Week 4 Review

Classes are starting to become crazy...but not too crazy where I want to drop everything and yell! ;) Just a lot going on in life, in fact if I had to do college over again I would have finished the first time I started 7 years ago simply because I was young with less responsibility. However, I did live a little life and traveled for awhile so that by the time I came back to school I knew what it was I wanted to do, so I guess I have that going for me. My step-daughter went to church camp this weekend so I have had some time to play catch up on this weeks homework. She is so much fun so on the weekends it is hard not to want to spend as much time as possible with her...during the week I work until 5 then go to school until 8:50 M-Th and it is hard to spend time together with her and my husband hence, why weekends are so important. Anyways, here is a picture of my sweet family plus one in the belly!!! :) Enjoy.

Week 2 Reflection

These last couple weeks have been challenging and stressful ever since I found out my husband and I are going to have a baby. I went from working full time and school full time to now thinking about the up coming events that come when welcoming a new baby. Don't get me wrong I am overly joyed to have a child, I just felt unprepared, tired already from life's demands, and looking forward to spending time with my husband and my 10 year old step-daughter as much as possible on weekends. I am excited for the challenge of taking one more thing on in life but feel my body doesn't agree with me :). If my body had it it's way then I would be in bed all day with water beside me and crackers to ease my nausea. I am trying not to stress about school, work, family, etc. but finding it at times to be very hard. I know lots of people finish school and raise a family I guess I was just hoping to be ahead of the game a little...but as my mother likes to tell me..."there is never a time when you are going to feel ahead so enjoy what you are given." So with that said, I will enjoy this semester as much as possible and pray for time to breath in between the cracks of life.

Using Blogs in the Classroom

In the article "Don't Feed the Trolls - Using Blogs to Teach Civil Discourse" I agree that blogs should be apart of a classroom and a way to interact with the students on a level that will interest them. I think that the author had a great point when she states, "...blogs give the students the ability to read and comment on each others drafts." I can see how this would be important for students to learn how to create their own ideas and thoughts by learning to give feedback on a topic or others responses. However, I also likes how the author brought up rules that need to be set so that feeling weren't hurt by name calling, etc. Rules are a good way to set boundaries for students to learn how to write an appropriate response vs. an inappropriate response.
I liked the blog on math as well. I thought it was an interesting way to stay connected with their students along with a way for other students to help each other.

I think it will be fun to incorporate blogs into my third grade class. I would like to make blogs a fun way to get feedback on my teaching along with ideas my students might have on homework, projects, reports, etc. Third graders along with many other age students already spend lots of time on the computer as is -- so why not use a blog that gives them a fun way to interact outside of the classroom with their teacher and their fellow students. This would also be a great way for parents to see what is going on in their child's classroom through out each week.

Introduction

Hilary D. Edwards
I am hoping to become a third grade Teacher
My favorite animal is a baby tiger because when I was a child I was able to feed one a bottle after he had lost his mother at an early age.