my maid of honor speech for my sisters wedding!

GRADUATION

To all my seniors- Best wishes on all that awaits you after you leave here. I hope that you enjoyed your time in my classroom and hope nothing but happiness is waiting for you down the road. Stay in touch and Congrats!

Glee

Last night I watched the premiere episode of Glee. It was hysterically funny. Yet a topic came up that was very interesting to me. The gym teacher/cheer coach said that in high school each student has their role. The jocks, the geeks, the music kids, the outsider kids----and regardless of what group you are in, that is the group you are in and that is where you stay. She suggested that high school is such a segregated society that there is no cross over from group to group.





Do you feel that this is true for Newington High?? Do you think that is just the nature of high school? Do you have examples??

Check out the show at http://www.fox.com/glee/

Having just gotten back from seeing you all on Friday dressed up and looking fantastic, I am pondering this question: Was it worth the drama???

For the past few weeks all I have been hearing about is hair, dresses, limos/buses, seating arrangements, and after parties and the drama this all causes. I am also sure the prom itself and the after parties had their own share of drama.

Is it worth the money and the drama for this important high school experience?

I ask because I think weddings are the same. As wonderful as my wedding was looking back I should have chosen to take my immediately family and closest friends to Hawaii: Less stress, a lot less money, less drama, same husband in the end.

What are your thoughts?? Now that prom is over, was it worth the drama?

The Grading Program

I am just wondering what everyone thinks about the new grading program. Do you like it? Will you use it? What don't you like about it?

Personally, the grading program is stressful for me. Often times your work is graded and in my hard copy gradebook but I don't enter the assignment into the computer until every person has turned in the assignment, which usually means I only update a few times a quarter.

Do you think this is something that your parents would like?

Standarized Tests

I am wondering now that you are seniors what is your take on Standardized tests. Tests such as SAT's and CAPT help some students get into better colleges, qualify for scholarships, and assess your knowledge equally against other students your age. Others would argue that they are unfair and put undo stress on students. Which do you think it true?

Would standardized tests be better if they were subject specific (meaning after taking US History for a year all students would be expected to take and pass a test on US History). The state of CT is considering making this the new graduation requirement. What are your thoughts?

College!

YAY, WE ARE GRADUATING SOON!
So next year we are going to be in college, are you guys at all nervous? I know i am!

Are you planning on going somewhere far, like California or even over seas?!
Or staying close.. like Central and just living at home?

I'm thinking about going far enough to stay in a dorm, to get the college experience.
I was just curious as to what you all were thinking about doing/going and why! :)

Happy New Year

Just wanted to wish all of my students a Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!! So with celebrating the new year comes the classic question.....What is your New Year's Resolution?

Holiday Birthdays

As I am waiting for the arrival of my cousin's baby (the baby is due any day now) I wonder what it must be like to have a birthday so close to a holiday. Do you think people who have holiday birthday's don't get as much fan fare (gifts, etc) as people with birthdays at other times of the year? Sorry I couldn't resist putting up a photo of my son!

SNOW DAY BLISS

I know that I always enjoy a snow day. They are unexpected vacation time for me to spend with my family. I am wondering what is everyone's favorite thing about snow days? Plus, do you do anything special in hopes of getting a snow day?

Holidays=Things??

As we get closer to the holiday season I am starting to wonder more and more about what this time of year is about. I have been finding that more and more holidays are about stuff not family, friends, and a joyous spirit. I myself have found it hard to not fall into the "must buy more mode" as I was shopping for Dylan. Do you find that this time of year is more about buying things then the more traditional meanings that go with this time of year?

Does Spirt Week build School Spirit?

What are your thoughts about spirit week. I love to see everyone all dressed up for spirit week and having a good time at the pep rally, yet I have wondered if it does really build school spirit. Is spirit week and the feelings that go with it only a temporary thing?

People and their Animals

As you all know from my first day photos, I love my dogs. Sadly last week I made the heart wrenching decision to put my little wiener dog down because he was terminally ill. In the last week I have really started to think about the bound that people have with their animals. What do you feel the reason people get so attached to animals is? Are you attached to a certain pet? If so why? What do we as humans get from our relationships with our pets?

Voting for the 1st Time

For many of you this upcoming presidential election will be the first time you have voted. Hopefully, you have all registered, since the deadline for registration is getting close. As you get ready to cast that first ballot, what is the major topic/issue that will sway your vote. Please don't feel that you have to indicate you are voting for, but I am curious as to what is the most important issue to the young voting population.

Cloning

recently in practical literature we were talking about cloning and the effects that it would have on society, religious aspects, ethical issues anything like that. How does anyone feel about the issue of cloning?

Reaction to September 11th

The third story on the news on 9/11 was 9/11, I find that shocking. I do not believe that we need a national day of mourning, but I find it odd how in only seven years it only ranks as the third most important news story of the day. I am curious as to what your opinions are?


For me, 9/11 is a very real and horrific memory. I was a college Senior in Albany NY. Most of my friends were either from the Albany area or from Long Island or NYC. On 9/11, I will never forget sitting in my friends living room, at least fifteen of us huddled around a tv, silent, just watching and waiting for hours. Some of my friends had family in NYC, some had family around or in the trade centers. My best friend/roommate's brother in law was a NYC firefighter who for two days was unaccounted for. I stayed with her for hours as she waited for news, and celebrated when she found out he was OK. Her brother in law got lucky, on September 1st he was promoted, the entire day shift of his old company was dead. His old company were the first responders to the trade center. People my roommate grew up, socialized with, vanished in those buildings.

I remember watching people grieve for their friends, family, and innocence that they lost. To me it is so real I can't ever fathom how it could only be a blip on our radar screens. For me, I will never forgot, but is forgetting what needs to happen for us as a nation to move on?

Is 9/11 something that we need to as a nation move on from or make a bigger deal about?

Dreams

What kind of dreams do you guys have, I remember Mrs. Hunt saying there were a few that were the most populart between people, just want to find out others, mine r being chased and falling

What's Your Favorite thing about Psychology?

As we start our venture into the blogging world together. I thought I would start out our blog with a super easy topic. What has been your favorite thing thus far about our course? It can be anything from an activity to as aspect of the class.

Personally, my favorite thing about the class is that I get to talk to you more as people then as students. I think that dialog creates a different relationship that allows me to get to know you in a different light and that is something that I enjoy.

Please be honest, learning directly from you what you like and dislike can help me to structure the class around your classes individual needs.