Goodbye!

Goodbye to English 104! This semester flew by, but I am glad that I am done writing papers for some time. See you all around campus next year!

Stressful!

I have my HIST 150 exam tomorrow and I haven't really studied yet. Luckily, it's not cumulative! I am so glad that next week is the last week of my freshman year!! This year flew by and it's just a bit crazy that I will be coming back a sophomore! Good luck to everybody on all of their exams!

Twitter

So...my friend suggested that I sign up for Twitter...and I listened. It seems a little weird - but that's ok! There aren't many people with Twitter accounts though - I basically searched for everyone in my high school class, but not many turned up. Hmm...anyway...if you have Twitter, follow me @BFRO_1

Haha!

Campus Christian House

A couple of days ago, I was asked to join some people for church. I knew them from Education in Action - as we are all on the executive board. Anyway...today was the day. They attend mass at the Campus Christian House. It was a neat experience - and I am glad that I tried it out! It is definitely not what I am used to at St. Francis but it still worked. Only TWO more Sundays to go and we are all out of here!

Late Nite Carnival

My friends and I thought it would be a neat idea to check out the Late Nite Carnival. Unfortunately, it was freezing! We tried to enjoy the rides but it was just too cold. Before we left, we did get an elephant ear. It didn't warm us up like we thought it would. I think that I am getting a bit sick due to the carnival adventure.

Great Weekend

This weekend was...amazing! On Saturday, I participated in Outreach to Teach and it was so much fun! I think all of the painting I did made me just a bit sick. Sorry - I don't have any pictures. Then today, I had an Easter party! It was awesome. I love family parties and could have stayed there all day. Now I am preparing for this super busy week! Crazy crazy!

Busy, Busy!

This is another busy weekend for me! I have TONS of homework to do - it's quite ridiculous! Then I have to be up at 6am tomorrow for a community service project in Greentown. It's an all day affair at their high school. It is getting a makeover by the Student Education Associations all across select college campuses! It shall be a great day full of service and friend making. I hope to post some pictures and how the day went later this weekend.

Enjoy the warm and stormy weekend ahead! 

Disney

I don't know how my life would have turned out if not for Disney movies. This weekend, I watched all sorts of Disney movies. My favorites were The Lion King, The Jungle Book, and the new Disney movie Tangled!

Tangled was definitely better than I thought it would be. It was a neat twist on Rapunzel. There are tons of other Disney movies that I love - but unfortunately, the movies we used to own on VHS were sold at one of our garage sales a couple of years ago. When I look back, I wish I would have made my mom save them old movies. From Tarzan, to Anastasia, to Snow White, to 101 Dalmatians we sold the best. Hopefully I can find them great movies so I can show them to my own children and the children in my classroom. Disney movies are amazing - and they each have such great songs!

Good Cause

So I just got back from Up 'Til Dawn - an event for the St. Jude Children's Hospital. It was a great time and I am exhausted! It lasts till 3am - but I definitely can't stay up that late. I hope everyone had a great April Fools Day and you weren't fooled too many times! I am now off to bed - thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday - it's basically the only day I ever get time to sleep in.

Liberty's Kids

I was browsing the history movies available at the library since I have a thing for history. I came across the first complete season of Liberty's Kids which aired on PBS for about a year (2002-2003). I almost freaked when I saw it. It is probably my next favorite cartoon after Arthur. Anyway...if you haven't seen Liberty's Kids and you love history...check it out! It's about these kids who report events during the American Revolution in America. On their website (www.libertyskids.com), they claim that "The primary goal of the TV series is to provide 7-12 year olds with a fresh and exciting experience of the extraordinary period of 1773 to 1789 in American history." It definitely did that for me! I watched it every day after school while having my afternoon snack. On top of being extremely educational, the theme song was catchy too. I must have a thing for theme songs too....listen to it below!

I am now on the hunt to buy the complete season, so when I am teaching my students about the American Revolution, we can watch Liberty's Kids - because watching movies and TV shows always makes learning more fun!

Movie Marathon #2!

This weekend, another movie marathon will be occurring! We will be watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Spy Next Door, and Greenberg. It shall be a great time!

  

We are also heading to Jimmy Johns for dinner. Yum yum! Even though it is quite a walk, the subs are definitely worth it.

New Week Ahead

Tomorrow starts the beginning of a new week! And...to make it even better, class sign-ups start tomorrow too. That means that the end of the school year is near! I sure hope that I get the classes I sign up for, because the way I have it scheduled out is perfect.

This weekend really wore me out. Luckily, my first class is cancelled for tomorrow, so I can sleep in! Thank goodness for cancelled classes...they rock!

Waiting for Superman

I just finished watching Waiting for Superman sponsored through the Department of Elementary Education or something - anyway - it was such a great movie! It really opened my eyes as to how bad the education system is. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it. The movie really makes me want to make a a difference - and I hope to do that when I become a teacher.

VCR/VHS

I just finished watching a VHS tape on a VCR. It has been forever since I have watched VHS tapes and it was really weird. I definitely don't miss rewinding the movies! What a pain that is!

Blah!

I can't believe that I am already back at BSU. Spring break went by way too fast! Now it's time to count down to summer break!

Arthur!

So I was working on my College Mentors lesson plan about the president, when I came across an Arthur episode where they go to Washington, DC.

I remember watching Arthur almost every day. I loved it! Anyway...while I was working on my lesson and thinking about Arthur, this song popped into my head:

"Having fun isn't hard, when you've got a library card!" (Click on the link to hear the song on Youtube.)

I totally remember singing this around the house. Too bad the cartoons today aren't like they were when I was little...they were so much more educational back in the 1990's.

Spring Break!

I am so glad that Spring Break is finally here! It is so nice to relax at home, hang out with old friends, and just be lazy. It's going to be a great week!

And the Oscar goes to...

The Kings Speech for Best Picture!

I haven't seen that movie yet - I should probably get on that now, since it won Best Picture.

I really don't know what else to put - except that it is lightning like crazy outside. It better stop lightning because my bed is lofted right by the window on the highest floor in my dorm. That just scares me a little bit - I always freak out and think I am going to get struck by lightning. You never know...

Ok well off to bed I go!

One Week to Go!

Even though I am not looking forward to another week of classes, I am happy to say that it is the last one before Spring Break! I really hope that this week goes by fast. I definitely need a break from all of the stress of school. As unfortunate as it may be, I won't be going anywhere exciting for break. However, a week at home - sleeping in, watching TV, and spending time with my amazing dog - will be perfectly fine.

Busy Week Ahead

Well I almost went to bed without doing my last blog post...so I just wanted you all to know that I have a pretty busy week ahead. Check it out!

Monday: Other than class, I have College Mentors from 3-5. Then I need to get myself some supper and head on over to my night class from 7-9. When I return from class, I must do laundry...I'm running low!

Tuesday: Other than my awesome History and English classes, I have tutoring from 2-4. Then I need to call my awesome advisor to schedule a meeting about classes for next year as well as visit the parking people to get a parking permit for the rest of the school year. I also have an Education in Action meeting at 5pm. TC 113 - it's game night! You should come check it out! :)

Wednesday: I have to work on my awesome pen pal letter. My pen pal's name is Matthew and is an elementary student in Illinois. Hopefully I don't have too much homework to do, then I can catch up on some sleep.

Ok...well I guess just Monday through Wednesday are sort of busy. The rest of the week hopefully stays pretty empty so I can catch up on homework and just relax from the busy first half of the week. I hope that this week and next week fly by. Spring break is almost here!

Quiet Study Area?

The sign clearly states that this is a "Quiet Study Area" so please
get off of that phone!

So I'm currently doing my homework in Club Bracken. I went to the 4th floor, because I have some reading to do. When I read, I like it to be nice and quiet.

I obviously never got the email that stated today was an exception the the 4th floor quiet rules. There were people all over the place chatting with their neighbors and talking on their cell phones.

Really people? This doesn't make me happy.

Grammys!

Just got finished watching the Grammys! In case you missed it, here are the winners of a few of the top categories:

Record of the Year: Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year: The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

Song of the Year: Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Best New Artist: Esperanza Spalding

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Bad Romance - Lady Gaga

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: Hey, Soul Sister - Train

Best Pop Vocal Album: The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga

Best Dance Recording: Only Girl (In The World) - Rihanna

Best Rock Album: The Resistance - Muse

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: There Goes My Baby - Usher

Best Urban/Alternative Performance: F*** You - Cee Lo Green

Best Rap Song: Empire State of Mind - Jay-Z & Alicia Keys

Oh English...

Oops! I almost forgot about my blog posts! Well...I am currently trying to fill out some scholarships. I hope I can get some free money!! I am also thinking about room sign ups. I get to sign up tomorrow and my roommate and I really want to live in Park. So, I am waking up a little before 6am so I can get on the housing site to sign up for Park. 6am is way early, so I better not be getting up for nothing! I guess we will have to wait till tomorrow to find out!

-Br@ndon

Paranormal Activity - Two!

So I just got back from watching Paranormal Activity 2. I am not into scary movies, so I don't know why I let my friend convince me into going. The movie wasn't how I thought it would be. The first whole hour was pretty lame - however the last half hour was a different story. My heart is still racing from the movie! I can't get the freaky images out of my head. Ahh! I really hope I can get some sleep tonight. I need sleep. If I had to watch Paranormal Activity 2 again, I probably wouldn't mind, as I now know where all the scary parts are - so I can say I am prepared for what pops out at the viewer!

Just an FYI...I didn't scream like everyone around me did! I am pretty happy about that because the last time I watched a scary movie with my friends, I am pretty sure I screamed like a little girl.

- Br@ndon

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Punxsutawny Phil didn't see his shadow today, meaning an early spring is on the way!

Check out the video from CNN by clicking here.

I sure hope Phil is right about this!

Reading for Pleasure...

With all of the homework and projects I have, it is no wonder I don't get much time to read for pleasure. Fortunately, for the past few days, I have been having more and more time to read for fun!

I am currently re-reading 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny by Phillip Done. This is about the 10th time I have read this book. It is one of the reasons why I want to become an elementary teacher. I long for the funny moments in Mr. Done's classroom to occur in my classroom. What great rewards they would be!

The back of the book states: "32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny is for anyone who has ever taught children - or been in third grade. It is a testament to the kids who uplift us - and the teachers we will never forget..."

I recommend that everyone reads this book. I promise that you will catch yourself laughing out loud. It is hilarious!

If you catch yourself enjoying this book and long for more, don't worry - Mr. Done has another book! Close Encounters of the Third Grade Kind will guarantee more laughs!

Phillip Done won the Schwab Foundation Distinguished Teacher Award. Nominated for the Disney Teacher of the Year Award, he has taught elementary school for twenty years. He lives in Mountain View, California.

Visit his website at www.phillipdone.org

Unfortunately, Ball State doesn't have these books in the library - but I am sure you could use the loan thing if you wanted to. I never had to loan them, as I received both books as gifts!

Someday, I hope to meet Phillip Done. He has been to Purdue and Indiana University, so I am hoping he comes to Ball State sometime. I just
want him to autograph my books!

-Br@ndon

Life As We Know It

Last night, my friends and I went to see Life As We Know It. Staring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, it is one comedy that you must see! It is so funny and I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD.

The movie was right around two hours long. After it was over, I heard some people complaining that it was long. I kept thinking to myself that most movies are two hours long. If you can't stand this one, how can you stand the forever-long Harry Potter movies?

Before the movie began, they had some movie posters to give away - just like the picture to the left. Unfortunately, I didn't win one, but one of my friends did! I hope I win a movie poster sometime. My dorm room walls are sort of bare...

- Br@ndon

Just in case you were absent:

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Today we intensively reviewed three papers. The desks were arranged in a large circle, and we went around, person to person, criticizing the author's work. Everyone received great advice to help improve their papers. We did not fully finish Kim's paper, so hopefully you remember who you sat by, as we will finish reviewing her paper next week.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

We quickly reviewed the readings from a while ago - chapter 4, 5, 8, and 9. McArdle said to look over them again so we can finish talking about them next Thursday. Then we got into our peer review groups and discussed each other's papers. McArdle also went over the intensive review concept. Make sure to have a copy of each person's paper with comments written on them for Thursday.

Surprise!

This afternoon, my parents and little sister decided to surprise me and come up to BSU. It was nice to see them - since I haven't seen them since I came back from Winter Break. I invited my friend Emily to join my family as we went to the mall and out to eat. We just chilled at the mall - not really looking for anything. I did buy the book, It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. I love the book and cannot wait to see the movie! Then we went on over to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. It was ridiculously crowded and had to wait about an hour for a table - but it was definitely worth it. The rolls and cinnamon butter are amazing! I got some burger that was delicious and couldn't even finish the whole thing.

I am now nice and full - and just finished my rough draft for our National Gaze paper. Since I am free, I will be watching a movie with my friend and going through the stack of mail my mom brought from home! What a great evening to come!

-Br@ndon

Icy Observations

For my Elementary Education class (EDEL 200), we had our first day of observations today.

The day started out normal - I got dressed and was very excited to watch the class. I walked over to meet my friend - who is in my class - and almost fell because it was so icy outside. We made our way to the nearest shuttle stop, with my friend falling once, so we wouldn't need to walk all the way to the elementary school just off of campus - saving ourselves from potential falls.

We got to the school and were given our room assignments. My friend and I were to both observe a third grade classroom. However, the normal teacher was absent, so we had to observe the substitute.

Things were going really well. The students were listening, participating, and behaving well. Then, the sub's cell phone went off, playing some fast Mexican-like song. The kids jumped up and started dancing like we were at a school dance. The sub, obviously embarrassed, quickly silenced her phone, and got the children settled down. It was quite the observation, and I learnt that when I teach, I hope to remember to silence my cell phone before class.

Then, after an awesome morning, my friend and I headed back out to face the ice again. We were nearing the shuttle stop when we noticed one waiting for passengers to get in. We both had classes in less than 10 minutes and started "speed walking" to catch the bus. This time, however, I was the one who fell. I totally wiped out on the sidewalk near a smoking area. The smokers who were there all stared at me with mouths wide opened. I was so embarrassed. To make things even worse, when we got to the shuttle, it was completely full, so we had to wait for another one. Uh! I was not a happy camper - until I got to my next class - which ended up being cancelled!

Fortunately, most of the ice has melted. Now all we need to do is prepare for all of the snow we are supposed to get!

Better get out those snow boots!

-Br@ndon

Movie Marathon!

This weekend, my friends and I decided to have a movie marathon. With our favorite movies in hand, we settled down on bean bag chairs, popped a couple bags of popcorn, and began watching.

Here was the playlist:

1. The Proposal

2. 500 Days of Summer

3. The Blind Side

4. National Lampoon's European Vacation

5. Eat Pray Love

Out of the five listed above, I would have to say The Proposal, 500 Days of Summer, and The Blind Side are my favorites. They are just such amazing movies! 

I have seen The Proposal and The Blind Side tons of times. The Proposal is hilarious and for some time, made me consider becoming an editor in New York. But I decided to scratch that idea. The Blind Side is such a touching movie - and I love how it is based on a true story. It really makes me appreciate what I have. 

This weekend was the first time I had seen 500 Days of Summer. The movie is set up in such a neat way - jumping around from the good times and the bad times. My friends said that they should make a sequel titled, The Rest of My Life with Autumn, where they end up getting married and living happily for the rest of their lives. I think that would be neat.

If you can't tell, I really love movies. Here are some movies I look forward to seeing:

1. The Social Network

2. It's Kind of a Funny Story

3. Morning Glory

4. The Tourist

5. Little Fockers
6. The Roommate

Fortunately, a majority of them are coming to BSU for Friday Night Filmworks. I will definitely have to hit them up with my friends! Yay for BSU having awesome movies on campus for FREE!

Thanks for reading!

- Br@ndon

Hello! Let's Get to Know Each Other...

Since these blogs are to gain information about the other students in our class, I guess I will give you some information about myself.

I come from a small town in Ohio - basically on the border of Indiana and Ohio. I come from an area nicknamed "The Holy Land" due to the amount of Catholic churches around. There are over 15 Catholic churches in less than a twenty-mile radius! With that being said, I am Catholic. I come from a family of five. I am the oldest and have two younger sisters. We also have a dog named Koda. He's a he and is some kind of Shih Tzu mix.

Now isn't this adorable? :)
(Note: No, I do not have an interest in lighthouses.
I don't know what my mother was thinking when she put
up that wallpaper. I don't even care for beaches and water.
There are way too many creepy things that crawl on the sand
and swim in the water that might bite, sting, or simply brush
against my feet or body.)

I graduated from a small high school, in a class of 101 students. I decided to come to BSU because:

1. The Teachers College has nationally-ranked programs, has great faculty members, and is overall fantastic!

2. I was able to get in-state tuition - a huge plus!

Like I said in my profile box thing, I am majoring in Elementary Education with Language Arts and Social Studies concentrations. So I do like English to some extent. Writing papers...no. Reading books...yes! I love reading books and I hope to instill a passion for reading into my students. I also love Social Studies and hope to get students interested in the world around them. During the summer of 2012, I will be traveling to England with some other BSU Elementary Education majors to teach some little London children. I am super excited for this amazing experience and it can't come fast enough!

Hmm...I think that should do it for now. Thanks for reading and enjoy the long weekend! :)

- Br@ndon