Resume Website

Check out my resume turned website! I think it's pretty cool!

http://krystene-lang.wikispaces.com/home


-K

P.S.  I have my first interview! That's all I'm going to say for now because I am excited, and I don't want to jinx it! Wish me luck! I think it could be a good fit!

"A" for Teacher!

Well Ladies and Gents, it's that time.

Student teaching ended on Friday. It was an amazing and special day. My teacher and my kids were so, so sweet. We started the day with presents. They gave me teacher supplies, an AMAZING scrapbook that makes me cry when I read it, a Smiley Grad Ball they all signed, as well as all the other 3rd grade teachers, and a few books. I just, can't describe how grateful I am for them!

From my CT and Kids!

I forgot to take a picture of my gift to my Teacher. But she LOVED it! I posted the link to where I got the idea below. Mine looks a little more rough than the one in the blog, but HELLO I got it from Pinterest, which means it could never be as perfect! http://everythingispink.blogspot.com/2007/06/teacher-gift.html

So then our day went on fairly regularly from there. But when we got back from lunch, I went to go make copies of the best poem ever written by a third grader (I will share later!). When I came back from making copies, they had put the cover up over the window, which was incredibly strange. I slowly opened the door and they had a banner up (Congrats Grad!) and had set up an ice cream party. Talk about incredibly sweet! I was so surprised! And of course, that about made me cry again. :]

This was in my basket, they know me so well! 

I have just been so blessed to be apart of this class. My cooperating teacher was just about the most perfect CT anyone could ask for. She was so sweet and caring and willing to help me in any way. I could not have done this without her. :]

My Grad Cap, all Decorated!

On Friday, I also had my last meeting with University Supervisor. I signed some paperwork. We talked. I shared my scrapbook from my kids. And then, she told me ..... ready...... I GOT AN "A" in student teaching!!! :]  After everything I've gone through to get this point, I am so excited to get an A!

Graduation here I come! 

On Saturday, I went to a job fair for Wake County. I drove up Friday night, got a hotel. I felt pretty professional and, dare I say it like an adult! I had a good time. I meet a lot of people, and I am hoping that it pays off! 

All dressed for the fair in my hotel room!
I had a king size bed. I had trouble figuring out what side to sleep on! 

Anyways, graduation is SATURDAY! We are having a party that night and it is going to be awesome! I am so ready to graduate! I probably wont post too much over the summer. I will post when I get a job, and if I passed the Reading (K-12) Praxis. Hopefully in August, I will change this blog from The Real World: Student Teaching Edition, to The Real World, Teacher Edition! 

Wish me luck! 

Oh and here is the best Apology Poem ever written by a 3rd Grader: 

I'm Sorry I Broke Your Feelings

I... broke you
feelings
and your 

heart. 

I'm sorry

I'm sorry. 

You were not
my type. So I

had to break 

up with you. 

I hope that made you smile! 

Post It Note Clip Boards

I just wanted to take a minute to post about some of the gifts I am giving to my kids.



1. Post-it Note Clip Boards

Aren't they adorable? 

Steps to create: 

1. You either need good (non cardboard) coasters or you can get cork board anywhere they sell crafting items. I personally used cork board. I cut each larger squares into about 9 total small squares.

2. Next using scrapbook paper and a glue gun I wrapped the paper as neatly as possible around the entire thing. you end up folding the ends like you are wrapping a present. It doesn't look to bad when you are done either!. 

3. With cork board, you will need to half the post it note pads. The full size of one post it note pad is too large to get the medium sized gator clip over the whole thing. 

4. Voila! You have Post it Note Clip Boards! You can always decorate the clips with stickers and ribbon as well! :] 

I have also made my kids bookmarks using colorful large paper clips and ribbon in the school colors. I am so sad to not be able to see these kids every day, but they have taught me a lot. With any luck, I will have taught them something too!


I'll keep posting pictures of the gifts as I work on them! There's plenty more to come!

College... is Ending....

So with all the excitement about making it through full time, getting to spring break, and thinking about grad parties.... I've realized something. College... is ending!!!! It's been quite a ride. I've made a lot of friends. Lost a lot of friends. Had a lot of awkward moments. But I also had a lot of great moments. So that being said, here is the Disney story about college. Fitting for an elementary ed major right?? :]



http://www.hercampus.com/life/campus-living/what-it-s-be-college-told-our-favorite-disney-characters




Oh!! And I finally got my grad stuff!! YAY!

Almost officially an ALUMNI!! Super Cool! 

Keep me in mind over the next few weeks as I finish up the last few assignments of my undergrad college career..... And apply for jobs.... and hopefully go on interviews.... and plan an awesome celebration!! :] 

I made it!

Well readers, I did it. I have made it through not only the 4 required weeks of full load student teaching, but also the self imposed additional 4 days before spring break of full load student teaching!!!

I have to say, being on this end of the bridge feels really really good. I'm so honored to have a great class, a great school, excellent principals, and a fabulous cooperating teachers. I have learned so much in the last 3 months and I will forever remember the lessons learned here. It's been a priceless experiences. :-D


This past week was C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!!!!!!!!! To start it off, I had a rough cold all week, still fighting the tail ends of actually. My CT bought a house. And then we had the make up work.... the mountainous amounts of make up work. lol Ending a quarter right before a break, with a class that has students that are consistently 3-6 assignments behind, is rough. There was a lot of reteaching, corrections, and "hustling" to get it all in. In the end though, I'm proud of my students. They came through with pretty much everyone passing all subjects, despite this being a heavy content semester. Yay!!!


At our "spring celebration" (which replaced V-Day parties, btw) it was with relief that my CT and I stepped back and handed over our "spring breakers" to the WONDERFUL parent volunteers. The power of involved parents.... WOW!!!


So here I am, on my first Saturday out of full time. I'm oddly not working today despite being able to. But luckily I am working 3 days over this next week. (I've got some cash to earn back from my month long sabbatical!) And while I'm honestly, not totally looking forward to having to work again, I do kind of miss my coworkers and managers. I also know that by the end of this summer, I will be quitting, probably for good, so that I can focus solely on being a new teaching in the wonderful class/school I end up!

 Speaking of where I end up. I have no clue. I feel that it will honestly be more in my best interest to stay within the school system I'm student teaching in. But, there are several other counties that I'm considering and  will start completing applications for. I can only hope I can at least start interviewing for jobs in the next month. It would be BEYOND cool to know that I have job before graduating if possible!


.... Now all semester I have focused on really being in the moment and not worrying so much about student teaching. But, with full time over, the rest is really just a cake walk. (While still giving my 110%, of course) So I feel that it is safe to finally start the countdown! I love countdowns, and will do so for any big event in my life (including birthdays, because hey, it is an important thing to me that I was born! lol)

Here it is.... GRADUATION IS IN 41 DAYS!!! :]


Happy Spring Break Y'ALL!!

Full Time Student Teaching

Sorry for the incredibly long pause between posts. This entire month of March I've been teaching full time in my classroom. It has been... an incredible experience.

Let me start with my CT. She is wonderful. At the end of first week, told me how proud of me she is. My CT is constantly boosting up my moral and complimenting me. We work so well together and I am genuinely sad when I think about the end of my time in this classroom. I think that we will definitely be friends after this.  She has reminded me why  I want to get into teaching, and helped me realize my potential.


Next ,let  me bring up my kids. They are great. Crazy, wonderful, inquisitive, curious, and loving kids. Every day, despite any behavior problems, I leave ready and wanting to come back. Let's be honest, the kids really make your job as a teacher. We've earned our class reward. They choose a pajama day. The day of the reward, it was actually the perfect day to wear warm fuzzy pajamas, as it was a cold and windy day. :]

This was the banner to announce the winners of the
Human Body Unit, Question of the Day contest! 

PJ DAY!!! 

Friday we had a field trip to the NC Transportation museum. What an adventure! Because I was there, our class was split up the most. I took 7 kids with me on Bus 3. Within 10 minutes of driving, bus three lost two tires! lol It ended up alright. Apparently charter buses can drive safely missing tires. So onward we went. If you have ever been on a wooden roller coaster, you can imagine what that trip sounded and felt like lol :]  They called a mechanic to come fix the tires while we were touring. However, the mechanic didn't show up until it was almost time to go, so therefore, we arrived about 30-45 minutes later than we planned. There goes all of our extra instruction time! We rushed back to class, got packed up, and proceeded straight to computers. It was a little hectic, needless to say.

Here's one of the wonderful exhibits at the museum! 

Well this week would technically be the last week of full time student teaching, but we are just extending it to right up before spring break. When we get back from spring break, I'll be dropping off subjects left and right while I get the opportunity to visit and observe in other classrooms. It's so crazy! That last week of April/first week of May will be the end of Student teaching. Bittersweet moments ahead for sure.

Just me in some new teaching clothes lol
I really liked this outfit! 

Oh, and I'm starting the application process this week/end. Wish me luck!!

Job Fairs, Workshops, and Observations

Talk about a busy last two weeks!

1. I MOVED!  Luckily, this move does not largely effect my commute to school. It just makes me plan out my time in the morning with a little bit more thought towards what needs to get done and when I must absolutely leave by.

2. I was observed by my CT. - This went well. I think my CT is still very impressed by me. I know I am still impressed by her attitude and gracious of her compliments towards me. I do not take having a good CT for granted! :]

3. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY!!!! - Panels, Job Fair, and workshops!!!!  I learned some very cool strategies, and did a TON of networking!!!!  Check out my outfit (and new hair cut!) in the picture below! Please oh please, let me end up with a job for August!    [ Side note, I also got to see one of my favorite high school teachers, who is now a principal! That was fun, and so nice to see her! I owe a lot of my work ethic to that woman and her class my junior year! ]

4. I was observed by my supervisor- Again, this went EXTREMELY WELL!!! She was very impressed by my management skills, my use of my voice as a tool (meaning appropriately loud and soft when needed), as well as my higher level questioning. I am right on track to be headed to graduation!!!!!!!! :]  YAY!!! OHHHH, and my Supervisor also mentioned, that I am the most organized student teacher she has this semester. To quote a cute recent movie, "Crushed it!" (Pitch Perfect)



I have been having some GREAT discussions lately with my class. They are getting engaged, and excited about topics that have a tendency to be not so exciting!! I'll have to upload some of my Smart Board Slides/Notes from class. It really amazing to think about and see the end result of our discussion. They guide me to topics I didn't even think about including. They make me stay on my toes for sure!

I will also have to upload pictures from the latest science experiment where they are comparing an apples skin, to their own skin. (Skin, FYI is the LARGEST organ you have!) It is really cool! Part one of this lesson is the part that my supervisor observed. I believe I will be video taping part two tomorrow!

My students are all working so hard. I'm a proud teacher.... and at the end of the day, what more could I ask for...


.............. besides a job?!?!!! :]


Goodnight, we will talk again soon!!