Change needed -

We are cancelling our annual 4th of July picnic this year - We have been doing it every year since Cenneidigh was born -13 years so far....I have to say that it is a lot of work and the day starts at 4:30AM and goes to about 1AM - I love the 4th and with our own firecracker it was a good fit for our family - but with Cenneidigh turning 14 we have decided it is time for a change....change is good and it happens anyway....We are going to do something different this year and help out with the city festivals as volunteers and I am looking forward to the change of pace.  

Happy 4th of July to everyone and I hope you do what makes you happy to be an American this year!!!

Qatar is off and running for the summer

Qatar left today for AZ to work for Doug for the summer - so excited to go as are we since he had been a teenager for many years now and fighting for independence from the oppression that he calls parents.  Well he is gone and I am reflecting on the cuddles and his little voice telling me he would never leave because he would miss me too much.....oh how time flies and is gone before we get a chance to catch our breath.

I am excited to see what he does and who he becomes as he matures.  I will miss him, but life goes on and change is the only things we can truly count on.  

See  you in September sweetheart!!!  Then off on the new adventure as a missionary speaking Spanish for 2 years.

MTLE continued - Special Education Content Exams Sub test 1 and 2

I ordered the study guide from the Pearson site and at first I was not happy about what I got since most of it was free on their website, but it had one 50 question practice test and I found that to be very helpful and after taking the test to be almost identical to the types of questions that the test had.  I would not suggest the practice tests that are also available for purchase as everyone that I have talked to who bought those said that the test was nothing like the practice tests.

I took the test and really paid attention to the reason why the answer was correct and what objectives from the test I understood and which I did not so I could study those things.  I googled the objectives and looked at pages and pages of information about special education - I made note cards and went over them quite a bit - but I have to say that the practice test was the most helpful.

Questions will ask what should be done 1st in a certain situation - I can tell you that students in transition those above 8th grade need that wants and needs taken into consideration 1st always.  

Know IDEA or at least quite a bit about the 2004 part.  A few early childhood questions and I was not sure about those since I am a k-12 license.

Good luck and take a deep breath you can do it!!!!

Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exam My Experience Part 2 - Elementary Pedagogy

After the basic tests and a year of classes - I took the elementary pedagogy exams - 2 sub tests - I found these tests to be mostly common sense - I did not feel the questions were confusing but instead quite easy and the answer choices  gave you the idea of the correct answer as long as you read the question correctly - just read the question and know what it is asking and you will do great.

I took about 30 minutes taking this test and then went back over the whole test and still ended with 10 minutes to spare on both exams.  

If you have spent time in a classroom this test will not be an issue for you.

Qatar's Graduation Party

He made sure to make his blanket a wall of its own with photos of him and it - even a newborn shot with the blanket at the side.  Kristi made the blanket for him long ago.  He wore his Southern Virginia University t-shirt since that is currently the college of choice when he gets back in 2016

We served ice cream and root beer floats - if I do it again I will serve ice cream and no candy for the top just the traditional toppings cherries and whip cream.  Candy toppings everywhere- crushed Oreos a bad idea.

We set up only 4 tables and then a few chairs around the TV with the Austainaire Show playing and then a screen and projector with the photo video I made.  People come and go so more tables would be a waste.  We had no problem seating everyone that wanted a seat.

T-shirts hung with photos of him wearing them for the different events hung on the wall cork.

Loads of photos everywhere of him at every age - about 500 photos were printed for the party - most on boards and many on the table.

2 tables for awards and items he wanted to display here is 1 of them

21 balloons - loads of guests there to see him and talk about his mission, I was ill and had lost my voice so I whispered to everyone about what they wanted to know about the mission and things that that will entail.  Tons of interest in the mission - at graduation they announce where the students will be going after HS and Qatars only stated a mission trip- a bit bigger then that since it will be 2 years.

Good friends to say good bye too.

My Minnesota Teachers License Exam experience - MTLE Basic Tests

This is for anyone who still needs to take the MTLE tests to become a licensed teacher in Minnesota.

Basic tests - math, reading, and writing - I took up to the time they allowed us on all of these tests.  I passed all 3 but my score on the writing test was the lowest of the 3.  I ran out of time mid paragraph on my last essay.  You need a 240 on each exam to pass that portion.

My advice - 
Math is tough - study Khans academy - go to IXL and look over topics in Algebra and Geometry - study for this test if you are not 100 percent confident in you math abilities - this test is nothing like the California or other states basic tests this one is tough - basic for college algebra students maybe.

Reading - just read the questions 1st and then read the passage by skimming or you will run out of time - this test is fast and you will not make it to the end if you read every word in the passages.

Writing - go through the questions quickly so you have time to do the essay writing at the end of the test - write a quick outline and then write fast - keep the outline at the top so that they can see what you were going for if you run out of time,

I will post again about the pedagogy and the special education content tests.

MTLE EXAMS all finished

I did it I passes all 7 exams and I passed them all the 1st I took them!!!!  I am so cheap the idea of taking them twice made me ill with how much they cost - I figure out that the 7 tests cost me over 300 dollars - ridiculous and stressful to boot.  But it is over - yeah!!!!  On to student teaching and then passing my TPA - not worried about that one at all it is teaching and writing a paper on the teaching and what you would do different next time.

Me as right after they handed me the sheets saying I passes the sped content tests - both of them - yeah!!!!!!  

Qatar's Mission Call

He is going to the Scottsdale, AZ mission Spanish speaking.  He will report to the MTC in Mexico City on September 17th this year.....We are all very excited for him and I am glad he is staying in the states ....  mailing packages is lots cheaper this way!!!