Please introduce yourself to the class of both face-to-face and virtual candidates. Tell us about yourself (family, schooling, hometown, hobbies, pets, birthday, etc.). Also tell why you chose the field of elementary education and who influenced you to go into education.
This is due by the first day of class... Wednesday, January 18 at midnight (Central Standard Time).
HI... I am very excited that you have chosen to become a teacher!!! Here is a little about me and my story:
ReplyDeleteI was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma to Bob and Norma Smith. (Yes... my Dad's name was actually Bob Smith.) I have one sister, Kathy, just 17 months younger than I am; we were inseparable growing up. From my earliest memories, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. My dolls, toys, and even my sister were my students. My greatest possession was my chalkboard. I would hold class in my bedroom at every chance.
It was when I was in 7th grade at Guthrie Junior High School that my mathematics teacher, Mrs. Sparkman, asked me to tutor another student after school. I absolutely loved math; and I found that I also loved helping my friend learn. So I was hooked on becoming a math teacher.
I graduated from Guthrie High School, and went on to attend the University of Central Oklahoma, majoring in mathematics. I decided that I really wanted to teach junior high/middle school students... so I majored in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Middle School Mathematics.
My first job was teaching 7th grade mathematics and algebra at Guthrie Junior High School in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Yes... the same school I attended years early. My former teachers became my colleagues, and then my friends!
I taught in Guthrie for 17 years. Then met my husband at an NEA meeting in Washington, DC. We married and I moved to Kansas.
Teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics and algebra in Wamego, Kansas, I decided that I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. at Kansas State University.
SO... here I am, at Fort Hays State University.
I am also a pianist. I have played for more musicals than I can remember (both high school and community theater), and play for many wedding, receptions, and art gallery openings. I was invited to play for two receptions for former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius!
I am also an avid reader... and someday hope to publish a children's book!!!
My husband and I have four children... Tracy is a nurse in Oklahoma City; Joshua is a Border Patrol Agent, he and his wife Danee and two daughters live in Arizona; Luke is a teacher's assistant in the Manhattan Head Start; and Anna is a senior at Baker University. We also have two of the most beautiful granddaughters... Addison Reece and Brennan Grace.
Wow! We have many things in common - a love of math, playing piano and reading books (and I have actually published a book, although it was done through a POD publishing company), plus I lived in Enid, OK for the first 7 years of our marriage. I am hoping to be a grandma some day, but I have no plans to get a doctorate!:) I'm looking forward to this class.
DeleteDr. Stramel,
DeleteWhat an exciting career you have had! I am impressed by your love for mathematics, this has always been one of my least favorite subjects but have learned that with a good teacher anything is possible. I also love to read and when I am not studying for school love to sit outside (weather permitting) and engross myself in a good book. I am looking forward to this semester and learning many great things for my future as a teacher. Kara
Dr. Stramel,
DeleteHello, it's nice to meet you. I can't seem to be able to post my own introduction. I am able to "reply" to others posts, but am not seeing anywhere that I can type my own introduction. Thanks.
Dr. Stramel,
DeleteI am not able to post my own introduction either, so I will do so here.
My name is Jarett Schulte. I am from Russell, Kansas. My mother raised my three brothers and I. I graduated from Russell High in 2005. When in high school, I was active in several school clubs, football, and baseball.
I decided to go into elementary education because I want to have a positive impact on student's lives. I feel like there are many children who do not have a positive male role model in their lives. Also, past teachers have influenced my decision to becoming a teacher.
When I have free time I enjoy spending time with my family. My mom lives only a short drive away, so I like to go home when I get the chance. I also like to be outside. I like hunting, fishing, camping, and just being in the outdoors.
I would like to wish everyone good luck this semester. I look forward to working with everyone! If you have any questions feel free to ask!
Jarett Schulte
Hello Dr. Stramel!
DeleteAlong with several other people in this class, it seems we share a love of piano, reading, Math, and Oklahoma! Also, I worked as a paraprofessional with Dean Stramel at MHS last year and the year before. I know he has a wife that is a professor at FHSU and was just curious if this is you? I look forward to learning more about teaching Math this semester! Good luck classmates.
Hi! My name is Hanna Haraughty. I live in Altamont, KS and have been married to my husband Greg for 8 years. Greg is a deputy sheriff in our county. We have two boys, Nolan who is six and Jake who is four. We have a dog, Milo and he just turned eight. This is my 2nd to last semester before I student teach! I have to say that I am so ready to be done with course work!! I never liked math much growing up but have overcome most of my fears in my adult life. My hobbies are reading, watching pro football and coaching my son's baseball team in the summer. I hope to one day coach while I teach. I grew up in Chetopa, KS and then got a full ride to play softball at Labette Community College where I got my associates in Elementary Education.
ReplyDeleteHi Hanna! I think we are in at least 3 classes together this semester. I look forward to getting to know you! My girls are also 4. Is Jake in preschool? My girls are and they love it!
DeleteAmy
Hanna,
DeleteNice to "see" you again, I think we have had some classes together in the past. I hope you have a great semester! I am from Pittsburg so know right where Labette Community College is. Kara
Hanna, It sounds like you are very busy. I have two small children as well. My boys are 7 and 5. I am also close to student teaching. I have three semesters left. I can't believe it is so close. Kind of scary though. I look forward to getting to know you and will be here if you need help. Crystal
DeleteAmy,
DeleteThat is great that we have classes together, now I have someone that I can ask questions to!! Jake is in preschool and he loves it. He was born on Sept 15 so just after the cut off date and that means he will have one more year of preschool, but I don't think that is a bad thing, he might be the oldest in his class and since he is a boy he might be more mature then too.
Kara,
Nice to see you too! We did have classes together. Have a great semester too!
Crystal,
Thanks for the help offer I will probably be asking you some questions! I feel a little stressed trying to figure this semester out. I am ready to student teach too, scary but its going to be here before we know it!
Hanna,
DeleteI am in my last semester of course work and I am very ready to be done and graduate. I played softball as well, but at Fort Hays for four years. I hope your last two semesters go by fast and you learn lots. Best of luck this semester.
Hello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteI am Jackie Gonzales. I am 28 years old and was born and raised in Arkansas City, KS.
After graduating from High School, I attended Barton County College on a dance scholarship. I graduated with my Associates Degree in 2003. In 2006 I moved to Ulysses, KS with my husband, where we still live today. My husband is currently a Physical Education Teacher at Kepley Middle School and the Head High School Wrestling Coach. GO TIGERS! As for me, I currently work full time as the Trust Department Assistant at Grant County Bank. My employers have been wonderful in working my work load and schedule around my commitments for school and internships, and for that I am very grateful. Aside from working, I remain quite busy with my family. My husband and I welcomed our daughter Kyndol in September of 2009. She definitely keeps us on our toes. On any given Sunday afternoon, you will find the three of us snuggled up watching a movie with our two dogs, Cody & Lily. We also have a Lop-eared bunny named Holly. Two evenings a week I can be found teaching dance classes at our local Recreation Center. I opened my dance studio in 2007 and teach 61 children ages 3-16 in Ballet, Tap & Jazz. It is a great hobby for me as it includes two of my passions, working with children and dance. Teaching dance is definitely where I discovered my passion for education and realized my goal of becoming an Elementary Educator. In our “spare time” we enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and fishing, and love any opportunity we have to travel back to our hometown in South Central Kansas to visit family and friends. I am looking forward to another semester at FHSU, and to taking one step closer to my goals. I wish you all a great semester, and hope to get to know you all better.
Good to see you again Jackie! Have a great semester:)
DeleteHello Jackie!
DeleteI have a cousin that grew up, and went to school, not too far from you in Winfield, KS. Good luck this semester!
Nicole Schell
ReplyDeleteHello! My name is Nicole Schell and this is my LAST semester before student teaching!!! (Can you tell that I'm excited about that??) This is my second time as a student at FHSU. I graduated in 1993 with a BA in English before getting married. We proceeded to have 3 children, so I chose to stay at home until they were all in school full-time. Now, at 40, I finally know what I want to be when I grow up! I have subbed for several different school districts in the past and worked as a Title I reading para for two years at Cheney Elementary School. Those last two years cemented my belief that teaching elementary school is what I should be doing. My husband and children (Mason 17, Calvin 14, and Whitney 12) have been wonderful through this whole process. When I am not studying, I keep pretty busy with all of the kids' academic, music, and sports events. I also like to quilt, read, and write. I have started two novels but never seem to find the time to work on them:) (Imagine that!!) I am also an avid NFL & MLB fan! We also have a dog, Angel, who is 7 months old. She has been such a blessing to our family. My two academic loves have always been math and reading, so I am really excited to learn more about how to be an effective math teacher. Best of luck to everyone this semester!!
Hi Nicole,
DeleteI am so glad we have another class together. Good Luck on your LAST semester before student teaching! That is very exciting. Looking forward to another great semester!
Hello Nicole,
DeleteWe had Reading/Language Methods last semester together. Glad to see you again. Congrats on next semester being your time to student teach. Mine will be the semester after that. Good luck!
Nicole,
DeleteBest of luck to you in your last semester before student teaching, what a great feeling that must be! I have made a quilt or two and enjoy doing that also, if I could just find more time for it. I love to read also and wish I had more time to read for enjoyment, I guess that's what summers are for. Nice to meet you, Kara Loomis
Hello everyone! My name is JoAnna Wooten and this is my 2nd to last semester before student teaching! Woohoo! This will be my 2nd bachelor's degree, I recieved one from WSU in 2007 for Creative Writing. I have always been passionate about reading and writing and helping others, so hopefully with my two degrees I can finally feel like I have found my calling! I've dabbled in all sorts of fields while in school (Social Work, Journalism, Elementary Education, English, Creative Writing, back to Elementary Education) but this time it feels right. I was born and raised in Kingman, Kansas, where I still live with my husband and son. Last September my husband, Geoff, and I were blessed with an amazing little boy, Aiden, he is my world! Last semester was a bit of a struggle doing an internship, taking care of a new born, and working full time. This semester is going to have a heavier work load, and I think my son is already teething! Bear with me! I look forward to this semester and working with you all (especially since I see familar names!!!) I would have to say my love of helping others and watching my sister teach 2nd grade for the past 8 years has been inspirational in my desicion to come back and get my teaching degree.
ReplyDeleteHello JoAnna,
DeleteGood to hear from you again. Just be patient with your son. Teething is hard work! Have a great semester. We are in the home stretch now......
Hello! My name is Megin Gaede and this is my final semester before student teaching next fall! As if being a full time student while working full time isn’t stressful enough, I have also been planning the wedding of my dreams as I marry my best friend March 17!! Yes, it is St. Patrick’s Day and to top it all off, I am marrying an amazing Irishman so we are truly looking forward to the luck of the Irish. We have an amazing story between the two of us and I am thrilled that my four year old son has found a fantastic male role model to be surrounded by every day. I am a blessed woman and cannot wait to complete my family this Spring. Between the two of us, my fiancé and I both attend school outside of our hometown of Hutchinson, Kansas. If sports are considered hobbies, we both enjoy traveling to Lawrence on a regular basis to attend football and basketball events. Recently we took my son to his first KU basketball game, I think we have another avid Jayhawk fan in the family!! I cannot say that we have any family pets, yet, we do enjoy going out to the family farm and riding the horses and tromping through the pasture with the cows. You can never get a little boy out of the city enough. He thoroughly enjoys going “over the river, and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go!”
ReplyDeleteMegan,
DeleteWow! With as much as you have on your plate this semester, I would be a little frazzled. Congratulations on being so close to student teaching. It's something I look forward to a great deal (next year). I took my son to the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson several years ago. I enjoyed it there, but didn't spent enough time to really check everything out. I am a Jayhawk fan for sure. That's where I got my bachelors. Have a great semester. Good luck with planning your wedding.
Hey! I'm Kate Wieser. I'm originally from Eastern Colorado, but currently live with my best friend in Hays. I am returning to FHSU for my second bachelors; I graduated in 2009 with my Business Education degree. I also worked for two years, but with budgets being what they are, I decided I wanted something not so expendable.
ReplyDeleteHey Kate!!! I'm glad to see that I am in another class with you! I think that it was a wise decision for you to come back to college to work for a degree in an occupation that is not so expendable!
DeleteTaylor
Hello! My name is Amy Kovacs and I live in Hot Springs, SD, with my husband and 4 1/2 year old twin girls, Linnaea and Elise. I am a stay at home mom and my husband works for Wind Cave National Park. We also have an 11 year old almost-deaf mutt who was our first child. I love to spend time outdoors hiking, camping, running, playing at the park with the kids, etc. I am a passionate reader and hope to eventually earn an endorsement or Master's degree in reading. I also love math and considered becoming a middle or high school math teacher, but I love younger kids and elementary school is where I'm supposed to be. I was born and raised in Florida and got my first degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism at the University of Florida. Ya'll should know that I'm nuts about Tim Tebow. My weekends are spent watching the Gators and Broncos. I still have to take classes in the fall then I will student teach in the spring.
ReplyDeleteHi Amy, I think we have had some classes together before, your name is very familiar to me. The thought of Florida on this cold wintery day sounds great! Best of luck to you this semester. Kara
DeleteHi Amy,
DeleteI am from Colorado and I am a die hard Broncos, Rockies and Nuggets fan!! I became a fan of Tim Tebow when he came to the Broncos. I had heard of him when he was in college and had watched him a few times and was happy to have him join the Denver Broncos. I love spending time outdoors as well. I spend my summers camping and four wheeling with my boyfriends Toyota trucks. I hope you have a great semester and best of luck with the rest your semesters.
Hello everyone! My name is LeAnn and I live in Forest Hill, Maryland. I was born and raised in Topeka, KS and graduated from Topeka High School 1991. So, you can clearly see I am a non-traditional college student! I met my husband a month after graduating and we married in 1993. He is a COL in the US Army and that is what has brought our family to Maryland. We have two boys. Tyler is 13 and in the 7th grade and Dillon is 11 and is the 5th grade. We adopted a rat terrier/mix, my sweet girl Trixie, 5 years ago. After my parents divorced when I was 8, I had to move and go to a new school. My second grade school teacher, Mrs. Hund, was kind, caring, and clearly loved her job. She had such an impact on my first year in a new school. In fact, I still talk with her to this day and see her when I come back to Kansas to visit my family. I was scared to death of failing in college, so that is why I did not go. For YEARS I did not admit this and used the excuse that I met and married my husband and that is why I never went. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and there was a plan for me that I was not aware of... When both of my boys were in school I started substitute teaching. I often got calls to fill in for special education jobs because many did not want to take these positions. I loved the children and took any job asked of me. I quickly found I had a true knack, and passion for these children. Being a parent to two boys with ADHD, I had no problem with patience, redirecting, or finding different ways to help children "get" a lesson or skill. I decided that the classroom was my calling. In January of 2008, when my husband was deployed to Iraq, I began my journey to get my teaching degree. Here I am finishing my Junior year at FHSU and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. By the way...that whole being scared of failing...I decided to prove myself wrong (as well as teachers along the way that didn't see my struggles with anxiety and a bit of ADD). I am happy to say that I have done well with my classes and grades and it pushes me everyday to do my best. I am excited for what this semester holds, and look forward to learning and working with you!
ReplyDeleteHi LeAnn, It is nice to have you in class again. I also graduated in 1991 and have had some of the same anxieties about school that you have. It is a great feeling to set a goal for yourself and put forth the effort it requires to achieve it. Best of luck to you this semester. Kara
DeleteHi Kara! It's good to "see" you again too! Good luck to you as well.
DeleteHello all, my name is Angela Merritt. This too is my last semester prior to student teaching except for a couple courses I will take during the summer. I was just married on June 25, 2011 but unfortunately am away from my husband and have been since September. My husband is currently training to deploy overseas for a year and will be set to leave the states by the end of March. Luckily I have a couple more opportunities to go spend time with him before he leaves and am looking forward to those moments. Beyond my struggles with being married but yet still single again :) I am a mother of 2 boys, Lundon who will be 16 in April and Dayelon who is 9. I also have a 9 year old step-son Dante who currently lives in North Carolina. My family is my life, I enjoy doing things with them, watching them play sports, just surrounding myself with those I love the most. I currently work full-time for a drug/alcohol treatment facility and have been at this job for 9 years now. I was going to school to get my degree in Social Work when I realized that my passion was to work with children in a different setting, not the unusually sad, emotional setting that social work is most of the time. I truly wanted to have an impact on young children, they say kids are most impressionable up until they are 8 or 9 and I want to reach those kids before they get to that age. My youngest son is ADHD, and I have learned many techniques to use with him beyond the method of giving him medication and look forward to helping parents establish things for their children if they AREN'T comfortable with medications such as I wasn't. I absolutely love kids, and I love to talk and teach and listen so what better profession then teaching. I'm very excited about student teaching, however am nervous as well, giving up such a good job after 9 years to complete student teaching is going to be extremely hard on me and our family budget, so it has causes some added stress to my husbands upcoming deployment. I really am hoping this semester is less stressful than last, because it was really hard on me emotionally and I have a feeling this semester will be worse with my husband leaving. Look forward to getting to know all of you.
ReplyDeleteHi Angela,
DeleteWe have been in several classes together. Good to see you again. I hope this semester is better for you as well. Remember to surround yourself with people who give you good support. Best of luck!
My name is Samantha Beames. I have been married to my husband for 9yrs. We have two children. My son Robbie is 7 and my daughter Rebecca is 2. I am mostly a stay at home mom, however for the past two years I have been substituting in my local school. This is my last semester before student teaching. I am very excited to be so close to completing my degree. I have great support from my entire family, but could have never gotten this far without my husband and my mom. My husband works for the Union Pacific railroad and is gone every other day. So when I am trying to take test or study my mom comes over and helps me with the kids. When I graduate I plan on working in the lower elementary, however with the way it is right now to find a job I will take what I can get. I love working with students. Subbing has been a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has not tried it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you all have a wonderful semester.
Hey Samantha!
DeleteI believe we have had a class or two together already. It's nice to see familiar names! Good luck this semester.
Hi! My name is Jenny Wiebe, and along with others in the class, I am a non-traditional student. I began my school years in Rosalia, KS, and then my family moved to the Potwin/Whitewater area where I went to school until junior high. I attended junior high and high school at the private Christian school (Berean Academy) located in Elbing, KS. I played sports and was very involved in music, mostly playing the piano. After high school I went to Bible college for 2 years and then spent that summer in Alaska at a Bible camp. It was a wonderful summer! The following year I transferred to WSU, and that summer I got married. My husband was already teaching/coaching at school in Oklahoma, so we moved there. I looked into transferring schools but after facing some hurdles, I let it drop - a decision I have regretted many times! Our oldest three children were born in Oklahoma, and then we moved home where my husband got a job teaching and coaching at our alma mater. We have now been married 26 1/2 years, and he has taken numerous boys basketball teams to State, and was given the privilege of winning the whole thing the last two years. That was a highlight for our family! We have six children - Kara (22) will graduate from KU this spring with a degree in sports management. Zac (21) is in his junior year at WSU with a degree in mechanical engineering. Megan (almost 20) is a sophomore at Tabor College, majoring in Secondary Education (math). Dallas is a sophomore in high school, currently playing basketball for his dad, Micah is in junior high, and Brooke is a 4th grader.
ReplyDeleteI have so many hobbies that I can never find time to actually do them all (and since starting school, I don't do most of them at all)! I love to play the piano, and this I do get to do at church - playing for the congregation and for the choir. I love to read books, I love to bake, I enjoy exercising, I enjoy landscaping, knitting, and sewing. I have also spent hours (probably added up to years!) in the gym, on the soccer field, or at track meets watching our kids compete or my husband's teams compete.
I have wanted to be a teacher since about the third grade. As mentioned, I began my college career in the education field. Math had been my favorite subject in high school (other than choir), so my goal was to return to my high school and replace one of my math teachers who would be about to retire. But after floundering somewhat in Calc I, I decided I better choose a different major. I switched to English, and then questioned that decision. So when my then-boyfriend-now-husband asked me to marry him that spring, I accepted! Being married to a teacher kept me tied into the school, and my desire and passion for being in the classroom never diminished over the years. When our youngest entered kindergarten, I started subbing for some extra income. I discovered that being in the classroom was something I still really wanted! Subbing gave me the opportunity to be in different classes, helping me decide which ages I preferred most - which happens to be 4th grade and above (I would really like to teach junior high). So I looked into going back to school to get my degree. I won't bore you with all the details, but after a series of events, I was directed to FHSU and their virtual college. There is no way I could go back to school with everything else that I do and trying to take care of my family and support my husband. But being able to go online allows me to work on my classes on my own schedule and when it's convenient for me. I am so thankful for online classes!!!
Still having a love for math (which I got from my father who majored in physics and minored in math, and now have passed this onto my children), I am very excited about this class and looking forward to working with math and learning how to teach students some basic math skills.
January 16, 2012 3:33 PM
Hi Jenni,
DeleteBeing a non-traditional student is so much easier to do online than face-to-face (that has been my experience). It sounds like you have a very full life! I like to sew too. Right now I'm working on recovering some outdoor cushions (great winter project). I'm looking forward to a great semester.
My is name is Andrea Duffy and this is my last semester taking classes! This semester I moved back home to Salina, KS and will be taking all my courses online. I am very excited to start student teaching next fall. I have one brother and a sister that is also my best friend. I am originally from Salina and graduated from Salina Central High School in 2008. My favorite thing to do is read. I love reading all types of books and I am obsessed with my Kindle. Since I just moved back home and I'm living with my parents I also get to live with their 3 cats and dog. I enjoy being back home and spending time with my sister and mother. My 8th grade math teacher was the biggest influence for me to become a teacher. She is the most loving, caring, and understanding person I know. She also the reason why I love math. I like to think of saving math methods as the best for last internship!
ReplyDeleteHow exciting this is your last semester of taking classes! I can't wait for that day! Good luck on your last year.
DeleteHello Everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is April Lewis. Some of you may see my name as April Burrows that is because I recently got married in August. For some reason my name has changed on many things with FHSU but not on blackboard. I'm originally from Hugoton, KS butI currently live in Moscow, KS (12 miles from Hugoton). It is probably one of the smallest towns in Kansas (300 people). I'm a cowgirl at heart and I love to do anything outdoors (from working cattle on my Dad's ranch to gardening) My husband (Kyle) and I have 3 dogs and a kitten. Duke and Daisy are his hunting dogs then we have Rayne and he is a Schnauzer who thinks he is a person. Then there is my kitten (Belle) which I just got for Christmas from my husband. Probably the best gift I got!!!
I have always wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. My aunt is who influenced me the most. She was always doing or working on some fun projects for her students. I also had an awesome Ag teacher in high school which influence me even more to teach. Mrs. Kolbe did everything she could for her students to excel. So when I went to college my major started out to be Elementary Education, then I though well I love agriculture so I'll do that!. Then I changed my mind back to Elementary education. Took some time off of school because I was burned out. I started to sub in Hugoton and I happened to get to do two different long term position because we had a teacher leave and another was ill. It was the best thing that happened to me! I knew then what I wanted to do with my life for sure. So, here I am today working on getting my teaching degree.!!!
Hi April,
DeleteI am from Ulysses, so I know just where Moscow is! My husband, friends and I love to go eat dinner in Moscow from time to time. It's great having you in class. Have a great semester!
Hi April,
DeleteI know where Moscow is, I am from Plains. When I played Kids Inc Basketball we would go there for games. It is so nice to know that I am not the only on from Southwest Kansas! Have a wonderful Semester!!!
Jackie and Carrie,
DeleteIt's such a small world. My husband is originally from Ulysses (Kyle Lewis). So good to know there are other people from this area taking classes with me. Hope you each have a wonderful semester and I'm sure we will be talking soon.
Hello everyone! My name Danielle Vigness. I am from Kansas, moved to Washington state for a couple of years to be with my husband who is in the Navy, then just recently moved back to Kansas because he is getting out of the Navy! Yay! I love to read when I have down time. I read just about anything but my favorites are Janet Evanovich books. My only kid, Maggie, has four legs and is hairy (also known as a border collie). I always wanted to be a teacher, nurse, or radiologist. One year I donated blood and passed out so that helped me decide on my career path. I also wanted to become a teacher because my two aunts are teachers and are always telling about the fun in their classroom. I also had a fourth grade teacher who really helped me over come the challenges I was having academically. The previous school I was in made me become a year behind every other school. So when I transferred to this new school, I was struggling with multiplication when the rest of the students were very good with division. All in all I would really like to be like my fourth grade teacher who was fun, interesting, and caring so learning was also fun and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to this class and hope that you all have a great semester!
Danielle- It's nice to meet you! We have a couple of things in common...my husband is in the Army (I'm jealous yours is getting out of the service. Maybe someday we will!), I too love Janet Evanovich books, and I have a four-legged girl named Trixie! I hope you have a great semester. I look forward to learning with you!
DeleteHello! My name is Angie Radabaugh and like many of you I am a non-traditional student. Growing up I knew I wanted to be a teacher but during high school I decided to take a different path in life and I joined the military. I met my husband in 1997 and within one week we were married (crazy I know), but we are still going strong 15 years later! Knowing we wanted to have children in our lives we became foster parents. After many years of being foster parents we adopted three wonderful children (ages 5, 6 10). My family and I reside in Abilene, Ks. I am currently in my junior year majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Special education. Prior to becoming a full time student I was a paraeducator, it was my students that inspired me to pursue my dream of becoming a teacher. In my down time I enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities: Hunting, fishing, camping, boating, and gardening. I have also recently taken up photography and scrapbooking. I am looking forward to learning a lot this semester!!!
ReplyDeleteYour story is wonderful! I admire people who meet, get married, and stay strong! I am glad to hear you're pursuing your dreams of teaching; I can say the same! Sounds like you have a very fun filled and exciting life--your hobbies sound very similar to my interests! Good luck this semester!
DeleteI am Shea McKee, now known as Shea Finley. I recently married my best friend, whom I've known since 1st grade. We grew up together in this small town of Colby Kansas, graduated together, and plan to raise our family here as well! We have a 2 year old beautiful son; whom is the light of our lives. He fills us with so much joy and keeps us on our toes! We are also expecting our second bundle of joy this coming summer and are very excited! I have wanted to become a teacher since 5th grade after having one of the most amazing role models as my teacher. She inspired me to do the same to students as she did to me. I have only a couple semesters left until I graduate. In my free time I substitute teach at our local grade school. We spend lots of time with my parents, and my husbands parents; as they also reside in Colby! We enjoy attending local sporting events, traveling, and playing outside with our son.
ReplyDeleteMy name is, Kristi Fletcher. I am 35 years old with my birthday being on June 24th and married to a military man. We have 2 children, a boy (13) and a girl (3). I started my college education right out of high school at Emporia State University where I was majoring in Psychology. Life happened and then I transferred to Butler County Community College where I got an Associate’s in Art with an emphasis in Psychology. Life again went on and I became a Para for the Paola, KS school district. I spent 3 years doing this before I had my daughter and decided to go back to school and get my degree in Elementary Education that was my original dream from 3rd grade until high school when I took a couple of psychology classes that took me in a different direction. I am in the 2nd half of my 3rd year here at FHSU where I attend virtually.
ReplyDeleteI was raised in a small town named Cottonwood Falls but currently reside in Paola, KS. My 13 year old is very much into playing sports, so my hobbies include watching him participate in his many sports, playing with my daughter and I currently have five 6 week old puppies that I am taking care of and about to send 2 to new homes. My husband and kids have convinced me to keep 3 of the puppies with our rat terrier momma dog, that will be 4 dogs (at least they are small). My daughter has 5 fish in her room (they are pretty easy).
My third grade elementary teacher is who first influenced me to be a teacher. She was such a wonderful teacher, I wanted to be just like her. I currently have her a facebook friend and she still continues to encourage me in my endeavors. I decided to go back to school to become a teacher because when I was a para-educator I realized that helping kids learn is what I wanted to do with my life. There is no better feeling than seeing the “light come on” when a child finally “gets” what they are working on!
Kristi- It's nice to meet you! I have lots of family around Paola. They are mostly in Ottawa, Rantoul, Princeton, and Wellsville. My husband is in the military as well, but we are in Maryland AND I have a rat terrier (mix) named Trixie! I too love it when I witness the "light come on" in students. I wish you the best this semester and I look forward to learning along with you.
DeleteHi everyone my name is Sherine Matthews and I was born in the British Virgin Islands, Tortola. I am married with two sons a 10 and 4 years old. We enjoy taking summer vacations together. I enjoy travelling, surfing the internet, watching television and reading. We have no pets because I feel that they are too much responsibility and my two children are enough. My birthday is in September the best month.
ReplyDeleteI chose this field of elementary education because I wanted to impact children lives for the better. My pastor influenced me to go into education. She saw the gift I had to deal with children. I feel that there is a calling on my life to be a teacher and I love to be around children. Everyone have a great semester.
Sherine,
DeleteIt is great to read about the great passion that you have for teaching. I feel that every teacher needs this. Your students will learn to love learning because of that passion. I too have children and they keep you very busy. I hope that you enjoy this class. Please let me know if there is anything I can help. Crystal
Hello everyone, my name is Kara Loomis. I graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1991 and then took a couple semesters of classes before taking a break from school and working full time. At 21 years old I met my husband and moved to a farm in Northcentral Kansas. I began raising my step son who is now 21 and also had two beautiful daughters of my own. Samantha is 13 and Jenna is 9. I have been a stay at home mom for over 15 years and began taking classes online through FHSU when my youngest started kindergarten. I love to spend time outside doing yard work, swimming, going to the lake and just about anything else. Being outdoors is therapy for me and there is nothing a little sunshine can't make better! I also enjoy reading, cooking, watching all of my children's events and helping my husband on the farm. We have one dog and one cat, they both live outside. My 39th birthday is next month and am looking forward to graduating the year I turn 40. Both of my parents were teachers and have greatly influenced my decision to become a teacher. I love to be around, work with and help out children of all ages and backgrounds. Being a mother has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined and am hoping to spend the rest of my life teaching and helping other children. I hope you all have a great semester and look forward to learning with you! Kara
ReplyDeleteHello Kara, nice to meet you. I am also from North Central Kansas. A little town by the name of Clyde. Ever heard of it? Where are you from? It sounds like you have a very busy life, how exciting!
DeleteI had a quick question, I am able to "reply" to peoples posts, but how exactly do I create my own introduction? I can't seem to find it anywhere!
Hello Kara! I also live in North Central Kansas in Clyde, the same small town as A.J., I also enjoy reading and am slowly becoming better at cooking. Hope You Have A Great Semester!
DeleteDoes this happen to be Carissa Blackwood? (the K. threw me off!)
DeleteYes it is! Different last name long story!
DeleteCarissa,
DeleteI do know where Clyde is, my son has played many ballgames there. I live north of Waconda lake and my kids go to school in Beloit. Hope you have a great semester also.
AJ,
I found this box at the bottom to start my own. Did you sign in?
Hello!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Carissa Kruse, I was born and raised in Aurora, CO along with my brother, Kyle, and my sister, Kelsey, by my parents Cindi and Lance. I got engaged almost three years ago and am currently planning the wedding along with my fiancé, Lucas. We live in the small town of Clyde, KS in a beautiful home with our sweetheart of a yellow lab., Duke. I have a very large family and was quick to move to Kansas and be near all of them as soon as I graduated. I attended one semester at Kansas State University and majored in Business, by the end of that semester I realized I was spending far too much money on tuition and I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to major in. I transferred to Cloud County Community College the following semester and graduated with an Associate’s Degree.
I love to read and spend a lot of quality time with my Nook. My favorite authors include; Nicholas Sparks, Joanne Fluke, Jodi Picoult and Emily Giffin. I really love to read all different genres.
I also love to spend time out on the farm Lucas’ family owns. He works very hard out there to keep his family’s legacy alive and I have blast using all the equipment and helping in any way I can.
Lucas and I both love motorcycles and one of our favorite past times is cruising around on the bikes.
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I love the idea of getting to spend every day with happy children (yes, I realize they will not all be happy every single day), and I have always enjoyed teaching new things to others. I hope to have as much impact on my students as many of past teachers had on me.
One of my influences is definitely my mom she was a housewife for most of my upbringing but she always made time to come into our classrooms and help with anything she could. I am also influenced by my dad. I had originally wanted to be a special education teacher because he owned a home health care agency and took care of many children with disabilities.
I am very excited to get this semester started, and look forward to getting to know all of you!
Hello everyone! My name is Crystal Barnett and I live in Salina, Kansas. I have been married for six years and we have two boys. Elijah is 7 and Easton is 5. We also have two cats that are spoiled rotten and lazy. In our free time we enjoy hanging out watching movies, playing board games, bowling, playing at the park etc. My birthday is a touchy subject right now because on June 5th I will be 30!! I am already struggling with this so it should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in small town Herington, Kansas with my mom and two cats. I graduated in 2001 and attended Butler County Community College. After graduating I was accepted into Johnson County Community College's Interpreting Program. I graduated from there in 2005 with a degree in Sign Language Interpreting. I have worked in the educational setting ever since. I have enjoyed my job but decided that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. I have been told my whole life that I should be a teacher. So I decided to stop denying and face the fact that I can't see myself doing anything else. I love it even though it is a huge challenge. I am minoring in special education and that is where I hope to be. I love finding ways to help children that are struggling. I am one of those students and it was because of my special education teacher that I am a success today. She taught me the way I needed to be taught and ever put me down when I couldn't figure something out. She found ways to help me succeed. I hope that I can be half the teacher she was.
Good luck to everyone and I look forward to getting to know you all!
Hello all, my name is Alexandra Bergstrom, although I go by A. J. I graduated high school in 2005, and was a previous nursing major at FHSU. I have since changed my major into Elementary Education. I am engaged, and have a spoiled rotten dog named Raja. He seriously gets treated like a child around our house! :)
ReplyDeleteMy fiance and I love to spend our time riding his motorcycle, playing any kind of sports, or most of all, spend time with his 9 year old son. After moving back home to Clyde, Kansas,(north central Kansas), I began work as a paraprofessional at the local junior high school. I worked there for about a year before I decided to go back to school and get my education degree. I believe the teachers that I came into contact with while working with special needs children influenced me to go into teaching. It was so inspirational to see what they do everyday, and the ways in which they were able to changes their students' lives. My birthday is on July 15, 1986. We are planning on getting married sometime this summer, but no plans yet! I am looking forward to a semester full of learning and new insights in the world of education. I hope you all have a great semester!
Hi All! My name is Amy Whitson and I currently live in Wichita, Kansas. I have been married for 14 years and, and I have two beautiful, smart, witty, loving, girls (12 and 8) who are the joys of my life! We also share our house with two little West Highland Terriers that keep my lap warm on these cold days of winter. I am originally from Kansas, but moved to Texas where we lived for 10 years after I married my husband. I love music, singing is one of my passions, and I actually have a recorded song on a cd. I really enjoy reading just about anything, and I LOVE to create and decorate, and am an admitted Pinterest addict! I am involved in everything that my girls are involved in, which is voice lessons, volleyball and cheer. I was a social worker and a stay-home mommy, then went back to earn my teaching license, and taught in Texas for 2 years.
ReplyDeleteWe have been back in Kansas now for 3 ½ years. I have been teaching for 6 years now, 3 years as a Pre-K teacher and 3 years as a special education teacher, which is currently my title. I work with 2nd and 3rd graders in the Maize USD, and I love it! After moving to Kansas, I discovered after not receiving all of my endorsements on my license that Kansas has very stringent licensing requirements! Although I earned all three from the state of Texas, and am only 9 hours from my graduate degree, Kansas only granted my Special Ed. and my ESOL endorsement, they did not grant my Elementary endorsement, so the State Department is requiring me to take several classes in the elementary area so that I can add the Elementary K-6 endorsement to my license. I am taking 11 hours this semester, 6 in the summer and 6 in the fall, and I will FINALLY and officially be able to teach in an elementary classroom in Kansas!
I have always been a natural teacher since I was a small girl. Since I am the oldest sibling, I learned early the essence of being a good model for my brother, and teaching explicitly how to be a good child. I have had several teachers along the way whom I would give credit to guiding my decision to be a teacher, but my favorite teachers were my 3rd and 4th grade teachers. What I remember most is how they made me feel that I could always take a risk and still feel comfortable in their classrooms. I also knew that they cared so very much about me as a person and had very high expectations of me. Although I have a teaching license already, I look forward to learning more because I am a life-long learner and love to absorb any new knowledge that you can give me to better my teaching abilities. I look forward to learning more!
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteEveryone calls me Cat, I am 28 and have been happily married for 10 years this May (I know that’s young but I got lucky and found my soul mate early). We have two incredible children Ashton (8) and Ava (6 today) a dog, cat, crested gecko, leopard gecko, cockatiel a Bunny and about a dozen fish. We are licensed foster parents and have a wonderful 2 year old with us right now which has been an incredible journey. We live in Lawrence KS and it is the greatest city I have ever called home.
I grew up on a farm in a little town called Oregon in North West Missouri. I was home schooled from Preschool through High school. I am very proud of the fact that I am the first one in my family to earn a bachelors’ degree. This is including first cousins and was not an easy feat.
I have been working towards my elementary education degree since I got my B.S in management back in 2008. I knew from day one that it was not what was going to make me happy and that I wanted to work with kids. I am now a senior and can’t wait to finally reach my goal. Our son has some learning disabilities that have giving me a crash course in language and reading difficulties. I hope to help other kids learn how to best deal with their learning issues while still staying proud of themselves. I have taken 25+ online classes but this is the first time I have used this format.
With the craziness of school, Kids, animals and work I don’t really have much time for hobbies but when I do have time I love to play puzzle and word games on my sons DSI. I can’t wait to dive in and see how I can apply the information gained in this class in my soon to be classroom.
I have only 7 classes left until student teaching and can’t wait to get started
Nice to meet you Cat. I am from a small town in North Central Kansas. I absolutely love going to Lawrence, it's such a neat town. It sounds like you are a busy gal, lots of pets! I have trouble keeping track of one little tiny dog! I hope you have a great semester!
DeleteMy name is Kirsten Kuhlman and I'm a junior majoring in elementary education at FHSU. I am from Dighton, Kansas, a small farming community in western Kansas. I have one brother, who is currently a junior in highschool. Some of my hobbies include dancing, singing, sports, and spending time with my family and friends.
ReplyDeleteI selected the field of education primarily because I want to make positive differences in childrens' lives. I choose to major in elementary education because I love to be around young children. I would have to say that all of my elementary school teachers made a positive impact on me growing up, and they are the ones who influenced me into going into the education field. They made a positive impact on my life and my education, and remembering that they did that, I want to be able to do the same for my students.
Hello all! My name is Darci Poland. I live in Hays, Kansas but my hometown is Hoisington, Kansas. Hoisington was hit by a tornado in 2001 so some of you might be familiar with it from that. I grew up playing volleyball and basketball and was pretty much raised on the courts because both my parents coached. I also grew up on the football field and loved going to practices with my dad. I love sports and they are a big part of my life still today. My family is big in the outdoors. We love to hunt and fish and that is what I do in my extra time. I love my dog to death. His name is Jake and he is a yellow lab. We also have another dog named Ace and he is an English Pointer. He belongs to my brother though. I also love to read when I get the chance. My brother is only a sophomore and I like to go back and watch him play football and basketball. My father is a teacher at the middle school in Hoisington. My mother was a high school teacher before she became a principal. I guess you can say I come from a family of educators. That is part of the reason I plan on becoming an elementary education teacher. I have always wanted to be a teacher since I can remember. I started out as a history education major but switched after my first semester here at FHSU.
ReplyDeleteHey guys! My name is Hannah Broeckelman. My wonderful husband Nathan Broeckelman, our 12 week old son Kashton, and our two minpins, Kaiah and Jax, live in Manhattan, KS. My husband just finished student teaching in the fall for Secondary Education with an emphasis in Math and will be graduating in May with Secondary Education and a Bachelor's in Math. I enjoy playing the piano, reading, being outside, and I hope to learn to play the guitar soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope to student teach in the Spring of 2013. I plan to teach Math to the 5-8 grade level. I have a passion for helping students learn who they are through education and helping them build an appreciation for learning that will help them grow into valuable citizens. I worked as a paraprofessional at the MHS high school and really fell in love with helping kids understand Math. Through this experience, my goal is to help students understand Math and not be afraid of it. My father is in education, my aunt just retired from working in special education, my husband is currently applying for his first teaching job, and my brother is just finishing his masters in Math Education. My father, a superintendent now, was a math teacher and coach before he moved up in the school system. He has influenced many students lives and I hope to follow in his footsteps!
Hello Fellow Classmates!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Carrie Shinogle, and I am from a very small town in Kansas called Plains. I live on my dad's family homestead, and have since September 26, 1989. My dad and grandpa built the house where my family lives, my dad, mom, and older brother by a year moved to the homestead in July of 1989, and then in September I was born. Three years later (1992) my sister was born. My dad works for COOP in Plains, and my mom is a stay at home mom, who does substitute secretarial work at the high school and junior high. Christopher my brother works at Keating Tractor as a diesel mechanic, and my sister Christy is attending Colby Community College to become a Vet Tech. Both my dad's dad and my mom's mom live in the Plains area. My uncles, aunts, and cousins are over the U.S. Also on the homestead lives cows, dogs (my favorite), and cats (my least favorite). I attended elementary, junior high and high school there in Plains. After graduating I attended Seward County Community College where received my Associate of Arts. I was unsure at first of where to go after SCCC, but I then decided to transfer to Emporia State University. I then transferred to Fort Hays due to it not working out at ESU. When I am not doing homework, or working, I attend church, read, write poems, and hang out with family and friends. I selected the field of education because it has been something I have wanted to do since I was little. I was unsure the level that I wanted to teach until I was in grade school, my elementary teachers were great an influenced me a lot. The made a big impact on my life, and I was to do the same for young kids. My favorite sport is basketball!!!!
Your Dad and grandpa built the house where your family lives? That is so awesome. I bet that was a lot of hard work! My favorite sport is basketball too...it is the best sport.
DeleteHi all! My name is Marei Hinzman. I was born January 25 in the wonderful town of Hays. I am a senior here and majoring in elementary ed with a minor in sped. I would like to receive my bachelors in Special Education. After I received my bachelors in Speech-Language pathology I took a year off to work as a para. I loved working as a para I chose to get my masters in my special education because I have a lot of experience working with people that have disabilities. I consider myself an adrenaline junkie and I love music, the color blue and of course penguins.
ReplyDeleteHi!! My name is Kayla Rupa I was born February 11 in Santa Maria California. My dad was in the military when I was growing up so I moved around a lot.I use to live with my mom dad and younger brother by 13 months, but moved in with my boyfriend of three and a half years this summer. My family and I moved to where I live now in Parker, CO my sophomore year of high school. Parker is the only place I have really considered home because it is the place I have lived the longest.My parents have 5 dogs a min pin(Jaxon), two karen terriers (Piper and Phoebe) and two great danes (Scoobi and Tinley who is almost 4 months was just adopted by them not quit a month ago,they are both my brother's)they also have two cats Sooner and Tiger (who is mine). I lived in Hays for four years while going to school and playing softball for FHSU. It was the end of my senior year that I decided to further my education online and get experience in the school district I plan on teaching in some day. I enjoy four wheeling during the summer with my boyfriend in is 1985 and 1986 Toyota trucks. I chose the field of education because I love working with children. I work at our local recreation center as a Day Camp Counselor until I get my teaching license. I also chose field because I love the feeling when you are teaching something and the students understand. To me it an adrenalin rush. When I was little I use to play school and read to imaginary students. I changed my degree three times before my mom really convinced me that being a teacher was what I was suppose to do and I have loved it ever since even though it's a lot of hard work writing lesson plans.
ReplyDeleteGreetings all! My name is Brandeena (Brandy) Watson. I currently live in Wamego, Kansas. I am originally from Coshocton, Ohio. When I was 14 years old I met and started dating my husband B.J. I graduated high school in 1995 and then attended the University of Akron for 3 semesters while I waited for B.J to finish at West Point Military Academy. When he graduated in 1997, we got married and moved to Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. We lived there for 6 months and then I went back home while he did Ranger school. When he graduated from it, we were stationed in Washington state. We lived there for just over 3 years and while there I worked full time in two alternative ed high schools during the day while also attending classes full time in the evenings at the University of Washington in Tacoma. I earned an Interdisciplinary Arts and Science bachelors degree and 10 days after my last final I gave birth to my first son, Will. The army moved us before I could do my fifth year to earn my teaching credentials through UW. We moved back to Missouri and were there for just over a year and while we were there B.J earned his masters degree in Civil Engineering as well as his professional engineers license. Next we moved to Watertown, New York, which is just 30 miles south of Canada. We lived there for just over 3 years and our second son Jack and our daughter Abby were born. After New York we moved to Kansas. After my husband’s second tour in Afghanistan and 10 years in the Army, we decided to get out. Currently I work in a middle school in Manhattan as the athletic and financial secretary. B.J works on Ft. Riley as a civil engineer as a government employee and is working on the new hospital job. My kids are Will who is 10 and in the 5th grade, Jack is 9 and in the 4th grade and Abby is 6 and in the 1st grade. All three kids play soccer and B.J and I coach their teams and the boys are both part of the cub scouts. Jack also currently is playing basketball. In my free time (insert cynical laugh here) I like to read and I ride my mountain bike a lot.
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to be a teacher and I am looking forward to being a vital part of the students’ educational journey.
Hello!! My name is Shanna Swan and I currently live in Olathe, Kansa( a suburb of Kansas City). I am originally from Denver, Co, but moved to Springfield, Mo to go to MSU. After graduating with a Sociology degree I met my husband then moved to Kansas City. We have lived here for the past 10 years and enjoy it, but would love to eventually end up somewhere in the Northwest.
ReplyDeleteThis is going on my 3rd year at Fort Hays. I am majoring in Elementary Education with a SPED minor. I have really enjoyed the virtual college experience. For the past 2 years I have been working in the Olathe school district as an Autism Instructional Assistant and love my job. I get the opportunity to work with students of all ages. I currently work in an Autism classroom in an Elementary school and in a life skills classroom with a 15 year old student with Autism. This job can be very challenging at times but it is also very rewarding and I look forward to seeing my students make progress.
Previously I worked as a Children’s Case Manager for a Community Mental Health Center. While working at that job I was able to spend a lot of time in the school setting and realized I really enjoyed it. I had thought about teaching as a profession while in college the first time around but chose a different path at that time. I finally realized that I had a passion to teach and ended up here at FHSU.
I have been married for almost 10 years to a wonderful man. We have not been fortunate to have any children (at least not yet), but we do have 2 dogs and 2 cats that keep us very busy and entertained. I enjoy taking my dogs for walks, being outdoors, photography, roller derby and crafts. I have begun to learn how to quilt, and have taught myself to knit. I have many uncompleted projects lying around the house that I hope to complete one of these days
This is my last semester of school before starting student teaching and I am getting very excited to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better and wish everyone an awesome semester!!!
Hello everyone, I am Stephanie Lindsay. I grew up in a small town in central Kansas. This is my fifth year of college and I hope to be student teaching in the fall. I went to Garden City Community College for two years, I graduated with my associates degree. I then went to KSU for a year pursuing a degree in business before I decided to switch majors to the elementary education. After looking at the program I decided to make the switch to Hays, the smaller classes were a better fit for me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I transferred to Hays I was also on the rodeo team. I have rodeoed since I was little, my family went to rodeos as a hobby and I still try to stay active in rodeo when I get time.
Hey there everyone! My name is Rebecca Charbonneau. I am from the small town of Concordia, Kansas. My family and I actually live about 15 miles outside of Con on our family farm. My dad runs our family farm; my mother is the director of the Children’s Learning Center at the Community College in Concordia. I also have a younger sister, Paige. She and I are very close, and that was one of the hardest parts about moving away from home. Luckily it’s only about a 2 hour drive from Hays to Concordia so when I’m not too busy with school I drive home to hang with her and the rest of my family. I guess I have one other family member and that is our Australian Sheppard, Sadie. She is completely spoiled, and very adorable. During Thanksgiving break my boyfriend Zach of 3 years proposed, we have not set a date yet, but I want to finish school before I start planning a wedding.
ReplyDeleteI graduated from Concordia High School in 2009, and then started my college career at Cloud County Community College. I transferred to FHSU for the Fall 2011 semester. This is my second semester here and I love everything! I definitely made the right choice of coming to FHUS to further my education. I have a few people who have inspired me to pursue a career in Education. My mother is the first person who inspired me to follow my dreams in teaching. She works with 6 week old children up to children 5 years old. She has a tremendous amount of patience and passion and I hope to someday have that same amount of patience and passion that she displays in my own career. The second person who has inspired me to pursue my career in Education was my English teacher from High School. She impacted many students through her teaching and I too hope to make a difference in many students’ lives.
Hello everyone! My name is Jennifer Warner and I’m originally from Eskridge, Kansas. I’m a super senior and I’m finishing my last semester on the Fort Hays campus. I was originally a music major, but the field just didn’t really fit. Music still plays a large role in my life, but I’m very happy to say that I feel at home here in the elementary education department. Teaching is very enjoyable and feels natural to me. There are some things you just know that you are born to do.
ReplyDeleteI’m from a very diverse, blended, but close family. It is composed of my 7 brothers, 1 sister, and 4 parents who are pretty fantastic. I fall in the middle of the mix, but it’s no secret that I’m the bossiest. Being from a large family means you never go without love and you have to fight to get into the bathroom. One of my favorite things to do is settle down for the night and play games with the clan.
Hello Everyone! My name is Taylor Adkins, I graduated from Minneapolis High School (Minneapolis, KS not Minnesota :D). I graduated from Hutchinson Community College with an Associates in science and am continuing my education here at Hays. My family consists of my mother, father, brother, his wife, and my two nephews. Also, I have three dogs; Chloe, Abby, and Kami. My favorite hobbies include, watching movies, listening to music, hanging out with my friends, and reading. My aunt was the individual who influenced me in my pursuit of becoming a teacher. She is a grade school teacher and one summer I went to stay with her. While there I helped her with her summer school plans and in her classroom. This occurred when I was only thirteen and from that point on I knew that education was the field of study that I wanted to go in.
ReplyDeleteHi, Taylor! It's nice to have you in class again! I lived in Hutchinson last year; to bad we didn't know each other then. You have three dogs, I'm jealous. I wish I could have one. It will be nice to work with you again this semester!
DeleteHey! My name is Amber Novotny. I am originally from Great Bend, KS. My father is a farmer and my mother is a med tech at the hospital. I have one older brother and he is an electrician. My family means a lot to me. I love animals. I have two cows, two horses, and seven cats. In my free time, I like to read, listen to music, watch tv, and hang out with friends.
ReplyDeleteI am a junior here at FHSU. I had thought about being a teacher for a while and then I started babysitting and working at the Great Bend Recreation Commission and I really enjoyed working with the kids so I decided I wanted to be a teacher. I had quite a few teachers growing up that really inspired me.
Hello! I'm Kyleigh Edwards. I'm a senior at FHSU and looking forward to student teaching next semester. This is my second year in Hays. Before that, I spent two years at Hutchinson Community College, which is were I was born and raised (the town, not the college). I have one older sister who is a hair stylist in Lawrence (Go Jayhawks!). She has a golden retriever that she treats like a daughter, so I guess that makes me an aunt.
ReplyDeleteI spend a lot of my time at practice and meets. I'm a thrower on the track team. I throw weight during the indoor season and hammer and discus during the outdoor season.
I wish I had some profound and moving story as to why I want to be a teacher, but I don't. I love working with kids and I'm so excited to watch my own students grow. I got to hear a lot of stories from the social services side of things from my dad (he has worked all over the place in social services) and it kind of gave me a passion to give every student a chance. They all deserve it. I will make it my personal goal to find what works for each student and see them through.
Hello! My name is Stephanie Whitehead. I am from a little town called Strasburg, Colorado. It is about 40 miles away from Denver. My dad works for Home Depot at Home Services and my mom works at a company called High Plains Grading. I have a younger sister and a younger brother. My sister is a freshman here at FHSU majoring in Chemistry and My brother is a senior at Strasburg High School. He has been accepted to the University of Nebraska at Kearney and South Dakota School of Mines. He plan on being a pre-engineering major and playing baseball. I am very close to all of my family, even my extended family. I have three little cousins who look up to me and I want to be a good role model for them.
ReplyDeleteI am a senior here at FHSU. I have wanted to be a teacher since I can remember. I have always wanted a job to where I could spend my day with children. At first I wanted to be a pediatrician nurse or one of the nurses that works in the nursery, but I cannot held blood very well and I don't think i handle them dying from being too sick. Then I was a teacher's aid in a kindergarten classroom and I decided that was what I wanted to do. My internship that I had last semester made me realize it even more.
Hello! My name is Nikki Jordan-Wiggins. I am 24 years old. I am originally from Hays but I currently live in Russell. I have been married for almost three years now to a wonderful guy. We have a son, Aidyn, who will be one in March. He has been such a blessing in our lives and is growing up too fast! Along with being a mom, wife, and going to school, I work two jobs as well. I teach dance classes here in Russell, and on the weekends I work at my grandma's restaurant in Hays, the Pheasant Run. I do not have much free time, but when I get time, I enjoy spending time with my son and scrap booking as well. I hope to someday get a teaching job here in Russell teaching any grade but 5th! :) I am scheduled to student teach this fall and I am really excited to do so. I am taking three internships this semester, but I know I can do it!!!I have always enjoyed working with children and that is why I wanted to go into elementary education. I am looking forward to learning more about what it takes to be effective at teaching math to young children!!
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Stacey and I am a Sr. at FHSU. I live in Tacoma WA which is a city 30 minutes outside of Seattle. I have been married for 10 years to my wonderful husband Reggie and have two beautiful children my daughter Rejie (named after her Dad) and my son Stacee (guess who he’s named after). We also have a pomeranian named Charlie. I enjoy reading in the winter and camping in the summer. My husband and kids were my biggest influences for choosing the field of education. My children would always say how they wish that I were their teacher which motivated me to go back to school. My husband is a teacher and we plan to spend the school year teaching and summers traveling the world (on a teacher’s salary). Good luck to everyone this semester.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone, my name is Brooke Whitmore. I am a Senior at FHSU. I have been here for 5 years and will probably be here for another year if everything goes as planned. My mother showed me what it took to be a great teacher and really inspired me to go into teaching. She passed away 3 years ago and I miss her so much but know she would want me to follow my dreams and get my degree. My dads family is rather large. I am the youngest of five kids. I have two step sisters, a step brother, and a real brother. I consider my step siblings to be real siblings because they have been in my life longer than they haven't. I honestly can't remember what life was like without them! I have four nieces and three nephews. We are probably the most functioning dysfunctional family you will ever meet. No matter what happens we are always there for each other at the end of the day. My friends are also very important to me. I love them to death I consider them my chosen family. I cannot wait to get this semester started and am excited to see where this adventure will take us. Goodluck everyone!
ReplyDeleteHello everybody! My name is Victoria Donnelly and I live in a suburb of Kansas City. I am married with two children, two cats, a turtle, and goldfish in my pond (currently in hibernation). I am very excited to finally be in the home stretch of classes at FHSU. I have a Bachelors in psychology from KU, and a Masters in educational and counseling psychology from MU. I love working with children and can't wait to get my teaching credential, so I can teach 1st-3rd. grade. When I'm not working full time, going to school here part time, or hanging out with my kids, I enjoy gardening and reading. I'm looking forward to a great semester and getting to know all of you a little better.
ReplyDeleteHello fellow classmates! My name is Becky Rowton and I am a non-traditional student. I was born on May 3, 1960, in Scott City, Kansas. I resided in Scott City until I graduated from high school in 1978. I spent the next 32 years living in Wichita, Garden City, Emporia, Overland Park and then spent 12 years in Derby, Kansas. In July 2010, I moved back to Scott City to help take care of my mom after my dad passed away.
ReplyDeleteEven though I already have a Bachelor of Science in Business, I have wanted to obtain my elementary education degree for a long. Unfortunately, my job required a lot of traveling and I was unable to work on my second degree. I had several teachers in elementary school that had impacted my life and were excellent role models. Because of those teachers, I have always had a desire to teach even though I initially chose a different career path. After moving back to Scott City, I was able to start working on my elementary education degree. I hope to start student teaching in the spring of 2013.
I am really looking forward to starting my second career. I love being with children and watching their faces when they learn something new. I never get tired of learning something new and hope I can pass my love of learning on to my students.
I do not have any children of my own even though I always wanted to. Instead, I have spent the majority of my life spoiling my 10 nieces and nephews. My oldest nephew is only 6 years younger than I am, and the youngest are my twin nieces who are 29. Now that they are grown and have children of their own, I am now spending time spoiling my 17 great nieces and nephews, who range in age from 3 months to 17 years old. I also have 5 "furry kids"; 4 cats and 1 dog. I am a sucker when it comes to rescuing animals, but I think 5 is my limit!
I love being outdoors and my favorite activity is riding my Harley Davidson. And no…I don’t look or act like what a lot of people refer to as “biker chicks! I have taken a lot of long distance road trips during the spring and summer months. Sometimes I travel with friends and I have also taken several trips to many other states by myself. I also enjoy camping, skiing, yard work, and basically anything that gets me outside.
I apologize for submitting my introduction so late, but I was added to the course just last week. After finally getting enrolled, I started having computer issues and I couldn’t open any of the assignments. I was finally able to get it into a repair shop to get it running correctly.
I look forward to getting to know all of you during this semester and sharing our ideas and thoughts with each in regards to teaching. Different perspectives and ideas are a good thing and can lead us to think “outside the box”.
Becky