Certified in a Flash

Dear prospective teachers, I am so happy to announce that "Certified in a Flash" is out on the app store! This interactive study tool features digital flashcards that will help you prepare for the TExES EC-6 Generalist Exam! With an immediate feedback system you will always know how well you're doing and make sure you're ready for your exam! Visit ladybugapps.com to find out more! Buggin' out!

TExES- The Last Obstacle in the way of Becoming a Certified Teacher

I took the TExES Generalist Exam this past Friday and am so glad to have it behind me! Well, I will technically find out if I passed next week, but I certainly have high hopes! It was so stressful! It took me 3 hours and 58 minutes. I constantly wondered whether the test was measuring my knowledge or my endurance. For those of you taking this test in the future make sure to bring a granola bar and some water; they saved me 2 hours in.

The TExES is such an interesting exam because all subject areas (Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, Health, Art, and Music) are covered extensively. Literally, any fact from these subjects since the beginning of time is fair game. This makes it so challenging and quite obnoxious because it is the only test, other than the PPR, standing in the way of becoming certified to teach. Being as how we absolutely need to get Super Star teachers in the classroom to turn our failing education system around, it is critical we choose the best and smartest way to study for this exam and get it over with. Therefore, I'm really interested in talking to anyone who has taken the exam so please feel free to share studying tips here on my blog.

I studied quite a bit for this test. However, it seems there is really no way to be fully prepared for a test that has an infinite amount of potential content. Most of us don't have the luxury of dedicating months to sitting down and studying for this exam. Most of us have jobs, are going to school, and are always on the go. How then can we study more effectively?

I think I have found the ultimate solution to this, but first let me share with you how I studied. I bought a few different books which all came in the same format: hundreds of pages filled with information in the front and a practice test in the back. The first go around, I read all of the information in the front and then took the test afterwards. This is exactly how these books are intended to be used. I thought it was helpful, but it was extremely time consuming and I became way too dependent on referencing the text each time I was stumped by a question. Again, with such limited time to sit down and study from a heavy book, this didn't seem to make the most sense. I decided when diving into the second book I'd jump right into the practice questions and only use the front of the book to review content specific to questions I got wrong. I liked this much better because it was a much more effective use of my time and I quickly knew the areas I needed to brush up on. It was also great because I was able to test myself on content from all subject areas in a brief amount of time. It became perfectly clear to me that the more practice tests I took, the better prepared I would be.

I then took it upon myself to begin writing my own test questions typical of those seen on the exam. I actually had some friends join me in this process to create a study bank we could all utilize. You'd be surprised at how fun it actually was to do this. What’s exciting about this test is that we have all learned the material at some point in our early education, now it’s just a matter of recalling all of those specific facts we have long forgotten. Who can still remember the names of all the Native American tribes, where they were from, and what they were known for? I know I couldn't until I began writing these questions! Well, I'll let everyone know if my studying philosophy worked out next week and I will deliver a further update on my solution to how we can study more effectively.

Til' then, Buggin' out!

I elect Ms. Nikki Smith for Mentor of the Year

On my first day of Field Experience III I walked into Sigler Elementary in Plano and immediately knew I was going to love the school.  It was completely brand new.  High ceilings, open classrooms, friendly staff... it felt perfect.  I was then lucky enough to be paired with the most wonderful 1st grade teacher around, Ms. Nikki Smith.

One of my most memorable moments in her classroom was during a science lesson on interactions.  Ms. Smith presented a slideshow full of pictures of diverse people and animals and asked the students to make observations based on what they saw. From observing Ms. Smith's class on a regular basis, I was used to responses that were very creative and out of the ordinary, so naturally, my expectations were very high.  However, that day, a young student named Macie simply blew me away.

The picture was of a colorful frog on a limb, set with a black background.  In response to this photo, Macie raised her hand and nonchalantly stated "The frog must be nocturnal because he is awake at night." Wow!  I was amazed and felt so proud!  I am CERTAIN that I did not know what nocturnal meant when I was in 1st grade.  Ms. Smith's class is filled with the brightest, sweetest, and most energetic children I have ever had the pleasure of spending time with.

Today was my last day of Field Experience at Sigler Elementary and I realized more than ever how much I love Ms. Smith and her students.  I actually failed to mention to Ms. Smith that today would be my last day because in all honesty, I wasn't even aware.  So, as I began to make my way to say my goodbyes, I broke the sad news to Ms. Smith.  She immediately rose from her seat and gave me the tightest, most sincere hug and told her class to come line up to give Ms. Christina a hug goodbye, because today is her last day.

I hugged them all and whispered in their ears that I believed in them and would miss them so much.  They all shouted "We will miss you!"  Some cried, and one even carried me! I couldn't believe how much it hurt inside to walk away from that classroom, and I know that even though Field Experience is now over, I will continually visit Ms. Smith's 1st grade class as long as she lets me.

I also got an invite to their end of the year party!! :)  Buggin' out!

Way to go Maine!

I am so glad to see that some schools are headed in the right direction.  This is awesome! Way to go Maine!  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/09/maine-ipad2-kindergarten_n_846948.html

Buggin' out!

Jorge & Alexa Narvaez

I recorded this at SXSW this year.  Could this father and daughter be any cuter?  I hope they continue singing together for a VERY long time! Buggin' out! :)

The Future of Learning through Mobile Devices

Check out this great blog post by The Future of Education!

http://blog.futureofed.org/index.php/2011/04/04/mobile-learning-just-makes-sense/

Stay tuned for an upcoming glog on the phenomenal session The Future of Education had at SXSW!  I'll make you feel better about missing it and share all the highlights.

Buggin' out!

Online Bulletin Boards

If you haven't yet, you must check out glogster.com.  It is a tool that essentially allows you to make online bulletin boards.  Think about bulletin boards in elementary schools.  They are powerful and relay important messages in colorful and meaningful ways.  Why do we use them?  We use them to engage students and teach concepts using visuals and minimal text.  This method makes learning fun for students and easy to comprehend.

Now, with glogster we can easily create these bulletin boards online.  I have recently began attending forums and panels on education and technology.  My glogs will represent the highlights discussed during these question and answer sessions and be provided for all to see! Enjoy!

One of my favorite panels this year at SXSW was Designing Stuff Kids Will Love and Use
Buggin' Out!