You're Never Too Old For Field Trips!

Hi everyone!
I hope you have had a fantastic week/weekend since I last blogged! This past week was pretty crazy busy - if I may say so myself! Classes are really in full swing now that we are heading into our third week - I have my second Environmental Problem Solving quiz tomorrow and my first project due this Thursday! Last week I went on 2 (that's right TWO) field trips - all in one day! Crazy right? Usually in High School you go on a field trip and it takes all day, it's awesome no classes, no homework, maybe a short paragraph about what you did. Don't worry friends in college (at least in some of your classes) field trips do exist. Last Thursday (the 8th), my Environmental Problem Solving class went on a field trip during our lab time to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC), down on Presque Isle State Park. The TREC is a pretty cool place.

Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle

When we got there we heard had a short lecture about what goes on at TREC. We learned about water pollution, fish, plants, animals, and  a ton of other environmental issues and how TREC is helping to curb problems and inform the public. Then we went on a scavenger hunt throughout TREC. We had a list of questions that we had to answer and could only answer by going through the center and learning more about what we had just heard. We even climbed the observation tower which we thought would be a good idea to run up. Poor choice - way more stairs than expected. But the view from the top was great, you could see really far out onto Erie Lake and back into the city of Erie. It was a pretty fun field trip and it was nice to get off campus and experience more of the city!
My second field trip of the day was to the Erie Art Museum with my Aesthetic Education class later that afternoon. I had never been to the Erie Art Museum, although I had driven past it countless times! I'm glad I got to go, they had some really nice exhibits and it was fun to get to do the self tour with my classmates. Not only were we learning, but we had some fun too! Now, I have to say the museum was way bigger than I thought. I was really impressed with it, and I'm happy to check that off my bucket list of things to do in Erie.

Erie Art Museum

This week should be pretty fun/crazy. I have a ton of meetings and as I mentioned before - my first project due Thursday! So I'm off to do my reading so I can finish the project!
Later Gators.

Looking at Graduate Schools for Education

Hey everyone! I hope you guys are having a great Halloween Weekend!
I just wanted to give you a quick update on what's going on here with me :) I just finished up a crazy week here. I spent my whole week working on my presentation, lesson plans and paper for my Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Learners class. Last time I wrote I told you guys about my long nights in the library and it definitely paid off! I was really happy with my lesson plans and I think presentation turned out really well! For my third lesson plan I found this great experiment to use and I thought you might like to see it here!
So what I really came to write about is that I am starting to look at graduate schools for education. So right now I am looking at graduate schools that offer programs in English as a Second Language (ESL). I had thought about this kind of program before, but my Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Learners class and experiences at the International Institute of Erie have really confirmed that this is definitely something I want to do! I've enjoyed going down to the Institute so much that I'm going to continue going even though my required classes are over. I have been looking at schools like University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne University, Findlay University in Ohio, and Pitt, just to name a few :)

Dream Grad School for ESL!

U Penn would be my dream school because it's a great school, and it's out near Philadelphia. On the other hand Duquesne and Pitt are both great universities right in Pittsburgh, so I could live at home and save money. Lots of options to consider, but for now I'm looking at the programs, how they are structured and what kind of classes they offer. I've got a lot more research to do, and I'll definitely keep you updated of what I'm doing :)
Happy Halloween!

Dear Library...

Dear Library,
I'm sorry I have not been in to see you much lately. I hope you can forgive me for doing homework in my apartment. You see, I hadn't had too much work to do earlier this term, but now all my projects are due in these next 3 weeks, so I'm back once more to use you. You see, you are so much quieter than my apartment, and far less distracting. I can't clean you if I don't want to do my homework. I remember the good old days when I would sit here for hours, writing papers, studying and checking Facebook a little too often. I'm here for the long haul - I've got quite a few things to accomplish.

For my Promoting Literacy PreK-8 class, I am writing my Philosophy Essay. This is a 2-3 page, single spaced essay explaining my philosophy of teaching and how as an educator in an inclusive classroom I will ensure that my students are literate. I will have to apply all the different teaching strategies we have learned over the term. I will also discuss how, no matter what subject I am teaching, I will work in many different kinds of instruction that will promote reading, writing, comprehension and vocabulary. Yeah that's a lot of thinking.... and it's due Monday the 24th!

Some of the Curriculum kits we have in our Education Library!

For my Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners class I have several things to do. First I have to write an essay on my experience at the International Institute and how I used and observed some of the techniques I learned in class there. Second, I have my Curriculum project due next Friday the 28th. This entails creating 3 lesson plans for my subject area and grade level, that provide accommodations for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs). I will also have to accompany this with a 3-6 page paper talking about ELLs, state standards and good, tested practices for classrooms with ELLs. Again, this is a cumulative project that will require me really to look at what I have learned this term and apply it. Not to mention that I have to present all this to my classmates on the 28th when I turn it in!

Our Children's Literature section in the Education Library. 

Finally for my Historical Geology class I am writing my final term paper - about 6 pages - on a topic of my choice. Our professor is really pretty cool (in the quirky, nerdy, I love geology and make bad rock jokes in class kind of way). We were allowed to choose our own topics - as long as they had to do with geology. So some people chose super volcanos, and underwater vents, I chose to write mine on the formation of the Giant's Causeway. When I studied abroad (See my study abroad blog here or the tab up top!) I visited the Giant's Causeway and thought it was pretty awesome!

So that's what I've got to do. Now Library - I hope you'll forgive me for my absence, because I have to get back to work now!
Love,
Monica

Hello Internet! (And everyone out there on the Internet)

Hey there everybody!
My name is Monica (if you haven't figured that out yet) and I am an Junior here at Mercyhurst College! I am a new blogger this year and will be keeping you up to date with all that is going in here at the 'Hurst. So if you haven't read my "About Me" section yet I'll fill you in - for those of you who have here's a reminder :)
I am an Education Major - Middle Childhood Education
I'm also an English Minor!
I used to be a Sportsmedicine major with a minor in Pre-Physical Therapy!
- Fun fact did you know that 80% of College students change their major at least once? AND about 90% of those that do change their major do it with in the first year. -
I play intramural soccer here! Our season is about to start!
I am also a member of the Ambassador Club, the Equestrian Club, Phi Eta Sigma, and Diversity 101!
Oh, and I'm a Laker Leader! Which means if you do chose Mercyhurst I just might see you at your Summer Orientation!
Last Spring(2010) I studied abroad in Dungarvan, Ireland for 10 weeks and it was the best time of my life! I had such an amazing time! I met so many awesome people and learned a lot too! To hear more about my study abroad experience click on my "Study Abroad" tab up at the top of the page! I linked up my blog from when I was away, as well as a few tumblrs of students who are in Dungarvan right now studying! So go on over there and check it out!
I'm going to wrap this blog up with some pictures and call it a night! I have to be up early to go do Practicum tomorrow morning!
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me!


This is what I walked past on my way to class in Dungarvan... Pretty nice huh?


This is a throw back to Freshman year when we went to an 80's themed dance in the Union. Obviously we are doing Thriller....

This one is from early this winter when we went to the mall and played with the puppies at the pet store!

This is from the Fall Charity Ball this year! I went with my very handsome boyfriend Conrad :)

Like I said - if you have any questions ask away!