The last of 2010

Before the semester ended, William and I decided to go into Manhattan to see the tree in Rockefeller Center. It was freezing in Queens before we left school, so it was frigid by the time the sun went down and we finally saw the tree. We got dinner at Chipotle and walked around for a bit. We were so tired from the long day at school and walking around the city by the time we got home.

As promised, before the year ended, I made William his own pillow. I plan on making many more to give to friends and loved ones as 2011 progresses.



As 2010 drew to an end and finals began approaching, I stopped taking as many pictures. That will change in 2011, and I'm setting a goal to take pictures every day, and blogging more often. Is that too ambitious?

Classroom Observations

For my Adolescent Development class, my professor asked us to complete 10-15 hours of classroom observations. I decided to go to my high school, seeing as I knew so many English department faculty members. I contacted the English Coordinator and immediately started feeling one step closer to my future goals.

I know it sounds so cliche, but I always knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little girl. I would play school with my family members, pretend to grade papers and write out report cards, and embrace every moment I spent in my elementary school. As each year passed and I moved up a grade, I always wanted to teach that grade and aspire to be just like the teachers I had.

In middle school, I began to really fall in love with English. I was always interested in writing and I loved to read as a child. My brother actually taught me how to read before I was even in preschool because I was so eager to learn. In seventh grade, my English teachers allowed us to expand our writing skills by getting more creative with assignments. For the first time, I felt like I was writing real, sincere poetry and prose. In eighth grade, I was a part of the APEX program, which was for advanced social studies and English students. My eighth grade English teacher encouraged me to continue writing and constantly praised me for my work. 

During my freshman year of high school, I was able to create a more personalized class schedule, and I chose to take creative writing and journalism. It was actually in journalism where I met my best friend, Jessica Frasca! For creative writing, I had a wonderful teacher who helped me discover so many new genres of literature and writing, and I still have all of my assignments in the marble notebook I used that year. I continued to take creative writing for three of my four years in high school, and I still love to flip through those notebooks and discover how much my writing has developed since then. In tenth grade, I had the best English teacher, who  eventually inspired me to pursue an education at St. John's University. Words cannot describe how influential and creative this teacher was, but once  the year was over, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.

So here I am. At St. John's University, an English Adolescent Education major. I am loving every minute of it, and feel as though every second I spend in an English or Education class is vital to my future. I decided to take this Adolescent Development class, and I am so thankful for having the professor I do. He's an English teacher himself, but is also an English Chairman at his high school. So when he told us we had to begin observing classes, I immediately became so excited.

Every Wednesday for three hours I observe a 10th grade Regents/Regents Remedial class, a 12th grade Honors class, an 11th grade AP class and a 9th grade Honors class. I'm so glad to have this mix of classes, because it really is fascinating to see how differently the students learn and how each teacher responds to their needs. It's strange being back in my high school, now observing how the teachers are teaching, rather than what they're teaching. It's also very interesting to observe the students and how and what information they're absorbing. I've also been realizing different teaching methods used in these very different classes, and have come to understand why the teachers are using these methods. After sitting in such a different spot in the classroom, I've discovered just how engaging and innovative teachers have become! Each teacher that I've observed used some type of creative lesson that truly grabbed the students and helped them actually learn. These four teachers have become an inspiration for me, and I'd love to return back to their school for future observations.

Entering that high school made me realize how much closer I've become to my goal of becoming an English teacher. It was amazing to finally see just how far I've come since the days of my childhood, when I would play school with my family members and pretend to grade papers.

Pumpkin Picking

I know this is rather late and Halloween is over, but I just couldn't find the time to post this earlier.

The weekend before Halloween William and I went pumpkin picking at Lewin's Farms. It was a beautiful  Saturday afternoon, the weather was perfect, and we had all day to spend together because my Saturday education class was cancelled.

I must say that the dirt road that poor Leonardo (that's my car's name) was terrifying. I am CONSTANTLY fearing for my car's life so I was worried about rocks ruining him or other cars hitting mine on the narrow rode. Oh, and I'll also add that it's quite unnerving driving in the middle of nowhere, just me and William, not knowing where the hell we're going.

 As always, it was beautiful out there.

I always name my pumpkins Duncan.

 He's a cutie.

 As always, someone gave me a problem about smiling for pictures.

 William's perfect pumpkin.

 The pumpkin patch was right next to the Christmas tree lot. My family will probably never cut down our own tree (it would be too hysterical/aggrivating; we're not outdoorsy people), but it was fun to see them getting ready!

Hope everyone had a fun Halloween!

I am in love...

...with the new Kings of Leon album.

I strongly suggest you have a listen.

It's full of emotion.

I'm driving William crazy by playing it over and over in the car on the way to school.

I just want to listen to it over and over.

Especially when I'm driving.

And this song just seems so optimistic.

Grapes

I apologize for my lack of posting as of late. I've been super busy with school, work and everything else that has to get done on a day to day basis. Plus, my laptop was out of commission for a while so I didn't have my pictures.

I took these photos at my grandparents' house during Labor Day weekend. This grape arbor has been in my family since my great-grandfather built the house and my grandfather has maintained it every since. Every September my grandfather picks the grapes and sends them to a neighbor/family friend who uses them to make jellies, jams and wine. On Christmas Eve, she sends my grandparents boxes full of grape jelly and red wine, but she is also kind enough to give us strawberry, peach, mulberry, mul-grape and raspberry jam! She's a very talented woman, and she takes the time to make labels for each jar and adds little embellishments on top of each jar!

I'll post the end result come Christmas time, but for now I have these photos of the grape picking process:

 We collected about 20 lbs on this day.

Unfortunately, I had school the day he collected the rest. He said he got about a hundred pounds this year! The past couple of years have been awful  for the grape, and some years we didn't even pick any at all. Luckily, the weather was right this summer and the grape starting blooming early!

Vitamins

Sooo, the creator of the first blog that I ever read, Meg Duerksen, is asking for some help.

Her and a group of women in the blog world took a trip to Africa a few months ago to help the children there. Each woman brought a suitcase full of one item that would benefit the children. Meg sent a suitcase full of birthday cake mixes and dresses. Another suitcase was full of vitamins. The women were told that each child would receive one hard boiled egg each Saturday, and that egg would most likely be their protein for the week. Obviously, the vitamins helped out a lot, but it's been months since Meg and the ladies were there, and the children's club has run out of them.

The women are asking for donations of children's vitamins to send in one giant box to the children's club. I've bought some bottles already and wanted to see if any of you would like to help. Please comment and let me know if you would be interested! Thank you!

A Visit to Walt Whitman's Birthplace

As an English education major, I naturally love all things English, and those who know me best know how much I love Walt Whitman. (I like to call him "Uncle Walt", by the way).

William decided that it'd be nice if we went on one last date together before school started, and a visit to Walt Whitman's birthplace was still never crossed off on our "2010 To Do List." So a few days before school started, I finally visited the Huntington home that I have been longing to visit for years. Isn't it funny how we tend to take advantage of the historical/tourist spots that are right in our backyard? As a New Yorker, I know tons of people who have never been to the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, etc. I can oftentimes be guilty of this as a Long Islander!


The house is an absolutely beautiful home, built around 1810. It was a farmhouse, built by his father, who built homes for a living. Walt Whitman was born in the house in 1819. This is the original house, but the home was restored in 2001. The property has shrunk over the years, but this land was preserved in 1949. In 1985, New York State declared the land a historic preservation.

 The house in which Uncle Walt was born.

 The original well, used by the Whitman's.

 This fireplace was restored and painted the original color from the time when the Whitman's lived there. This blue is so beautiful in person, and unfortunately this photo doesn't do it justice!

Our tour guide explained to use that a house built during this era normally did not contain as many closets as those featured in the Whitman home. It was such a culture-shock to see how a family could own very few belongings, that they didn't need closets!

 These utensils are believed to be Walt's. During his lifetime, men would carry utensils on them when eating in restaurants. This was to prevent the spread of disease, but also because restaurants had a tendency of running out of utensils when serving patrons.

 Unfortunately, none of the furniture or items actual belonged to the Whitman family. They moved out of the home when Walt was older, and the house was privately sold to a wealthy family from New York City, who decided to preserve the house as best as they could. 

 Uncle Walt!

This is the desk that Walt used while he taught in a Long Island school. His book of poetry, Leaves of Grass, is displayed on top of it.

If you've never been to Walt Whitman's birthplace and live on Long Island, I strongly suggest you go! Students get in for $4 and there are always buy one get one free coupons floating around. The tour guides are very dedicated to their jobs and will provide you with very insightful knowledge on Walt and his family history. 

After visiting his birthplace, I now want to go to his home in Camden, New Jersey. This is the place where Walt died, and the home is set up exactly as he left it, with the original furniture and his belongings. 

And now I will leave you with my favorite Walt Whitman poem, and probably his most famous:

O Captain! My Captain! - Walt Whitman (1865)

O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding; For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head;

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still; My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will; The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

I'll be back soon enough with more updates. School has started, which means I'm back to being a busy college student!