De-Stress So You Can Do Your Best

Welcome back everyone. I hope everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing Thanksgiving. As finals/ final project due dates are nearing us at a rapid pace, I decided to dedicate this post to 5 ways we can de-stress ourselves.

1. Meditation: This is a fast and effective way to lower your stress level. One of my favorites is laying down on the bed or any flat surface for 8 minutes. Easy? Not really. The hardest part of the 8 Minute Meditation is emptying your mind of all thoughts and only concentrating on your breathing while relaxing every muscle. It takes a while to perfect it, but it is beneficial when you do.

2. Yoga: Some of you all may be groaning, but it is true. Yoga is relaxing. There are different levels of Yoga so be sure to pick the one that is best for you. I particularly like and recommend Power Vinyasa. It is fairly close to a work-out. It is a series of yoga positions mixed with cardio that concentrates on your breathing. Every time I go, I come out completely relaxed.

3. Music: Yes, music. It can relax your mind and sooth your soul. I would recommend something soothing and light. I prefer Adele and Maroon 5, because they are soothing, yet I don't sacrifice my favorite artists. Try to stay away from rock. It does sooth at times, but usually it feeds into anxiety because of the harsh tones and beat.

4. Tea: Drink Tea. Any type of tea will do, but I would recommend Chamomile. It is by nature a soothing tea that calms. It also eases stomach problems including the stomach flu.

5. Exercise: I know this seems out of place, but I wanted to put it in because some people are relaxed when they are active. Exercises releases tension in your muscles and causes you to focus. So while your at the gym, hit a punching bag or two and pretend it's all of your problems.

Thanks for tuning in and be safe. :)

Response to Diane's Blog- "Sir Reads-A-Lot"

"Sir Reads-A-Lot"

I love blogging and all the topics people write about, but I believe this is by far the funniest post I've read by far. It just goes to show how a creative mind works. I also love this post, because it is a creative piece without prejudice. I see so many teachers scorn rap when it can actually stimulate a child creatively. Yes, I understand some songs insult women and emphasize violence (believe me I've heard a lot of them), but if we find the right ones we can really inspire students that can relate to it. I believe done in the right way rap is can be a form of poetry where people can express themselves. I feel that any method which prompts kids to think out of the box is worth while, even if some people oppose it. There will always be nay-sayers, but as long as we are not offending or hurting anyone I believe it's okay. For instance, there are people that say Facebook is corrupt and would never use it as an activity in class. These are also the people that stray away from technology. I feel anything that can catch a student's interest is worthwhile.  Also I found a pretty entertaining video on Thesis Statements done in rap that I hope you will all like. It is creativity at its best. :)

Lack of Interest, Lack of Education, or Just Plain Rude?

Welcome back, readers. I hope all is well with you. Tonight I will be going on a rant. I warn you now of this, so you may have a choice. Here goes:

Today was a hard day. I pride myself on my patience, but what destroys the solid wall I have built is being disrespected. There were two incidents. The first was on the wrap line in AU's cafeteria. As many would know, trying to grab lunch during rush hour is difficult. Everyone on all the lines resemble the zombies from "The Walking Dead," when Rick first meets Glenn. I maneuver around one girl and lightly tap her bag by accident. It was so light that a regular person would disregard it, but of course the girl has to say, "Excuse me," to her friend as if I wouldn't hear it. Yes, it's my fault for tapping her, but she didn't have to belittle my existence. I apologized and thought life could move on, but she had to talk about me right in front of me in a hushed voice to her friend. Note: A hushed voice is audible from a foot away. I removed myself from the situation, because I was livid. After that occurrence, I started wondering, "Why?" Why can't people be kind or have a little bit of patience? Is it a genetic trait or is it learned? Is it possible that people just don't care? I was raised as a Catholic, but am not that rigid with the practice. Yet I have always believed that one should treat others as one wish to be treated. Even in school it was reinforced, we should all treat each other as equals. I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

Earlier tonight I was in the holy land, Barnes and Nobles. I treated myself to a couple of books and went to the line having forgotten what happened earlier today. There was a father and son ahead of me kind of on the line, but not really. I couldn't distinguish if they were or not, so I believed they were, because I didn't want any confusion later, such as people accusing me of jumping the line. So, I waited my turn. One cashier became available and beckoned the people forward. I was then distracted by those tantalizing items they always keep near the cashier. It hadn't even been 5 seconds before I had the gentleman, not really that gentle, prod me forward with his words. He alerted me that there was a cashier open and I expressed to him my confusion and walked towards the teller. He did not stop there. He then said in a trite tone, "Jeez, how many times do they have to call you," and then mumbled as he went to a different teller. My vision was covered in red spots. I then told him, "I didn't know if they were going or not. There is no reason to be disrespectful." He ignored me, I bought my books, and he bought his. I then left in a worse mood than before.


Why is it that people disrespect others so easily for such minor things? Is it that parents and teachers don't teach people manners at an early age? I want to teach my students that we should all be respectful towards one another regardless of our gender, race, or religion. Little things similar to those mentioned before should not throw us over the edge. I'm sure that the man in the bookstore thought I was a stupid teen, because I was still wearing my gym clothes. Why does that matter? I am a lady and want to be respected as such. Do teens deserve less respect? I do not believe so. We are all equals; we are all human.

So tell me do you think I just had a bad day or was it a lack of interest, lack of education or just plain rude?


Good-night and stay safe. :)

S.T.A.R. Revision Strategy

It's People, Not Programs

This article, "It's People, Not Programs,"speaks the truth. A program is only successful as the person implementing it. If a teacher is not effective, then why just create a new program and then place blame on it? It's the person that matters. If a person is not successful with one method, then they should try another. Sadly, most of the time this is not how other teachers think. For most teachers, teaching is just a job and not a gift. Some teachers don't even want to teach, but this is where they ended up. I believe that every student deserves the best education they can receive. Teacher's that only stick to one approach are doing them a disservice, because all students have their own way of learning. This article illuminates some of the issues: the classrooms are too stuffy, some lecturers fail in communicating their point, some activities are poorly created, and there is overemphasis on classroom management to the point where the students are afraid to share their thoughts. How are students supposed to learn in a non-conducive environment? The answer is they don't. They will find alternatives such as playing an Ipod or texting. It is a teacher's duty to help students reach their greatest potential and to do this a teacher must be open to new ideas.