through the eyes of Emily: February 2009

Thursday, February 26, 2009

What a Great Day!

I had SUCH a good day. Let me talk you through it. It started out with teaching about periodic trends to my Chem 105 class. It was a great lesson, it was student oriented and they were engaged, and it just started out the day perfectly. Then I went to class and it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL outside. Philosophy was very interesting as we talked about Boyle's worldview and about the development of the idea of gravity and how it is strange that it is so much like a "magic" force. Then we talked about how there were so many things that were strange like it, such as light and sound, all three things move through "empty" space. It was a great discussion. On my way home I saw Jill and got to talk to her, it was so fun to catch up on life, she is planning on going on a mission, that is SO exciting. Next I went to Springville High School and they were taking a test but I learned so much from Mr. Haderlie and it just got me really excited to be teaching. It is going to be such a GREAT experience. I am so excited to be working in the schools, and to become a teacher. I then came back to campus and taught again, it is so interesting how you can do the same thing in two classes and get completely different results. Then back to learning from Mr. Haderlie and getting some great ideas for experiments to perform. I am going to have a lot of fun. I ran from class to the car and then drove out to Saratoga Springs to babysit for the Ramsays. And they are just so 'dang' cute. I wish I had more time to play with them. I came in and Tate said, "I already practiced today, I'm not going down." It was nice to be there not just for piano lessons, but to sit with them, have popcorn, to read books together, and to love them up. Now I just have to get done a poster presentation before the night is out, and I will be set. It was an inspirational day though. I can do all that I needs to get done. I am really excited for what is ahead, and I know that the Lord is looking out for me.
It is nice to be able to see and count your blessings every once in awhile. May I suggest doing so, it will brighten your day as you see all the things going for you. Have a good one.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Routines

Today I was volunteering at Oakridge again and observed how important it is to have a routine each day for these students to follow. After lunch and seminary each individual in the class has a job that they need to complete. For some of the higher functioning students they rotate through jobs each day, such as vacuuming, or cleaning the mirrors in the bathroom, wiping off tables and chairs, etc. Today I was working with Danielle, she had two jobs to complete during this time, one was laundry, and the other was cleaning the handrails in the hallway. I received instruction on what to expect and how best to help her to complete these tasks. I was told that she does a very good job at doing the laundry, all I needed to do was to help remind her of her job by showing her a picture of the task, and she would know what to do from there and would be willing to complete her job. I was then told that this second job of wiping down the handrails, however, was not going to be as easy. For this was a new job that she was just learning how to complete and she was not quite as good at completing that task without prodding, direction, and help. I was amazed at the difference that the routine, the consistency, made for her. Like was told to me, once Danielle was shown the picture that triggered her to go and do laundry she ran excitedly to do her part to help clean up. She went to all three classrooms and collected their dirty rags and brought them into the laundry room, and then placed them in the basket. She was so good. As she completed her job the other teachers thanked her for her work, and she did a very good job at completing her task. I then watched as her next job was supposed to be completed. This process did not go as smoothly. She went back into the classroom and sat down refusing to do any more work. A tech had to get a wheelchair, which she is afraid of, and pushed it behind her to get her to come out into the hall with me so that we could work on cleaning the rails. As Danielle was frustrated with me, I was glad that I had been told that this was a new job she was trying to learn how to do so that it made sense to me why it was so hard for her to get started, to stay focused and not running away from the task, and understood her relief as she completed the task. I think for me this task was the most stressful part of the day because she ran away into other classrooms, trying to get away from me, and I felt like I was unable to correctly do my job. I know that she did not like that I was asking her to complete the task, and I'm sure it didn't help that I new to helping her, and that it was a new job for her to do as well.
Anyways, that is the events for today, and it has caused me to think about the consistency we all need in our lives. Why is it that when we go to a certain class that we tend to sit in the same seat as the time before? Well, it is because it is familiar to us, and we like having that consistency as we go throughout our day. For children with disabilities this is extremely exaggerated. Each task could take weeks to master, and to then change things up is asking a lot of students. Even in a regular high school classroom, each student has seven to eight classes that they are required to learn specific rules for, and that they need to learn to adapt to. If you change expectations regularly, it could easily become very confusing for students, and it could cause for them to do poorly in the course as a result. When setting up my classroom I need to be aware of the routines I expect students to go through, and then to be consistent in asking that of them each class period. And when I have a student with special needs I need to be even more cautious as to settle into a routine that the children can follow and not get bored with either.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Hard Times

I have decided that we are in the middle of some hard times right now. Not just one of use, but everybody is. They are all different trials, but they are trials nonetheless, and I wish I could take them away. But the thing is, no matter what we do, we can't take them away. We can talk about them, we can ease the pain for others, but they are still there. And, they will continue to be there until we learn to give them to the Lord, and to let his healing arms embrace us. This means we have to apply the atonement in our lives. This doesn't mean that we had to have sinned, it could be that we are lonely, or that we feel we are inadequate. To apply the atonement it could be because we feel there is a lot to get done, and we don't know how we can accomplish it all, it could be that a family member is in the hospital, or that abuse is going on in the family, it could be that we mentally abuse ourselves, or use physical abuse on another or ourselves. It could be just that it was a long day and you forgot to smile, the atonement can help heal us here. It is not just in my head, but legitimately, these are hard times. I feel bad for those who struggle financially right now, with the economy as it is, it just makes for a greater burden to carry; but honestly, the Lord can guide us in that regard as well, and in health issues too. Now, to apply the atonement isn't saying that the problems are going to go away, but I have felt the healing power in my life, and know that He can ease our pains, and help us to progress, to allow us to come closer to Him. The more experience I have, the more I realize the power of the atonement and what it can do for me. We can make it through, we just need to rely on the Lord a little more each day.