Author: Kiera Inzana

Reflecting, Remembering, and Moving Forward

Reflecting

While I look back and reflecting on all of the R2P’s I have done, I am proud of myself for giving it my all. I think given the circumstances, the process was educational. Towards the end with R2P 3 and 4, I feel as if my motivation for doing the blogs was gone. With that said, the experience was well needed. Technology is slowly taking over the world whether I like it or not, so finding my strengths in the blog realm is really helpful. I wish I would have been forced to create at least one video and one podcast though. I really had fun reading everyones blog and it gave me ideas for my next post I was going to create. At first, working with MU Blogs was tricky, but I got better and really learned the ins and outs of the website!

Remembering

One of my favorite blogs I have done was R2P 2! I loved doing research and observing my field placement knowing I was writing a blog on it. I felt like a real journalist. I also liked my Netflix post for R2P 4. Behind the scenes of making that blog, I actually watched every movie and at least the pilot of every series to make sure what I was recommending was good! I also remember a peer of mine who did videos and I thought to myself, “Man I wish I could do that”. So viewing her videos, always gave me a bit of confidence but my doubt won each time.

Moving Forward

Moving forward, I may create my own blog website using a different home base. I think it is a great way for my parents and for my students to get to know me better but also, so I can further my knowledge about this blog process. I think moving forward I want to dabble in the podcast realm because I love listening to podcasts and I love listening to me! Haha just kidding.

Netflix and Chill

Taking a Break 

Imagine this; the kids are asleep or your day is done, and whether you have or a significant other or a pet, it’s time to cuddle up and watch Netflix. What do you watch? There are hundreds of TV shows and movies that interest you. Think of this blog as your personal map of what’s hot on Netflix right now.

During a time of uncertainty and anxiety, it’s important to take care of yourself. Let yourself indulge in guilty pleasures and relax. Put away the work and binge seven episodes of a series you’ve been dying to watch! It’s no secret that Netflix is one of the most popular ways to watch movies or binge your favorite TV shows. During quarantine Netflix has done an amazing job with offering new series and adding new movies to their playlist.

Movie Madness!

What are some good movies to watch on Netflix? Listed below are trending movies on Netflix currently for 2020 and also older movies that are still trending today.

Extraction (Rated R) 

Extraction | Official Trailer | Screenplay by JOE RUSSO Directed by SAM HARGRAVE | Netflix

Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is a fearless black market mercenary who embarks on the deadliest mission of his career when he’s enlisted to rescue the kidnapp…

 

Murder to Mystery (Rated R) 

MURDER TO MERCY: THE CYNTOIA BROWN STORY | Official Trailer | Netflix

After 16-year-old Cyntoia Brown is sentenced to life in prison, questions about her past, physiology and the law itself call her guilt into question. Watch M…

Silver Linings Playbook (Rated R) 

Silver Linings Playbook (2013) Official Trailer [HD]

Silver Linings Playbook (2013) – in Australian cinemas January 31 Follow Roadshow Films online : Film news and releases to you first: http://facebook.com/roa…

 

Bird Box (Rated R) 

Bird Box | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Never lose sight of survival. Watch BirdBox on Netflix on December 21, 2018. When a mysterious force decimates the world’s population, only one thing is cert…

The Other Guys (Rated R) 

THE OTHER GUYS – Official Trailer (HD)

Misfit NYPD detectives Gamble and Hoitz (Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg) are sentenced to life behind the desk. They hate each other and the monotony of thei…

 

Binge Time Baby!

Do you ever need to binge an entire series in two days or less but never know what to watch? Listed below are trending series on Netflix currently for 2020 and also older series that are still trending today.

Tiger King

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness | Official Trailer | Netflix

Among the eccentrics and cult personalities in the stranger-than-fiction world of big cat owners, few stand out more than Joe Exotic, a mulleted, gun-toting …

 

Outerbanks 

Outer Banks | Official Trailer | Netflix

Four friends. One summer. And $400 million in gold. Outer Banks is coming to Netflix April 15: https://www.netflix.com/title/80236268 Outer Banks is a coming…

The Staircase 

The Staircase | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

On December 9th, 2001, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of a staircase. Did he do it? Watch The Staircase, now streaming on Netflix. Watch The …

Waco 

Waco Trailer (2018) Paramount Network Mini-Series

Waco Trailer – 2018 Paramount Network Mini-Series starring Michael Shannon, Taylor Kitsch, Melissa Benoist, Julia Garner, John Leguizamo, Andrea Riseborough,…

 

Never Have I Ever 

Never Have I Ever | Official Trailer | Netflix

Buckle up for some steamy teen romance. Never Have I Ever streams April 27, only on Netflix. Watch Never Have I Ever, Only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.co…

 

These movies and TV series are heart racing, tear jerking, and laughable.

 

Pinterest Perfect for K-2nd Graders!

Let’s Get Creative

Right now is the time to get the glitter out, scissors ready and glue to squeeze!

As hard as it is to home-school children, it can also be exciting and forever fun. Here are five incredible crafts that are worth the mess while also worth the learning. Five crafts and five different subjects to help you and your child experience learning in a creative way.  These crafts are made for students who are Kindergarten up to second grade. Each craft can be differentiated with the level of hardness and messiness in case the mess-stress is to real for you in this uncertain time. Now let’s get messy!

Five Ways to Play

    1.  Math Muffin Madness

Hopefully you have some type of cupcake or muffin tray sitting around waiting to be used. Well, dust it off and get ready to play! Using cupcake papers or sticky notes, write a number on the bottom of the tray and have the kid place buttons (or any small object) into the cupcake tray with the matching number amount. To make it harder, you can make it money oriented. This can be done by using coins and writing money amounts on the cupcake liner instead of whole numbers. This activity can help children with simple counting!

2. Pepper and Soap Magic

Four ingredients to make your kid say “Wow!”. A bowl, dish soap, pepper and and water. Simple as that. This is a fun science trick that teaches surface tension but can also be used to help little kids understand germs. Especially with todays circumstances learning about germs in a fun way can also make it less scary. This can help kids understand the importance of washing hands and surface tension!

3. Hop-Scotch Crazy

Getting outside on a sunny day to learn some sight words is what learning is all about!! Using chalk, or taping papers on your sidewalk, driveway, or deck you can teach your kids sight words. Not only will it get you outside, but its a great opportunity to teach sight words to your child. Write a site word in a hop-scotch block and have your kid hop, hop, hop one words until they get it right! To make it harder, you can have your child spell out the sight words, or even write the words themselves.

4. Where Do We Live?

This fun activity can help your child learn about the world they live in. This can be done with colored paper, print-outs, or homemade pieces! This gives the child a chance to think about the house they live in and the street, city, state, country, continent, and planet. This can be done as a booklet, or a flip booklet like the link shows.

5.  READO

Little kids may not love reading, but they do love winning games. READO is the same as BINGO and can be used for MATHO, SCIENCEO, etc. This will make reading fun for kids. This activity is nice because you can do a READO activity each morning, night, after dinner, etc. You can do this activity can be done once a day, once a week, or once every hour if the boredom really is getting to you and your child!

 

Easy as Pie

Sometimes it can be hard being home with children. It’s easy to stick a TV in front of kids and let the TV teach them. Some parents will, and that’s okay. But some parents will not and these five crafts above are not only fun but can help a bond grow between you and the child. Also, it will show you how strong you can be faced in a time of fear.

 

“Buenos días a ti!”

Making Mornings Worth it!

Some mornings it’s hard to get out of bed and be excited for the day to come. Have you ever listened to music on your way to work, school or the gym to bring up your spirits?  Personally, nothing can make my morning awesome other than the song “Juice”, by Lizzo. While that song is not the most kid-friendly or appropriate for  the classroom, I observed a wonderful song that is! 

 

Walking into my field placement the first Monday I was nervous and excited. One of the co-teachers had the students join him on the carpet and he started singing a good morning song. My nerves disappeared once the song started and I watched the kids go from tired, grumpy, and unmotivated too excited, clapping along and singing with a smile. The teacher first sings the song in English, then in Spanish, and closes the song off in English. 

“Buenos días, buenos días. Buenos días a ti! x2

El día está comenzando, hay mucho por hacer!

Buenos días, buenos días. Buenos días a ti!” 

If the children were opening up to this song, I should be as well and I did just that! I sing with them every Monday now and help the students stay on track with the beat. (Little kids have such a hard time with that sometimes, but isn’t it cute?)  Not only is the song sung and heard every Monday by the kids, but it is everyday that the teachers open up the classroom with this good morning song.

The Benefits

As the rates of ELL students rise in the education field, having bi-lingual routines in a classroom setting is very important. According to this source, 3,790,949 children have the home language of Spanish, which is 76.6% of the ELLs in public schools. It is important to engage all students in the classroom. 

One of the most important factors of speaking bi-lingual, whether it is in songs, instructions, or conversations, is that teachers are breaking down language barriers according to this source. Bi-lingual students feel more comfortable in the classroom. One example is having English speaking students and bi-lingual students helping each other out and exploring each other’s languages. It creates trust and bonding between student and student or student and teacher. It also helps brace diversity in the classroom. Bi-lingual education helps bridge the gap between cultures by bringing them together for the same purpose.

In this case, the good morning song serves as a purpose to introduce everyone and saying hello to neighbors. Because the teachers have taken the next step in also singing it in Spanish, it makes all of the children feel comfortable, no one is left out and the students are sharing their cultures within a safe environment. 

Don’t Stop the Beat!

Click the links below to hear about other bi-lingual songs that you can use throughout the day in your classroom!

Starting the Journey; Education

I’m sure most of you are wondering, “Why even both with a blog?” Well I am blogging publicly because I am a new and upcoming teaching who is studying at Millersville University. I am half way through my Junior year and I am on my way to Seattle after college. My dream has always been to help children with their educational journey. Making school and education worthwhile and touch the hearts of many young children. I’m hoping that with this blog, other colleagues will learn about this awesome technology! The education world is a scary place, but a place of great love and passion. All I want to do is to make the education world a better place. Its a BIG mountain, but hopefully together we can!

My mom reassures me and pushes me. My mom motivates me to study, work hard and keep pushing through my stressed out times. She is my sunshine on my dark days. Sometimes it’s not a who but a what that reassures and stretches me as an early educator. What drives me is knowing that I will shape my students minds and can create a positive outlook on education for the rest of their journey. Everyone has “that teacher“. My third grade teacher Mrs. Hoffman was “that teacher” for me. I would love to be “that teacher” to all of my students at some point. 

I really enjoy Vygotsky’s perspective on how children need their environment to learn and how important it is. The Zone of Proximal Development is commonly used in classrooms and I think can help children immensely. I also am fond of positive reinforcement in the classroom. I think the high scope program is really inventive and I love how children are learning problem solving tasks at an early age and are learning it independently.  I really enjoy physical activity and movement in classrooms. 

Past professors have taught me the Why and How. Past experiences working with children have also taught me some of the ins and outs of early childhood (Senior Placement, Daycare, Summer Camp). I have had experiences in a classroom thanks to Millersville University. I have been in three different diverse classrooms in my three years here. I have observed a pre-kindergarten class for three weeks, observed a special education classroom for three weeks and actively participating in a third grade classroom for four weeks in a low income school community. Each new classroom environment gave me a new outlook and perspective on teaching. Some things Ive learned along the way…

  1. Burnout is real and it will happen. Be on your toes and create an exciting new environment fo you and your students.
  2. If there is no passion, there is no learning. Anyone can teach a child anything, but having a passion for the child to comprehend and truly learn is a different experience. It takes passion.
  3. When teaching in a Low-Income school community, do not assume any students capability of learning. Students are forever wanting to learn more. Knowing what excites them and creativity in the classroom is different for everyone but every child wants to learn if given the chance.