Joys of Teaching

So I realized that I hadn't posted anything in forever and a lot has happened in my life over the past few months. Right now I am student teaching. I just finished my 3rd grade class and now I'm moving on to my 4th/5th split. Through teaching, I have learned a lot about myself and I've definitely learned some of the do's and the don'ts. It has been a great experience. I only have two more months left and then I will graduate May 7th!  (TWO MONTHS AND COUNTING!!! :)) I've had a lot of people ask me about funny teaching stories so I thought I would share a few of my favorites. . . .

My expertise with bloody noses came in handy when one of my students had the nastiest bloody nose. My teaching had to leave the room when the blood started spurting all over the table. Luckily with some decent Kleenex, ice, and tender loving care, the bloody nose stopped after an hour.

The principle asked, "What do you all want for Christmas?" My student's response: "I want Miss Hunter to be our teacher for 4th AND 5th grade. I'm going to ask Santa to let her stay here forever." (I'm hoping he can pull some strings so I can get a job.  :))

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.
My students and I were at library and they were having a lesson on researching topics. My kids were having a rough day and definitely weren't acting their best. The librarian had to keep asking a certain group of students to calm down and be quiet. Well after a few times of this, I was getting a little annoyed myself. I told them that if they weren't respectful during library that we would have to practice what that meant during recess. Well they kept it up and I told them that I didn't appreciate their behavior to our librarian and that we would be having a talk during recess about what it means to be respectful. They were pretty bummed about that. Recess came and I set them down and we had a little heart to heart. I explained what respect meant. I then had all of the students that the librarian had to keep reminding stay in for recess and practice proper behavior in the library. They were not happy with me. One student said, "Miss Hunter! It's not fair though! I wasn't talking I was just with the other boys that were talking, but I was still quiet." Well this brought another teaching moment as I explained that sometimes even when we are around the wrong crowd we get in trouble. I related it to stealing. I said that even if he wasn't stealing, but he was with his friends when they got caught that he would get in trouble to. This really hit him hard. I thought he was going to cry as he sat in his desk. After him and his friends showed me how to be respectful for about 5 mins (which I'm sure seemed like hours) I thanked them and let them go out for the rest of recess. I looked over at my little friend and noticed he was the only one that didn't go out. I explained that he could go out because he had shown me how to behave. He nodded and said, "I know Miss Hunter, but I need to stay in. I need to pay the consequence." Wow. What a stud! I was so touched him and his understanding of consequences. I think I learned just as much from this situation as he and his friends did.

"Miss Hunter, I think you should stay and live at my house. That way you don't have to move and can teach us forever. I have an extra bedroom and I know my mom would say yes."

My students came in from recess one day and they were all very upset. I asked what was wrong and one student answered, "Miss Hunter _____ is leaving! He can't be in our class anymore. His mom is going to home school him." Well, I was pretty upset myself because this was one of my best students and I certainly didn't want him leaving! I went up to this student and asked why his mom wanted to home school him. He replied through tears, "Miss Hunter, I'm so mad. My mom just won't listen to me. She never believes me and now I have to be home schooled and I don't want to leave! (He started crying harder) I said, "Okay, calm down. Everything is going to be okay. Tell me what is going on. Why does your mom want you to be home schooled?" His response, "well you see, my mom said that if I came home with muddy clothes, she was going to home school me." At this point I started to smile and tried to hold in laugh. "I don't think you are going to be home schooled. Just explain to your mom that you feel down during football at recess. I think she will understand." "No Miss Hunter you don't get it! She will never believe me! She never does and now I have to leave all my friends." At this point I had some of my other students near tears and everyone was sure that he was never coming back. I told them not to worry about it and that he would talk to him mom tonight and then we would see what happens. My students were still distraught and were very dramatic about the whole situation. They gave him hugs after school and said their farewells. Well the next day sure enough he was still at school and with a smile on his face he explained, "She said she would give me another chance."

"Miss Hunter, look at that sign! I think it wrong. It says home of the bravs? Why does it have a ? and why is it spelled wrong?" My response: "I'm not sure. It probably is just a type-o. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure it was made by one of those Mexicans."

"____ said the f word." Me: HE WHAT?!?!" Student: "Yeah, he said farted." Me through laughs: "Oh, right. Yes, we should say that."

I could tell stories forever, but these are just a few of my favorite. Teaching is wonderful and I love it. It is hard, stressful, and time consuming, but it is a great profession and I know it is what I'm supposed to be doing. It is so rewarding to hear I child say, "Wow Miss Hunter! I finally get it! It finally makes sense" or "Miss Hunter that was the coolest lesson ever!" It is fun to see students so eager and excited to learn. I love seeing them apply what they learn. They are so smart and they teach me things everyday. I can't wait for my 4th./5th split. I'm sad 3rd grade is over, but I'm ready for a new change. I love getting to know the students and each of their personalities. I'm sure I will have more stories to add to this list.

Faith in Every Footstep

Lately I've been thinking about how crazy life is. Life can be such a mystery. It is full of unknowns, changes, and surprises. I once heard that life is what happens to us when we are making other plans. I am at a point in my life where it seems everything is changing. Sometimes it can be a little frustrating. I've never had any issues with change... I'm one of those rare people who actually need and like change.  BUT I do have issues with planning. I am one of those weird OCD schedule types. I like having a schedule. I'm weirdly organized and I'm obsessed with lists. I love planning. I love planning awesome parties with my friends, planning out my day, and planning fun adventures. I am ALL about planning. Recently I haven't been able to do much planning. I don't know what I'll be doing or where I will be living at in the next few weeks, let alone next year. You can imagine how frustrating/annoying this can be for an OCD follow the schedule type. It definitely has tried my patience. I have done a lot of thinking, studying, and praying and I've learned that yes life is crazy and unpredictable, but it's all about having faith. I've learned a lot about faith and trust this semester. It is something I'm learning and trying to do better at. Here are some highlights....


Life is never what we plan it to be, but it ALWAYS works out and usually better than we could ever imagine.


"How fundamentally different my life is than I had sought to plan! My professional life has changed. My personal life has changed. But the commitment I made to the Lord—to put Him first in my life and to be ready for whatever He would have me do—has carried me through these changes of eternal importance." -Dallin H. Oaks


It isn't enough to do the right thing. We have to do the right thing at the right time.

Faith is the only thing that can prepare us for life's unpredictabilities. Faith prepares us to deal with opportunities and persist through disappointments. 


Developing the commitment to follow God and his will is what anchors us in this life.


We can't plan everything. Sometimes we have to be willing to accept God's plan


Faith requires action.


If we trust God and listen for his message, we WILL find it.


Patience really is a virtue. Everything happens in its own time. D&C 64: 31-32


Faith = Trust


“Since faith in the timing of the Lord may be tried, let us learn to say not only, ‘Thy will be done,’ but patiently also, ‘Thy timing be done.’”- Neil A. Maxwell


If the timing isn't right, we need to adjust our actions to that of the Lords.


Most importantly, God loves his children and wants them to be happy. He has a plan for them that he designed to bring them happiness. 


This is one of my favorite songs. I think it says it all pretty good. Here are the lyrics. Enjoy.


The Most Beautiful Part About This Is....

I try to understand
The things you’re dealing with
My heart goes out to you, my friend
Somehow you’ve struck this out
Some would call it tragedy
But you know it’s a blessing
Just look how you’ve grown, my sweetest friend
May angels lift you till the end
She said look to the sky, not the ocean
When all seems lost and forever bleak
That’s the time you you must fall to your knees

Here I know through your faith
Christ can heal all
But till that day we must have faith
The words to me will never change
Just look how you’ve grown, my sweetest friend
May angels lift you till the end
She said look to the sky, not the ocean
When all seems lost and forever bleak
That’s the time you you must fall to your knees

And by His grace
You’ll see His face
On that day, you shall rejoice
Through His mercy, you’ll hear his voice
Rise and walk, my son
Let your burden be gone
Just look how you’ve grown, my sweetest friend
May angels lift you till the end
She said look to the sky, not the ocean
When all seems lost and forever bleak
That’s the time you you must fall to your knees

I'm dumb... after I typed the lyrics I realized... why not just post a video? So now you get both :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfGQJMk5_9E

Missing Rhode Island...

I've been back for almost a month now, which just seems crazy. I am so happy to be back in Utah with the mountains, friends, family, and even school. But I must say I miss my time at the beach and a million other things.

I miss faces like these...

living in a house like this...

driving things like this...

 doing things like this....

eating at places like this...

...and watching beautiful sunsets like this...

I heart the OCEAN STATE.

Future Cake Boss

Over the summer the girls got me obsessed with TLC cooking shows like Cake Boss and DC cupcakes. I now have a new fantasy of opening up my own bakery/cafe. After watching our fair share of episodes, the girls and I decided to put our creativity skills to action. We dedicated two days to cakes and cupcakes. We had a cupcake contest and then built an all home-made four layered cake! We were quite impressed with ourselves and all I have to say is Cake Boss has some new competition.

DC Cupcakes!

Cake Boss

First two layers... chocolate brownie chunk, homemade vanilla icing, and then a white cake.

Three layers... added another brownie chunk with icing.

Final layers with homemade chocolate frosting.

The final product!

The Chefs aka Cake Boss.

Boston

While I was in RI, I was able to take a day trip to Boston and do baptisms for the dead in the Boston temple. It had been a while since I been able to go to a temple and it was a really cool experience. It made me reflect a lot about my time in RI and why I was there. Before I left, my friends kept teasing me that this was my “mini” mission. Supposedly I was one of those stereotypical 20 year old girls that feel they need to venture off in the world and make a difference before they settle down and get married. Even though I totally disagree with that statement... I did find there some truth to it. I didn't go to RI so I could come home and get married. For those of you who know me, you know how false that is! I felt very strongly that I needed to go specifically to RI and work with the family that I did. Looking back, I can see several reasons for this. I learned a lot in RI. It opened my eyes to a whole new way of life. My family was not LDS, and neither was anyone in my city for that matter. This wasn't a new experience for me though. I just got back from being one of a the only members in a country! However, this time I was able and allowed to talk freely about religion. Not many days went by without at least one person asking me about my beliefs and why I lived the way I lived. I was able to reflect a great deal on why I was a member of the LDS faith. I am not a member because of my family or friends. I am a member because I choose to be. The gospel makes me a better person and it makes me happier than anything else. I was able to share this with so many people. Although none of them joined the church or probably will anytime soon, I was able to clarify teachings of the gospel and share my testimony verbally and also by example. I'm so grateful for those experiences and conversations that I was able to have. It strengthened my own testimony and hopefully those around me could feel something too. So no I am not buckling down and getting married anytime soon, but I do feel I was able to serve a “mini” mission.

Newport

A few weeks ago I visited the great city Newport, Rhode Island. It might just be one of my favorite places I've been to. It's a fun city with lots to do. It has great beaches, a beautiful golf course, amazing sea food, a cute beach village, shopping, and did I mention the Newport mansions? Newport is known as a New England summer resort. The mansions were built during the Gilded Age by very wealthy Americans such as the Vanderbilts, Belmonts, Bell, Wetmores, ect. There are incredible. I think this is a case where a pictures is worth a thousand words...

This is the Rosecliff mansion. Look familiar? Lots of movies have been filmed here.. including 27 dresses!

This is the Marble House. It is completely made out of marble and was a 39th birthday gift for one of the Vanderbilts... 11 million... in 1892. Enough said.

This is the Chateau-sur-Mer. 

The Elms

The Breakers.. my personal favorite. This was teh Vanderbilt's summer home. It has over 70 rooms with one room made completely out of gold. Below is the backyard view right on the ocean.

After I toured some of the mansions I walked along the "cliff walk." I think this explains my new obsession with the New England coast.

I walked forty steps...

to get to this...

then I walked along this...

to catch the end of the sunset...

Discoveries of Living on a Beach: Crabbing, Starfish, Jelly Fish

Being from Utah, I can count the times I've been to the ocean on one hand. Living on a beach is very different. I've learned a lot about the ocean- the tides, waves, fish, ect. I learned that there are millions of different crabs- some are eatable and some are not. There are different kinds of jelly fish- some good some bad. Stay clear of the red and pink ones, but the clear ones are okay. Moon Jellys are goo-y and are fun to throw at each other. Small sand crabs and starfish are fun to catch and play with. These are all things that a few months ago I knew nothing about.

Crabbing. Who knew this word would  bring such joy. Crabbing is so much fun. It might be one of my favorite things I've done all summer. Crabbing consist of putting raw chicken on the end of hooks and resting it down in small nooks of rocks. This is where most of the crabs hide out and they are easy to catch during high tide. After scooping them up in a net, they are placed in a bucket for counting at the end of the days adventure. I've been crabbing a few times and the most we ever caught was 104! I was like a little girl on Christmas. It was the coolest thing and I probably got a little too in to it. The girls got a good laugh at me.

I'm pretty sure we caught the mother of all crabs. For those discovery watchers- I felt like I was on the deadliest catch. It was pretty intense and we were all pretty proud we caught this guy. We were crabbing with a friend who has been crabbing here for almost 40 years and it was the biggest crab he has ever seen... yes bragging rights I know. For those of you who have never been crabbing, I highly recommend it. There is not age limit and you will have the time of your life.