Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Starting With The Basics


http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgqjzr7k_3c72wk4dn

Teacher Biography - Staci Nieves

I am Staci Nieves from Carlsbad, California. I currently attend the California State University of San Marcos. I have wanted to be an elementary school teacher since second grade. I have always had a passion for children and wanted to use that passion in my career some day. I have always enjoyed going to school as well, therefore, I decided that the perfect job for me would be a teacher, where I could make an impact on the lives of children. I am a very independent and motivated person. I am always dedicated to everything I do and make it a priority to do my best in everything that comes my way. My interests include my current job, working for the Youth Sports Department for the City of Carlsbad, where I get to work with children on a daily basis. I have been working at this job for the past 6 years and I absolutely love it. I also enjoy spending time with my family, when I am not at school or work. My uniqueness as a candidate comes from my personality and my experience in elementary classrooms. I strive to to try my hardest in everything that comes my way and I think that teaching students to have that same mentality will help them succeed in school. Since my senior year in high school, I have been a huge part of my former fourth grade teacher's classroom. I did an internship in high school where I was at Kelly Elementary School in Carlsbad every other day for 2 hours. I helped out with every subject and would always take small groups of students to actually teach them the material myself. The students and I grew to have an amazing relationship during that year. They treated me as if I was their second teacher and since I was still very young, I could relate to them in certain aspects of their lives. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I still try and go visit the classroom, even though there are different kids, as much as I can. It is difficult when I attend school full time and work the remainder of the time, but seeing the kids and knowing they are looking forward to the next time I come makes it a huge priority from me. Seeing the impact I can make on children's lives is the main reason I am pursuing a career in teaching. I want to be the teacher that students remember when they are older and the teacher they learned the most from but still enjoyed. I know that I can be a great teacher and cannot wait for the opportunity to do so.
Nieve005@cougars.csusm.edu
http://stacinieves422.blogspot.com/

Subject Area - Staci Nieves

Although, I have not had enough experience in all of the elementary grade levels to choose a favorite, I know for a fact that I enjoy working with fourth graders. I feel that at this level they understand how to act in a classroom and are familiar with the routine of school and homework but are still eager to learn and enjoy coming to school. I feel that the older children get, the less interested they are in learning and the less fun they have while in school. The subjects I am interested in are Math and Writing. Math has always been my favorite subject in school, therefore I enjoy teaching it. I also feel that the math learned in fourth grade is the math you take with you for the rest of your life. It is crucial to know how to multiply, divide, and understand fractions because these simple calculations are used in higher math levels and in every day life. Writing is also a huge part of one’s life and it is extremely important to know how to put your thoughts on paper in a structured, creative, and appropriate way. Writing is also used in everyday life and in higher education. The writing skills that fourth graders learn such as creating a five paragraph essay and using correct sentence structure are skills they will need in high school, college, and future careers. I feel that the fourth grade is a critical point in a child’s life, in which their brains are functioning at a level where they can learn so much more and comprehend a wide variety of material that will stick with them as they grow.

Sample Fourth Grade Math Problems

California Content Standards for Fourth Grade Math


Teacher Biography - Cari Baesen

I am Cari Baesen from Murrieta, California. Currently I am a student at California State University San Marcos, participating in the Integrated Credential Program. I am studying to get my multiple subject teaching credential and bachelors degree in Liberal Studies. I have spent many years in college taking the time to find myself, and discovering what path is the right one for me. Although my passion for teaching began long ago, my family did not have a background in education so I found myself often searching for answers. Holding high expectations for myself, I have always managed to get through even the hardest obstacles, like having a family of my own and continuing to strive for a higher education. Throughout my education, I have noticed that not all teachers are the same. Many have various differing qualities, however, many teachers lack some of the important factors that I believe each successful educator should have. A caring, compassionate, patient, flexible, consistent and positive teacher that holds high expectations for his/her students is very important. It is my one of my goals to display these qualities to my own students. I have worked as a nanny, tutored autistic children, observed many different level classrooms, helped raise my nephew, and also have a child of my own, and in my own experiences with children I have begun to noticed the differences within each child and am fascinated with the opportunity participate in the upbringing of our future. My hearts belongs in working with young children, and although there were many other routes I could have chosen, I believe that the future of our society lies within the hands of our young students. I am ready to make a difference. I am a person of many ideas and plenty of creativity. I believe that during these days knowledge of a multicultural society can lead to a successful pathway of equality for all students. Creating an atmosphere for which each and every student feels welcome is very important not only for equality, but for the well being of each individual. I am ready to take part in growth of our youth, and am excited to discover not only what changes will arrise in education, but also how I will be a part of them.
baese001@csusm.edu
http://cbaesen.blogspot.com/

Subject Area - Cari Baesen
Sitting at the beginning of my journey, I am thinking that I want to start my teaching career in First Grade. Though I am definitely open to any experience, I feel that the amount of knowledge that students gain between the time they enter and the time they leave the first grade is so substantial and I want to be a part of that. I am interested in learning more about Health Education and Physical Education because they are two subjects in which education does not seemed to be focused on. Writing and reading, along with math, history and science are all very important, but everyone already knows that. Health and Physical Education are very important for children of all ages and should be practiced each and every day. A healthy student is a happy student who is eager to learn. I am interested in learning a lot more about them both, in order to pass down my knowledge into the hands of these little ones. Most children have plenty of energy and are open to learning many things. I want them to know that learning is fun and can result in a healthy, successful life. It is important for children to feel excited about coming to school and learning new things, physical education is a way for children to do so. It’s a chance to get out of the classroom and engage in outdoor games and learning exercises. This can also make children think outside the box and utilize new skills. Health education is important for many reasons, but overall I believe that when children are given the opportunity to make decisions for themselves they should have to right knowledge to make the healthy choice.
Below is an interesting article for parents that are interested in what their 1st grade student is learning within the classroom. I found it interesting to read the article from a future teacher's perspecitive.

What are 1st Grade Students Learning?


Health Education and Physical Education, often taken to lightly, have standards just as math, language arts, history, science and all of the other subjects do. Below are links to help familiarize you with these standards:


Health Education: Content Standards for California Public School

Physical Education: Content Standards for California Public Schools




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