Sunday, August 21, 2011
Introduce Yourself --Due Wednesday, August 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Please introduce yourself to the class of both face-to-face and virtual candidates. Tell us about yourself (family, schooling, hometown, hobbies, pets, birthday, etc.). Also tell why you chose the field of elementary education and who influenced you to go into education.
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HI... I am very excited that you have chosen to become a teacher!!! Here is a little about me and my story:
ReplyDeleteI was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma to Bob and Norma Smith. (Yes... my Dad's name was actually Bob Smith.) I have one sister, Kathy, just 17 months younger than I am; we were inseparable growing up. From my earliest memories, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. My dolls, toys, and even my sister were my students. My greatest possession was my chalkboard. I would hold class in my bedroom at every chance.
It was when I was in 7th grade at Guthrie Junior High School that my mathematics teacher, Mrs. Sparkman, asked me to tutor another student after school. I absolutely loved math; and I found that I also loved helping my friend learn. So I was hooked on becoming a math teacher.
I graduated from Guthrie High School, and went on to attend the University of Central Oklahoma, majoring in mathematics. I decided that I really wanted to teach junior high/middle school students... so I majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Middle School Mathematics.
My first job was teaching 7th grade mathematics and algebra at Guthrie Junior High School in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Yes... the same school I attended years early. My former teachers became my colleagues, and then my friends!
I taught in Guthrie for 17 years. Then met my husband at an NEA meeting in Washington, DC. We married and I moved to Kansas.
Teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics and algebra in Wamego, Kansas, I decided that I wanted to pursue first a Master's degree and then a Ph.D.
SO... here I am, at Fort Hays State University. I am beginning my third year in the Department of Teacher Education.
I am also a pianist. I have played for more musicals than I can remember (both high school and community theater), and play for many wedding, receptions, and art gallery openings. I was invited to play for two receptions for former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius!
I am also an avid reader... and someday hope to publish a children's book!!!
My husband and I have four children... Tracy is a nurse at a hospital in Oklahoma City; Joshua is a Border Patrol Agent, he and his wife Danee and two daughters live in Arizona; Luke is a teacher's assistant in the Manhattan Head Start; and Anna is a senior at Baker University. We also have two of the most beautiful granddaughters... Addison Reece and Brennan Grace.
My name is Michelle Avritt and I live in Sublette, Kansas with my six year old son and our dog.
ReplyDeleteI am pursuing a degree in Elementary Education to follow my passion for youth development while being able to be a MOM at the same time.
I am an KSU alumni and my professional experience is in City Parks and Recreation Planning and Youth Development as well as work with the Boys & Girls Club organization.
I am excited to complete my second degree and have my own classroom!!
Hello! I’m Emily Martinac, and I was born on July 3 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. I didn’t stay in South Carolina long. Growing up I moved several times due to my dad’s job. I have lived in Amherst, Ohio, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Leawood, Kansas (where I currently reside).
ReplyDeleteI still live at home with my parents, my younger sister, Andrea, and our three dogs, Bailey, Jefferson, and Winchester. I also have an older brother, Adam, who lives in Ankeny, Iowa with his fiancé, JoJo.
This will be my 4th semester with the Virtual College and I love being able to do everything online. It allows for a very flexible schedule, especially being able to have a job. I work 2-3 days a week in the afternoons as a nanny for a family with 3 boys.
Outside of work and school I have a few hobbies. I love reading. I got a Kindle for Christmas last year and have found that I thoroughly enjoy most of the free novels available. My favorite authors are Nicholas Sparks and Michael Baron. I am also very creative. I enjoy scrapbooking and baking.
I really don’t think any particular person has influenced me to go into teaching. It has always been something I have wanted to do. The further I get into the Teacher Education program the more I know this profession is for me!
Hello everyone! My name is Elizabeth Adams, and I live in Tescott, KS with my almost five year old daughter Sandra and my husband James. I was born here in Kansas, but have lived in several states. I love the small town/country life, so I don't plan on moving around anymore. I started my degree several years ago at K-state, but am finishing it up now through FHSU's virtual college. I have a few internships and student teaching left to do before I can graduate. I hope to teach first grade in the future. I realized I wanted to teach after having my daughter and experiencing how amazing it is to watch children learn and grow. I am looking forward to learning all I can from the knowledge and experiences we share with each other during this class!
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Kymberly. I am originally from a small town in GA but I am now living in Dallas, TX with my husband of nearly 2 years, Jason, and our three dogs; Texas, Georgia, and Constantine. I am a Senior Independent Beauty Consultant with the wonderful Mary Kay Ash company. That basically means that I teach great skin care and beauty tips to women and share the business opportunity to those women who may need some extra income on the side or to those that want to jump in feet-first and make big money. I would consider that my hobby and my job. I am almost done with my degree, I have about three more classes to go, including this semester and then student teaching! I hope to teach kindergarten. I taught pre-k at a child development center last year and today is their first day of kindergarten! It's so exciting because this was what we were preparing for for so long! I haven't always loved teaching. In fact, my first job was at a daycare and was an absolute nightmare. I was not trained in any capacity. I was 16, hired on a whim, and thrown in the classroom with a puzzled, frightened look on my face. I wanted to walk out many times, but didn't. I was offered a job to teach dance (something that I truly love) and I accepted the job. The owner of the dance company taught me how to handle children, how to get their attention, and how to teach. I then fell in love with children and the whole teaching process. Now I am here working to become a teacher. I am looking forward to this class and all that I can learn from it.
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is Elizabeth Sills. I live in Joplin, MO with my husband and 2 kids. My daughter Aubrey just turned 3 and my son Brayden just turned 1. Pursuing my elementary education degree virtually has allowed me to stay home with them, and believe me they keep me busy. I love every second of it though. I plan to student teach in the spring and will miss them terribly, but I think it will be good for all of us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young I taught swimming lessons and I think that is where I first thought of being a teacher when I grew up. I also had many babysitting jobs throughout middle school and high school. This is actually my second degree, I graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2002 with a degree in finance. I don't know why I made the decision to go into business instead of teaching. At the time, I guess I just didn't know what I really wanted. I had a couple different jobs after I graduated, but never felt fulfilled and I have always had a want to teach. With the support of my husband I made the decision to quit my job and go back to school, and I have never looked back. I know that teaching can be a rough road, but I look forward to the challenge. I am so excited for this class and being one step closer to being a teacher!
My name is Jordan Ottley and I was born in Hays, KS on July 17, 1990. I grew up in Victoria, KS with my family. My family consists of my dad David, mom Andrea, and two brothers Brett and Sam. We also have a family dog named Jersey who is a golden retriever who just turned one.
ReplyDeleteMy hobbies are mainly sports. I played football, basketball, and track in high school and played football for one year here at FHSU.
I just got engaged over the summer so I am going to have a very busy year with that along with internships and classes, but I am looking forward to it!
The main reason I want to become a teacher is because of my dad. He was my fourth grade teacher and my elementary school principle. He was the best teacher I ever had and many of the people who went to school at Victoria would tell you the same thing. He made school fun for his class and had a great attitude everyday. Wherever he goes and sees a student of his they always come and give him a hug and give him a big smile. I want to be a great influence like that and have a positive effect on a students life. I hope I can become a great teacher just like him.
Hi friends! My name is Kristle Canady. I am married and have two absolutely amazing children! Jake will be 4 in October and Lexie just turned 1 last week. Needless to say they keep me very busy. We just recently relocated from the Kansas City area to Coffeyville, Ks (Southeast corner). We moved in order to be closer to my parents so that they can help watch the kids while I finish up my degree. I am currently subbing also.
ReplyDeleteThe person who mostly influenced me to be a teacher is my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Davids. She was truly passionate about her career choice and you could see it in her eyes. I can clearly remember her jumping up on top of someones desk one day during a history lesson and screaming at the top of her lungs "The British are Coming!" She didn't care who was around or how silly she looked! She was so passionate about teaching and I was always wanted to be that inspiration to someone else! I hope one day a former student of mine will look back and say "wow, she really believed in me" or "I hope to inspire someone like she inspired me." I look forward to getting in the classroom this semester and working with all of you! Good luck to all of us =)
My name is Amanda Lewallen and I am a Junior this year. I am originally from Holyrood, Ks, but my mom moves to Hays a year ago so I am now a resident of Hays. I grew up in a small town and went to Quivira Heights for all of my schooling. I am all about sports. I love to play and I love to coach. My birthday is on October 24th and I will be the big 2-1 this year. My family is very important to me. I have an amazing mom and I look to her for everything. On April 28th, 2009 my life changed forever when my niece was born. She is the light of every day and melts my heart with her smile. I am her “Aunt Nanna” and I love it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 3 I wanted to be a mommy of 25 kids. I have always loved children and I got babies for my birthday until I was in 7th grade. After maturing a little I decided that maybe teaching was something for me. Ever since 3rd Grade I have said I was going to be a teacher when I grew up. My mom has encouraged me every step of the way. Through high school I thought about what I wanted to do and I decided Special Education was it. I wasn’t really influenced by anyone, its just been my dream for a long time.
My name is Lane Abert. I am senior from Rocky Ford, CO. I was born on September 8, 1989 so yes my birthday is coming up. I have one younger sister who is 19 and is currently going to college at Colorado Mesa. (Was called Mesa State until the end of last year for those wondering what college that is) My dad is a farmer and raises cattle and my mom is a business teacher at the high school back home. I have a dog back home named Bo. He is a lab who loves to swim. Some of my hobbies include playing sand volleyball, football, golfing, umpiring baseball, farming, riding horses and working with cattle, and hanging out with friends and family. I chose Elementary Education as a major because I love working with little kids whether it is in the classroom or coaching them. I can admit that I was one of those people who swore my entire life that I would never want to be a teacher. But then during my first semester of college I was trying to decide on a major and my mom brought up that since I'm so good with children that maybe I should consider going into teaching. After that moment I never looked back. My mom is obviously a person who influenced me into becoming a teacher but someone else who I have stayed close with ever since I started school is my kindergarten teacher. She always seem to have such a special connection with students and I want to be just like her when it comes to classroom management and constantly being full of energy and keeping students interested in what is going on in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteHello Classmates!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Jena Simms. I am a wife and mother of three boys.
I grew up in Manhattan, KS and sent to Oral Roberts Univeristy in Tulsa, OK to run track in the mid 90's. I finished first degree at Friends University in business.
We currently live in Hutchinson, KS where I have been a para in a special ed. room for 4 years. I love the little ones that I teach and am daily amazed by the rewards of teaching. I am working full time, taking 15 hours at FHSU, have 3 boys playing football, and don't have one free moment for myself.
I have been inspired by many teachers but my 6th grade teacher had a huge influence on me and I can still hear him say, "Jena, you can do it."
I do not feel confident in my math abilities and look forward to learning more about how to be an effective teacher.
Hi! I am Lacey Keller of Palco, Kansas. My husband and I have been married for seven years and we have adopted one child, Jamie. Jamie is the star of our lives! He will begin kindergarten next week and thinks he his on top of the world.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I both came from farming and ranching families. So the traditions carry on to us. We own and operate a cow/calf operation. Being on the farm is where I belong.
Along with being a full time student, wife, mother, farmer, and rancher, I also work full time at our local elementary school as a special education paraprofessional.
I am excited to begin this semester as it is my last one before I student teach! It is hard to believe that I will have my own classroom at this time next year. What a wonderful feeling!
Hi! My name is Brooke Major. I have one younger sister and her name is Lacey. I went to elementary school and high school in Wilson, Kansas and graduated from Wilson High School in May of 2008. I then started going to Fort Hays State University to pursue my career in elementary education and this year is the start of my senior year. My hobbies include working at the Snack Shack which is a diner located in Wilson, Kansas and I have worked there for 7 years. I have 3 cats and one rabbit as far as my pets are concerned. My birthday is November 22, 1989.
ReplyDeleteI chose the field of elementary education because my 1st grade elementary teacher really encouraged me to pursue this field. I loved the way she taught and thought that it would be fun to try it for myself. I was also given the opportunity to help this 1st grade teacher as a student aide my senior year of high school. This really opened up my eyes to the field of elementary education and I loved helping her with the students in the classroom throughout the school year. Lastly I am excited about this semester and happy to be in the class!
Hello all, my name is Becky Bastian. I recently got married to my high school sweetheart of 6 years, so my last name will soon officially be Pinick. I will be 22 years old on October 18th. I live in Derby Kansas, with my husband our dog and cat. I grew up and graduate from a small town, Douglass Kansas. I work full time at Applebee’s, and am a substitute special education para. (I was unable to work full time as a para with my school schedule this year, but this way I can still stay in the classrooms and check up on my students.:) I have 8 brothers and sisters and 20 nieces and nephews. (Yes 20!) My mother is a 7th grade teacher at a local school and she is my inspiration and mentor.
ReplyDeleteI never wanted to be a teacher; I wanted to be a doctor, or a scientist. It wasn’t until a few years out of high school and a few major later that I decided that being a teacher was my real calling. As I went through school I was always the classroom helper and always liked to be in charge of my group. I had many teachers throughout my life tell me I would be a great teacher but I never considered it until about two years ago. I took a real look at my goals; I knew I wanted to help people and I wanted to make a difference in society. I also knew that I loved learning and children. This is when I decided that a career in education would allow me to meet my own goals will also inspiring children. I set very high goals for myself as a teacher; because I believe as a teacher you influence directly impacts our society and the members of it.
I have no such things as hobbies, if I am not doing homework, working, our doing housework I am sleeping or staring blankly at the television. If I do have a few hours my husband and I will spend our time watching movies, he is a huge movie buff and I love the quality time. I do not have any children yet, but our dog is just like our child. He is very spoiled and smart! One final note, I love math…honestly! It was always my favorite subject, especially middle school math! When I received my hands on math kit in the mail, I was like a kid in a candy store. My next favorite subject is science. I am horrible at reading and language as you will all soon see in my post. Try to bear with me, I do proof read.
Dr. Stramel,
ReplyDeleteOur family misses the Manhattan, KS area. We moved to Hutchinson 5 years ago from Manhattan. My family and in-laws still live in the area. My brother and his wife built a home 9 miles north of Wamego and she works in the Wamego school district.
Small world!
Happy to be in your class this semester.
Jena Simms
Hello: My name is Jeanette Fortkamp. I live in Pratt, KS with my husband, three boys and two naughty dogs. I am originally from northwest Kansas. This is my second bachelors degree. I decided to go back to school and finish another degree in elementary education with a minor in special education. I currently work as a para professional and I love working with the students. My maternal grandmother is the person who influenced me to be a teacher because it was something she always wanted to do. She spoke about how much she would have loved to be a teacher. I will student teach in the spring and am so excited to begin a new career.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Megan Booth. I was born Feb. 8th. I grew up in Greensburg, Kansas. My family consists of my dad, mom, my sister and a beautiful niece. I have always wanted to be a teacher. It was my senior year that I was a teachers aid and knew that this is what I wanted to do.
In response to Kymberly R,
ReplyDeleteHi Kymberly! How wonderful it must be to have a hobby that also is your job. That must make it very enjoyable. It sounds like you have had some good and bad experiences teaching. I also worked at a daycare, and it was much more difficult than I expected. Like you I wasn't given many instructions and it was nothing like the babysitting I had done previously. It did teach me to be as prepared as possible, but know that you won't always stay on the path you planned out. Good luck this semester!
Hi everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Adrianne Hoefler and I currently live in San Antonio, TX with my husband and our two young daughters. My husband is in the Army and I am a stay at home mom who dabbles in baking for special occasions as well as a full time student. I am excited about this semester but also very nervous as 'cyberland' is not something I am very comfortable with- I am just feeling uneasy about missing something important. Well, best of luck to all of you!
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Angie Ryan. I am embarking on a new journey as a single mother of 3 wonderful children. My daughter, Brielle, is starting high school this year and has made the cheer squad, my 2 boys, Noah and Luke, will be in 4th and 1st grade and both play football…needless to say this should be a VERY busy and interesting semester.
I live in Parsons, KS which is way down in the southeast corner of the state. I work as a para educator and have done so for 6 years now. I absolutely love my “job” (I do not like to call what I love doing so much a job!) and cannot imagine doing anything else, well besides actually being a teacher!
I am a non-traditional student who embarked on this long journey to becoming a teacher 3 years ago, it has been a long and rough road but I am sure that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
I have always loved working with children and when I began working as a para in the classroom I realized I needed to do even more, so I decided to go back to school and become a teacher. I have wonderful colleagues that have helped me every step of the way; I could never have done it without their help.
I pray everyone has an amazing semester!
Angie Ryan
Hello Everyone!
ReplyDeleteVery nice to "meet" everyone. My name is Jennifer Pence and this is my third semester at FHSU. I am 27 years old and I have one brother, two step brothers and one half brother.I have a fiance that I have been dating since we were 18. My favorite thing to do is go fishing with him. We don't have any children... yet. I have a pet hedgehog whose name is Sonic. I am originally from California and moved to Kansas about four years ago. Everything is different here but I really do enjoy it. People are more friendly and everyone seems to know everyone.
In California I was a substitute para educator and worked in every different kind of classroom you can think of.It gave me lots of experience because I got a chance to work in anything from an autistic clinic to adult living skills classroom. I finally got a job working with a student that has cerebral palsy. I helped him with everything at school and we really got along great. I moved to Kansas when he was going into the fourth grade and I miss "my kids" a lot.
I am now a substitute teacher and love going to work every and any day I can. I work for three different district so I keep busy. Substituting is great because the experience but I cant wait to have my own classroom.
I have wanted to be a teacher from a very young age because of my learning disability. I was unable to keep up with the rest of the students in my grades and fell very far behind. Reading comprehension was the hardest for me to understand but it seemed so easy for everyone else. My resource teacher always believed I could do good in class even if it was difficult. I was an out cast because I was not in the classroom with my peers for most of the day. I wanted so bad to be like everyone else so I made it a mission to overcome my struggles. I was then placed in the advance classes in 7th grade and not because I was at their level but because I went around my personal hurtles instead of over them. I would be a great teacher because I understand how student's feel and I can relate to them. I also have a passion for teaching that is shown when I do teach so the students can be excited about school. School really can be fun and enjoyable for students.
My dream would be to teach special education elementary school level but I will be happy to teach where ever I can.
Hello everyone! My name is Maria Montserrat Rodriguez but I go by Monse. This is my fourth year at FHSU. I was born on August 11, 1990 in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. My family moved to the United States when I was around two years old. I grew up in Salina, Kansas. I attended Catholic schools from pre-school until I graduated high school. I have five other members in my immediate family, which are my parents an older brother who goes to Wichita State University, a sister who is a senior in high school, and another sister who is in fourth grade. I am going to be an aunt in a couple months so I'm extremely excited about that. I love being outside and enjoy sports, both playing and watching. Some of my favorite sports are volleyball, basketball, and soccer. I'm pretty excited that Fort Hays finally has soccer teams this year!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I knew that I either wanted to go into the medical field or be a teacher. It wasn't until my youngest sister started school that I realized that I wanted to be a teacher. I always enjoyed and still do love helping her with her education. I was the one that helped her learn how to read.
In grade school I had really great teachers. They made learning fun and were really caring. They made my learning experience better. Those teachers were the ones that influenced me to chose elementary education as a major.
I am a single Mom with children of all ages! My oldest daughter lives in Wichita, and she is a cosmetologist. She is the mother of my 7 ½ year old grandson, Xander. I have a daughter that is a sophomore this year; she is a fiery red head with a passion for music and writing. The baby of the family is starting 2nd grade, and she is in love with school!
ReplyDeleteWe live in McPherson, Kansas and have been here for six years now. I don’t anticipate leaving this community; it is truly home for us. One thing I love to tell about is that we were awarded a Habitat for Humanity house three years ago. This has had a huge impact on our lives. If I were paying as much on my mortgage as I used to pay in rent, I would not be able to work part time instead of full time in order to pursue my Elementary Education Degree. The slogan that H4H had that year I received my house was~ “More than a good deed, this is life changing.”
We have a miniature dachshund named Hundley (the same name as the dachshund in/on Curious George). He is definitely part of our family and he has a great big personality even though he has small stature. Last winter, our cat Sam (the Siamese), came back to us after living with another family for many years. He came back to us in poor health. We nursed him back to health and now he’s a fat, sassy part of our clan. These two boys are the only males in our home.
My middle daughter showed some basics of jewelry making and we have had a blast with that! This summer we also discovered bowling together. It was great fun. (We are terrible bowlers by the way). A recent passion is butterflies. My youngest daughter and I got hooked on butterfly “farming” last fall when we caught 6 or 7 caterpillars and watched 5 successfully form chrysalis and transform to butterflies. Personally my hobbies have always been more along the tom-boy line. I love to hunt and fish with my Dad and my all time favorite thing to do is watch the dirt track races.
My educational experiences as a child led me to believe that I wanted to stay far away from education. My experience was what happens when teachers don’t think you are worth investing in. Today I know that anyone can learn and achieve whatever they want to with effort, hard work, and good educational support. As an educator, I hope I don’t pick and choose who to teach and who to encourage. I know that we all have children that are harder to support and love, but I am counting on my experiences as a student to influence me to be encouraging to all students, not just the easy ones.
College has been a journey for me. First I attended a two year college right out of high school. In 2007 I completed a degree completion program for a Bachelor degree. In 2009 I decided I wanted to pursue teaching. I have realized in the last two years that teaching is my calling. I have a passion for working with children. I have always worked with younger children and envision myself teaching kindergarten or first grade. This semester I am interning in a 6th grade class and I think that will very educational for me. I will student teach in Spring and graduate May 2012.
The teacher that sticks out the most as making a difference in my education was my English teacher when I was a freshman in high school. She knew I was falling through the cracks, she saw that I had a love of writing and she encouraged me non-stop. I still thank her every opportunity I get. I ran into her last fall and was able to tell her that she inspires me and that I hope to one day inspire students and see the best in them like she did in me.
Emily M., baking and scrapbooking are some of my favorite pastimes too! When I actually have extra time to pass that is. I am working on my wedding/honeymoon scrapbook now. I love to get new recipes, so if you have anything extra yummy feel free to pass it along to me!
ReplyDeleteHi! My name is Sarah Clark, I am originally from Wichita, Kansas, where most of my family still lives. Right after high school, I completed a B.S. at Friends University and an M.Ed. from Wichita State. While finishing my undergrad degree, I met my wonderful husband, Mike, while he was stationed at McConnell with the Air Force. Since we met 12 years ago, we have moved to Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma, and are now living in Alexandria, Virginia, while he works at the Pentagon. During our stay in Alaska, we added a son to our family, Maddux, who is now 5. We also have two dogs, Gabby and Sasha, that are the most spoiled girls you've ever met!
ReplyDeleteI guess in the back of my mind I always knew that elementary education was what I wanted to do. After teaching Psychology courses at the University of Alaska, I found that I loved teaching, but that college wasn't exactly where I wanted to be. I love being with elementary-aged children and very much enjoy how multi-dimensional lessons can be with them and how they light up when they enjoy their education.
When I look back at my own education to find a teacher that influenced me, I find that I am incredibly lucky in that there isn't only one. I was blessed year after year with quality, amazing, engaging teachers and they all have had an influence on me. I would like to provide this for my students as well, the chance to look back on their educational journey and see that they had teachers that truly cared not only about their education, but about them as well.
I look forward to meeting everyone in the class and learning how to be a great classroom teacher!
Adrianne H.,
ReplyDeleteHow do you like San Antonio? My husband is in the Air Force and had an assignment there, we were supposed to move there last summer and were very excited! We had actually already looked at houses and were literally minutes away from signing an offer, but the assignment was changed and we came to Virginia instead. I will admit--although we very much like the DC area, we are still sad that we did not get to live in San Antonio for a few years, it is one of our favorite places!
Sarah
Hi! I am Kim Markham. I live just north of Topeka, Kansas, near Meriden. I have been married to my husband, Dane, for almost23 years. Dane is a firefighter for the City of Topeka. We have four sons, Tylor (18), Parker (15), Trey (12) and Pierce (10). I have been home being a mom for 18 years. My hobbies include gardening, attending numerous football, baseball and track events AND being my sons' biggest cheerleader!
ReplyDeleteI am currently hold a bachelor's degree in home economics (Family and consumer science... for the younger crowd), which I obtained right after high school. I had originally thought of becoming a FACS teacher when I was working toward that degree, but was not completely sold on the idea of teaching at that time. While being a stay at home mom, I have worked in various teaching-type capacities: daycare provider, preschool teacher, Sunday school and Bible school teacher and Cub Scout leader. I really enjoy working with kids and it soon became my intention to become an emergency substitute teacher when my sons had all entered school. I started substituting in 2008. In 2009, I learned about the FHSU online program and decided to begin taking classes toward a degree in elementary education and shortly after, added a minor in special education. Due to my family's active schedule, I only take two classes per semester. I also substitute teach as often as possible and use that income to pay for my classes. It may take me a little longer to finish my degree (I anticipate student teaching in the spring of 2013), but I am able to give the necessary attention to all areas of my life. My sons will be grown and gone before I know it. (My oldest is starting his freshman classes tonight through Highland Community College.) It is such a joy when, as a teacher, you see the light bulb go off in a student's mind when they really/finally understand something. I am not sure who said it, but I have heard something similar and I wholehearted believe the following: I may not be able to change the whole world; but I can have an impact on the world, one child at a time.
Hi, My name is Tracy Perez. I have been married for 14 years with stepdaughters and a son and daughter. My oldest stepdaugther's ages are 21, 18, 15 and my son is 11, and my baby girl is 9 now. We run a homebased business as a Floor Covering Installation Company. I homeschool my son, and sub teach about once a week. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I remember staying after class in 2nd grade to help clean the chalkboards just because I wanted to help. I am a non traditional student, I graduated from high school in 1990. I just graduated from Garden City Community College in Spring 2010 with my associate's degree. I am currently studing for my bachelor's degree to teach. I am originally from Conway, AR, I have lived in many states like MS, FL, AL, LA, KS, OK and have made Garden City, KS my home for the last 16 years. I have had some really amazing teachers in my many travels. I was always the new kid in school so my teachers were my friends in school. I really have no time for hobbies, I guess being addicted to Jesus would be one for me. I also like a rest day once a week. My son and I have two female ducks, I call them Quackers. My daughters beta just passed a few days ago, Bubbles lasted about a year and a half. My birthday is Sept. 28, 1971. I believe some teachers are born to teach, I am blessed to be one of those teachers. It is kind of funny now, my sped student's brother is now a famous person. I knew him as a little 11 year old boxer. (Victor Ortiz) You never know who your teaching experience will touch.
ReplyDeleteHello there! My name is Andrew Dempewolf. This is my senior year at FHSU. I am originally from Oberlin, Kansas (to which I still call my “home”). It’s a small town that was great to grow up in.
ReplyDeleteI have two brothers, Dan and James. James is in the Navy and is currently stationed in Italy. I have two amazing twin nephews, Jonathon and Jackson. They just turned two last March. Every time that I visit them, they make sure to keep me on my toes!
There have been many influences that have led me to wanting to become a teacher. First, my grandma was a teacher in a one room school house (back in the day of course!) When I was in Jr. High she told me how rewarding it was for her to teach so many students. 4-H was another influence. When I was in high school, I was a counselor at 4-H camp for younger kids. Each year I had quite a bit of fun with them. At that point, I knew I wanted to be an elementary educator.
I’m looking forward to student teaching next year, so I can put all these classes into use!
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ReplyDeleteGood afternoon everyone! My name is Sarah Robinson and I’m a 25 year old student pursuing a double major, Elementary Education and Spanish. I grew up in Garden City, Kansas on a farm outside of the city. My dad is a farmer and we have corn, wheat, milo and soybeans. My mom has worked in the school district most of her life as a para-professional and library assistant. My younger sister is attending Wichita State University with a major in business. I have always had a love for teaching and used to play school with my sister all the time. I was a teachers aid my senior year of high school and loved working with the kindergartners. I graduated from Garden City Community College with an Associate’s of Science in Elementary Education and transferred to FHSU.
ReplyDeleteDuring my Spanish classes, a professor told me about a Language and Cultural Assistant program in Spain and she encouraged me to apply. I was accepted and ended up spending two years in two different elementary schools in Spain assisting the English teachers in their English classes. It was such a great experience and I not only have wonderful memories of my travels and times with the students, but I have practical, classroom experience. I encourage everyone to look into study abroad and internship type programs in other countries.
I am now a returning student trying to finish up my teaching degree. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, bowling, taking photos, reading and playing with my puppy Coco. I would not consider math to be my strong subject and the thought of teaching math is a little intimidating. I’m looking forward to this semester and learning many new things that will hopefully increase my confidence in mathematics.
Hi! My name is Deidre Jones. I live Plainville, KS which is about 23 miles north of Hays. I drive to school every day. Some folks ask me if I ever get tired of the drive and I don't. It is very relaxing and I enjoy those 25 minutes to think about the day what is to come.
ReplyDeleteI have a twin brother. His name is Derek. We are so alike but also very different. I have two dogs, Oreo and Noodles. I love them to death. They are huge and often cause a lot of trouble. It is no longer "I am taking the dogs for a walk", but "the dogs are taking me on a run". I also have nine kittens: Popsi is the oldest, and just recently had a litter of five (Vin, Amp, Harper, Louie, and Skamp). My other three kittens, which I recently received from a friend, are Maxximus, Georgia, and Texas. There was one more, Cheddar, but she past away a month ago. Someone once asked me how I remember all the names, but I never really thought of it. I will always have a cat named Texas, named from the book Tex by S.E. Hinton. (Weird, I know). I can talk all day about my animals and I love showing pictures of them.
I am a senior this year at FHSU and I have loved every minute of being in the education program. I am very excited about this semester, which is hopefully my last one before I student teach in the spring.
I have always wanted to be a teacher. I thought it was the best job in the world. Who wouldn't like to read stories all day and write on the chalk board and put really cool stickers on papers? Well, comes to find out, teaching isn't exactly like kindergarten, but that never really changed my mind.
I hope everyone has a great semester!
My name is Matthew Brown. I am from St. Francis, Kansas and this is my fourth year at Fort Hays. I lived on a farm for the majority of my life. I have a little sister that is a senior in High School. My birthday is December 21st, so it's basically like having a second. Christmas! My dad is a farmer and my mother works at the Cheyenne County Hospital. I chose Elementary Education because I love helping children. I received a job as a para professional a couple years ago and I just fell in love with it. I was actually a Biology major at the time. I immediately changed to Elementary Education as soon as I finished up my Associates Degree.
ReplyDeleteHey all, I am Linda McCrary and I am down to the 'almost' end. I hope to student teach next fall. I grew up in Berea, Ohio, a college town with 1 brother and 2 younger sisters. My father was a bio-chemist for the government and my mother was a stay at home mom. When I left home I really did not know what I wanted to do. When I was young I believe God told me I would be in the ministries and I did end up preaching for 10 years. I graduated from Southwestern College with a BA in Pastoral Studies.
ReplyDeleteIn 2006, we moved to Moscow, KS my passion went from preaching to teaching (not any real difference) and I believe that this happened because God needed me here. So I embarked on a teaching degree.
I love how He works.
I have changed my interest from 2nd grade and Special ed to Jr. High Math and Special ed. In Kansas I can take a math test and qualify to teach once I get my teaching license. Yeah!
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Ashley Luethmers and I currently reside in Topeka, KS with my husband and almost two year old son. We just moved from Wichita and are still trying to adjust to everything. I grew up in Topeka, so this is home to me and am excited to be close to family once again!
I graduated from Washburn University in 2007 of which I received a degree in Art, emphasis in Graphic Design. I worked full time when I was in Wichita, but now get the chance to be a stay-at-home mommy with my son (well at least until I student teach and begin working as a teacher). I decided to go back to school 2 years ago to teach children when my son was born.
This is my last semester before I student teach and am really looking forward to this class as well as my other classes and getting the semester underway. Good luck to everyone!
Hello! My name is Lindsay Hardaway and I am 22 years old. I grew up on a farm outside of Norwich, KS. Norwich is a very small town south west of Wichita. I graduated from Norwich High School in 2008 and attended Pratt Community College previously. I have one sister( 11) and one brother (24). And yes my parents did plan the age difference! I am married with no children! My husband is an electrician in Wichita. I have an English Mastiff named Boog who sometimes acts like a child! I really have no spare time but I am a stained glass artist and I love to cook, bake, and can. I work as a Title 1 assistant for USD 331 and I am the city treasurer for The City of Norwich. This is my senior year at FHSU. After I receive my bachelors I plan on going on for my masters in education administration! I have always wanted to have a career that was fulfilling. I feel like teaching is a very noble career and I would love to teach the future generations. Originally I wanted to be an ag agent but I started coaching youth softball and fell in love with teaching and helping children.
ReplyDeleteHi Everyone! My name is Tammi White and I currently live in Great Bend, KS. I am 28 years old and I have a full time job as a Para Professional in the USD 428 School District. I work with Special Needs students, and I love it. I was born and raised in Great Bend and moved to Olathe, KS to go to college right after high school. I received my Bachelors Degree in Sociology from MidAmerica Nazarene University in 2006. I then worked as an Accountant for a couple of years, until I moved back to Great Bend. I realized that teaching and children has always been a passion of mine, I just got a little side tracked. I have a lot of experience with children and feel that teaching is an incredibly rewarding experience.
ReplyDeleteI have two sisters, Teresa is my older sister, and Tarra is my twin. Teresa has two daughters, Josephine and Meredith and Tarra has one son, Baby Charlie. My nieces and nephew are the loves of my life and I spend all my free time with them, and I do mean ALL my free time. :) I love to be active and be outside, but I also love to snuggle up on the couch and read a good book. I am a full-time student at Fort Hays and with a full time job, that doesn't leave me much time for hobbies.
I have always wanted to teach, even when getting my Bachelors in Sociology I always knew I wanted to keep going with school and eventually be in the classroom. I was influenced by my 1st grade teacher, who ironically enough is still teaching and works with my twin sister. She always had this positive attitude and was so uplifting. She made school fun and it never felt like I had to be there, or was forced to learn. I always wanted to learn.
I hope to be the kind of teacher that students get excited to see and I hope to inspire students to keep learning. I want my students to be proud of what they accomplished.
Hi my name is Allison Groff and I am a Senior at FHSU. I am majoring in Elementary Education and working towards my minor in Special Education. I plan on getting my middle school math certificate and teaching in that area in the future if at all possible. I will be student teaching in the Spring of 2012 and can’t wait! I am 21 years old and have lived in Hays since the day I was born. The only exception is the Fall semester of 2009 which I spent doing the National Student Exchange program in New York City, NY. That was a great experience and gave me the opportunity to experience different cultures. I have one older brother who graduated from Fort Hays last spring and now works as an accountant, and a younger sister who is a sophomore at Fort Hays.
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I guess you can say my sister influenced me because I used to make her be my pretend student when we played school.
Hi everyone!! My name is Kayla Rupa. I live in Parker,CO. I just recently moved back from living in Hays for four years while going to school and playing softball for four years. I am finishing my last two semesters online because I felt I needed experience in the school district in which I plan on teaching in. I was born February 11 in Santa Maria, CA to Jim and Candice both natives of California. I have a brother named Donovon who is 13 months younger than me. He and I are very close and have been our whole lives because my dad was in the military and we moved so much that my brother and I had each other to hang out with while making new friends. I just finished up 15 years of softball in May so I am still figuring out my new hobby. I do love camping and four wheeling with my boyfriend and his trucks ever chance we get. I am helping coach JV softball at the high school I graduated from because I am not ready to leave the game behind yet.
ReplyDeleteI chose elementary education because I love children. I can remember when I was young playing school with my neighbors and reading to imaginary children. I don't have anyone who really influenced me, but my mom did encourage me. I came into Fort Hays as an Athletic Trainer major and then went to Health and Human Performance with a minor in Secondary Education. My mom then reminded me of my love for the little ones....so here I am :-)
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteyour story sounds familiar, we were actually planning on moving to Georgia, and three weeks before our move our orders got changed. We were thrilled. We really love it down here, the climate isn't too bad once you acclimate and there is so much to do. We are actually Army, but we are on an air base- which is refreshing. We actually wouldn't mind ending up in Virginia soon as it would be closer to my hubby's family. Well, I look forward to learning with you and I'm glad to know there is another military wife in the class to commiserate with!
Hi Jena!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your introduction. I found it reassuring because I just recently moved from Hays back home to Parker, CO. I moved in with my boyfriend of 3 years and I'm working, coaching JV softball and taking 13 hours. I figured if you can do it with having a family and working so can I. I also look at is as being like I'm still playing softball and going to school. I just wanted to let you know I enjoyed what you said and that I find it helpful. :-) Best of luck with your semester.
Hi everyone, my name is Jessica Sudermann and I am from Mankato, Kansas which is located in North Central Kansas about ten minutes from the Nebraska state line. I am 23 years old but only for 22 more days because I will then be turning 24 on September 14. I am one of four children in which my younger brother Josh and I both live in Hays, my older sister Kim lives in Wichita with her husband Clayton and their two sons Chandler who is four and Toby who is two. I also have an older brother Chris who lives in Manhattan with his two daughters Kaylea who is five and Madison who is three.
ReplyDeleteMy two favorite subjects in school were science/social studies and music (well I guess that’s three) but no matter what the subject was I enjoyed going to class. Most kids would fake sick so they did not have to go to school while I on the other hand tried my hardest not to get sick so I would not miss a day of class and I am still that way today. I graduated from Mankato High school in 2006 which turned out to be the last graduating class from Mankato because we combined with a neighboring town to make a new school. I then attended Cloud County Community College where I graduated with an Associates of Science degree. I have been attending Fort Hays ever since and I am now currently a senior and I only two semesters away from student teaching.
I work part time at Wal-Mart in the jewelry department which has been my new home for the past week but before that I worked in fabrics and crafts which was always a hobby for me. I also work at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs as a supervisor. In which we make calls for surveys in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska or Missouri. Like a few others have posted I also used to get the whole neighborhood together for class everyday during the summer. I was always the teacher and if the other kids could not come over to play I still had my younger brother who I could tutor. As I grew up I continued to help my younger brother with his homework especially when my mom had to start working when he was in junior high. He has a learning disability in reading which can make it hard for him to comprehend what he was reading. I just think that made me even more determined and made me realize my joy I had in teaching. I am ready for the new school year and wish everyone a good semester.
In response to Lacey Keller
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are a very busy person and I think that it is so cool that you are able to juggle all of your time between school, work and family. I can’t even imagine how hard that must be! This is my last internship as well before I student teach and like you stated I am also excited about finally getting my own classroom in the near future as well. Best of luck to you this semester and I hope that you enjoy student teaching.
Reply to Lane A.: That is a wonderful story about your mom! We are all influenced by someone and I am so happy to hear your influence is your mom and that you want to build a connection with your students just like she does! Good luck this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Lindsay Sabala, I am 22 (23 October 26) and currently live in Topeka, KS with my husband and two very spoiled dogs Sophie (a collie) and Theo (a lab). We love to travel, experience new cultures, and try new things.
My father is in the military and growing up I moved around quite a bit living in three different states and two foreign countries before finally settling in Kansas in 2006. I have four younger siblings who are seven, nine, sixteen, and eighteen years old. My eighteen year brother is currently living in Germany as a foreign exchange student and so far it has been pretty interesting following what he is experiencing. My husband has three older siblings and one younger sibling and together we have seven nephews (no nieces)! Nephew number eight is due to be born any day now and number nine is on the way (maybe a niece??).
While still in high school I knew I wanted to be a teacher, although at the time I had my sights set on being a high school art teacher. Not too long after graduating high school I became a paraeducator at an elementary school and found that I really enjoyed working with younger students who were so eager and excited to learn. I liked coming to work every day and being able to laugh, leave with a silly story, or have a rewarding experience. It was then that I set my sights on a degree in Elementary Education.
For the last few years I have worked in retail management, and while it has been a great way to support myself while I am in school I am looking forward to less ups and down, less long hours, and doing more of something I am passionate about.
I am a senior this year, and should student teach next fall. It is both exciting and scary to be so near the end. I know that the next couple of semesters will be both long and rewarding, but I’m looking forward to and anxiously anticipating all this hard work paying off. I hope everyone has a great semester and year and I look forward to working with all of you.
Good evening everyone, my name is Angela Sears. My birthday is March 10th. I currently live in St. Joseph, Missouri but I am originally from Sulphur Springs, Texas. We left Texas about 7 years ago due to transferring with my husband’s job and we have been in Missouri for 3 years. Before Missouri, we lived in Tennessee for 2 years then Massachusetts for 2 years. Our plans are to stay here since it is the closest we have come to Texas in several years. I have been married for 18 years and have 2 beautiful girls ages 14 and 11. I also have a very spoiled Maltese named Daisy and two tiny hamsters named William and Harry.
ReplyDeleteI was a LPN for 14 years before I decided to go back to school and get a degree in elementary education with a minor in special education. I too remember playing school as a young girl and using my stuffed animals as the students when my friends were not around. And now, in one year, I will be graduating. I am looking so forward to having my own classroom. The past three years I have been privileged to be a para in special education where I have gained so much knowledge from my peers. This year I am working as a substitute so that I am able to complete my internship.
When I first began college in 1990 my major was elementary education, but got distracted. During the 14 years I was a nurse I did a lot of patient teaching since I was an OB nurse, but I always felt something was missing. I am so glad I made the choice to go back and finish my degree. I know that being in the classroom is where I belong.
At this time, I have no hobbies because all of my spare time and then some go to my school work. When not in school, I enjoy reading, scrapbooking, shopping, and spending time with my girls. I know that my family will be very happy when I am finally done next year.
Hey my name is Tessa Walters, I am from Salina, KS> I am the youngest of 4 girls in my family. Two of my sisters are married each with two kids and on of my sisters is a nurse. I graduated in 2007 from Ell-Saline High School and then got my associates degree from Hesston College in 2009. I like to read when I'm not in school. I like to travel and I like to spend time with friends- doing a variety of different things. I don't have a pet myself but my parents do have a dog and many cats and so I grew up with pets of all sorts. I am one of the MANY people with a March birthday. The 15th day to be exact.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not exactly sure why I chose to go into ELEM Education. One of my life goals is to help people and I think this is one way I can do that. I want to give students the chance to succeed and the chance to make a difference. I hope that I can influence children in ways I never imagined. I don't know if any one person can be said to have influenced my decision but I know that I would never have chosen this path if I hadn't had a somewhat good experience in school myself.
Hello, everyone! My name is Betsy Forinash. I am a lifelong resident of Hays, and I am so excited for my final year of elementary education here at FHSU! I have a wonderful husband, Brian, and two beautiful daughters, Brooke and Brianna. I believe that my desire to become a teacher started in Kindergarten when my teacher would send me next door to help in the Special Education room. Since then, I have had so many wonderful teachers that have shown me what it means to make a really positive difference in the lives of their students, and they have deeply inspired me to do the same. I returned to college when our youngest daughter went to Kindergarten, and I have been slowly working away ever since. This year, she will finish elementary school, our oldest will finish middle school, and I will finish college and turn 40! It’s a big year for our household!!! :-) When I’m not in class here at Fort Hays, I am working as an ELL Para at a local elementary school or doing homework. Every second that I can, I love to spend family time together! I don’t have much time for hobbies at this point, but I am thrilled with being involved in my children’s schools and their sports interests! We also have two Shih-Chons, Holly and Molly, that keep our lives very entertained. I wish you all a very wonderful year in school and the very best in your future endeavors!!!
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jordan...
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your engagement!!! What an exciting year for you!!! I bet you and Cade will have a lot of fun talking about the planning of your weddings this year! Good luck!!! :-)
In response to Jennette-
ReplyDeleteHi Jennette! It was my grandmother also that influenced me to become a teacher. She always spoke about how rewarding it was for her and how she always enjoyed coming to work. I’m sure you are as excited as I am to begin student teaching. Good luck this semester!
Hello, my name is Jeremiah Gramkow, I grew up in Meade, Kansas, and and have now been back in Meade for a little over a year.
ReplyDeleteI got my first BA from FHSU in 2002 and then went to law school. I graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas, in 2005. I then ended up working for myself, which never went real well.
I am working as a substitute teacher, which I really enjoy.
I think that the best part of being a teacher will be the students, although I am a little concerned about their parents. Children are just so much more fun then adults, less judgmental and more accepting; unless they are taught to be something else.
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Cassandra Strickland but I go by Cassie. This is my 6th semester with FHSU. I have been only been going to school part time until this semester. I grew up in Balko, OK and moved to Liberal, KS to go to college and never left. My husband and I have 1 son named Cooper who is almost 6 and our angel Tanner who was with us for only 21 months.
After he passed away I decided to pursue my life long dream of being a teacher. My long time goal is to teach Special Education and that is why my minor is in Special Education.
My husband and I currently own our own business and I stay home as the book keeper/ secretary. We just got home from a business trip to Florida on Tuesday (that is why I am a little behind!)
My hobbies include reading, writing poetry, and when time allows us to do outside activities with my husband and son. We love to shoot guns and ride four wheelers!
I am looking forward to this class and cannot wait to be in the classroom again with students!
Hello All!!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Katie Coulter and I just moved back to Colby, Kansas where my husband of two years and I hope to settle down for good! We met while attending Colby Community College, he was on the rodeo team and I was playing basketball. He graduated in May from SWOSU in Weatherford, Oklahoma where we have been the past two years. God was really watching over us when Reagan was hired by State Farm Insurance here in town! He absolutely loves his job. It was good to move away for a while and see some world but coming home has been such a blessing. I grew up in the country on a farm/feedlot about 40 minutes from here and love being close to my family.
I married into the cowboy life and have since then learned to ride horses, team rope and drive a big dully truck with a 4 horse slant and quarters! Its fun but different then anything I did growing up. Basketball had been my life until I met my husband. The things you swear you will never do!!! :) Of course in the rodeo world you must have a corgie dog, so we do! Her name is Roanie and she has an amazing personality.
Education was just something I kind of fell into but have never looked back. I had never thought of teaching anything but sports until I began working as a full time substitute. From then on I knew I had to be in the schools teaching and helping children. Our world is crazy today and we are a prodigy of our circumstances and upbringings. Which means our society is only heading farther down the wrong direction. Children need role models and a positive support system. I have learned very quickly that most times you are the only adult interaction they have in a days time. This is where my passion is. To be there and help children overcome their environment and basically love them when no one else does.
Tessa W.
ReplyDeleteI love your post about your decision to go into elementary ed! I had never thought about teaching until the my junior year of college. It just came out of no where and I said ya sure why not. I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I began to sub. Then it all became so clear!! If you have the passion to help someone succeed you will be a great teacher!
Hello All!!!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Stephanie Potter, I'm 25 (soon to be 26) years old, and I am originally from Norfolk, VA. I moved to Hill City 5 years ago with my family. I am working on a Bachelors in Elementary Education with a minor in Special Education; second degree from FHSU. I graduated in '10 with a Bachelors in Psychology. I have a dog named Joey, a Yorkie, who just turned 10 years old on the first of this month. I have just begun my fourth year as a substitute teacher. I substitute in Graham and Rooks County. I love being in the classroom teaching young eager to learn, young children. When I am not working or doing course I enjoy spending time with family, cooking, reading, or lounging on the couch with my boyfriend.
I had two really awesome teachers in Elementary School who worked really hard everyday to help me learn (I had ADHD that is now more ADD). Without them, who knows where I would be today. I always wanted to go into teaching because I feel I have something to offer those students who struggle to learn; personal understanding/I've been there.
My name is April Bashford. I am a Christmas baby born on December 25th, in Portsmouth, Virginia. I am the second oldest of 4 kids. I have an older sister and two younger brothers. My father was in the navy so I grew up a military brat. We moved a lot of course, until my 3rd grade year where we were transferred to San Diego, California. I pretty much lived there the rest of my life. Graduated in 1998, had my son later that year, which I raised as a single mom. I met my husband Timothy while he was in the Marine Corps. We stayed about a year, and moved here to Norton, Kansas where he was born and raised. Major culture shock! We have been here since 2002, got married in 2003, while he joined the National Guard unit here. I got my Associates from Colby Community College in 2004. I worked as a paraprofessional in the special education department at the local junior high for two years. Then we moved to Manhattan to pursue our college years as Kansas State Wildcats. Did that for a year until I found out I was pregnant and my husband was deploying with his National Guard unit. So I moved back to Norton to be closer to his parents. He returned a year later, we bought our first home together, and I worked at the local preschool. Did that for 2 years and then I decided to open a home daycare when I found out that we were expecting our youngest son. I had that opened for about a year and a half. I was working on my Bachelors at these times, and I got to the point that I had to start in the classroom doing internships, and the little girl I had left was going to start preschool. So I quit daycare, put my son in daycare outside the home (which has been the best thing) and started my internships. I am on my last semester of them and will student teach in the spring and graduate in May. YEAH!! In school my favorite subjects were English and probably PE. I am a very athletic person myself. I love to run, yes run. I like to walk and my all-time favorite sport is SOCCER. I played from the age of 5 until my senior year of high school when I found out I was pregnant. My boys have started to play and my whole family played.
ReplyDeleteWe have three handsome young boys. Andrew is our oldest. He just turned 13 and started the 8th grade. He is active in sports (football, basketball, soccer, track and wrestling), boy scouts (getting ready to do Eagle project and then he is done). Then we have Clayton who will be 6 in two weeks, and he is very special. He was born without the corpus callosum (the middle highway to the brain). He is delayed in many things, but is making many strides. He has been the major inspiration for me to get my endorsement in special education. Then there is the youngest Riley. He is 2 and has hit the horrible, tremendously terrible twos. He definitely is different than the other two boys as he is the busiest little thing. More energy than I can have in one day’s time. He is the one that will have me in the hospital for all his daredevil antics. He is a pretty smart little thing for his age. A little more than I would like him to be. In my spare time (if I have any) I love to scrapbook, read and any arts and crafts project. I also love to spend time and play board games with my boys. My husband is scheduled to return the middle of October from the deployment he is currently on. He has been gone since last November. It has been hard to raise the boys on my own, but I have struggled through and keep pushing to get my schooling done. We are moving next summer back to San Diego to be closer to my family I miss seeing my niece and nephews grow up. The family I have here is not as helpful or close nit. I miss big city life.
ReplyDeleteI think what inspired me to go into teaching was my sister and I use to play school all the time. We would be the teachers, and use my brother’s rooms for the classrooms. She had one and I had one. The brothers would be our students and rotate so we each had one. The cool part was we used their rooms and then they had to clean them up when we were done. They still give us crap today. I wanted to be a teacher since I was 5 years old. I have just felt that it is my calling. I am willing to work with any type of kids no matter their lifestyle and I feel great when I am able to see the light bulb pop on. I have kept the goal and I am at the end of the tunnel to get there. Then for some weird reason, I am going to go on and get my Master’s Degree. I have learned so much form the classes I have taken, a majority of them at FHSU. I have enjoyed my instructors overall. I don’t feel that I would fit into any other work field. My sister is currently a teacher in California. My mom works as a clerical staff at a school in California as well. I have even had fun teaching my 10 year old niece and my 2 and 3 year old nephews. If there is anything else you would like to know, please don’t hesitate to ask. I am not afraid to talk about my son’s developmental issues, so if you would like ideas on how to work with his type or you just want to know more, ASK!!
Hello everyone, my name is Tammy Meneses. I live in Wichita, Kansas. I share my birthday with my mother, October 14. I joined the Marines after high school and was able to live in North Carolina, South Carolina, Japan, California, and Delaware.
ReplyDeleteAfter 14 years of marriage I moved back to Wichita with my 3 children, Cherrianna 12, Noah 10, and Karina 8. I found that I love to teach to my children. I decided to take a shot at education. It has been a long process and I am looking forward to student teaching in the Fall of 2012.
I have worked in special education for the last 4 years and I really enjoy the children. They amaze me all the time.
I worked with Habitat for Humanity and helped build my house and I have helped several of my neighbors build their homes. I also like to volunteer at the Kansas Humane Society with my oldest daughter. We adopted 2 dogs which have quickly became part of the family.
I look forward to working with all of you and hope you all enjoy this semester.
Hello everyone! My name I Shannon (Haug) York, I just got married the end of July and am still in the process of changing my name to York! I was born and raised in the small western Kansas town of Utica. Its a town made up of all dirt roads, no stop lights, and less than three hundred people. Two years ago my boyfriend of seven years moved up to Alaska and I have been traveling back and fourth between Alaska and Kansas. Now that we are finally married I've finally made the full move up to Alaska. Aside from the climate change and three hour time difference Alaska is not all to bad! My husband and I are both twenty two years old and decided to take on our Alaskan adventure while we were still young. We live up here with our springer spaniel pup and two ferrets. We both left huge families back home so being away from them is the hardest part of this whole move! My family is who inspired me to want to be a professional educator. I have seven nieces and nephews and watching them grow and learn made me want to be one of the people who helped mold and shape our youth. I'm a full time online student but when I'm not schooling I'm either subbing at the elementary school or being a nanny for a few children around town. I've been in and out of the schools with subbing but I will say I'm still very nervous about interning but I'm looking forward to going through this experience with all of you. I wish everyone luck this semester!
ReplyDeleteShannon H
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your recent marriage! I married my husband about a year ago and we also moved shortly after getting married, it's fun to make a new start together but can be hard being away from family. I'm also 22 and had 7 nephews until yesterday, now I have 8! I also take classes online so it sounds like we have some things in common. I'm also nervous about my internships, but I'm very excited as well. Hope you have a great semester!
Hello my name is Jennifer Watson & I have been very busy the last week getting my 6 children ready for school which they all started today. I have 5 boys & 1 girl ranging in ages from 17-7 & my oldest son Gunner started his last year in high school today:). I have been a bus driver for the last 11 years & this is the first year that I have not been on a school bus to start my day. I decided not to go back so I can focus on my last year of college courses before finishing my elementary education degree. I have recently been thinking about getting a degree for teaching secondary math as well. I have always loved math but never thought I could teach it & last year I took College Algebra with a friend who struggled in math & I tutored her throughout the course, I loved it and that got me to thinking that I should be teaching math. I am going to finish my elementary education degree and then pursue the math degree. I look forward to working with you all this semester.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Emily M.
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear some of your scrapbooking ideas. I am always trying to find other ideas. I really enjoy it I just don't have too much time to do it with 3 boys keeping me busy.
In response to Shannon H--
ReplyDeleteMy mom has been to all the states except Alaska. She said she will make it hopefully before she dies, and I told her I would like to go when she does. I have always wondered what it was like in Alaska.
I have been unable to post on this blog until now. However, I e-mailed my blog to Dr. Stramel last night and am also posting it on here.
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Carissa Kruse, I was born and raised in Aurora, CO along with my brother, Kyle, and my sister, Kelsey, by my parents Cindi and Lance. I got engaged almost two and a half years ago and just recently set an official date for our big day, October 6, 2012. My fiancé, Lucas, and I live in the small town of Clyde, KS in a beautiful home with our sweetheart of a yellow lab., Duke. I have a very large family and was quick to move to Kansas and be near all of them as soon as I graduated. I attended one semester at Kansas State University and majored in Business, by the end of that semester I realized I was spending far too much money on tuition to not what I wanted to major in yet. I transferred to Cloud County Community College the following semester and graduated with an Associates Degree.
I love to read and spend a lot of quality time with my Nook. My favorite authors include; Nicholas Sparks, Joanne Fluke, Jodi Picoult and Emily Giffin. I really love to read all different genres but my favorites are usually murder mysteries, as long as I’m not left home alone all night while I am reading them.
I also love to spend time out on the farm Lucas’ family owns. He works very hard out there to keep his family’s legacy alive and I have blast using all the equipment and helping in any way I can.
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I love the idea of getting to spend every day with happy children(yes, I realize they will not all be happy every single day), and I have always enjoyed teaching new things to others. I hope to have as much impact on my students as many of past teachers had on me.
One of my influences is definitely my mom she was a housewife for most of my upbringing but she always made time to come into our classrooms and help with anything she could. I am also influenced by my dad. I had originally wanted to be a special education teacher because he owned a home healtch agency and took care of many children with special needs.
In response To Tammy M...
ReplyDeleteI am jealous you have had the chance to work with Habitat For Humanity. It's something that I have always been interested in but haven't done.
In response to Monse R...
ReplyDeleteI was also greatly influenced by my younger siblings, between helping in their classrooms and helping them with homework I got very excited about one day helping other students.
Hello All!
ReplyDeleteIt is great to finally get started on my fall semester (a little late). My husband was offered a new teaching job about three weeks ago which has turned our lives nearly upside down. We are now somewhat settled in our home and just now got the internet turned on about an hour ago (hence the lateness).
Thankfully, we didn't move far from our hometown, Cheney. My husband and I dated in high school and low and behold 13 years later we are married with 5 wonderful children.
Since second grade I have wanted to be a teacher. Sadly, I decided to get a business degree and not pursue my heart's desire. The good news is that I am here now and completing my education degree online.
Wish you all the best,
Brandi S
@ Tammy - Wow, thank you for your service to our country and all that you do volunteering and working with special ed students. That is awesome!
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Shawna Will. I currently live in Manhattan, KS and work full time as a sales representative for GTM Sportswear. My husband Jeremy and I just celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary this August. We have a 10 month old little boy, Hayden and a 6 year old yorkie, Max. We were busy before but we have learned there is now a new definition of the word. We love being new parents and continue to be amazed every day by the blessing that has been given to us. We enjoy our family time and taking in as many K-State sporting events and activities as we can.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a traditional small town Kansas family. I am the youngest of 4 children, born to Steve and Cindy Seirer. My parents still live in the same house I grew up in near Wichita in the town of Halstead, KS. My dad was a teacher/coach/administrator and my mom was a banker. I was active in school and athletics while in middle school and high school and after graduation went on to Hutchinson Community College for a year and then to Kansas State University where I earned my Marketing degree. I graduated in May 2005 and started working at GTM Sportswear that June.
I have always loved children. My first job was babysitting the neighbor kids and then in high school and college I was a life guard and taught swimming lessons – so I guess you could say I have a way with kids. With that being said, when it was time for me to decide on a degree to pursue I wanted to do anything BUT be a teacher. I was 18 and all I knew was that teachers did not get paid very well and had a lot of stress to deal with. As I got older and worked at finishing my business degree, I felt the passion in my heart continue to grow for kids. That passion has continued to grow to the point where I could not ignore it anymore, so in 2009 I began my online journey to become an elementary teacher.
I want to be a teacher to make a difference. As cliché as that sounds, it is SO true. There are so many kids out there that are in need of a positive role model and someone to care about them. I want to be the kind of teacher that students can say made a difference not only in their educational life but also helped to teach them lessons in life. I am really looking forward to continuing my educational journey and mostly beginning my educational career.
@ Jen Watson
ReplyDeleteWOW! Seven kids is alot to keep up with. I only have 1 little guy and I find myself completely overwhelmed a lot of the time. I admire you so much for doing what you are doing. I think it is great that you are interested in getting the secondary math degree. There is definitely a need for great math teachers out there and it sounds like you would be great. Congrats on finishing up your degree and best of luck keeping up with your family.
Angie R~ it sounds like you will be very busy with children in all stages and being a single parent! Kudos to you! Your post makes me think you will be a wonderful teacher! I hope you have a great semester!
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ReplyDeleteSorry if I am repeating this post-I tried to post it onto Blackboard...
ReplyDeleteHello everyone-My name is Rachel Curry and I am currently a senior anticipating my degree from Pittsburg State University (go gorillas!), but of course, go tigers, because I am taking this course this semester as well. I have always loved working with children from babysitting to tutoring to being a lifeguard at a pool. I am the oldest of all the grand kids/siblings and have always liked to take on that leadership role. I would love to ideally teach the 3rd grade if I had a choice because I love that developmental stage, but of course, would love any elementary grade in the future! In my spare time I like to be involved within my community-Big Brothers Big Sisters, philanthropy events, etc. This is something I hope to pass on to my future students and maybe do a service project with them-such as planting flowers within the community. I also love to read (my favorite children's author is Jerry Spinelli), take pictures/scrapbook, and watch movies with friends and family. I love to take my black Labrador, named Luke, on runs and going to the lake. I would choose being outside almost any day over inside! I look forward to the future and hope everyone has a safe and happy semester...
I apologize for the late post. I thought I had posted my introduction, but it looks like it did not save, so here it is again:
ReplyDeleteHello Everyone--
My name is Kristi Pletcher and I attending FHSU majoring in Elementary Education and plan to receive my MS in Special Education. I was born (January 23rd, 23 years ago) and raised in Eskridge, KS. On September 10th I am getting married to one of the greatest guys I know! Taking 15 hours, getting married, and taking a honeymoon is definately going to be stressful, but all worth it in the end.
I currently work as a paraprofessional in special education for my local school, as well as a Individual Intensive Support Provider for a company called, Integrated Behavioral Technologies. I absolutely love my jobs and enjoy going to them each and every day! I have wanted to become a teacher for as long as I can remember. My sisters and I would "play" school all the time, and of course, I was always the teacher! I have also had many teachers along the way that have made a huge impact on my life, and I hope to one day do the same to different children out there.
I want to wish each and every one of you good luck this semester and look forward to working with you all :)
Hi! My name is Joel Stucky and I am late in joining the class. I have been married to my beautiful wife for three years. We have had a dog for two years. She is an American Eskimo. We live near Wichita, KS and I am excited about taking this course because I enjoy math. I wanted to get into the elementary field to make a difference in the lives of children. Many children grow up without a male role model and I want to be that for them. Also, I enjoy kids and the energy they bring each day.
ReplyDeleteBrandi,
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome that you are going back to school and even more awesome that you have 5 little helpers to encourage you. I hope that you have settled in now and that you are enjoying your new home. Have a great semester.
Hello everyone! I have been trying to submit my blog so hopefully it will finally post! I also enrolled late and am catching up! I am Dina Augustine and am from Larned, KS. It is not my choice place to live and am hoping to relocate after graduation. I am in my last semester before student teaching and am very excited and eager to graduate. I have two beautiful children who I absolutely adore and between them and driving to Hays for class, we stay pretty busy. Good luck to everyone this semester!!
ReplyDeleteIn response to Jen Watson,
ReplyDeleteProps to you for pursuing a Math degree. Math is typically not my best subject and anyone who is able to get in there and teach it is amazing!! It sounds like you stay pretty busy too. Good luck with your teaching!