Inspirational Quotes

“Only when professionals understand culturally sensitive care and are in close communication with families can they know how to work toward positive outcomes for children’s identity, sense of belonging, and cultural competence.”
Gonzalez-Mena, J., 2001


"Finally, learning occurs within the context of social relationships with other members of the community who have similar, if not identical, issues and concerns from the realm of practice."
Virginia Buysse Ph.D



"I had just a built-in passion that it was important to make a real contribution in the world, to fix all the injustices that exsisted in the world, and I wanted to do that through teaching." 

- Louise Derman-Sparks


"So the passion to create a safer, more just world for all kids is there, and I suppose will be there until I die, maybe even after." 

-Louise Derman-Sparks

Personal Childhood Web

Growing up I had a great support system. I had two great parents that loved me dearly. I also had grandparents and great grandparents that showed me a great deal of love and affection. I had several aunts, uncles,great aunts, and great uncles that also showed me love and affection. I have a large family so I was also around older cousins who took up time with me. I came from a very loving family. There are five people that stand out in my mind growing up.

My mom-

 She also worked hard to give me the things I wanted. She believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams. She has always shown me unconditional love and instilled in me the importance of hard work. She has taken care of my children so that I was able to go to college and work until they started school. She is always there for me when I need her.

My Dad-

He has always shown me love. He served our country in the Air Force and the Air National Guard. He traveled all over the world and I have always admired him for this.He always brought me back a porcelain doll from each country he went to.  He has also shown me the importance of hard work. He survived colon cancer and has shown me the importance of never giving up.


My Papa-

 He was a wonderful grandfather. He took up so much time with me and believed in me. He encouraged me to follow my dreams and work hard to accomplish my goals.He would take me fishing on his boat and this is a memory I cherish dearly. He served our country in the Air Force, Vietnam War, and retired from the Air Force. He fought a battle with lung cancer and lost, but he showed me the importance of putting up a good fight. He showed me unconditional love.

My Mema-

She was a wonderful grandmother. She showed me love that was endless. She taught me so many life skills and took care of me when I was sick.She would make me homemade potato soup when I was sick. She was able to watch my kids grow up until she lost her battle with cancer in 2013. She helped instill caring and nurturing in me. She loved all her kids and grandchildren so much.

My Aunt-

Aunt Priscilla has taught me to never, ever give up. She taught me to always chase after your goals, even when the whole world may be doubting you. She has shown me so much love and affection growing up. She taught me how to appreciate the outdoors and nature. I remember going to Providence Canyon with her when I was a kid.

Each of these people have had a tremendous impact on shaping me into the adult I am today. I was shown love by each of these people. I am thankful for each of the memories I have with them. I thank each of them for providing me with loving and nurturing. I am grateful to them for allowing me to pursue my goals and encouraging me to work hard to accomplish what I want to in life.

Children's Art

These are two works of art that are important to me. This fish was made by my son after reading The Rainbow Fish. The other is a drawing by my daughter. I love both of these. I think it is important to cherish the works of art by your children. I have a hope chest filled with art work they have completed over the years. I think this gives them a sense of pride and ownership for their work. I think it is important to nurture creativity. Do you think the parents of Picasso or Monet could have imagined their children being famous artists? 

Josh

                                                           

Jaleigh

The Rainbow Fish

This is one of my favorite books to read to my students. I think this book has a lot of great lessons that can be learned from it. Sharing, differences, getting along with others, feelings, and making friends to name a few. It is a great story with bright illustrations that grab the children's attention. There are also many activities that can be completed after reading this story. I have noticed  my own children and my students love making their own "Rainbow Fish". If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

Just a thought...

“By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn.”  Latin Proverb

This is so true. We go to school to learn how to teach children. We study theories and best practices on education. We continue our education to learn more or more about the best ways to teach our students. All this is necessary to teaching, but teaching also is a learning experience. While teaching you learn about your students, you learn what works and what doesn't, you learn that the lesson plan can't always be followed exactly. You learn and grow. The longer I teach, the more I see holding true. Teaching is a learning experience for all involved in the process.

Hi! It's me

                                          Hi! I'm Jennifer. You can call me Jen for short.

Welcome!

I am really excited to have my own place to blog while continuing pursuit of a higher degree.  I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all and my journey as a mother and teacher. Stay tuned for more to come!