Last Saturday, our school had our Spring Formal. Periodically throughout the year our school has several dances. We have a Fall Formal, Homecoming, and a Spring Formal. We also have several informal dances in our Bistro...it's an old gym that is in Bede Hall...perfect for a smaller dance.
Student Government Association (SGA) puts on all of these dances, and we really have to commend them for always providing a fun atmosphere...the DJ, food, etc. is always really good, and everyone has a great time.
So, our Spring Formal this year was at Minerva's/Kelly Inn again. We had the same DJ we had for Homecoming (which I was not a fan of). It was a lot of the same music and kept on repeating songs. It was really nice to see everyone dressed up as this is the most formal of our dances. The baseball and softball games were cancelled for the day...so it was by far the best turnout I have ever seen at one of our dances.
We have two parking lots for students to park in on our campus...and usually on the weekends the big lot is always empty...and the small lot is half empty. This weekend, the small lot was full and the big lot was half ful.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Park Guide
I just found out I landed the best possible job for the summer. I am going to be a Park Guide for the National Park Service for the summer. Part of my job is to work in the Lewis and Clark Visitors Center...and the other half is giving presentations to campers on weekend evenings. I am really excited for such a good experience to put my two majors (history and secondary education) into practice and also to be making quite a lot of money!
For this job, I have to wear the park ranger uniform...hat and all! I start on May 19th, and I really can't wait! I was a little nervous at first that this job would interfer with a lot of my summer plans. I am invited to like seven weddings, but I plan on making it to three of them. My brother is getting married, my good friend from college, and my cousin are all getting married.
This job is something that will look really good on the resume. I hope to build a good relationship with the National Park Service and maybe continue on working for them in the summer. Since I am going to be a teacher, I will be looking for a job in the summer not only to keep busy but also to make some extra money since the teacher's salary isn't exactly great!
For this job, I have to wear the park ranger uniform...hat and all! I start on May 19th, and I really can't wait! I was a little nervous at first that this job would interfer with a lot of my summer plans. I am invited to like seven weddings, but I plan on making it to three of them. My brother is getting married, my good friend from college, and my cousin are all getting married.
This job is something that will look really good on the resume. I hope to build a good relationship with the National Park Service and maybe continue on working for them in the summer. Since I am going to be a teacher, I will be looking for a job in the summer not only to keep busy but also to make some extra money since the teacher's salary isn't exactly great!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Final Projects
It's that time of year again. Many people automatically assume that the busiest times for college students are during mid-term week and finals week. I beg to differ (well, in my case anyways). Perhaps it is because my major is more in the humanities and away from the sciences, but I rarely have tests, just papers, projects, lesson plans, etc. So, right now, this week and the next, are by far the busiest for me...in fact, the busiest I have pry ever been in my academic career.
I taught a lesson in my methods class yesterday; that was our final project. So, I am done with that class for the rest of the year basically, and it feels nice to be accomplishing these things. I just gave a presentation an hour ago in my Wild West course...which was one of our last assignments; so, I'm basically done in that class as well.
For my social studies methods class tomorrow, I have to create a 10-15 minute lecture over the subject matter I have been studying this whole semester. I do that again next Friday...and after that, I am done with that class for the most part. A week from today I present my research paper from last year at the history conference at USD. That night I present my research project from this year to my Recent America class. So, as you can see, after next week, I will be about done with my classes...and finals week won't be bad for me at all!!
I taught a lesson in my methods class yesterday; that was our final project. So, I am done with that class for the rest of the year basically, and it feels nice to be accomplishing these things. I just gave a presentation an hour ago in my Wild West course...which was one of our last assignments; so, I'm basically done in that class as well.
For my social studies methods class tomorrow, I have to create a 10-15 minute lecture over the subject matter I have been studying this whole semester. I do that again next Friday...and after that, I am done with that class for the most part. A week from today I present my research paper from last year at the history conference at USD. That night I present my research project from this year to my Recent America class. So, as you can see, after next week, I will be about done with my classes...and finals week won't be bad for me at all!!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Student Teaching Part II
So, in a previous post, I talked about student teaching. Since I found out some great news lately regarding student teaching.
I found out a few days ago that I will be student teaching at Yankton Middle School in the fall. I will be teaching 8th grade history. My cooperating teacher is Mrs. Long, a teacher who has been there quite some time. I will begin student teaching about the same time that classes start here at MMC, and I end on December 5th!
I am very excited but also really nervous for this experience. My practicum that I completed this year has made me more confident, but I am still hesitant to become known as Miss Beacom instead of Lindsay. It is a scary thought for me to already be to this stage of my schooling; I can't believe I'm going to be a senior!
The student teaching experience is a bit different than most think it is. There is a lot of observing, leading into full-time teaching. It is a gradual change, starting with teaching one or two classes, to three or four, to five or six, to a full-day! I will teach full-time for two weeks, and then the student teaching experience tapers off a bit after that. Then in the Spring, I will make up like the last eighteen credits I need to finish and begin to look for a job! (scary thought...haha)
I found out a few days ago that I will be student teaching at Yankton Middle School in the fall. I will be teaching 8th grade history. My cooperating teacher is Mrs. Long, a teacher who has been there quite some time. I will begin student teaching about the same time that classes start here at MMC, and I end on December 5th!
I am very excited but also really nervous for this experience. My practicum that I completed this year has made me more confident, but I am still hesitant to become known as Miss Beacom instead of Lindsay. It is a scary thought for me to already be to this stage of my schooling; I can't believe I'm going to be a senior!
The student teaching experience is a bit different than most think it is. There is a lot of observing, leading into full-time teaching. It is a gradual change, starting with teaching one or two classes, to three or four, to five or six, to a full-day! I will teach full-time for two weeks, and then the student teaching experience tapers off a bit after that. Then in the Spring, I will make up like the last eighteen credits I need to finish and begin to look for a job! (scary thought...haha)
USD Conference
I was just notified that one of my research papers I completed last year was chosen to be presented at a history conference at USD. The paper I completed was called Women's War-Torn Profession: Female Journalism in the Vietnam War. I interviewed four prominent women journalists who were in Vietnam during the conflict. I interviewed them over the phone last year, and it really helped my paper having four great primary sources like that.
The conference is on April 24th, and I am already getting nervous to present the paper. I completed this last year for a class I was taking with Dr. Lofthus. I did not have it done...and done well enough in time for the conference last year, so we both decided it would be better to wait until this year to present it.
Each history major that attends Mount Marty College is supposed to present a paper at this conference. Each paper that is presented has someone else who is commenting on it. I commented on a paper my freshman year here at MMC. This conference is a good experience for both a presenter and a commenter. I feel like since I haven't really touched my paper a whole lot since this summer...since I have not done research with it in so long...that I will not be "on my game" that day as much as if I had presented last year.
Hopefully the audience in attendance enjoys what I have to say, and more importantly, what women reporters who covered the Vietnam War have to say.
The conference is on April 24th, and I am already getting nervous to present the paper. I completed this last year for a class I was taking with Dr. Lofthus. I did not have it done...and done well enough in time for the conference last year, so we both decided it would be better to wait until this year to present it.
Each history major that attends Mount Marty College is supposed to present a paper at this conference. Each paper that is presented has someone else who is commenting on it. I commented on a paper my freshman year here at MMC. This conference is a good experience for both a presenter and a commenter. I feel like since I haven't really touched my paper a whole lot since this summer...since I have not done research with it in so long...that I will not be "on my game" that day as much as if I had presented last year.
Hopefully the audience in attendance enjoys what I have to say, and more importantly, what women reporters who covered the Vietnam War have to say.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Student Teaching
I am a junior education major, which means one thing...I will be student teaching in the fall. Yikes! I feel as though I am prepared for it, but I am still incredibly nervous for it. We will be finding out soon where we placed. At Mount Marty, students always do their student teaching in the fall...that way one begins the year with the students and also so we are not trying to find a job in the Spring as we are student teaching at the same time...could be crazy hectic and make life more stressful than it needs to be.
I asked to be placed in either Yankton Middle School, Crofton (Junior High and High School), or Gayville-Volin (Junior High and High School). Since I play volleyball, I will need to be relatively close to Yankton or in Yankton so I can make it back for practice and when the bus leaves for away games.
If I get placed in either Crofton or Gayville-Volin, I asked to be placed with a teacher who teaches 7-12. I would like to gain more experience with all of those age levels to better prepare me for the future. I also asked if it would be possible to do most of the day in a history classroom and a small part of the day in an English classroom, as I have an English minor and plan to become endorsed in both English and history. We will see soon how it all pans out!
I asked to be placed in either Yankton Middle School, Crofton (Junior High and High School), or Gayville-Volin (Junior High and High School). Since I play volleyball, I will need to be relatively close to Yankton or in Yankton so I can make it back for practice and when the bus leaves for away games.
If I get placed in either Crofton or Gayville-Volin, I asked to be placed with a teacher who teaches 7-12. I would like to gain more experience with all of those age levels to better prepare me for the future. I also asked if it would be possible to do most of the day in a history classroom and a small part of the day in an English classroom, as I have an English minor and plan to become endorsed in both English and history. We will see soon how it all pans out!
Recent America
My favorite class that I am in right now is a history one called Recent America, 1932-present. It is a 300 level class...and we meet on Thursday nights from 6:30-9:30 p.m. I actually just got out of class. The class consists of one text we read on our own, and our professor, Dr. Lofthus, has created study guides for us to complete each week. We watch videos in class, explore music from the time period, and really generate some intriguing discussions. We also each have to interview someone from the time period, like a WWII Vet (which is what I did). We have a book review and also a huge research project we must all complete.
This year, my research project is a comparison of the welcoming home process and coping process of WWII Vets and Vietnam Vets. I am still working on it, and I hope to have a rough draft done soon. I've read a few books, done a lot of research, and have completed two interviews now. Last year, my paper was about women reporters in Vietnam, and I actually scored interviews with four prominent reporters who reported from Vietnam. So, I actually entered that paper into a history conference at USD.
Tonight, we had a guest speaker in this class (which is another reason why I enjoy the class...we have had a couple of guest speakers now). He brought history alive for me like I haven't experienced a whole lot before. He was a military man who was there when James Meredith was the first black man to attend Ole Miss...he saw it all happen. His stories tonight reassured me I want to be a history teacher...and have my own hand in history someday!
This year, my research project is a comparison of the welcoming home process and coping process of WWII Vets and Vietnam Vets. I am still working on it, and I hope to have a rough draft done soon. I've read a few books, done a lot of research, and have completed two interviews now. Last year, my paper was about women reporters in Vietnam, and I actually scored interviews with four prominent reporters who reported from Vietnam. So, I actually entered that paper into a history conference at USD.
Tonight, we had a guest speaker in this class (which is another reason why I enjoy the class...we have had a couple of guest speakers now). He brought history alive for me like I haven't experienced a whole lot before. He was a military man who was there when James Meredith was the first black man to attend Ole Miss...he saw it all happen. His stories tonight reassured me I want to be a history teacher...and have my own hand in history someday!
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