To Spank or Not to Spank

So I am watching Super Nanny rigfht not, and there is this mom of 3 who hits and spanks her kids so much, that they just laugh at her, or scream in her face. The dad goes to work, and then comes home and goes to the gym, and does basically whatever he wants to do, leaving the mom feeling helpless. As a mom, I can sympathesize.

Ok, so the nanny is now establishing "Kid's Rules"

1. Listen to your parents
2. Speak kindly to eachother
3. Please do as you are told
4. Be polite to eachother
5. Keep your own room clean

Intimidation and threats do not work. Positive reinforcement is rewarding and fin. The nanny set achievable goals in a specific amount of time. "You have 15 minutes to clean your room." Then they timed the room cleaning. After that, they were allowed to play outside. Boom! The room was clean in 15 minutes, and then the entire family went outside to play. What a great idea!! It is amazing to see what can be done when you speak respectfully to children and apply the concept of positive reinforcement.

Dr. Phil's 10/14/09 Show: Working Moms versus Stay At Home Moms

Have any of you just watched Dr. Phil's show today about Working Moms versus Stay at Home Moms? Wow! What was that crazy brunette talking about...All working moms are secretaries in pantyhose? Really lady? I am a full time working mom, and I am in school and I found that very insulting. I would love to stay home with my daughter, but I don't have the ability to. But I have 2 things to say to that lady: 1: I have NEVER worn pantyhose to work, and 2: I am not a secretary. I am actually an analyst for a large financial corporation, but I hate it. That's why I am in school right now to be a teacher, but let me tell you, it isn't the easy way out, like that lady was talking about.

Any responses? Have you guys seen this episode? Would you rather be a stay at home mom, or a working mom, and do you even have a choice?

Middle School Assignments: Hey Teaching Students

Hey teachers and teaching students! Are you looking for some great ideas for lesson plans or homework assignments? Check out some of my homework assignments that I posted throughout this blog.

Super Mom Goes to School

A supermom does everything: Breadwinner, Executive Chef, Housekeeper, and educator. I am doing all of these things, and have 3 dogs, a husband, a 1 year old, and 2 elderly grandparents to take care of. Oh, I am pursuing an advanced degree in education too! I am learning so much in my education program, that I thouht I would share some of the things that I have learned with you, so you can benefit from all of the educational resources, without the cost of school. I hope that you find an article that you like, and comment and share!Also, don't forget to check out my sponsors! They keep me going!

Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device

Language Learner ProjectI asked the following questions:1. Do you agree with Chomsky that all children are born with an innate Language Acquisition Device, and if so, do you think that this translates to all students with Exceptional Learning Needs, especially those who do not have English as their first language?2. For students with English as a second language who may be struggling in the classroom, what are some ways to assess whether a student's academic performance is affected by a learning disability or a language barrier? If it is determined that the ESL student has a learning disability, what would you do to ensure that they are receiving the services that are necessary for them to excel as much as possible?The responses I received to the first question were varied. One student stated that they agreed with Chomsky’s theory that all children were born with an innate LAD, and listed the areas in the brain that generate speech. (Wernicke and Broca Area). She also stated that ESL students needed to focus on their primary language, and utilize socialization, combined with Vygotsky’s theory of Language Acquisition Support System. Another student disagreed with Chomsky’s LAD as being the sole basis for language acquisition. She stated that it did not matter how a brain was pre-set to learn language, because exposure to a language early-on could allow the subject to learn the language similarly to if it were their native language. She pointed out that language acquisition was a very complex task, and cited Critical Age Hypothesis when discussing multiple language acquisition. She furthered her idea by expanding that ESL/ELN students should be able to learn English while learning other tasks in an ESL/ELN environment, if they are guided appropriately, and socialized properly. I believe that all children are born with an innate LAD, and that if a student were experiencing difficulty in school, an assessment in their native language would be important to ensure that the source of the difficulty is language related, in lieu of some other complication. The responses that I received for the second question were fairly similar to each other. One student postulated that there are various methods to assessing a struggling ESL student, which include: problem identification and the identification of the source of the problem, working with an ESL teacher, as well as the student’s family, developing a classroom plan of action, and consistently reassessing the progress of the student. She stated that if progress was not evident, then the student needed to have a Special Needs Assessment to make sure that the student received all of the necessary services. She also referenced the use of a translator to represent the student’s primary language while they were acquiring facets of another language. Lastly, she stressed the importance of the teacher/student relationship, and social networking as a support system for the student. The other comments agreed with the above, and added that one on one interaction would also be a helpful tool. She stated that teachers also had the ability to communicate nonverbally with their students, regardless of a language barrier, and that assistive technology, such as computer programs, would also be beneficial. I agreed with the above statements, and believe that utilizing all available resources is extremely important to ensure comprehension.

What is an Emergent Learner

An emergent learner is very young child who is experiencing the very first stage of early literacy. Upon researching the age range online, it is estimated that the emergent reader age can range from birth to about age 7. The emergent learner has already experienced oral interactions and the written print via interactions with books, or literature that may have been read to them. To assist with the development of their skills, it is important for them to hear the sounds that are used in everyday speaking and reading, and learn that printed words are associated with those sounds, and that they have meaning. It is important to teach the Concepts of Print, which include word sounds and meaning, tracking writing from left to right and top to bottom, spatial relationships between long and short words, punctuation, and upper and lower case letters.

Phonics Within Words Activity

Within-Word Stage ActivitiesDouble Consonants Activity:Double Consonant Bingo: Players pick double or single letter cards and try to create complete words on bingo cards. The teacher will create large bingo cards in order to fit the words on the board, and each word will have a beginning and ending. The student must complete the words on the board using the bingo cards. Spread the cards face down, so the players can put them back if they can’t use them. A dictionary will be handy to check spelling. The first student to get Bingo with their letter cards is the winner.R Controlled-Vowel Activity:Students are given 10 minutes to come up with as many words that they can in each of the following categories: ar, er, ir, ur, and or. They may work in pairs and use a dictionary. After they compile their list, they will read it aloud to the class. The students with the most (and correct) words in each category is the winner.Homophones Activity:Students are to define homophones, make a list of commonly used homophones, and use them in a complete sentence. Then, in pairs, they are to create picture cards using magazine cutouts, etc., with their homophones list, and correctly match the picture to the correct homophone. This can be done in pairs, or presented to the class as a group activity.

Piaget and Curriculum Alignment

Curriculum alignment is when the curriculum is based on improving the student’s standardized testing scores, to improve those scores. By teaching the material that will appear on the standardized test, students are able to score higher. Piaget viewed children as active learners in their environment, and attributed cognitive development to play. He believed that when children experience the outside world, their level of intelligence increases. Play also develops peer and other social relationships, as the children interact with the world around them. Piaget also had different cognitive stages as children progressed throughout their childhood. Sensorimotor- Children use senses to obtain their knowledge of the world around them. (age 0-2)Preoperational- Symbolic thinking (age 2-7)Concrete Operations- Children can take multiple viewpoints (7-12)Formal Operations-Parten delineated six different stages concerning the play of children.Unoccupied play- Child sits or stands.Solitary play- Child plays aloneOnlooker play-Child observes peer playParallel play-Child plays alone but mimicks play of children around themAssociative play- Child interacts with other children but not active cooperative playCooperative play- Child actively plays together

Multiculturalism in Schools

I think that it is important to respect another culture’s way of life, and that multiculturalism can be extremely beneficial to the school system. That being said, in the United States, our way of life should be respected as well, and the students should have to adapt to the American school system. If the situation were reversed, a school outside of this country would not bend over backwards to change their education core to accommodate a student from the United States. Because we live in the United States, it would be a dis-service to the students, because school is supposed to prepare them for the world after school. It is important to respect other cultures and do what is reasonable to accommodate them, but English should be spoken in the classroom. Unlike a disability, coming to a school in the United States is a choice, and translators and extra learning items should by the responsibility of the families, not the school system. If an individual teacher chooses to go above any beyond to provide learning resources that is great, but accommodating people who made the choice to come to a school in the United States should not be mandated. Some schools may choose to provide these services because if they do not, their overall grade report and rankings decrease dramatically, as these students may not be able to pass standardized grade tests.There are several different types of learning diversities: Learning differences, Economic status, Language diversity, Gender diversity, and Ethnic diversity. -Learning differences: There are a wide range of students in a school who have a wide range of learning capacities. Learning differences can range from a student who is exceptionally gifted to a student who is severely disabled, and it is important that the school system is capable of supporting this wide range. -Economic status: There is also a wide range of students with varying economic status, ranging from the poor to the rich. In some schools, children may predominately take the bus, while in others, students drive their Range Rovers. (I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a car parked in a student parking lot that is one of my dream cars-the student said she would probably end up wrecking it). If a student is tired, hungry, or ill as a result of not having enough money, this can affect their learning. -Language diversity: Today, many students come from different parts of the world and speak a variety of different languages. ESL is increasing rapidly in the classroom.-Gender diversity: There are learning differences between males and females, and learning styles may vary amongst the 2 genders.-Ethnic diversity: This pertains to the varying diversity from different cultures. This can affect learning in schools because different ethnicities have different ways of living, and what is culturally acceptable in one ethnic group may not be culturally acceptable in another.

How To Promote Language Development in Schools

To help promote a children’s language development, it is important to talk to the child as much as possible, and make sure that you pronounce and enunciate your words correctly. It is important to talk to the child using correct language (no baby talk), and make conversation engaging. It is also important to listen to the child as well, so they can understand the importance of conversation, and know that it is about speaking and listening.To promote literacy development, it is important to begin reading at a very early age, and make reading fun and engaging. It is important to help the child to understand that words consist of individual letters and have meaning. Even if a young shild is just looking at the pictures, it reinforces the concept of books and reading, which will eventually turn into literacy development. Talking to elementary teachers, I have often heard that it is possible to be able to tell the children who were read to and spoken to correctly, versus the children whose parents expected the school to take over that responsibility. To promote early language and literacy, the parents must engage the children often and early, and make it a rewarding, fun experience for the child as much as possible. Positive reinforcement is a major factor in the success of any important skill.

Child Learning During Piaget's PreOperational Stage

How can early childhood professionals promote children's learning during the preoperational stage of intellectual development?The preoperational stage of development ocurrs between the ages of 2 and 6. During this stage, Piaget deduced that children are able to utilize symbols via play and pretend. The development of language is also very important during this stage. Early childhood professionals can promote children’s learning during the preoperational stage via playing “pretend,” and promoting learning. Children can pretend to play the role of “mommy, daddy, or teacher,” to assist with the development of the ability to represent something else. Creativity can be fostered with art, storytelling, and pretend. If one were to take the holistic approach, physical movement to songs, and dancing also are great ways to promote learning and intellectual development. Sorting is also a great way to assist with development, and will assist with categorizing objects and pictures. Hands on activities that include language and symbolism are all wonderful ways to promote leaning for children in the preoperational stage. You can you-tube preoperational stage, and find lots of resources for children in this age. How can early childhood professionals promote children's learning during the preoperational stage of intellectual development?

Book Summary of The Skin I'm In

The Skin I’m InThe Skin I’m In, by Sharon Flake, tells a tale of a young, seventh grade girl with very black skin. The girl, Maleeka, is often taunted by her fellow students for her awkwardness, poorly handcrafted clothing, and dark skin. Maleeka has become friends with Charlese (Char), one of the most popular girls in school, because she does her homework in return for Char sticking up for her. On a positive note, Char lends Maleeka clothing, but often treats her very poorly, and gets her in trouble. Maleeka’s grades also begin to slip, the more she hangs out with Char. A new teacher, Ms. Saunders, arrives to teach English in the school. Immediately, Maleeka was afraid to be close with the teacher because she has a large, white patch on her face, which Maleeka felt would bring negative attention to her. Maleeka feels that if she befriends the teacher, she too will be made fun of, and she is already made fun of heavily for her black skin, although she sees Ms. Saunders as someone who is worse off than herself. Ms. Saunders is proud of her skin, despite the taunts from the other students, much to Maleeka’s surprise. She talked about how she used to be insecure, but learned to love herself. Ms. Saunders encouraged Maleeka to write a journal/diary, and eventually, she wins a writing contest. One day, as a result of Maleeka’s growing independence, Ms. Saunders upset Char, so Char takes Maleeka to Ms. Saunder’s classroom, and sets the room on fire, leaving Maleeka there to take the blame for the act. Because Maleeka is insecure, she originally takes the blame for the arson; however, once she learns to accept herself gradually, she turns Char in. She learns from Ms. Saunders to stand up for herself and be secure about herself and her life (and the skin she’s in), which leads to her eventually standing up for herself about the arson. This book was very inspiring, because it shows that when you decide that you want to excel in life and appreciate yourself for who you are, nothing and no one can stop you. Often times, school aged kids are harassed by other kids for being different, and many of these students have relationships like Char and Maleeka’s. Sometimes, it takes someone who is viewed as worse off, to display self-esteem and confidence about themselves, for you to see that you can choose to overcome any insecurity.After reading the book, I was interested in the background and inspiration for the subject matter. I researched the author, Sharon Flake, and learned that she was inspired to write this book because she has a “beautiful dark-skinned daughter.” She began to tell her daughter about stories of heroic, incredible dark skinned women who performed amazing tasks, to build her self-esteem from early childhood. Sharon Flake acknowledged that, even within the African-American community, one can be picked apart for being dark skinned, and she wanted to deal with the issue of racism, even within her own community. The book was written to help people to learn to appreciate themselves, despite what other people say. Overall, I feel that her goal was accomplished. The Skin I’m In was a well written, effective teaching tool for self respect and appreciation.

My Teaching Field Experience in the Special Needs Classroom

Special Needs Classroom: High School Experience (Names changed)8:25am: I was not able to observe Tim’s class today, so I was able to go to Mrs. Campbell’s classroom instead. Erin is a health and physical education teacher, so I found it very interesting to see how she works with students with special needs in an interactive environment. Her first class was health, and it was in a classroom setting. The topic that she was teaching was sexual education, and she had guest speakers in the classroom that day. In her health education classroom, she had 3 students who were diagnosed with learning disorders, and one with ADHD. Throughout the class, the students were extremely excited about the topic of sexual education, but Erin had strategized before the class in preparation for her student’s reactions, and had the classroom re-arranged in semi-circular shape, so that all of the students had an up-close view of the speaker and her demonstrations, and felt like an integral part of the classroom. There weren’t any aides in this particular classroom, although all of the students had IEP’s. When one of the students became overly excited and spoke out of turn, Erin was very patient, and reminded him of the importance of the topic, and why it was not a joke. Her strategy, to convey the importance of the topic to the students, seemed like a very integral aspect to their learning. In order for the students to remain on task, they needed constant reminders and guidance, and overall, her classroom management skills provided for a successful learning experience for the students with learning disabilities, and the students within the regular classroom. After class, Erin also showed me some of her modified tests that she uses for some of her students who are on IEP’s, and are in need of modified testing. These tests included information pertinent to the lesson, while not providing too much confusing information for the student. One of the tests, for example, only had two choices, (a or b), in lieu of the regular classroom test (a, b, c, d). She also stated that she provides advanced notification to the sides about an upcoming test, and often provides the test to them in advance as well as study guides. She told me that she learned that it was important to not let these students fall behind, and that working with the aides was very important. 9:25am: It was time for Erin to teach physical education, so we headed over to the gym to prepare for her lesson, which was badmitton. While I am not studying to become a physical education teacher, I learned a great deal about human behavior and students with special needs from her classroom. I observed several classes throughout the day, and learned many things from Erin, by observing her. The most important thing that I picked up on was classroom management and preparation. I learned that Erin is a very organized educator, and that her preparation was the reason that many of the incidents that could have caused a distraction to the learning process were averted. For the class today, Erin was continuing a badmitton tournament, in which the students participated in a round robin game.During this particular morning class, a boy named John (not the same as listed before) came to gym class and was not dressed to participate. John had been diagnosed with ADHD, and, although he was not lacking academically, he had behavioral and organizational problems. Erin explained to me that John was on a MFE, which she described as a precursor to the IEP. She asked John where his clothes for gym were and he replied that he did not know, and she reminded him that she would have to deduct points off his grade for the day because he was not dressed. This was important to John, because he was on a rewards system, where he was allowed to participate in other activities (as opposed to study hall) if his grades were good. Throughout the day, I noticed that this was a common theme at this particular school. The students were allowed to skip study hall and participate in an activity that they liked, as a teacher’s helper, if their grades were good. I found this system to be very effective, as I witnessed several students throughout the day either asking about their grades, or coming to Erin and asking to be a helper.There was also another student named Anthony who had been diagnosed with ADHD. Every class, Anthony refused to change his clothes for gym. Unlike John, he was forgetful. Anthony did not like to change his clothes around the other boys in the locker room, and instead made it a point to always wear his everyday clothing. Erin informed me that she had previously spoken with some of the male faculty to see if arrangements could be made to make Anthony more comfortable, (provide him with a private place to change, etc.), but Anthony refused every time. She said that the result was that he always wore whatever he wanted, and had points taken off. At this point in time, she stated that parental intervention had not helped, and that she was actively thinking about something that would be rewarding enough to help Anthony want to dress for gym.Erin pointed out that there were a couple of other students who were on IEP’s in the classroom for various learning disorders, but the class had no major incidents. It seems as if the physical activity helped the students to focus on the task as hand and provide them with a positive environment, while releasing some of the stress from sitting still in a classroom all day. I believe that a regular classroom may be able to implement some of these strategies by allowing the students with a few minutes each class to talk and stretch, before diving into the lesson, so that the student’s minds are relaxed and ready to process information. 10:25am: Erin’s second gym class for the day. Her lesson plan was to continue the badmitton tournament, and again, she had a few students who were on IEP’s in her class. I had never previously realized the prevalence of learning disorders and ADHD in the classroom, and looking back to my school years, I realize that diagnosis has come a long way. When I was growing up, a lot of these students would have been labeled as “problem students” and written off, and today, parents, teachers, and faculty actively work with the students to resolve some of their behavioral and mental disabilities, which help the students to remain focused. During this class, there was a student named Ryan who was a helper in the classroom. Ryan was on an IEP for learning disabilities, and Erin’s gym class was one of his rewards. Every week, for a couple of times a week, he participated in the gym activities and helped her with the set-up and clean-up of the activities. She explained to me that after speaking with some of Ryan’s other teachers, she had learned that he was able to focus better after physical activity. Ryan was very kind and helpful, and worked well with Erin and the other students.There was also a student named Taveon, who was always late for class and never turned in any of his work. Taveon was assigned a caseworker, who was in constant contact with the teachers about Taveon’s progress. Erin stated that he did not have an IEP yet, and that the caseworker had been assigned to assist with behavioral intervention and planning the best course of action. Throughout the class, Taveon was distracted, and often attempted to get my attention by his over-exaggerated behavior. Erin explained that at this point in time, it was important to ignore his actions. She stated that drawing attention to Taveon, even if it were to correct his behavior, only caused further behavioral outbursts. 11:25am: The next class came in, and Erin pointed out a student named Glenn, who had a chest malformation. As a result, he had a limited range of motion, and could not participate in badmitton for the day. Instead of excluding him, Erin had him assist with scorekeeping and refereeing the games, so that he was still an active participant in the classroom. She informed me that he had been given special provisions and extra time when dressing for gym, and that she always had him actively participating in some sort of activity when his range of motion would not allow him to participate in the regular activity. As a result, Glenn has a sense of empowerment, because he was in charge of scorekeeping and refereeing, and the other students were extremely kind to him, and did not make fun of him because of his disability. In this classroom, there was also a small girl named Gerle, who was noticeably shorter than the other students. Gerle was diagnosed with a learning disorder, and had some problems with socialization. She and her family had immigrated from Africa, so there were cultural barriers as well. Gerle was allowed to wear her traditional African attire, but had to wear shorts under her skirt while in gym class. This demonstrated cultural sensitivity, while meeting the needs of the classroom. Erin explained to me that Gerle often needed extra attention, not because she caused a distraction, but because she often did not understand what to do. At the beginning of class, Erin asked the students to gather in groups of four for a warm up exercise, and all of the other students had gathered, while Gerle stood alone in the middle of the gym. Erin walked over to her and placed her in a group of classmates, who readily accepted her. She explained to me that, in her experience, the regular classroom students were often very accepting of the students with special needs, and were empathetic to their disabilities. Gerle learned by actively participating in the activities with her peers, and from observing the activities of those around her. Erin told me that her progress since the beginning of the semester has been exponential. 12:25am: This was the last badmitton class of the day, and again, the competition continued. John, the same student from Tim’s class the day before, had an aide with him, and came dressed for class, as well as a student names Ryan. While John had been diagnosed with autism, Ryan had a physical disability that was pending diagnosis. He was affected with a physical disability similar to parkinson’s disease, where he often shook, and his fine motor skills were lacking. As a result, he was not able to write or utilize fine motor skills, and was given assistive technology in the classroom to help him type and take tests. For the physical education class, he was able to participate in badmitton, as it required gross motor skill usage in lieu of fine motor skills. John participated as well, along with the help of his aide, and he was quite good at badmitton. Upon observation, one would not have noticed that he had a disability, based on his physical abilities. Erin explained to me that it had taken time for the aide to explain the rules at the beginning of the week’s lesson, but that after the initial explanation, only small adjustments needed to be made throughout the lesson.Overall, I learned a lot from Mrs. Campbell’s classroom. She stressed the importance of classroom management and pre-set protocol establishment. She explained to me that all of her students knew what to expect each day, and that they had the same routine at the beginning of class. She also utilized music as a classroom management tool (for example, when the music stopped, the students were to stop what they were doing and listen), and a whistle as an attention grabber. In her health education classroom, when she stood at the front of the class and raised her hand the students knew that they were to stop what they were doing and listen to her. These strategies worked for the regular classroom students as well as the students with disabilities.

B.F. Skinner

Major Ideas· Skinner was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard (1958-1974)· It is said that he was one of the most influential psychologists of our time, publishing 21 books and over 180 articles.· Created the Operant Conditioning Chamber: (AKA Skinner Box) This is an apparatus that is utilized in a laboratory setting to experiment on behavior analysis. It focused on operant conditioning and classical conditioning.o Operant conditioning: Using consequence to modify voluntary behavior. It “operates” on the environment and is sustained by consequence.”o Classical Conditioning: (AKA Pavlovian Conditioning) Based on associative learning. In classical conditioning, a neutral stimulus is presented along with a stimulus that has significance, eventually causing a response to the neutral stimulus. Example: Pavlov’s utilization of a metronome to cause salivation in dogs. The metronome was the neutral stimulus that was utilized before feeding the dogs, and eventually became a cause for salivation for the dogs.· The Skinner Box: A sound and light proof enclosure that detects behavioral responses. In Skinner’s experiments, he often used rodents to push levers to produce reinforcers such as food. (See Skinner box illustration below)Theoretical Perspectives:· Skinner focused on positive reinforcement, which is the encouragement of a specific behavior that results in the repetition of that behavior.· Skinner created “Radical Behaviorism,” which was a philosophy that includes all aspects of reinforcement, including hidden aspects like emotions, perceptions, and thoughts. Radical behaviorism includes the environment as a function of behavior.· B.F. Skinner’s research helped with the investigation of several different aspects of human psychology.o Skinner boxes, or, operant conditioning chambers, are often used today in the research of behavioral pharmacology.o Practical application has been extended to behavioral economics, which is an aspect of financial analysts that applies empirical research to human behavior in the world. Slot machines are an example of how behavioral economics affect society. Phases/Steps:· Skinner’s research expanded from classical conditioning, to operant conditioning, to radical behaviorism. He created several inventions to test his research and include varying aspects of behavioral psychology that has practical applications in the world today. · B. F. Skinner was the inventor of cumulative reorder, which was a measuring tool for the rate of response in accordance with a reinforcement schedule.· He also invented the air crib, which was a climate controlled box, similar to a crib, that was designed to soothe a baby and reinforce positive behavior. While this was one of his more controversial inventions, there was some success noted in his experiment.Classroom Applications:· Skinner stated that, “Teachers must learn how to teach…they need only to be taught more effective ways of teaching.”o This quotation was a reflection of his idea that positive reinforcement is one of the most effective teaching resources. He believed that positive reinforcement was a better alternative than punishment in education, as he believed that the only thing a student would learn from punishment was how to not be punished.· Skinner stated that there are five main obstacles to the student learning experience:1. Students fear that they may fail at a task.2. Tasks are not broken down into enough simple steps.3. Teachers do not often provide enough direction.4. The directions that are provided are not always clear and concise.5. There is a lack of positive reinforcement.· Skinner believed that skills that are age appropriate can be taught to students utilizing five main aspects to correct the problems listed above:1. Provide the student with immediate feedback about their work.2. Break-down the tasks at hand so they are smaller and simpler.3. Reiterate the directions to the student over and over to clarify.4. Organize tasks in a hierarchy, ranging from simpler tasks to more complex tasks.5. Provide lots of immediate, positive reinforcement.By utilizing some of the above ideas, it is possible to gain knowledge from B.F. Skinner’s work, taking it from the research laboratory to the everyday classroom. Like the “Skinner Box,” students of all ages who receive immediate positive reinforcement will continue to perform the task that provides them with such reinforcement.This is especially important in an educational setting, because often, there is a lack of motivation in students, if their positive behavior is not reinforced as much as it should be. ResourcesSpecial Connection, (2009). Positive Reinforcement. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from htt p://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat= behavior&section=main&subsection=classroom/positiveWikipedia, (2009). B.F. Skinner. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/B.F._Skinner#Theory

What is Value Added Assessment

Status reporting: Status reporting is a summary of a situation for a stated period of time. In Ohio schools, it pertains to student progress for a specific academic period.Adequate Yearly Progress: A measurement defined by the no child left behind act, that allows the US department of Education to determine academic progress with performance measurements based on standardized testing. In Ohio schools, this means that students will be held accountable for material learned by standardized testing. Value Added Progress: Diagnostic reporting that uses existing standardized test data to produce progress reports, that assesses student growth and progress over time. In Ohio schools, this is important because it can determine whether or not academic progress is being made across the general curriculum. Progress versus Achievement: Progress is how much growth/gain is achieved over time, whereas achievement is measured by a student’s performance at a single point in time, and how well the student performs against a standard. In Ohio school, a teacher’s performance is based upon a student’s achievement (# of students who pass the state test).

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsSelf-Actualization: To realize one’s full potential.-Relates to child development because children who reach their potential are able to expand their knowledge and become great thinkers.Esteem Needs: A feeling of importance and belonging. (self esteem)-This stage allows children to be fulfilled and have a positive outlook on their life.Social Needs: Social interaction with others; giving and receiving love and friendship.-social interaction and groups help children feel comfortable in their surroundings, which can facilitate learning.Safety Needs: A sense of security and being safe from harm.-It is more beneficial to learn in a safe environment, so children can focus on educational material instead of focusing on safety concerns.Physiological Needs: Needs required to sustain life. (Food, shelter, etc.)-Children need to have their basic physiological needs met before they are able to learn material in an educational setting.

Upcoming Early Childhood Trends

Three of the changes occurring in early childhood education that influence the practice of early childhood professionals in the coming years are:1. A push toward early literacy: Educational professionals are focusing on early literacy in early education programs, to promote lifelong literacy.2. The utilization of technology: Technology incorporation is being utilized in the classroom as a means to educate children, using as many resources as possible.3. The increase of standardized testing: Standardized tests and Value Added assessments are influencing the practice of early childhood professionals, by providing a measurement for assessment, which assists the professionals with the material that they teach, and how that material is presented

Ideal Middle School Building Structure

Building StructureThe middle school can comfortably accommodate 800 students, with an area of 130,000 square feet, and is located on 20 acres of publicly funded land that was specifically set aside for the suburban school setting. The physical layout of the school is a pod structure that is separated by grades 6,7, and 8, to assist with a developmentally appropriate transition from elementary school to high school. Each pod cluster shares a science room, resource room, and computer lab, with 2 sets of boys and girls restrooms per pod. Room numbers are sequential, and directional signs and color coded lockers by grade line the hallways for each pod for easy navigation.Upon initial entrance to the school, one will find the main office, complete with space for copiers, printers, and supplies and restrooms, as well as the nurse’s office and guidance counselor’s office. There is a single, large main teacher’s lounge and meeting hall near the main entrance, complete with a private restroom, however each pod also has a small break room and private restroom for teachers as well. The cafeteria (complete with stage area for performances), kitchen, music room, separate boys and girls locker rooms, and 2 gymnasiums lie within the center of the building.The library is attached to the outside of the building near the main entrance, and has 2 entrances, one going outside and one attached to the building. (The entrance from the library to the school is locked after school hours). Outside of the building is a large football field with bleachers, complete with a track. There is also a practice field, as well as a baseball stadium with bleachers, and practice field, and 3 tennis courts. Parking is located in the front of the building, and near the track and field area. The main entrance is unlocked, however entrance through any other door other than the main entrance is by proximity card.

Key Middle School Curriculum Components

Interdisciplinary TrainingInterdisciplinary training will be incorporated into the middle school by providing developmentally appropriate themes that span the curriculum. Such themes will include multiculturalism, environmentalism, diversity, and current events. Each department will be expected to incorporate the highlighted theme into their curriculum, and the 8th period (extracurricular period) will also highlight the specific themes. All themes will contain developmentally appropriate, cooperative learning experiences, and teachers will be expected to discuss their curriculum plans and student progress in monthly staff meetings. Family Diversity Day, which occurs once per school year, will be a recurring theme in the school’s interdisciplinary training. Each class will produce a class project reflecting diversity awareness, which will be highlighted during Family Diversity Day. Advisory ProgramsIt is important to address the varying needs of the students, especially those that span beyond academics. The advisory period for students will occur during homeroom time, Period 1. This period will be utilized to examine current events and life issues concerning the students, as well as issues relating to their school performance, and upcoming life events. During advisory period, students will create, monitor, and assess weekly achievement goals under the monitoring of the homeroom advisor. The advisory period will allow students to hear school-wide and community messages. The advisory period is important because it provides each student with at least one teacher/role model to speak with concerning their life outside academics. It is also a key component in the role of communication between school and home, and is developmentally appropriate, because middle school students often experience many physical, mental, emotional, and academic transitions that can be addressed throughout the advisory period. Varied InstructionVaried instruction will be incorporated into the curriculum by providing response based teaching, under the presumption that not all learners are alike. Special Education programs and resources are readily available, complete with the appropriate assistive technology, as well as gifted programs and resources for the gifted students. ESL teachers are available as well. Tutors are available to assist students who may need further instruction. Instruction will also be varied to incorporate the variety of developmentally appropriate learning styles, including, kinesthetic, verbal, visual, and auditory. To ensure that the school is doing everything that it can to vary its learning styles, technology is incorporated into every classroom, including assistive devices for students with disabilities and special needs. Student feedback and assessment will be reviewed to ensure that instruction is varied. Exploratory ProgramsExploratory programs are added to the curriculum, and highlighted during the last period of the day, every Friday. The exploratory programs meet the unique needs of middle school adolescents, and will be considered integrated learning experiences that incorporate skills that are taught in the core courses, with real-life skills. This will foster peer/peer and student/teacher relationships in a controlled setting, and provide time for the students to participate in an activity of their choice, as directed by faculty. Such developmentally appropriate activities may include yearbook committee, school newspaper, athletics, school magazine, music appreciation, etc.Transition ProgramsThe Middle School transition program is designed to turn risk into opportunities for growth, and address the needs of young, adolescent middle school students. The programs will be designed to meet the needs of students by addressing key issues and themes throughout adolescence such as self esteem, social skills, high school readiness, and more. Health classes will address many of the questions that adolescents face concerning the changes that their bodies are undergoing, as well as self-esteem issues and body concerns. Daily morning advisory periods address school, life, and community concerns, as well as providing an adult mentor for the students to look up to, to answer questions about life to come after middle school. Exploratory programs prepare the students to make choices toward their interests, as well as enhance social skills. School clubs also provide the students with resources to expand themselves beyond academics, and incorporate skills that will be needed in high school and beyond.

Middle School Instruction Components

Brain-based LearningBrain-based learning relates to the learning needs of young adolescents by providing empirical research and physiological evidence that relates to the education of middle school students. It assists teachers with the utilization of a variety of strategies to engage various aspects of the students’ brains. Brain-based learning engages the complete physiology of the brain, addressing the fact that learning can be either facilitated or inhibited by factors such as nourishment, neuron synthesis and growth, and external factors such as stress, challenges, excitement, etc. Brain-based learning hypothesizes that neuron synthesis can be affected by school experiences, and events. It has several implications for educators. For example, educators can teach students about proper nutrition, stress management, and exercise. Also, a stable and familiar learning environment is conducive to healthy brain activity and learning. Overall, brain-based learning equates a healthy brain with lifelong learning experiences, which can be fostered through a holistic curriculum within the school system. Once per week, the homeroom teacher will incorporate “healthy brain” mini lessons as an instructional strategy to promote brain-based learning. ConstructivismConstructivism postulates that knowledge, meaning, and learning is generated through active experience. When one reflects upon their experiences, they “construct” their own understanding of the world around them. This is based upon the premise that humans create their own mental models which help to facilitate understanding, thus causing humans to adjust their mental models to accommodate new experiences. Constructivism is extremely useful in the adolescent classroom. When middle school students actively participate in their learning experiences, they gain a greater sense of knowledge and responsibility of the material that is being learned. It helps students to think critically, and take responsibility for their education. Also, it helps with their social maturation, as constructivism, as opposed to direct instruction, actively involves the student with the class as a whole. Constructivism will be utilized as an instructional strategy within the school by teacher promotion of group based learning and constructive peer feedback. Constructivism begets active problem-solving skills, which facilitate knowledge in middle school students and young adolescents. The knowledge gained from constructive instruction will follow the students throughout their life endeavors. SocializationSocialization is an important process in young adolescents, because it facilitates positive and beneficial inter-peer relationships, which carry forward throughout life. It is crucial to develop adequate socialization skills as a young adolescent, and to learn the skills, values, thought processes, and behavioral patterns within our culture. This insures positive behavioral interactions among human beings. Socialization is essential for the development of a cohort of middle school students, and for the development of a society as a whole. It insures that the collective culture of society will be followed through by future generations. School is among the top key factors in facilitating socialization, and it is essential to nourish good social skills, especially when young adolescents are undergoing so many physical, mental, and emotional changes. Socialization benefits the learning needs of young adolescents because it can effectuate learning if the student is socialized properly, as opposed to being disturbed by social distractions. Essential OutcomesEssential outcomes are extremely important in meeting the needs of young adolescents because they create a standard to uphold, that will provide equal education opportunity to all students. By having essential outcomes in place, students know what to expect, and teachers have a guideline to follow to assist them with their delivery of knowledge. Essential outcomes provide a universal standard for all students, and a framework to guide student learning cumulatively throughout their studies. DiversityDiversity is an important aspect of adolescent learning. It is crucial to understand one’s background to maximize that particular individual’s learning experiences, and to assist with their growth as a student and individual. In today’s society, schools are observing an increase in the diverse backgrounds of their students. It is important to understand where these students are coming from in order to know how to help them to further their education. Learning is not as important in some cultures as in others, and gender roles and enculturation factor in to the prioritization of learning across each culture spectrum. Diversity can also enrich the learning experiences of students outside of each individual culture, and can assist with cultural sensitization and empathy toward people with different backgrounds, which are important skills for adolescents to learn as they journey throughout life.

Middle School Teacher Characteristics

Middle School Teacher CharacteristicsMust have knowledge of:Theories, methodology, techniques, principles and strategies pertaining to the teaching of middle school adolescents. This is important, because empirical research will assist in the facilitation of appropriate and effective educational instruction. Social, behavioral, and academic characteristics of middle school adolescents. This is important because middle school students undergo extreme physical, mental, and emotional transitions, and the teacher must be prepared to deal with such transitions.Middle school educational curriculum, current educational trends and research. This is important because middle school is a transition from elementary school to high school, and current curriculum, trends, and research help to assist with that transition effectively. Behavior management, strategies, conflict resolution, and techniques. This is important because of the transition that middle school students undergo. There may be more conflicts in the middle school level because of these transitions, and it is important that the teacher knows how to deal with these conflicts effectively. Socio-economic and cultural differences amongst the middle school population. It is important to have a knowledge of diversity, and to respect each student’s cultural background so that teaching can be effective and meaningful to every student. Must be able to:Create appropriate learning experiences for a diverse student population to facilitate knowledge. Develop and execute comprehensive teaching for middle school students to provide a holistic educational experience. Facilitate effective assessment to determine what works and what does not. Motivate and stimulate the student’s effectively in an educational setting to maintain their attention span. Perform research based developmental activities in accordance with middle school curriculum to enhance education. Work effectively with faculty as a member of a team to achieve the common goal of student excellence. Work independently and autonomously to allow principals and administrators to focus on important ways to enhance student learning experiences. Illustrate proper judgment when faced with a variety of situations in a transitive middle school environment. Multitask, meet and exceed deadlines, to maximize time management. Must possess:A baccalaureate or advanced degree pertaining to the intended subject matter being taught to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act.

Middle School Assessments

1. Assessment is the systematic gathering of information pertaining to student knowledge. It includes the knowledge of what students know, are able to do, and what they may be able to do in the future. It typically refers to the traditional form of written assessment, although it can sometimes encompass other forms.2. An alternative assessment is a form of assessment that deviates from the traditional written assessment. It may not be criterion based, and may include open ended questions, problem solving, skill demonstration, portfolios, or other forms of illustrating student knowledge, other than a written standardized test. 3. Authentic assessment is the process of judging student knowledge based on several different sources. It may encompass portfolios, observations, and alternative assessments in conjunction with traditional assessment measures, such as standard written tests and assignments. Authentic assessment allows students to be evaluated using life skills and real-world tasks, to gain a complete picture of student knowledge. 4. Performance assessment is a form of assessment that requires students to illustrate complex and significant tasks, utilizing prior knowledge and relevant skills to resolve authentic, real life problems. It focuses on observable results, as implemented via standards, criterion, and rubrics. 5. A rubric is a scoring tool for assessment. It allows for standardized evaluation in accordance with specific criteria, and provides the student with clear, concrete guidelines from which they will be assessed. 6. A portfolio assessment of a portfolio, which is a representative collection of student work that is meant to illustrate student knowledge, achievements, progress, and efforts over a period of time. It may be scored individually, as a whole (scored for having all of the required documents), or holistically (assessment based on the general impression of the student’s collection of work). A portfolio assessment often utilizes pre-established criterion to ensure the achievement of the portfolio objective, and focuses on student growth over a period of time. 7. The above are all important factors in middle school education to insure that the students are progressing satisfactorily. Traditional, standardized testing and assessment is important to evaluate progress of a cohort of students. Because students are diverse culturally, mentally, emotionally, and educationally, alternative assessments are important, because examine student progress in ways that may not be assessable traditionally. Authentic assessments are important because they determine student progress from a variety of different sources, which can help to gain a complete picture of the students’ learning overall. Performance assessments allow the student to show that they are capable of relevant, real world life skills and problems, which combine their education in school with practical real world application. Rubrics are extremely important, because they provide the students with grading expectations, and allow them to be assessed in a standardized manner, so they know what to expect concerning the outcome of their assignments. Overall, various assessments are important in middle school to determine the appropriate course of action for teachers, parents, and administrators. Assessment is crucial because it determines whether or not something is working, and provides the assessor with a tool to help determine what works and what does not. All students are expected to create end of grade portfolios of their best work for every class, which will be assessed as part of their final grades. Yearly, teachers will evaluate their teaching strategies on the basis of the above assessment types, to determine whether changes need to be made to their instructional strategies.

Teacher Interview Questions

Interview questions:Describe your educational background, licensure, and certification.Why do you want to teach middle school?Why are you interested in teaching this particular subject?Are you able to work with minimal supervision?How do you feel about constructive teaching?How do you motivate your students?How do you approach student conflict?What would you do if you had a conflict with another teacher?How do you facilitate effective classroom management?What are your thoughts concerning team teaching?Name your greatest strengths and weaknesses?Why do you want to work for this school district?How do you make learning fun?Describe a lesson in which you used differentiated instruction.How do you prepare your students for standardized testing?What are the characteristics of an effective principal?What is your educational philosophy?How would you handle a difficult parent?Are you able to multitask?How do you establish authority?Where do you see yourself in five years?Do you have any questions for us?

Hey Teacher's: Get Your Community Involved!!

Goal 1: Facilitate Community Involvement:Community will be involved in the interests of the school in a variety of ways. Because the library has its own external entrance to the school, and the school library entrance is locked after hours, the library is open after hours to the local community. This provides the community with a vested interest in the school, which may also assist with helping the local community to vote for important levies that are beneficial to the school. Increased community revenue to the school will facilitate more learning programs and opportunities for the middle school students. Also, there is a 50 hour community service requirement that must be completed by the end of eighth grade by all students. This requirement is to be signed and verified by the community service delegation of the student’s choice, and must be approved by the guidance counselor beforehand. An eighth grade paper is required by all students, to summarize their experience and community involvement. Also, school sports are open to the local community, as well as school performances and local events that will be hosted at the school. There will also be yearly community advisory sessions, where administrators and staff open the cafeteria and auditorium up to the local community to field questions, and discuss effective community involvement strategies to enhance both the community and middle school student’s overall experience. Goal 2: Facilitate Parent Involvement:Statistics indicate that parental involvement enhances student learning. Parents will become involved in their student’s middle school education via parent-teacher conferences, parent’s day, parent assessments, and signed reports. Parent-teacher conferences will be held monthly, and are designed to provide open lines of communication between parents and teachers concerning student performance. Parent’s day will be held once a school year, and is designed for students to bring their parents to school for the day to participate in activities such as art exhibits, plays, physical activities (parent/student sports teams), contests and lectures. Half of the day, the parents will have the opportunity to view active teacher teaching and lessons, and the other half of the day is dedicated to the activities listed above. Quarterly grade reports are required to be signed by the parent of every student, and each grade report will include a one paragraph, all encompassing summary of the student, written by the student’s homeroom teacher (which must also be signed). The parents will also have the opportunity to assess the teacher’s performance, as a survey will be included with the signed, returned report card. This will help to facilitate parent/teacher communication to effectively improve the instruction and holistic educational experience of the students. Goal 3: Facilitate Family Involvement:Family involvement is also important to enhance the support structure of the student. Because middle students undergo extreme transitions during adolescence, a strong support system is imperative. By combining a strong family support system with a strong school support system, the student will have a greater chance of success. The middle school implements Family Service Centers, which work in concordance with guidance counselors and school psychologists to assist in family interventions and cohesiveness. Teachers also provide home learning tasks, in which the entire family can participate in relationship building, reflective experiences that the student can share while in class. Such tasks may include genealogy projects, family trips, or family questionnaires, which can open up lines of communication. The school also participates in Family Diversity Day, where each family is invited to share their culture with the rest of the middle school community. Family Diversity Day will include food, festivities, plays, games, cultural lectures, and information sessions concerning the diverse backgrounds of our students. It encourages family and community involvement within the school, and helps with the enculturation of our students.

Hey Teachers: Try This Civil War Concept Map and Activity

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE: The Civil WarPRE-ACTIVITYDescription:·The students will read the chapters in their social studies books about the civil war and find at least one other resource pertaining to the civil war.Resource Used (If Applicable):·Textbook·Other resource (book, internet, etc)INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVEDescription:·The students will research at least 3 major events pertaining to the civil war, and at least 3 specific details per each major event. One of the details must include what, in the opinion of the students, may have led up to that event.Student Outcomes:·The students will be able to identify at least 3 major events that took place during the civil war.·The students will be able to identify at least 3 specific details about each civil war event.·The students will think critically about details that may have led up to each civil war event and think critically about cause and effect.Student Directions:1.The students are to have read the assigned chapters in their social studies book about the civil war, and come to class prepared with at least one other resource.2.The students will form small groups of 3-4 students, and, under the direction of the teacher, will begin identifying 3 major civil war events. They will also be asked to identify at least 3 details about the event, one of which must include something, in their opinion, that may have led up to that event.3.The students will work in the computer lab utilizing inspiration software to create a concept map, under the direction of the teacher, that includes all of the events and specific details that they discussed as a group.POST-ACTIVITYDescription:·The students will present their concept map to the class and answer any additional questions the teacher, and class may have pertaining to their concept map and presentation.

Teaching Resources and Helpful Websites

Here is a list and review of helpful teaching resources compiled from the web.http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/This website contains lesson plans, templates, teacher tools, discussion forums, e-books, and more. It is a website that was created to provide teachers with free resources to make lessons fun and exciting. It has different lesson themes from pre-K to 12, and is very insightful and all-inclusive. Some of the tips include how to deal with ADHD students, and there are even pages that you can print off and use in the classroom. If you can’t find what you are looking for amongst all of the free resources, there is also a store where you can purchase items for teaching. This is a very resourceful website!http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/This website is a free website that is for the busy k-6 teacher. There are blogs, free pintables, and many more tips, as well as an online store where you can purchase more great items for teaching. There is classroom management advice, as well as monthly resource pages, links for more great websites, and literature activities. There is also a new teacher’s resource page, as well as a resource for creating mini-offices. The website also includes links and instructions on how to create your very own website. This is another great site for teachers!http://www.theteacherscorner.net/This website contains daily bulletin boards, pen pals, teacher’s forums, lesson plans, and printable worksheets, all free. What makes this website different from the other websites is that it contains an online teacher’s lounge, with message boards and available teaching jobs. The resources on this site are geared toward the teacher as much as they are geared toward the students. The free lesson plans are also great, and they range from kindergarten to grade 12.http://teachers.net/This is a great k-12 teaching resource that contains chat boards, where you can chat with teachers all over the world. It also has over 4,000 free lesson plans, and many free k-12 projects that can be downloaded and printed. There are teacher blogs, a list of teacher jobs, and articles about teaching. Some of the projects include arts and crafts, field trip ideas, fundraising, ecology, and more. All of the projects looked fun and exciting.http://www.abcteach.com/This is another great online teacher resource for education. It contains over 35,000 pages of worksheets, projects, and activities if you sign up to become a member. The first 3 months is $9.95, or, 1 year for $40.00. There are even group memberships or gift memberships available. You can search for your project or lesson plan by subject, and there are many downloads that can be printed and used within the classroom. There are also resources for ESL students, as well as “Green” Eco-friendly teaching plans, and projects for home-schooling as well. This website is easy to navigate, and broken down into several different parts. Overall, I would rank this website very highly.

Super Mom, Super Me

I put my 12 month old daughter to bed at 7:45pm, and was actually happy that I had time to clean the house. My life is officially pathetic. As a mom, the highlight of my day (after my wonderful daughter, of course), is finding quiet time to clean my messy, disorganized house. I began sorting, organizing, trashing, and keeping a random selection of miscellaneous collected items throughout the years. My husband sat, off to the side on the bed, watching YouTube videos...something about an ambidexterous woman drawing with two hands. I could have killed him. I am exhausted, and finally have three seconds of time to breathe, and I have to clean. I havn't showered in 4 days, but as a Super Woman/Super Mom, I have learned the art of looking fresh and clean, despite the neglect of my personal hygiene. Thank you deoderant.After countless hours of cleaning, I looked around and realized that I had not even made a dent in the piles of toys, clothes, and paperwork. My husband is still on the computer. If I could resurrect him, I would kill him again. I love my husband, and am only joking...legal disclaimer, but geeze...can a woman get some help? Oh, did I mention that I work full time (with mandatory overtime), and am working on a Master's degree, and have 3 dogs, and care for 2 elderly grandparents, who all live in the same house? Needless to say, I am the typical woman. Busy, over worked, and underappreciated. I quit cleaning for the night. I am done. Sorry toys, all over the floor. Sorry laundry that needs to be washed, folded, and put away. Sorry dishes piling up in the sink. Bathroom- I am not even going to speak to you, I don't even have the time to go into that...but I digress. So POST cleaning, here is my night. Defrost some cold, pre-cooked chicken sausage, grab a Corona, and watch some DVR. At 11:00pm, I FINALLY get some dinner. So I am watching a DVR of Eli Stone, something my husband is actually interested in, so he is watching it too, and it ends (shocker, but I am leading up to something, promise). At the end, I tell my husband that I am going to organize the filing cabinet really quick before bed because the baby is asleep, and he tells me he is going to play video games online with his brother. Ok, well, at least the computer is turned off. I look up and see one of my daughter's baby pictures and blurt out "I want another baby," the exact time he says, "You're not pregnant are you?" I mean, the exact same time, randomly, for no reason. We both have a laugh, but I still can't shake the randomness of it all. Maybe I am pregnant. I was off of birth control last month because of an ovarian cyst, and we had sex one night and he didn't listen to me about pregnancy prevention so BOOM, maybe...but probably unlikely. I only say probably unlikely because it just can't be likely at this juncture in time. I said I wanted another baby, but NOT NOW anyway.It is at this time that the baby cries, and reminds me of why I am not ready for another baby quite yet. Because my grandparents live with us, the baby sleeps in our room. Every night, like clockwork, she wakes up, and my husband allows her to sleep with us in the bed. I put the child in the crib, go to sleep, and wake up every single day to her pulling my hair in the bed. Well here she is again, up and ready. I laid her back down in her crib and walked toward the bed, when, all of a sudden: WOOOSH, there goes my softie husband to rescue his little girl from her cries, and let her cuddle in the bed. I look at her and she growls at me (that is her new thing), followed by laughter, and a wave, like she knows she just won. I am dreading the teenage years, and wonder if anyone else is going through this. Am I alone? Anyone go through it and GET through it? Daddies just LOVe to spoil their little girls...rotten.I am exhausted but my mind is still racing, so I google blogging, and this website comes up. So now, I am in the bathroom, typing about my crazy life as a full time employee, full time mom, full time student, full time elder care person, full time 3 dog keeper, full time wife, and full time housekeeper and full time cook. Maybe, if I can write about my life, someone will share their thoughts and experiences, and I won't be alone. Is there anyone out there? Anyone at all?Gotta go. The baby is knocking on the bathroom door....Why is my child awake at 12:19am? Lord... I will see you at church tomorrow morning. I have a lot of praying to do!!!

I Forgot... To add YOUR Advice...

To add your advice to my question of the week: send me a friend request on Facebook. My user- name is Superious Motherus. I wanted to put Super Mom but it wouldn't let me, hence the cheesy latin gladiator name. Although, sometimes I feel like a gladiator! Anyway, as soon as I get these responses I will post it to this blog.

Keeping Relationships With Childless Couples Alive

I woke up this morning to my daughter, growling and jumping on me, and trying to pull out my eyelashes. Staying up late last night was not a good idea. Anyway, last friday, my childless friends wanted to watch the fireworks, so after I put the baby to bed and secured a babysitter, we headed downtown to watch them. Needless to say, after waking up at 5:30 am, working all day, coming home and taking care of the baby, I was ready to turn in for the night by midnight which, by the way, is waaaay past my bedtime these days. Since I was not driving.... we stayed out until two. Of course, the baby was up the next day at 7:00am, and I havn't caught up on sleep yet. I don't think moms get to sleep, it is a rule or something like that. For my birthday, all I want to do is sleep. No presents needed, no cards, just 8 whole hours of quality sleep.I can't wait for my childless friends to have kids. One day they will understand, and they won't keep me out all night. You have to walk a fine line between managing your lifelong friends who do not have kids, meeting the needs of your family, and not going insane. Realistically, once you are a mom, you are not going to maintain all of you pre-mom relationships. It isn't going to work, they are not going to understand, and you will lose some of your friends. Motherhood is a test of true friends and relationships. If your friendship is baby-proof, you will have a friend for life. My friend, the one who doesn't have a baby right now, has been my friend literally my whole, life, since we were born. When you have a friend like that, you have to make some concessions and pray that she and her husband has kids soon. She said she is going to go off of birth control in August, but has planned a girls Vegas trip in September with all of her single, unmarried, childless friends. For her sake, let's hope the stork comes after their trip, because if there is one situation you do not want to be in, it is to be pregnant in Vegas. Try being a married mom with kids, and having a bunch of pretty, single, childless friends running around in Vegas. No good.So you have to live and learn. Baby proof your friendship. Talk to your friends about your life as a mom, but not too much that it takes over your entire conversation. I try to say just enough so as to stop the baby conversation just before their eyes glaze over, and believe me, if you pay attention, at some point their eyes WILL glaze over if you talk too long. So that is the tip for the day: practice your baby conversation with your friends who don't have kids, but make sure that you don't bore them with all of the dirty mommy details like spit up and screaming. Trust me, they are not interested in the fact that you accidentally grabbed a handful of poop while changing your baby's diaper (like I did the other day).Any of you moms out there have any advice to share about balancing your non-mom friendships with your life?I am still waiting for advice for how to get a 1 year old to sleep through the night!

Top Baby Registry Must Haves

Top Baby Registry Must Haves
I have scoured the internet, forums, and websites, compiling a list of the top Baby Registry Must Haves! Here it goes:Cloth diapers: These can be dyed any color, and come in handy for spit-ups, drooling, and Emergency diapers! cloth diapers are a baby must have secret of our previous generation, and are making a HUGE comeback!Graco Quattro Tour Travel System Stroller: Doubles as a car seat, baby carrier, and stroller, all in one system. This is rate 5/5 by moms!Do it Yourself Belly Cast: For mommies who want to preserve that baby belly in a special way!Pampers Swaddlers: Get size 1, because the baby will be out of the newborn size in no time. These are great because there is a cutout area for the umbilical cord, so it doesn't irritate it.Baby Bjorn Infant Carrier: This SAVED MY LIFE! The only time my hands were free was when I carried my daughter in her infant carrier. it mimicks the womb, and brings mommy and baby close together, while preserving mommy's sanity!The Happiest Baby on the Block Book: I can't say enough about this book. another lifesaver. I give one to every new mommy!Sassy Me in the Mirror: this attaches to the infant carrier, and allows the baby to look at themselves. Another lifesaver. I'm an advocate of anything that gives mommy 5 minutes of breathing room!The First Year;s American Red Cross Grooming Kit: Has everything that you need for baby, and the price is nice too!Any Baby Bouncer: Great for multiples! Baby bouncers create an in-the womb sensation for baby. Combine this with swaddling and you're guaranteed at least an hour's worth of happy baby! Crucial!Playtex Drop In System: Forget washing the inside of bottles all the time- these are disposable inserts, and my daughter loved them. They alse compress to get the air out (to prevent upset stomache), and are easy on mom too! They also come with a great pump and storage system for breastfeeding moms as well.Safety 1st High Definition Digital Baby Monitor: This isn't as pricy as the video monitors, and you can turn down the volume and watch for it to light up if the baby is crying as well. this is good for colicky babies; when the mommy wants to make sure the baby is ok, but can't stand the screaming! You can still monitor the baby without the price of video and the migrane!Diaper Genie: This works to take the stink away from baby diapers, and is disposable and almost air tight. A great investment, and alternative to running to the garage trash can every 10 minutes.Fisher Price Aquarium Bathtub: This is great because it is convertible from newborn to toddler, and comes with cute baby toys to go with it. My daughter loves hers!Boppy Einstein Me Play Gym: Has lots for baby to do, and provides lots of fun and entertainment. My daughter used to fall asleep after playing! Always a bonus!Onesies: These are always good, but I recommend getting size 12 months, because most moms end up getting too much 0-3 clothing, and baby quickly grows out of it before even getting the chance to wear it!Baby Slings: Like Infant carriers, these keep baby content for long periods of time. Most moms in other countries carry their babies throughout infancy, and these are extremely helpful!Baby Einstein Stationery Baby Entertainment Center: Another lifesaver. It's great in the kitchen while you're trying to cook a meal and want to make sure the baby is safe and happy. Skip these:Baby Shoes/Sandals: These are cute, but not practical, and a baby under 6 months probably won't keep them on anyway. I recommend not buying any shoe size smaller than size 3.Pre-made Baby Swaddlers: These don't swaddle the baby tight enough to achieve the benefit of swaddling. Instead, opt for nursery blankets.Baby Walkers: These can be dangerous, especially is a stairway is accidentally left open. Opt for a stationery entertainment center.Stretchmark Cream: Most of these do not work. I used pure olive oil after a shower, and throughout my pregnancy and was able to escape stretchmarks, even though my mother had them pretty bad. I swear by constant olive oil application.If you have any other mommy must haves please share!

Should I Go Back to Work?

Q: Should I go back to work or be a stay at home parent?A: This is one of the biggest questions that new moms face. On one hand, staying at home with the baby provides a great way to bond with your child, and raise them yourself. On the other, working means you have more money (which ALWAYS helps when you have a baby), and it provides you with the freedom and independence that being a stay at home mom does not. You also connect socially with other people on a whole other level. the choice is ultimately up to you. You should make a list of the pros and cons of each, cross out what cancels out on your list, and you will be left with your answer. Are you working just to pay for a sitter? Maybe you should consider staying at home. I did work with a woman, however, who made $25.00 a month after she paid the babysitter for all of her kids. She said she was working because she was going crazy at home and needed the mental break. If it were me personally, I would rather be at home with my daughter and take the mental break from work. Every woman is different, and there is no wrong answer. You also have to assess whether or not you can financially afford to take time off of work and be a stay at home mom. That being said, there are lots of ways to make money as a stay at some mom. I will have a follow-up post on the ways that stay at home moms can earn some extra income. Also, if you are married, you need to have a deep conversation with your spouse or significant other about staying at home to raise the baby. a lot of spouses do not realize how much work it is to raise a child and care for a home, and it is important that they do not feel like they are doing all of the work while you vacation at home. If anyone knows anything, it is that being a mom is NOT a vacation. Moms are caretakers, secretaries, organizers, cooks, housekeepers, accountants, nurses, psychologists...all in one day, and I could go on. There is no 9-5 job as a mom! Check back for a follow up post of ways to earn extra income as a stay at home mom.

Ways to Make Money at Home

There are many busy moms out there who have the desire to stay home and care for their children, but their financial situation doesn't allow them to. Some of these moms work just because it is an absolute necessity, and are looking for that perfect work from home job to make extra money to pay the bills:Ways to Make Extra Money at Home:1. Blog: If you are patient and consistent, you will eventually earn extra income from blogging. The key is to advertise! Google AdSense is a great tool, and there are others as well. You will start off slow, but some of the best bloggers make thousands of dollars a month.2. Turn your hobby into cash: I am a photographer on the side, but recently have been using my photography skills to earn some extra income. Vistaprint will host a website for $4.99 a month (its very user friendly) where you can showcase your work. Place an ad in Craig's List and order some business cards with the website listed, and you are in business. I know a mom who also did this and she shoots about 2-3 weddings a month now, for about $1-2k a pop!3. Add another kid. No, I don't mean make another baby and pray for a tax break. If you are able to, offer childcare services to another mom who may not be so lucky as you to stay home. Just make sure you comply with your state's laws about the number of children you are allowed to watch.4. Start a home-based business, and sell your products to local specialty stores. I know a mom who makes specialized and personalized hair bows, and sells them to her friends and family. It was expanded to local stores, and she is on her way to a successful business. Do you make the best cookies in the world? Try selling them to local bakeries or restaurants. Every woman has a talent, you just have to search for yours.5. Some companies have work from home/alternate work options. Look into the policies of your company to see if this is an option for you.

Getting a 1 Year Old to Sleep Through the Night

Getting a newborn to sleep through the night is impossible, if not dangerous, because newborns need to be fed every 2 hours to sustain them. But getting a 1 year old to sleep throught the night should be easy...or is it? We used the co-sleeping method from birth to recently, and now, I want my bed back. It is time to make a transition.As many of you know, I have been struggling to get my 1 year old to sleep through the night. My husband can't stand to hear her cry. My little genius has picked up on this little tidbit, and now has taken to wimpering (in her sweetest voice) "Da-Da. Da-da. Daaaa-da." Immediately, he jumps out of bed and runs to her, takes her out of the crib, and lets her cuddle with us. This wouldn't be so bad if she didn't jab me in the stomache with her foot and pull my hair all night. And since I have to be up at 5:30am for a long day of work, this is no longer an option for me. I have taken some of your advice and it seems to be working, so here is what I have been doing to get my 1 year old on track to sleep through the night:Co-sleeping Transition Schedule5:30pm: Dinner6:00pm - 7:30pm: Play7:30pm - 8:00 pm: Bath with Lavendar Soaps8:00pm - 8:30pm: Baby Einstein Video, then short book8:30/8:45pm: Sing baby a song, say prayers, and lay baby down to bed. I know you aren't supposed to give the baby a bottle, but I do. I am slowly diluting the formula out so that she will be drinking water, and then I will switch it out for her sippy cup, and then eventually nothing. One step at a time.12:00am: Baby wakes up and cries out. I tell her "Shhh, lay down. You're ok, mommy loves you." I do this several times, but I do not rush over to her. She wimpered a little bit, but no big tears, screams or cries, so I didn't go over to her. Right before her daddy is about to rush over to her, she lays down. I say, "good girl." the whole interaction was less than 2 minutes.1:00am: Baby wakes up and cries out. I tell her "Shhh, lay down. You're ok, mommy loves you." She lays down. I say, "good girl." This takes about 1 minute.5:30am: I wake up for work. Baby's still asleep. daddy says she has been sleeping until 8:30am.this has been going on for the last 2 nights. So hopefully, we can wean out the 2 night wakings, but this is what we have to do to get her accustomed to sleeping in her crib. Co-sleeping was great when she was tiny, but she is big and wiggly now, and momma is not on maternity leave anymore

I Want to Work From Home

If you are like me,then you are hardworking, caring, and an over-achiever. You have a degree from a great school, you excel at your job, and you are underpaid for your achievement. Yes, I said it: underpaid. At the fortune 500 company I work for now, they have me doing all types of extra work for upper-upper-upper management, and keep moving me up the ladder "laterally," which means more responsibility, more work, and more possible repercussions if you mess up. The thing is, the term "laterally" is used as a corporate term meaning: "We are not going to pay you more, even though you are doing more."I want to work from home. I want to watch my daughter and work hard. I have googled "work from home" several times, and keep getting all of these faulty advertisements and spam pop ups, and nothing has really come out of it yet.I ask you, my readers, to support my efforts and join me in my quest to find real answers and solutions to the work from home mystery. Let's solve it together. If you have any thoughts, or ideas, or have things that have worked for you, please leave a comment about this post so that you can share your knowledge with working moms everywhere.Follow my journey with me!Step one: Create a blog. I started this blog after watching a woman talk to Oprah about going through post-partem depression and blogging about it. Her way of dealing with her depression was to write about what she thought and was going through. Now, she makes $40,000 a month from blogging. That is not a typo, she makes $40,000 a month from blogging. I will be happy if I had a job with a base salary of $40,000 a year! Unfortunately in this economy, a bachelors degree and a masters cannot even get you that if you don't know the right people. So back to step 1: create a blog.I started this blog on blogger.com with the hopes that google adsense and other money generating tools would be useful to me. Yesterday I made $00.18. That is asmall number, I admit, but it is something. It means that someone out there is reading what I have to write, and if they are, that means that I have a chance. My goal everyday is to beat the amount generated the day before. That means, quality posts and blog marketing. It means finding sponsors and supporters who are willing to support my cause, and it means not giving up. So I will not give up. I will prevail. I will research. And I will share my journey with you so you can too!Money is made in blogging when traffic visits your site and people click on the ads that are provided by your sponsors. It is a numbers game. If enough people visit my blog and are interested in my sponsors then I will make money. so let us begin this journey together.Thank you for your dedication and support for mothers everywhere, looking to make a difference and a change.I look forward to your feedback, advice, comments, and questions!