought this week was gonna be really stressful but then today was a really good day!! Tuesday I had a Teacher Academy test and felt like I did pretty good on it. I started some exams Tuesday and then Wednesday and today. I got an A on all of them :D. I haven't found out about my Algebra II one but I don't care if I got an A on that one or not. I just felt really accomplished after freaking about everything. Then at my internship which I haven't talked about yet.. my Teacher Academy teacher and I just talked for a couple of minutes she asked if I spent a lot of time studying for my test and I said yeah kinda. She said I was the only one in my class to get an A on it. Another thing to make me happy.

I started my 3rd internship last week its with 5th grade. Language Arts. I definitely knew 1st grade was too young and I liked 4th grade and now I like 5th grade. I'm thinking I'm leaning more towards middle school though because when I first start out I think it will be more overwhelming to have to have a lesson for every subject and everything. Then again, doing middle school I will be teaching the same thing over and over and that could be kind of redundant. They both have good and bad like everything I suppose. I'm going to 8th grade next and I actually had that teacher so that will be cool. Plus I will be sure by then what I want. I just hate the grade levels they have for the teaching licenses. Either K-3, 4-9 or 7-12. Why can't it be 3-8 or something like I would like :D? I'm just really glad I've gotten along with all the teachers I've interned with and just made the experience even better. I had no idea what to expect and it has definitely been better than I expected. Theres a lot of work but in a sense it is preparing me for college because that's how that's going to be.

I am hanging with my besty today and I got the mail and after a long time of waiting I finally got my Patriarchal Blessing I was SO happy. I was really getting antsy waiting for its arrival! Then my friend took a shower and calls me in there saying we have a problem. I thought it was something stupid and she was kidding.. She broke the shower head off my shower!!! It was pretty much shooting straight out and with a lot of pressure. You can turn this little switch thing and it helps a little but it is so messed up.. Hard for me to take a shower.. I tried duct taping it but that didn't work out so well it just squirted in all directions.. I tried using a wrench because we actually have another shower head but I couldn't get it off.. Of course when something happens that I need my dad he's not here.. I was telling my friend she should be glad I'm in such a good mood today because I just think the whole thing is kind of hysterical. Just makes me think even more about always keeping a positive attitude because I've just been so happy today and I love it when its like that. So this time I'm gonna try harder to not focus on bad things that happen and remember what I have to be thankful for :) I hope I'm more successful this time but I'm gonna try :)

2010 Handbook

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...
Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

MISSOURI!!

It has been forever since I have posted a new post!!! Just read my last one to try to remember.. I have already started my second internship with 4th grade which just made me even more unsure what I want! I still have some time so I'm not freaking out about it. I still don't know about colleges either its getting to crunch time! uh oh..

I got my patriarchal blessing on the 15th that was good!! I can't wait til I get it in the mail so I can read it. You can't really catch everything as he's saying it. I caught some good stuff though ;).

Then, tuesday I left with my dad, aunt & uncle and their two kids and my grandma we're in Missouri now. 13 hour drive. It could've been worse though so I'm not complaining :)

On thanksgiving we ate and everything and then at 4 when to Silver Dollar City that's in Branson. We went last year I like it. They have some pretty cool stuff there and good food :D. I got some cute jewelry from there. I got this potato stuff though that everyone said was good I didn't like it.. It was potatoes and sweet potatoes mixed.. It made it too sweet and weird.

Today we went to Bass Pro Shops. The main one is here and its huge! I got some clothes from there. Wasn't so interested in the hunting part of it though.. My dad likes that part of it. We kind of split up and he was like freaking cause he didn't see me the whole time we were there til we met up again :) There is usually a ton of people but it was pretty bad today! That would be why I don't go shopping on black friday cause theres a million people out! I like shopping in moderation. Under 3 hours at a time!

Hmm. what else? I'm heading back to Ohio saturday during the night some time I think.. Don't really want to go back.. I like it out here. My aunt was telling me about a college that's out here College of the Ozark's or something like that. You work there so then you don't have debt or anything which is pretty cool! Plus no drinking or smoking etc. on the campus so another plus :) I might check that out. It's only like 40 minutes from my family in Missouri. I could still be away from home but close to some family at the same time.