Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sixth Day of Practicum, Fall ’10

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When I got to Practicum today, I immediately felt a hostile element to the environment, and its source was none other than my Host Teacher. She told me that for either the first or the second block, “the state” would be coming in and that “they would not like you sitting in the back of the room. They are very judgmental of that.” So, she told me to circle the room and ask the students questions and answer any that they may have. The way that she said it and her general attitude told me that she, herself, does not like me sitting in the back of the room, either. I don’t know what else she expects. It is beyond my boundaries to discipline the students, and she has told me repeatedly that the students’ behavior does not signify a preparation to work in groups. Would “the state” not want me grading papers and/or making copies of papers for her? Even the other teacher who shares the room with her seemed to be in a very foul mood.

The woman who came in is a graduate of Henninger High School, and she knew some of the students in the classroom, having had them as students in elementary school. She was great with all of them, and as it turned out, she was not from “the state,” but it was just from the District. That class was great, since it is 9th grade honors. The students seem to have a genuine love for reading. When Silent Reading was over, the students literally begged the teacher for more time to read. That was awesome. Throughout the day, I graded papers (which really helped the day go by) and observed four classes, one of them being the other teacher’s class. Next week is a half-day, but I will be going. I believe that the week after is when I have to teach my lesson to the class, and I am nervous. It is the first time that I have ever had to teach a class, so needless to say, my nerves are getting the better of me. Anyway, I will report back next week about Practicum.

Life and Sports

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Hey Everyone,

Long time No Blog! I have been pretty busy as of late with school work and other extra-curricular activities, mock interviews, job interviews, searching for grad schools, studying for tests, group projects, practicing a routine for a couple of different shows, meetings, conventions, community service, work, and countless other things.

The Life of a student can be difficult at times. Time management skills are essential at this point in the semester when midterms are taking place, and papers are due.

On another note there are some crazy things going on in sports. First of all everyone’s biggest fear came true. The Yankees Lost and Derek Jeter is now a free agent. Contract Negotiations could get ugly, Derek is 36 years old and has diminishing talent. We’ll see how this turns out. Cliff Lee could possible join the Yankees. I hope so we could use a guy like him.

In Golf Tiger Woods is no longer ranked number 1 in the world. That just seems ridiculous. I never thought I would see the day. I wonder when and if he will return to his old self. The new number 1 ranked golfer is Lee Westwood.

In Basketball Lebron James and Dwayne Wade have some pretty cool commercials. I like Dwayne Wade’s Commercials better though. Did you guys see Anthony Tolliver Making fun of Lebron James on Sports center? That was comedy. Lakers versus Heat? I am not sure how this will work out at the end but for now the Lakers are still the team to beat. Hopefully within the next year or so The Knicks could have Carmello Anthony, Chris Paul, and Amare Stoudemire on the same team. That would be a dream come true and revitalize NY basketball even though the current team is not bad.

In Football The Cowboys and Vikings are pretty unsettled right now. The cowboys start out their season 1 and 6 which is ridiculous for a team which sports analysts believed would have won a championship sometime between now and the last 3 years. Vikings have released Randy Moss after only having him for a couple of games. That’s the second time this season a team has decided to remove him from their roster. Moss is now with the titans and could make things interesting for defensive schemes who focus on Chris Johnson.

As you can see In the little time that I do watch television, I watch Sports Center. Till next time everyone!

Broomball Triggers Competition at Oswego State

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“Broomball? Um, what is that?”

That was my initial response three years ago when my new friend, Hannah, asked my roommate, neighbors and I to play in a broomball league throughout a portion of the semester. I had no idea what this game was, nor had I ever heard of it. But did that stop me from playing? Not a chance.

Broomball, she explained in a less efficient manner, is a game similar to ice hockey. There are two teams consisting of six players, including the goaltender. The object of the game is to score more goals than the other team. Sounds simple, right? Well, take off those ice skates and put on sneakers, and instead of a hockey stick, replace it with a “broom.” Oh, and you get a miniature ball (about the size of the balls you use when you play basketball in your room, with the hoop attached to the back of the door) instead of a puck.

Needless to say, I fell in love with the game. We played various teams at around 11 p.m. every week, providing a relief from homework. My friends and I were so psyched about it, we even planned to sign up every year for the rest of our college career. It was freshman year then.

We were intense players freshman year.

It’s senior year now and I played broomball again for the first time last night since freshman year. College got in the way — suddenly my classes were harder, I had to work more hours and homework became more prevalent than gallivanting across the ice. Last night, however, kicked off a fierce competition between the employees at Campus Recreation and Cooper/Glimmerglass Fitness Centers. Although every member of my team (the fitness centers) hadn’t played in the same amount of time as myself or longer, and Campus Rec plays nearly every day, we couldn’t say no when they challenged us. So I put the homework aside for an hour and shuffled onto the ice once more.

After two 20-minute periods of a lot of falling and checking into the boards, Campus Rec added their first tally to the win column with a 5-0 victory. However, they believe that this was a one-time deal. What they don’t realize is that we don’t give up that easily. I have a feeling that I’ll be on the ice much more often this semester, whether I like it or not. My co-workers and boss might get upset if I don’t.

Broomball originated in Canada, but is now played across the world, particularly in the U.S., Australia and Japan. It’s a recreational sport, but play can often get intense. By the end of the game, I was sweating through my face mask and my shirt had subtle sweat stains. Not bad when I was playing in a freezing hockey rink and I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants.  It definitely made up for my lack of a workout yesterday; I burned about 476 calories in an hour. So if you ever hear broomball being promoted in your area, don’t be afraid to give it a shot!

Have you ever heard of or played broomball before? What do you think about the sport?

Happiness

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This past Saturday and Sunday I was very busy. Despite it being Halloween weekend, I did a quite a bit of community service.

Saturday I worked at Camp Hollis a camp for Youth in Oswego County. We worked there for about 5 hours doing everything from chopping and stacking wood, to cleaning the kitchens. We cleaned, cut, stacked, un-knotted, swept, scrubbed, moped, carried, shoveled, organized and covered. It was a very rewarding day for the almost 15 of us who attended. This is not my first time working at Camp Hollis. Last Spring we helped open the camp and were invited back twice this fall to help close. And there is no doubt in my mind we will be back next Spring.

Sunday I helped throw a Halloween party at Sunrise Nursing home, not too far from Campus. We provided decorations and games for over 30 elderly residents of Sunrise. This nursing home is very short staffed and with so many residents they have a difficult time providing activities. At first I will admit I was a little nervous to go to the nursing home, they’ve always had a stigma to me. But, when I walked in the door and saw how clean the facilities were and nice the staff I felt a little more comfortable. I was also nervous because I had no idea what to talk about with the residents and I was afraid of hearing problems, or Alzheimer’s but, before I knew it all of the Volunteers had found a few residents we clicked with a had quite an afternoon. We helped serve food, watched a nursing home Pinata go down and overall I got a new perspective on something I had been narrow minded about. This was an awesome experience and I believe everyone should try and take part in an event in a nursing home, you will leave with a new perspective.I know that in a few weeks APO will be underway of making Christmas decorations for a next venture with the Sunrise Residents. Below is a picture of Catherine who goes by Kat who played a special role in helping me to loosen up and enjoy a wonderful afternoon.

Thanks to those in APO who participated in both events this weekend and a special thanks to fellow blogger, housemate, APO brother and best friend Danielle Ferrara who played a huge role on organizing the Sunrise event.

Wow, Almost Over!

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As my religious readers know, I always write about my Practicum experience every week, but this past week, Syracuse City Schools had a half-day, so I was told that I didn’t need to go. This past weekend, I had so much fun. I watched a lot of NCIS with Ray and Saw VII with him on Saturday, which I absolutely loved. I felt that it tied everything up, and as an avid Saw fan ever since the first film was released during my freshman year of high school, I was very emotionally satisfied.

Anyway, though, moving on to more important matters, who can believe that the semester is actually very close to being over? We have about three weeks left until Thanksgiving Break, and then, when we get back to school from that, it will only be another three or so until Winter Break. Good news? Most definitely, but it has its downsides, too.

For example, I have a major Final Project to worry about for my English 360 class, one that I have not even had the chance to start thinking about yet, let alone actually start, and I believe that it is 25% of my grade. Am I worried? Definitely. On top of that, I have a Teacher Work Sample to complete for ADO 310, English Methods, which involves a unit’s worth of lesson plans, as well as five additional parts (one of which is complete, thanks to EDU 380).

It is just so difficult to believe how close to the end we are. This semester has (thankfully) flew by. It has been very rough on me, with a ridiculous amount of work that needs to be completed on a daily basis, and I have very little time to myself. I am so looking forward to Winter Break, which will be a much needed break. Friday, I will be going to Practicum, and (I believe) next week, I have to teach a lesson to the students, so I met with the other Practicum Students who have the same Host Teacher that I do and will be meeting with them again on Thursday night. I will be writing again soon.

sleep!

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         Its been a long week and from here on in they only get longer. I have been swamped completely with studying for exams and writing research papers feels like all I do is work even now as I write this at 3 in the morning I’m preparing for all the work I have to do tomorrow. I’m starting to feel less and less in control of the work and more like I’m just rolling with the punches. I think back to freshman year and I wonder what in the world was I complaining about my work load is so much more demanding. I really hope that I’ll be able to keep my work load more or less the same because junior year is starting to seem like pure insomnia. I do have good news though I was accepted to my class overseas, now just need ~2,000$ by january and I’ll be good (I’m taking donations). Hopefully I’ll be able to write better and earlier next week but until then excuse my bad prose and grammar (im tired) and don’t be mad I ended my sentence with “a preposition”.

iGiveThanks

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Letter

“Today, I give thanks to the thing that has brought me through a lot. Years ago I met you and you changed my life forever. Though we lost each other a couple of times, we always found our way back. When I’m having a rough day, I go to you to make me feel better. Sometimes I get so rapped up in you, I ignore my friends and other people in my life. Everyday I walk out the door with you and when I don’t my entire day is out of place. You know me more than any one else.”

You all may be thinking who I am talking about. This is obviously a tribute to my iPod. Music is one of the only things that keeps me sane. D on my exam? Pop the headphones in and sing “What’s My Name” by Rihanna and Drake (new song of the week) on the way home. Still owe $1000 in tuition? Stride to some Stevie Wonder on my way to Culkin. Lost my cellphone? Dougie my way to University Police. Almost everry hardship I have faced in my life, I press played and somehow everything turned out right. SO I say thank you iPod touch. Six years from this Saturday is when I received my first iPod as a birthday present, and my life will be forever changed.

So when your walking down the street, whip out your iPod and play some tunes. You never know how your perspective on life may change.

Fifth Day of Practicum

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My fifth day of Practicum went pretty well, because I actually got the opportunity to grade papers. They were just tests and quizzes, not essays or anything like that, but it was still good to be in those shoes. It was clear that my Host Teacher was trying to keep me busy, which is a good thing. I like being productive.

A student in one of my Host Teacher’s classes got snippy at one point, but I was very happy with how she responded. The student was upset because the teacher told her to put her math homework away, but the student said something back, and the teacher calmly wanted to know what the problem was. She discovered that the student was struggling to get the homework done in time for class because she didn’t understand it. However, overall, there was not a lot of interaction in the classroom, and a great deal of time is spent on handing papers back.

In all of her classes, she talked about a literary element – suspense. Additionally, the students listened to an audio recording of the Most Dangerous Game, and she walked around the classroom to make sure that they were reading along with the audiobook, saying that that way, they were making use of two senses – seeing and hearing. I think that her heart was in the right place, but I don’t really agree with the method, because it makes the mistake of assuming that all students learn the same way. That isn’t going to work for everyone, and at the end of the class, some even told her that they didn’t like it.

This week, I don’t have to go to Practicum because it is a half-day for Syracuse City Schools, but I will definitely be reporting back next week. I am going home this weekend, and then Halloween is Sunday, so I am really excited. Until then, take care, everyone, and stay warm – Winter is quickly approaching!

Everything and Everyone placed in your life happens for a REASON

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Over the course of my college career, I have been faced with several obstacles and drawbacks that have been a significant factor to my growth thus far. I believe that “everything happens for a reason” and that EVERYONE you come in contact with are placed in your life for a reason as well. Some people may be placed in your life to challenge you, to make you a better person, to remind us of unconditional love and to teach you a lesson. No matter the reason, everyone has a significant role in your life. The hard part to grasp is that you may not always know the reason at the moment or will never be able to pin point the purpose for things or people in your life.

Personally I am a person who likes to know why everything happens and the significance of it all. Sometimes I find myself trying to justify the reasons behind everything, without understanding that not everything is meant for you to understand. The important thing to keep in mind is that things are supposed to happen the way they do. I have been blessed over the past couple of years with very important people. I want to focus something that is going on in my life right now. Last year I met one of my BEST friends; this person has helped me through so much and has helped me grow so much over the past year. I am very grateful for this person because she has paved a path in my life that has directed me into a self-identity process. This summer I also met a group of wonderful young women who have also been put in my life to direct me to through life changing process. I have been blessed with these people for a divine reason, and this I am very grateful for.

This year I have decided to make the decision of becoming confirmed as catholic. This was a very important decision I decided to take part in because I think it is very important to feed your spiritual minds. I come from a wellness background with my major being wellness management. Wellness has seven dimensions, social, physical, intellectual, occupational, environmental, emotional and SPIRITUAL. During a meeting with my spiritual mentor, he stated something that was very powerful. He talked about how most people think they are healthy because they work out every day eat, well etc. But if you think about it that only one aspect of wellness and most people don’t take the time to feed their spiritual minds. If wellness means balance between these dimensions of health then why aren’t people taking time to become spiritually enlightened. I believe these people were placed in my life to direct me to this process I have been missing out on and I couldn’t ask for a better time for this to happen.
I think the one thing that inspires me in to take part this journey is keeping in mind that at the same time I will be able helping others by living my life in a positive light for others to embrace. Luke 6:37 “Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. Don’t condemn (find guilty) other people and you will not be condemned. Forgive other people, and you will be forgiven. Give to other people, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands–more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to other people is the way God will give to you.”

Test and Spice Galore

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          Saturday once again and I couldn’t be happier. My math exam is behind me and I have a few days to prepare for my physics. Chemistry clubs activity night for children when well and I even got to take a practice GRE (that wasn’t so good). On a more positive note Chromium cook, the cooking competition brought to you by the chemistry club, starts on the 24th. The teams compete in the Hewitt union kitchen with only an hour and 15 minuets to prove their skills, and as if that wasn’t hard enough they also have to utilize a secret ingredient. So this should turn out to be an action packed weekend.

P.S We kicked butt in hockey again this week!