The Final Blog

I cannot find my quote anywhere! I thought I put it in my purse, but it's not there. It's not in my pants pocket either so I picked a different one to share here.

"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire." --William Butler Yeats

As teachers and reading specialists we have the opportunity to help create lifelong learners and instill in them a love of learning, curiosity and a passion to go out and achieve their goals and dreams.

So....the projects are done and the Live Text portfolio is submitted. It's been a fast semester for sure! I really enjoyed spending time in our small small group setting. Sheila--we made it! Alan, I wish you all the best as you continue on your path to graduation--it will be here before you know it!

Take care,

Kate

One more to go

An empowered organization is one is which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.

Stephen Covey

Despite the errors in spelling, which were quite a few, we got done with one more activity. There is one more session left. You guys did a really good job on your presentations thrusday. I was impressed.

"Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit." Conrad Hilton

You won't get anywhere by standing still, and you'll never know what could have been if you don't step up and try! Learn from your mistakes and don't fear them--keep trying!

I enjoyed everyone's presentations tonight and appreciated the in depth refreshers on reading strategies. I look forward to using them all!

I cannot believe next week is our last class--what a fast semester! Oh, and could my forehead be any bigger in that picture? UGH!

Have a great weekend,
kate

Coming Down the Home Stretch

I can't find the quote but I'll try my best to sum it up. When you stop progressing, you in essense are digressing. Our goal in whatever we do should be to get better but if you're not working towards getting there, you're not fulfilling your potential. If you don't fulfill your potential, you're going backwards. That's pretty much the gist of it.

We got two more weeks! It's gone by so fast!

"There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning and yearning." Christoper Morley

We start off in life learning and growing to earn success, once success is achieved we then proceed to the next step or begin a new adventure, a yearning to learn something new.

Graduate school has been a yearning of mine for almost 20 years and I am now so close to earning that degree after a year and a half of valuable learning!

Sheila you are right there with me and Alan it is your turn soon enough, and you will get there!

Take care and see you all next week (not in my green blouse).

Kate

Good Luck

Success is dependent on the glands - sweat glands.

Zig Ziglar

This quote is pretty self explanatory. There is no success without work and not just any type of work but hard work. I chose this quote more as a reminded than anything else. Also I hope it provides some sense of reassurance to Kate and Sheila as they prepare for the Praxis. Its nice to know that no matter how intense things seem to be getting, you still have a direct influence on whether or not success is achieved.

Good luck ladies. The Praxis test got nothing on you two!!!!



Now I need to get back to work. The mentoring paper is not going to write itself..... unfortunately.

alan

"Your role as a leader is even more important than you might imagine. You have the power to help people become winners." --Ken Blanchard

I chose this quote because I feel it reflects that lessons and activities we've completed for ED646. This course has trained us to be leaders and mentors in the literacy field. I know we can make a difference in other people's lives now.

I am busy focusing on the Praxis this Saturday, but will soon get to work on our last project, the Professional Development Presentation. With all the training the previous activities have taught me I am eager to combine it all into this final presentation!

Good Luck to you both Alan and Sheila.....Sheila I will see you on Friday (and Saturday)!

Kate

I'm Back!!!

If you learn from defeat, you have really lost.
Zig Ziglar

Hey everyone!

First of all brief explanation as to why I haven't blogged. To be honest, I just didn't feel like it. We did our quotes in class the previous to sessions and I got home and blogging ended up being on the bottom of the priority list. Not a very good excuse, I know, but an honest one.

So here I am at 12:20 am. I just posted my two chapter reflections (perhaps the most written reflections ever!) about a half an hour ago. Most of my time and energy was spent on the professional development plan of action, which I found to be extremely difficult to put together. Again to be honest, I have no idea if I did it correctly or not, but it's in.

These challenges bring me to the quote I selected. I went outside of the provided quote resource for this. I wanted to find something that related to my experiences trying to complete the assignments for this week and I think this does a pretty good job. The two chapter reflections aren't that good and the professional development plan of action might not be what appropriate but if i'm able to learn for these potiential mistakes, I haven't made any mistakes after all.

P.S. I apologize if this blog doesn't make sense. Did I mention its 12:30 in the morning?

Back to it!

"Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it." -- William Haley

I find this quote inspiring. As teachers and reading specialist it is not merely our job to train students and send them on their way. It is our job to guide them and instill in them a lifelong love of learning, to send them out into the world always curious and always eager to learn more.

Well, we are almost done. One more project to go which I am looking forward to because I can put all the paraprofessional mentoring activities to go use on the Professional Development project.

I hope you all have a nice spring break. The kids and I had a fantastic time in China. It was simply amazing and if you ever have the opportunity to go I highly recommend it.

See you all in two weeks,

Kate

"You are the only one who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility." Zig Ziglar

Don't let your talents go to waste--use them and use them well. Take responsibility for your actions, you and only you can control your path to success.

What a long night! UGH! I am exhausted but enlightened. I learned a great deal about both Success For All and Direct Instruction. Both presentations were very informative and very well done. Kudos to you both Alan and Sheila!

Have a wonderful spring break! I cannot even believe it is spring break already!

Kate

Somehow I can't believe there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C's. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy and the greatest of these is Confidence. When you believe a thing, believe it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably. Walt Disney

Faith and confidence in yourself will lead you to success. Nothing can stand in your way if you believe.

Like Sheila said, I too enjoy class this evening and the eye-opening, insightful discussion about possible career path and opportunities. I look forward to next weeks class and our reading curriculum presentations.

Have a great week!
Kate

"They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel." - Carol Buchner

This week was a bit of a challenge. Coming back after be out for a week is not easy. Not only do I have to get back into the routine of things, but so do my students. They were used to have a whole bunch of free time while I was gone and once I got back, it was down to business. I chose the above quotation because is summed up the reaction of my students when I returned. The were excited but not because of anything that I taught them or was going to teach them but rather the way I taught them and how they felt during the teaching process. The things that come out of my mouth are often times forgotten but the atmosphere is not.

Moving right along....

"We will either find a way, or make one!" Hannibal

When you come upon a road block, go around it or over it!

Another week is almost over, and I am moving right along on the projects and chapter reflections. I can't believe the semester is half over! Time is going by so quickly graduation will be here before I know it, but at the same time I want it to slow down just a bit as I am not quite ready to say goodbye to the UOG gang.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend. See you in class next week,

Kate

Do you believe?!?!

"Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can do only as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve." Mary Kay Ash

I am going to step outside our academic pursuits for this post, I hope no one minds. This last week I had the opportunity to be part of history. Nothing world changing, but history non the less. This last week the Guam National Football team competed in a tournament right here on Guam against Mongolia, Macau, and the CNMI. The Guam National Soccer team has never won a match against an international opponent.... until now. Not only did we win our first match but we won the right to move on to the night stage of competition! No one outside of those directly involved with the team believed it possible. I saw first hand this week the implacations of the above quote. In order for you to achieve something great, first you have to believe it is possible!

Take 2

Ok, so this is the second time I'm trying this. I wrote this all out, clicked to upload an image and the entire page disappeared. This post is auto saving for some reason, but the one I just lost obviously didn't. So this all ties in well with my quote:

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

I have been at the end of my rope so many times with the activities for ED646 but I keep hanging on (I am stubborn--an attribute I keep telling my husband he should appreciate in me) and I am finally making some progress.

I met with a paraprofessional at Marcial A. Sablan last week for the mentoring project. I spent about an hour with her doing the interview and observing two lessons. She seemed to enjoy our time together as much as I did because our conversations about DI and paraprofessional training was very relaxed and comfortable. She invited me back "anytime" so I hope to visit with her again.

I have also been able to infiltrate McCool (DODEA). As you know, I was told by the superintendant's office that I could not conduct any projects at McCool because DODEA has no agreement with UOG. I was a bit annoyed with this because I am a parent and a volunteer and I only asked for an interview with the reading specialist and to observe a paraprofessional. I was denied anyway. For the review of a reading program activity I chose Read 180 because McCool uses this program. At the end of my rope and not being able to interview the reading specialist, I contacted the Read 180 teacher and explained my situation and asked if she perhaps might need a volunteer during the Read 180 session. She said "Absolutely!" so I am "volunteering" there next week. I have successfully finagled my way into DODEA.....for one project anyway--HA!

And now I will send this post--before it disappears too! Have a great weekend...

Kate

Motivation

Motivation is the fuel, necessary to keep the human engine running.
Zig Ziglar

First of all, Zig Ziglar has to go down as one of the coolest names ever! Now that that's out of the way. He uses the analogy of an engine and when I think of an engine, I think of movement or progress. So the fuel for the engine to that allows us to move forward or progress is motivation. After reading this, my first thought was; do i have enough fuel in my engine? So far my engine has been running smoothy. Hopefully, it'll continue to be that way.

Always learning

"The most successful people in life are generally those who have the best information." Benjamin Disraeli

I have learned so much just from listening to other people's life stories. I always have my ears open, life is one learning opportunity after another. Every person I have met has affected my life in some way. Whether it was good or bad didn't matter because I still learned something from them.

I enjoyed the short session tonight even if it took me longer to drive up to UOG. Sheila we missed you and your input which is always insightful. Good luck tomorrow with your appeal.

Have a great weekend!

Kate

Things are coming together

Okay, I think I'm figuring this thing out. At least the blog part, but one thing at a time. The quote that I choose during our class session this afternoon dealt with preparation. The opportunity to be successful is presents itself to everyone. Those that become successful are those individuals who are prepared to take advantage of those opportunity. I hope that I'll be prepared to those opportunities that present themselves to me in the course of my academic career.

"If there is any one axiom that I have tried to live up to in trying to become successful in business, it is the fact that I have tried to surround myself with associates that know more about business than I do. This policy has always been very successful and is still working for me." Monte L. Bean

This is my life right now. I am surrounded by wonderful classmates who share with me so much knowledge about teaching and life in the classroom today. I listen well and I have enjoyed visiting some of their classrooms; all of this has enhanced my graduate school experience and I know it is preparing me well for my return to the education field.

We have a lot of busy weeks ahead of us and due dates loom. I know we will all do our best and we will all be there to help each other if needed.

Have a great weekend and see you all next week.
Kate

Another week in the books!

The title has an obvious double meaning. One more week behind me and most of it was spent in the books! The reading we've done thus far has been quite interesting. It's interesting to see how reading programs are developed, especially with the current situation of the Guam Public School System. I've come to the realization that I am going to have to get my face out of the books and implement some of the points I've read about. That's going to be fun and a topic for another blog.

Reading Specialists Rock

I don't really know what to blog about today. I really enjoyed Article Three and learning about the different avenues for reading specialists. I am making headway with the projects. I will be reviewing a reading program called Read 180 that is used for struggling readers at McCool. I hope to meet my paraprofessional tomorrow, I need to confirm this with Lucille. I am trying to power ahead and get as many of the assignments done as possible before spring break. I hope to take my kids to Beijing and I don't want due dates hanging over my head. With the Praxis on April 25, the more time I can allot for studying the better. I'm looking forward to our in class meeting next week!

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~Newt Gingrich

This could be my motto for graduate school. I just keep chugging along but I see the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

Alright!

Alright indeed! The semester is officially in full swing. I can tell because the back seat of my car is an absolute disaster. It looks like someone raided my car but wasn't quite sure what they were looking for. The course for this week went pretty well. I'm still getting used to the format of the class. It's hard to keep track of all these forums but I'll figure it out. Of that, I have no doubt. Also, am I supposed to post some sort of quote on this blog thing?

Perseverance

Don't be discouraged. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. ~Author Unknown

I'm making my way through the chapter and article readings and working on my plan for completing the projects. I chose this quote as a reminder that I've made it this far and I'll make it to the end. I begin each semester in a panic that I will not be able to complete the required projects because I do not work in a school, but I've always found a way (with the help of my classmates) and I've always completed the semester successfully. I am again in panic mode but I slowly see progress being made and I know this semester will end well too.

Have a great weekend,

Kate

Here we go!

Alright, I'm not sure if I'm doing this correctly but here we go. I had the chance to meet with Dr. Rivera to discuss the requirements of the class. This semester is going to be a lot of work but the work seems to have numerous practical applications in the school setting. Dr. Rivera shared a nice motivational quote and we discussed it a bit. It was a nice ending to a meeting that built a certain level of anxiety. The fact that on-line posting plays such a central role in the class structure is going to be challenging for me. I feel my strengths lay more in a traditional educational structure. I find it easier to verbally express myself then to formalize my thoughts in written form then post it. With that being said, I'm up for the challenge.

High Anxiety

Happy Thursday all!

In reviewing and completing today's moodle assignments and looking over the upcoming activities, I honestly think I am having my first anxiety attack ever. Last semester, it was easy popping into my fellow classmates classrooms to do small, one session activities with their students. The activites for this class however are more involved and will require quite a bit of time working with paraprofessionals, and like I said in my moodle post, I don't know what to do about this and I wish it were May already because I'm eager to see how I've figured it out.

Dr. Rivera, I figured you would want us to find a quote online so because of my aforementioned anxiety I chose:

Ask yourself this question:"Will this matter a year from now?" Richard Carlson, writing in Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

I sure hope not!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Kate

Life's What You Make It

"To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To give of one's self; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-This is to have succeeded." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Live your life to the fullest. Make the most of each day for although you might not be aware of it you could be making a difference in someone else's life.

I'm feeling a little anxious right now thinking of all the work that lies ahead of us but I think as I start reading the book and we discuss the activities more during the next class, I will begin to relax and look forward to the projects. Having Sheila and Alan for classmates will help tremendously too.

Have a great week all!

Hi Everyone!

I missed you all over the break and can't wait to see everyone again next week. It's going to be a busy semester for me personally; classes, setting up a move, packing out, graduating and moving. I'll apologize right now for how crazy I will be by April. See you all soon!

Kate