Abroad

As I write this, it’s not even ten o’clock yet. Here I find myself having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I worked a ten hour day on my feet today then promptly went to my friend’s house that happens to babysit Cleo during my workdays (my best friend), then sped home and started the last thread connecting me to Winter Term 2013 at OSU! I have literally one more paper and I can say goodbye to this term. AND I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT IT! I can’t stress that enough. The good news is that I’m getting A’s and a B currently. But this last paper may change that… I’m crossing my finger’s that I’m doing it correctly.

Since my enthusiasm is at about a 1.5 on a scale of 100, I’m just going to try my best to write this. However I felt that I didn’t really want to talk about a singular topic in particular. What I really want to talk about is studying abroad… I’m not sure if I mentioned it before but I’m hoping to be attending university in Santander, Spain this time next year! I started the application process last night and I am so very excited/scared/thrilled/bubbly/nervous…. All of the above emotions are included!

The reason I wanted to talk about this is because I know I haven’t had personal experience abroad yet, but I feel that it’s something that everyone should participate in, especially if they are going into the education field. It’s important to be able to go into a classroom with a mixture and blend of ethnicity or cultures and be able to have empathy and relate to all of those individuals. Studying outside of our safe United States can give us that needed edge in the classroom, teach us so many different things, make us a more well-rounded citizen, and overall having that experience can be a great benefit to your students! They want to hear stories in the classroom and personal experiences. Hearing those things gives us teachers personalities so that we don’t just appear to be the tyrant at the front that gives F’s and marks papers up with bright red pen…

Not to mention that I am considering getting an endorsement here soon saying that gives me the ability to work with students that speak other languages. It’s not that I may know that language I am just taught effective learning and instructing techniques that aid to those individuals. If I have experience studying abroad that will only improve my ability to converse and communicate with students of all different backgrounds. Especially being a language teacher as is. Overall it’s just an awesome thing and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to do this. As soon as I get older and am ready to settle down I may never get to do this again. So why not now, right? The time is now!

It’s not a good blog post without a strong emotional suggestion so here it is:

Study abroad! It makes you smarter and benefits your future student’s success! If you have the opportunity to open your eyes to a different culture, take it.

Anyways, wish me luck whilst I apply for this next step in the journey of the life of Carly!

xoxo

P.S I love the first picture. It's a cute giraffe and a bird called an Ox pecker. They are the birds that clean animals such as hippos, zebras, etc. They help by eating bugs out of fir. They are the good Samaritans of the savanna world.

Intro!

So, I want to become a teacher. For starters, a little bit about me.

I’m Carly. I’m currently a student at Oregon State University located in beautiful Corvallis, Oregon. Why Oregon State you ask? Simply because I had a list of ten places I wanted to apply to in senior year, I applied here, got halfway through the University of Washington application and called it quits. You see I’m from Washington, Port Angeles to be exact. I wanted to start a new life far enough away from my family where I felt independent and far away from all of my graduating class to where I could essentially become a brand new me (no stereotypes following; not that I was any other stereotype than the choir girl or the girl to cheat off of during a test). Yes, you guessed it. I’m kind of a “brainiac.” I love school; the stress, the joy of having the only seat open next to the smelly kid, and accidentally grabbing gum under my desk. It’s the life for me! But seriously, all that aside I love school. I love being able to express myself in new ways by learning new words every day. Like for instance today, I said feasible to my friend while in Facebook chat earlier this evening. Granted, I knew what that word meant but being able to express myself with a colorful vocabulary is just a wonder. I’m amazed with my own abilities, and you should be amazed with yours too. This world is a crazy place to enjoy and appreciate the small things is what can get you by sometimes, especially in the dark times. I love to learn and feel accomplished and proud of myself when I receive good marks, it’s very fulfilling.

A little off topic…

Anyways, I’m an English major at OSU, completing the double degree program and earning a minor in Writing. Also, recently I discovered that by studying abroad (which I plan to next spring; Santander, Spain) I can earn yet another degree, the International Studies degree. So there we go. I live up to that “brainiac.” I know I am an English major but often times I discover my grammar is a ridiculous, atrocious rat’s nest so I am apologizing in advance.

I have a little puppy named Cleo that I saved from the local shelter, I love the color orange (fitting for Oregon State), my birthday is in June, I like to write, I love giraffes (I mean look how cute), I am powerless to saltwater taffy and I crochet. Now, enough about me!

I want to be a teacher for many reasons. Besides being affected by the flu season every year, risking the chance of getting lice and probably having pit stains every day I think I will make a great teacher. I have what some call… CHARISMA! I have enough energy to stand in front of a class and not be what is called a “recipe” teacher. I want to dedicate my time (and probably my life since from what I hear being a teacher never stops, even after you leave the building) to the youth of this nation! Wow, so noble of me right?

Basically, I am going to start writing this blog whenever possible in between the copious amounts of homework assignments due and tests to study for and classes to attend and time to volunteer… This will be my personal thoughts on something that struck me as interesting or note-worthy on my wonderful journey to becoming an educator! Anything that strikes my fancy will be on here. I just want to keep it more focused around teaching and the education aspect of my future career.  The posts will be my personal opinions, so it’s open for judgment or argument, just know everything I will be posting will be from the deepest depths of my inner heart and soul. So it’s honest…

Now, let’s get down to business.

I finished a twelve-paged research paper about an hour ago. This headache of an assignment is what got me thinking to start a blog about my journey. Procrastination at its finest, it’s due tomorrow more and I didn't start writing it until about four this afternoon. Six hours later and 132 printed pages later I completed it. (Yes my teacher asked me us bring copies for every student, I’m lucky there are only twelve myself included.) The paper was on Dyslexia and Dysgraphia, learning disabilities I knew about but didn't really understand. Come to find out it’s not about reading and writing letters or sentences backwards; having Dyslexia means that an individual has difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing. It’s really interesting stuff if you ask me! Besides nearly pulling my hair out or bruising my brain from hitting my head on the wall, I really enjoyed it! I feel that the Education classes through Oregon State are so worthwhile. The teachers are all so passionate about the subject and their heart speaks in their lessons and lectures. They arm us with the tools to be well-learned, create a positive differentiated learning environment and avoid becoming those “recipe” teachers as mentioned above. If you aren't aware of what a “recipe” teacher is, it’s time you learn. They are the teachers that go by the book; year after year they teach the same lessons, and their lessons never involve differentiation. Now, what’s differentiation you ask? Differentiation is the ability to appeal to the different likes/dislikes, the multiple intelligences, and motivations to learn while keeping each individual student’s readiness level in mind. Basically, the perfect classroom where every student is learning at the level that is appropriate for their level of comprehension and they are all engaged and willing to learn.

I’m not good at math for those of you that think in numbers, so here’s the best I can do:

“Recipe” Teachers ≠ Learning

Differentiated Classrooms = Effective and Positive Learning

Lesson from my random ramblings? I do not plan to be a recipe teacher. They are bad. And don’t effectively teach the youth of this nation! THEY ARE USELESS BODIES PICKING UP PAYCHECKS AND WAITING TO RETIRE! This new set of teachers that take their place better be as passionate as my classmates and myself.

That is all. Until next time!