Bloggy Awards and ExPat articles

Thanks a million to everyone who commented on my post from yesterday about teacher preparation. I am still interested in hearing about other experiences in teacher prep programs, so if you haven't commented yet you still can ====> click here.

Also a big thanks to Nicolasa from Low Expectations for bestowing upon me two fantastic bloggy awards. I am particularly excited about the first one because I have never seen it before.

This award goes to Loyal Bloggy Followers

I would like to pass this award to:

Kelly @ She Wears a Red Sox Cap

and

Jen @ Following the Footsteps

They were two of my very first followers and I can always count on great comments from them both. If you are a loyal follower of Sneaker Teacher too, go ahead and grab the award for yourself as well! Leave me a comment telling me what parts of Sneaker Teacher you like and feel free to leave comment love as often as you like so I know you are following! :0)

The rules for accepting the Your Blog is Fabulous Award are to list 5 things that you are obsessed with and pass the award to 5 blogs that are **fabulous**

oBsEsSiOnS!!

1. I would have to say I am pretty obsessed with blogging. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is check to see if I have gotten any comments. Since Germany is so far ahead of the US, I usually get comments while I am sleeping, so it's fun to wake up and receive some love <3.

2. amazon.de and Amazon Prime shipping. I have ordered a LOT of books since we moved here because I need textbooks for my classes. With a free trial of Amazon Prime, I get next day shipping for FREE.

3. Nutella-it's amazing.

4. Baking-I have not baked in months because it has been months since I have had an oven! I love making treats like decorated sugar cookies, banana bread with cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, birthday cakes, and most of all cake balls. If you don't know what a cake ball is please visit www.bakerella.com.

I also love eating said treats.

5. SKYPE- I heart skype for so many reasons. I love to see my mom's face. I love to see my bff Cristina's face. I love to participate in doctoral classes in Portland when I am sitting in my office in Germany. Technology is SO cool!

I would also like to pass this award to:

Peanut Butter & Jenny- a peanut butter lover & future teacher (girl after my own heart!)

All the Weigh- a girl on a weight loss journey lovin' life in NYC

{ae Filkins}- what would we do without Friend Makin' Mondays?

Theta Mom- this cool mama tried out for the Radio City Rockettes

Windowboxes and Weissbier- a fellow Expat living in Germany

Mixing it up a little...did you notice not all of these bloggers are teachers this time???

Last but not least, I am very excited because I submitted a piece to an online Expat forum and I just found out it was published with October's articles!

Check it out here

Are you accredited??

I am doing some research for my Issues in Education course regarding teacher preparation programs and the lack of preparation teachers receive with regards to the diversity that exists in today's classrooms. My interest in this topic stems from my experience in my own teacher preparation program which, I felt, did not prepare me at all for the realities of teaching. Because of my lack of preparation for the linguistic and cultural diversity I found in my classroom, I returned to graduate school to get my master's in SPED and an ESOL endorsement, so I would be a more capable, well rounded teacher. In other research projects, I have also come across data reflecting teachers not feeling they were adequately prepared by their teacher prep programs, so I feel like this is an unfortunate trend in education.

My advisor recommended that I take a look at The Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education which is "the standard of excellence in teacher preparation." How fancy. I had no idea that there was a council with specific standards that gives (or doesn't give) accreditation to institutions with teacher preparation programs. Click here to view a map of the US on which you can click any state and view all accredited institutions in that state.

I was very interested/appalled to find that my college was NOT on the list. Yikes! Hope Dad never finds out about that because he always encouraged me to go to UCONN, a state school, which by the way...is ON the list. I will admit, when I originally applied to Villanova, I applied to the business school and was accepted. Villanova is an excellent business school and is ranked #11 in the nation, however sometime during the summer before freshman year, I decided that being a businesswoman was not my fate of choice and I requested to switch into the college of arts and sciences so that I could participate in the elementary education program. I should have known, based on the fact that I had to take my classes at another all female college down the street, that it was not the best ever teacher program, yet I put up with the nuns because I was happy at Nova and I completed the program. I met my best friend at Nova. I met my husband at Nova. In no way do I regret selecting that school for my college experience, but I can't help but feel like I wish someone told me about the standards in a teaching program I should be on the lookout for...

Now, I am not saying that because I went to a non-accredited school that I am a less effective teacher than other teachers out there, but I am bummed! I mean, I have a teaching license, I have endorsements, I have experience, I am a good teacher. I don't need "accreditation" to make me feel worthy, yet I just keep thinking I wish I knew! Thank goodness my grad school is on the list or I think I would just about die. Standards are created with a purpose and I don't ever like to be associated with something that is sub-par.

Now, here is where all you lovely teachers that read this blog come in.....

Help me with my research!

Where did you go to college for your teacher prep?

Did you do your program as an undergrad or grad student?

Is your college/university on the list? Here is the link again.

(no judgments....remember I didn't make the list!)

Did you feel that your program adequately prepared you to teach linguistically & culturally diverse students?

I really hope to see a lot of comments because this issue is really interesting to me!

Much love to all my teacher peeps!

This is what I call "positivity"

"We all need loving the most

when we deserve it the least"

don't know who said that, but I like it!

We all know that students respond well to praise, but sometimes our praising could use a little sparkle & pizzazz!

Instead of saying "good job" next time, try one of these

Excellent * Fantastic * Remarkable * Super * Hurray for you * I'm proud of you * I bet you're proud of yourself * Great * Beautiful work * Nicely done * Way to go * Wow * That looks spectacular * Marvelous * You did it * Great discovery * Outstanding * You rock * Exceptional * Well done * Bravo * Terrific * Neat * Looking good * Now you've got it * You figured it out * Awesome * You're on the right track * Nothing can stop you now * I knew you could do it *Fabulous * Stupendous * Phenomenal * Sensational * Magnificent * I'm impressed * Amazing

And if you want put some icing on that praise cake why not give some more specific praise

I noticed that you did your homework every night this week * I appreciate the way you followed my directions the first time * I saw that you helped clean up the mess on the floor * I really love the way you came right away when I called your name * You did a nice job hanging up your coat and backpack * You really tried to use your best handwriting * I like that you wrote 5 sentences in your journal

And everyone appreciates a little lovin'

Give your students a...

hug * high five * smile * thumbs up * wink * shoulder pat * handshake * nod * clap * funny face

Global Literature Week 5

This week's theme for my Global Literature course is Biography/Non-fiction. Below are the book choices. The only one from the list that my library has is Zlata's Diary, so I am going to read that one. It is the story of a ten-year-old Croatian girl's firsthand account of the changes she witnesses as her country slides into war and chaos from 1992-1996 during the Bosnian War.

Friend Makin' Monday

This week's theme for Friend Makin' Monday is:

If you were in a movie, which movie would you want to live in?

Check out Amber's blog to see the rest of the answers.

I would have to say that I would choose to be in the original Step Up.

I would love to attend a school were dancing and choreographing was part of my education! Of course, as long as we are playing make believe, I would have fantastic dancing talents like Jenna Dewan.

Not to mention that dancing with this guy would be pretty fantastic...

::sigh::

It would also be pretty fun to live in Clueless. I would die for Cher's closet!

Weekend Workout Review

My goal lately has been to workout 4-5 days a week. I usually plan not to workout on the weekends because we usually end up being lazy and if I plan not to workout then I make sure to get a workout in everyday during the week. This week I skipped on Thursday and Friday so I wanted to make sure to workout both yesterday and today. Yesterday hubs and I went to our local gym and I spent 70 minutes on the recumbent bike. I have a lot of reading to do for my courses, so I like to kill two birds with one stone. I finished up Lies My Teacher Told Me and got in a good hour+ of cardio as well. My husband took a look at how far back I was putting the seat and recommended that I adjust it farther back, so I wonder if sitting too close has caused my knee to bug out?!

I just finished Shred level 1 with Jillian and I am happy to say that my knee felt really good today. I did make sure to be extra careful with my form for both the squat press and the lunge with bicep curl because doing exercises improperly can certainly lead to knee pain or injury. I also went really light on weights for the multi joint exercises because, even though my knee is feeling good right now, it has been bugging me a lot lately and I don't want to do anything to elicit more pain!

I guess I have been doing a few things differently, so maybe that is what is making my knee hurt less. I have been drinking one can of this stuff everyday.

Have you heard of it?

We used to get it at Costco and we had an extra case that got shipped along when we moved. It contains glucosamine which is really good for joint health.

"Glucosamine helps provide the building blocks for healthy cartilage and maintain structural integrity of joints and connective tissue." *source*

I am not sure if drinking this really has an effect on my knee, but unfortunately we only have half a case left and once I run out I won't be able to get anymore. Each can has only 25 calories and it tastes fruity and delicious. I never got around to trying to find fish oil caplets, so for now the JJ will have to do.

I have been wearing my orthotics all day everyday not just for workouts. No matter what pair of shoes I put on, I put those inserts inside because I know they are helping my feet which therefore should help my knees.

I am also planning on incorporating some pilates into my workout routines a few times a week. When I was consistently doing pilates (twice a week for an hour), I was in the best shape of my adult life. That was a few years back when I was recently dumped and 21, but I think pilates exercises are great. I am especially interested to incorporate some pilates because I feel like the exercises will be less stressful on my knees. I have this Winsor Pilates Sculpting Bun & Thigh DVD which I really like.

The whole routine takes about 20 minutes. It is all mat work which means none of the exercises are weight bearing. I still want to keep up the rigor of my workout routine without as much stress on my knee.

This week is fall break, so I don't have to go to work! I have tons of papers/things to work on for my doctoral courses though, so I am sure it will be a busy week!