Laura+Greene

August 28, 2013 As I was reading Tchudi and Mitchell's "Getting Started", it dawned on me that I will be using these techniques to get to know my student NEXT year! It's hard to believe that it's not that far away. One of my favorite lines in "Getting Started" was "as important as that teacher-student relationship is, student-student awareness of each other is even more important." I'm really glad that they brought this up because too often teachers are just concerned with their relationship on the first day. Now don't get me wrong, the teacher's relationship with his/her students is very important but it is also important that we make our students comfortable with each other. This way when we start learning material, they will know enough about one another to ask for peer feedback and/or help. As a language arts teacher, I really liked the idea of having my students write an introductory letter. This way I get to know them and I also get to see their writing style. But I would make sure that I would write one first. I want the students to see that this classroom is a two way street and that anything I'm asking them to do, I can do as well. I think that this will create a level of trust between my students and me. Overall, I really enjoyed this reading. It has given me some really great ideas for how I can begin my first day of teaching!

September 6, 2013 Online Identity

There is a saying that goes something like this... "Other jobs end at the end of the work day, but you are a teacher ALL the time." This saying speaks the truth. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you're always someone's teacher. This is also true in the digital world. I would be lying if I said that the horror stories didn't scare me (about teachers getting fired over small things online). My first instinct is to delete everything on all of my social media sights. But then on the other hand, I want to use digital media as a tool in my classroom. I know it will be a hard line to walk, but I hope that with help I will find my appropriate online identity.

My Teaching Philosophy Laura Greene When I looked back at my educational timeline, I realized that a lot of my self-described big moments were moments when I was introduced to subjects that I was passionate about. I realized that I really love to learn. But more specifically I love to learn about literature, history, and global affairs. I want my students to look back and feel the same way. I hope to be an introduction to help my students find out what they are passionate about. My teaching philosophy is quite simple. To make my students more educated and aware of the world around them. Especially as a social studies and language arts teacher, I want my students to become better citizens and people. I want to ask my students questions that make them really think. I want them to focus on the world and consider what it means to live in this day and tim. Too often teaching is focused on the test or book. I want my students to learn about the real world. I want them to know why what I’m trying to teach them will benefit them out in the real world. My philosophy is purely focused on making my students better, and educated, people.

My Ideal Classroom



My Academic Timeline []

My Name Essay

 My name is Laura Greene. Not exactly the most exotic of names, but I think it suits me. When I looked up my name, I found out that

“Laura” comes from the old Latin name “Laurus” which means “laurel.” I also found out that “Laura” is found throughout many different cultures.

There are derivatives of my name found in Europe as well as South America. The “Greene” name was not as fortunate. For the most part,

“Greene” comes from the British Isles. I know that my ancestors came from England and Scotland, so it makes sense that my surname comes

from there as well.

 While there may not be much history in my name, there is a story to how I got my name. My Mother wanted to name me Lindsay. She

liked the name and thought that my easy going father would be okay with naming me Lindsay. However, my Dad knew a man named Lindsay

that he wasn’t exactly fond of. So, Lindsay was no longer an option. At chance, my parents found the perfect name for me. One day my Mama

wore he hair in two long braids. My father commented that she looked like Laura from the TV show “Little House on the Prairie.” It was then

when they realized how much they liked the name “Laura.” And the rest is history.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;"> Although everyone knows me as Laura, I have a few nicknames that only my family uses. The most used one is “La.” I know it may

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">sound silly, but La is my nickname. Let me explain. My brothers’ names are Daniel and Marcus. Often times we cut these down to just Dan and

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">Marc. Since “Laura” does not have an easy nickname built into the name, we made one. Hence, La was born. Another nickname that only my

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">uncle calls me is “Shorty.” I think the reason that I’m called “Shorty” is self-explanatory.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Overall, I would say that I’m very proud of my name. I feel like it suits me and I like it! I’ve often joked with my family that I love my

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">name so much that I would name my child “Laura” if it wasn’t my own name. I like that it’s an old name and I like that it’s not too popular. I’m

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">happy with my name. I’m happy being Laura.

My Name Visual



My Name Poem

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">My Name Chose Me  <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">I was supposed to be Lindsay. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Little Lindsay Greene. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">But Daddy said, “No!” <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">To him, the name “Lindsay” <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">didn’t bring up good feelings. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">My mother in pig tails <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Reminded my father of a girl named Laura. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">With brown hair and freckles, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">it would soon suit me well. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Don’t you think? <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Even if it wasn’t my own, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;"> “Laura” would still be my favorite name. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">I feel like a “Laura” <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">“Laura” is an old name, an old soul. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">“Laura” is found across the world. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">I did not choose my name. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">My name chose me. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">Laura is my name. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Segoe Script',sans-serif; text-align: center;">It was destiny. November 7, 2013 Laura's Poem <span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook',serif;">Short people Can’t reach Can’t see Don’t appreciate leg room Don’t struggle to find shoes Don’t become professional athletes They say “How tall are you? How do you find clothes that fit? How tall are you parents?” And “How do you NOT play basketball?” They stare and point Like THAT isn’t rude They don’t have big feet They don’t have long inseams But…they do have Mad tip toeing skills A potential jockey career Short arms Children sized feet And ridiculously inappropriate behavior when it comes to asking tall people how tall they really are. Am I right or am I right? Well, let me tell you: I’ve never been short But that’s how it looks to me So it must be right. <span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook',serif;">Unit Ideas and Theme <span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook',serif;">My theme for my unit is "Making Choices" <span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook',serif;">For this theme, I thought that I could have (as my project) my students make a trailer based on a book that they have read. This will give them the opportunity to actually make choices about what should be included in the trailer and what should not. <span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook',serif;">For other, more introductory, lessons, I thought that I could start off with discussions about the Prisoner's Dilemma or "Would you steal to save a life?" I think that some of these really hard questions could get my started thinking about how important our decisions are and how they affect other people.