Oh so scholarly....

Here's a discussion post response I wrote for my grad school class. The teacher responded to another student asking her how she could help students learn through discovery on clear cut concepts, here is how I am responding to that post (you have to read all the way through to get to the "scholarly" part):

"I think there are ways to help students be curious about "clear cut" concepts. For example, when working with homonyms and homophones, I give my students a story about the princess and the pea, except, I change some of the words (ex: pea vs. pee) giving students the option of which "pea/pee" they should use. If the story were entitled the Princess and the Pee, it completely changes the meaning. Students explore which word is correct and why. Obviously, because they know that the story Princess and the Pee is not about urinating, they know that the word "Pee," which means to urinate is incorrect and should be changed to "Pea" the vegetable. Students immediately discover that the wrong word is being used."

Um...yeah...that totally deserves an A....it doesn't even relate to "clear cut" concepts, but it just sounded good! Woo hoo! Yeah for scholarly people!!!!

Proposition 8 in Plain English

A very simplistic explanation of Prop. 8 that anyone can understand. See the right side of this page and the post from October 21st for more information, facts and details on this important decision that California will be making on Tuesday.

MLS Playoffs!!!

I went to the Real Salt Lake vs. Chivas USA MLS playoff game today with my friend, Eric, who is also a soccer fanatic! It was awesome...why wouldn't it be...its soccer! RSL scored in the 90th minute, which was almost a miracle considering that the goalkeeper for Chivas is a BEAST!!! GO RSL!! They just need to beat or tie Chivas to move on! The MLS Cup finals are in Los Angeles at the Home Depot Center...hmm...maybe I'll have to make a special trip to CALI!!! WOO HOO!!!!

Back to Being student

I have started a Masters program! I'm doing it online through Grand Canyon University. I applied last Monday and started the 2nd half of Fall term on Monday. My program is a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instrucion with emphasis in Reading. I am scheduled to finish in October 2010!!

Prop 8

If Prop 8 fails to pass, teachers (even against their own consciences and moral values) will be required to teach young children that there is no difference between gay marriage and traditional marriage.

Please let me preface this by saying that I respect those who choose to live the homosexual lifestyle. I have several friends and former teammates who are gay and lesbian. Though I do not agree with how they live their life, I do respect them as people. I have received much information on Proposition 8, which is being voted on in California in a couple weeks, and quite honestly, if I am teaching my children in my home that homosexuality is NOT acceptable or aligned with our beliefs and standards, I do not want them learning that in schools. As a teacher, I would not be able to teach something to my students that I feel is morally wrong, even if that means I lose my job. No teacher should ever be required to teach anything that goes against their moral values. If my students choose to live that lifestyle, that is their choice...I will not try to change them, but I will not teach that same-sex marriage is acceptable when that is not in alignment with my standards or beliefs.

Many people have made the argument that Prop 8 is about "gay rights." They don't know the law well enough to make that argument...


Current Law: Under California law, “[D]omestic partners shall have the same rights, protections, and benefits, and shall be subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties under law…as are granted to and imposed upon [married] spouses.” (Family Code §297.5)

As stated best in an email I received today:
"Domestic partners in California have all the rights of married spouses. There are no exceptions! Prop 8 will NOT take away any of those rights. Prop 8 is not an attack on the gay lifestyle. Prop 8 is all about protecting the ideal of marriage."

Another RSL Game!

Alrighty, I went to another Real Salt Lake game with my friend Tim. It was so much fun! Two red cards and Real Salt Lake won 3-1 giving them their first playoff birth ever!!!! I bought 2009 season tickets...it will be something to get me out of the house besides teaching and coaching!!!! :)

State Semi-Finals!!!

Lone Peak Girls' Soccer is back in the Final Four! We beat Skyline and Viewmont 2-1 to advance into the semis. We play Brighton next Thursday!!!

Newspaper Article: Lone Peak vs. Skyline--1st Round of Playoffs
Newspaper Article: Lone Peak vs. Viewmont--Qtr. Finals

Photo Tag

So I saw this on Marianne's blog...she tagged anyone...I'm on fall break, I'm bored, I should be in bed....so...what the heck...

The rules of this tag are that you open your picture files. Choose the fourth file then the fourth picture in your file and then tell us about it.



So sad to say that there are no actual "pictures" in my pictures file other than clip art or things of get off the internet because I save all my pictures on an external hard drive. So this picture is from a clipart search and I came across it while looking for the "perfect" soccer picture to put on a little card I made for my U11 players...but guess what its a picture of...TITAN STADIUM--the stadium where I played soccer in college at CSUF!!!!! I LOVED playing in this stadium....it was my second home for four years. I ran the stairs to get back in shape after my knee injury, I spent many hours of blood, sweat, tears...all part of the package and I miss it! I tag anyone who wants to do this!!!!

Inaugural Real Salt Lake Game at Rio Tinto Stadium!

My U11 team got tickets for the first Real Salt Lake game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy! We sat behind the north goal....four rows from the field!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!