Friends for Life

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

John Lennon

The end of the first half is at hand, and while it was an intense class with all the assignments and sessions that were required, still it was all worth it. I really learned so much from this class; from the various assessments to determine reading levels and weaknessess, to strategies for helping students develop their literacy skills, and most of all, to the sharing of ideas, tips and concepts that we could all take to heart. Our "Team Magecr" (notice the ending letter for Dr. Rivera) is the best; without the support from everyone involved, I don't think I would have made it...honestly! Anyway, have a blessed Christmas everyone, and enjoy our hard-earned vacation! (:

quote: www.friendship.com.au/quotes/quofri.html

image: Google - Friendship images

The End of the Beginning

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning - Winston Churchill
:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/winstonchu163144.html#ixzz18GX11frR

Wow. Indeed, we've submitted our case reports, but this is only the end of the beginning. Now we must rest and relax, but keep in mind that we've got some reading instruction to complete. I am excited to go and find some reading materials for my student. I am also excited to see what the parent does with the recommendations that that I gave her. She seemed quite interested and willing to help her son. Also, thank you Dr. Rivera and Team Magec for helping me every step of the way and inspiring me each week to be a hard and efficient worker, and most of all to be the best educator I can be.

Image Citation :http://www.buythistshirt.org/the-end-of-the-beginning/

Crunch Time

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." - Henry Ford (1863-1947

Crunch Time! This is my blog for December 9th. Boy, I am blessed that my student came to school today so I could conduct my listening test. He missed the first to day and I was getting nervous again, because I don't like to be behind. But, that's okay, we got it, and now it's time to organize and right. But, like Mr. Ford noted, we have to be focussed, keep the hurdles and obstacles in our peripheral vision, and move ahead. So here we go, Diagnostic Case Report, you don't stand a chance against me!

Quote Citation http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henryford101486.html

Image Citation www.nestle.ca

Thankful

http//nickbaines.files.wordpress.com/2009

My prayers have been answered: I have completed my diagnostic report, and the Dean signed my Form-B!! I am thankful that Dr. Rivera had endured countless revisions. I am also thankful for team MAGEC's encouragement and support! I'm looking forward to the challenges that ED644 will bring!! I hope it'll be another "MAGECal" experience!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love edures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34

http://bible.cc/psalms/118-1.htm

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Enjoy your Christmas Break;)

"Giving Thanks"

"So often we dwell on the things that seem impossible rather than on the things that are possible. So often we are depressed by what remains to be done and forget to be thankful for all that has been done." -Marian Wright Edelman

Our final blog for the year...until next year. We actually made it through. I recall during the first class meeting when we reviewed all the requirements for this course and the calendar of events. I remembered how my year started out hectic with work and I prayed that I could get through this semester with the amount of stress that I was encountering. However, as each month had passed, somehow I became more determined. When I stopped focusing on the negative and all the things to be done, the weight on my shoulders became lighter. There are many things that I have to be thankful for. First, praise the Lord for his blessings. Second, I am thankful for having such a positive, supportive "Team MAGECR." We went through our different levels of anxiety and stress...but we went through it together! Finally, I am thankful for family and good health. "God Bless everyone."

Image courtesy of:
http://intheknow.freedomblogging.com/files/2010/11/being_thankful.jpg/

Finally!

"There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed.  If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude" (Robert Brault, from http://www.quotegarden.com/gratitude.html).

Before I left I just wanted to make sure I say, "Thank you so much everybody!"  Well, it's 12 hours until I leave.  I finished my sharing session with my student and his parent stand-in this afternoon at the lab (Thank you, Dr. Rivera for making the lab available to me before you had to rush to the SOE Convocation!).  I just focused on the highlights and kept it short and simple.  We really emphasized that he is a really bright young man that has a lot going for him: supportive family, a pre-existing love of reading, and the determination to do well.  Next semester we'll work on his recall with smaller chunks of text and focus on a lot of practice, practice, practice to help his English and schema.  Overall, we have a good plan and I think we're in a great place to start next semester.  The picture above is his homework.  He should read to his little brother and create a comic book with the kit I found.

Have a great Christmas everybody!  We deserve it!  Go Team MAGECR!

My Christmas wish !

This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.

( lynnie buttercup)

This is a rather long quote, but the words really touched my heart, as they are so beautiful. They are also very meaningful since we can all relate to the various situations, that these words convey, at one time or another . We've endured throughout our class sessions with each other and with our students, and I believe that our relationship as a team and as friends, have paved the way to the road of success. We must stand strong and believe in the '"magec" of faith. Merry Christmas, everyone- and may God bless you all!

image: www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/gif/xmas/

quote: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/friendship/

The Very Best: Team MAGEC!

I know we've all been chugging along as well as any aspiring Reading Specialists can be expected.  I've just sent in my Diagnostic Case Report.  There were so many portions where I wished I could have done more with my student to help bolster the data.  While I now have a better plan to help him succeed next semester and my work cut out for me, I also know that I could have done more.  However, reading through some quotes, the following, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, helped me feel better about my progress, and I hope it helps you all too:
 "I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end" (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/end.html).

(image taken from http://blog.cagle.com/news/files/2009/02/lincoln.jpg)

We're here at the end of the semester.  We'll just have to wait for our revisions and comments, but I'm very proud of all we've accomplished despite whatever curveballs we've had thrown at us.  Though I won't be with you all next week, I will be missing you--even as I get to stop missing my husband whom I haven't seen in 6 months.  Thank you for all your help and support.  I know I couldn't have gotten this much done or as effectively without help and input from each and everyone letter from Team MAGEC.  With Dr. Rivera, we're MAGECR--even better!  Merry Christmas to all of you.  Wishing us all a restful, safe, enjoyable, love-and-happiness-filled, well-deserved break!  See you in January!

Contentment

www.astrologyoflight.com

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of

of what you want, but the realization of

how much you already have."

-Author Unknown

I really don’t need to go shopping to feel the spirit of Christmas…I am thankful and content with the friendships I already have…they are like little presents in my heart! Thank you for sharing, helping, laughing and eating with me! You are what make the MAGEC in Christmas!! Take your reports and “wrap” it up and enjoy the holidays!

'Thoughts for today"

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."-Ashley Smith

The other day we had a break to honor our saint. As I was driving with my mother down in the southern part of the island, I couldn't help but look at my surroundings. The mountains were so high up as if they were touching the sky. The clouds were a perfect blue. The ocean seemed so still and the trees swayed softly. It was at that moment that I thought about how fortunate we are to live to see each day. I guess why I am blogging this information is because my good friend's body will be coming in this week for his burial. We grew up as childhood friends and just last session, he was murdered off-island. He left behind his children and a family who loved him dearly. As I was searching the Internet for appreciation quotes, I came across the one I quoted on the top of this blog from Ashley Smith. I felt a sense of accomplishment submitting my Diagnostic Report. Although the changes and approval are pending, I can honestly say that I devoted my time to complete that. It was about time that I stopped procrastinating. Even if that meant giving up going out for a night out, or waking up at dawn on days off to keep typing away. I'm thankful to have you all as group members. Remember that life is too short to sweat on the small stuff...at least that's what I have to keep telling myself. "God bless you all."

Image courtesy of http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1264711.f496.jpg

The Little Engine that Assessed Reading Ability

"I think I can, I think I can" - The Little Engine That Could

I'm happy that this course has pushed my abilities in organization and structure, and has taught me how to assess reading ability. It's been tough keeping all of the assessments organized and the data put into tables, but I'm starting to see how my student works, and I can see how this would play out with several students if I was assessing students with literacy difficulty. I am excited to finish the report and discuss it with the parent. Doubly, I am excited to see if my recommendations for him will actually help. This will take a concerted effort from all parties, so we'll see. Anyway. That's all I have for tonight, just keep pressing on, and the rest will take care of itself.

Image Credit - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3r86fXKq1lJWgH1yUWZL5JtjZqmdh_PfWlIAqmnZthfHdkz4xeCpUM__NVpQx6YoCoo_8vibgI35uKVkpxbQSV_vb2nBc8I734oTfOOFCxIMrTafdVc3krUhKs2Mp5RtBlupAPgFF1j8/s1600/small_business_sector_improving.png

The Birth of a New Beginning...A Birthday Celebration!

Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time

Jean Paul Richter

This is it....what we've all been gearing up for! Assessments are over, and now it's time to document the results on paper to make it legitimate. My only concern is, of course, the minimal amount of assessments performed on my student. Try as I may, I really don't think I have done enough as far as testing goes. But, I could only do as much as he would allow me to. After all, his attention span is on the short side, not to mention how very active he is. So, I can only hope and pray that what I did with him is enough to properly diagnose his level.

On another note, "Happy Birthday, Dr. Rivera!" May God bestow his blessings on you and see you through many more birthdays to come. Enjoy what's left of your special day!
Thanks everyone for making our party "magecal" for Dr. Rivera...Go, Team!

Quote: http://www.useful-information_info/quotations/birthday_quotes.html#general

Image: http://www.northernsun.com/images/imagelarge/Birds-In-Flight-T-Shirt-(8042).jpg

To endure, toward GREATNESS

After the Thanksgiving break, it's now back to W-O-R-K!  I'm glad to be able to come back to my favorite Team (Team MAGEC, of course) and be encouraged and moved to work.  It's tough handling this on my own, and my predilection for procrastination would otherwise likely get the better of me if I were to only depend on my own steam.  Let us all remember, and take heart as we face this monster of a report head on, William Makepeace Thackeray's words, "To endure is greater than to dare; to tire out hostile fortune; to be daunted by no difficulty; to keep heart when all have lost it; to go through intrigue spotless; to forego even ambition when the end is gained--who can say this is not greatness?" (http://thinkexist.com/quotation/to_endure_is_greater_than_to_dare-to_tire_out/150084.html).

(http://pravstalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/pravs-j-greatness-comes-when.jpg)

I have always said that it will be great and we will all do well.  I think between the five of us, Thackeray would certainly agree that we've earned this title and more.  Great people can only do great things.  So let's get to it!

Another Journey Begins

inspirationalquoteswith images.com

As we pour our hard work into completing our diagnostic report, let us look back and cherish the opportunity we had working with our students and look forward to the new year and strategies waiting for them....but of course before that, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

"Happy Birthday Dr. Rivera"

"Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year. The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again."

--Menanchem Mendel Schneerson

Tis' the season to be jolly. My mind is fully set to blog today thanks to the good food that we have eaten for Dr. Rivera's birthday. Team MAGEC definitely works well together. As I continue to work on the Diagnostic Report I realize that this is perhaps one of the most important papers I have written in my graduate courses that I have taken. For one, it requires necessary data in order to complete the report. Secondly, this is an actual student that we were assessing. Finally, we are not only presenting this to the committee members, but the parents of the student as well. Maybe I'm just putting too much pressure on myself. I had to get some last minute data for my report which included the SAT 10 report. I had trouble finding it in the cumulative folder because it had to be filed by the homeroom teachers. I also had use my lunch recess time to complete one last assessment task with my student. The semester is drawing near and there are only two messages left to say in this blog..."Merry Christmas everyone." Also, "Happy Birthday Dr. Rivera."

Image courtesy of: http://www.123greetings.com/events/summer/birthday/starry_birthday_greetings.html