Hitting The Jackpot

I play the lottery all the time with my friends and my co-workers. This is standard in my department when it goes big. I will play the mega million, the regular lottery, win four, and I do purchase some of the stratch off tickets. If I won the big jackpot I would thank GOD first then set up financial plans for my immediate family first. I would then help all of my cousins, Aunts, Uncles and friends.

Academically I would set my children up and make an agreement that they must get a Masters Degree before they get any money put into their personal account to just spend. They must be in school or teaching someone who is less fortunate than them

I would then donate a portion of all my

to the food banks of NYC, ACS children services and I would create a foundation called the JUST MOVE program to help foster young children with eating healthy, being physically active  and target their academics to help push NYS reading and math standards. The foundation would focus on an after school program, a Saturday program and a summer camp in each borough and one in LI Franklin Square.

After all that is done I would travel around the world first stop is Africa,Paris,Italy and Sweden there I would hang out with my brother and nephews. I would keep my younger children in the same public school to keep them humble and grounded. At the end I would keep funding pouring into every-school in the State of New York were the funding is really needed to keep them running and keep all teacher with jobs and continuous training

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Balancing Work and Family

Lets see where should I start? What a family I have,I have a 22 year old daughter who is attending C.W. Post ,a 21 years old daughter who attends Buffalo State working hard and a new mommy. I have a 10 year old, a 8 year old child and a husband. They all keep me very busy being a mommy, a grandmother and a wife the best part. Balancing my family by working at the hospital, sub teacher and  the leader of the girls scout and working with the 1199 Child Care Fund – Child Care Advisory Fund for over thousands of the members children. I love what I do and the people around me defiently play a big role in all of my efforts. Queens College is a big help in me pursuing my academics. My children attend the daycare center whenver I am in a class at night time and doing the day they are in school. On Saturdays they attend the Queeens College Saturday program to learn and prepare for the Reading and Math exams while I study for my own classes. There are some days I must make a sacrifice between work, school and family. With out no doubt I would always figure out a way to balance all three of them. This is possible due to the direct supervisors, the teachers, friends, family, QC Daycare staff, 1199 SEIU staff and the schools that are in Queens  I  sub at.  I would love to personally thank all who had played a part in  my growth

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Elusive Goal

The obstacle I had to overcome was getting through my student teaching program and obtaining the certification in FACS. The program lasted an entire semester. When I first went into the school I thought it would be fun and I would have no problem. When it was time to create lesson plans, actually dealing with the students it was hard work. I would be up all night and sending my lessons to my cooperating teacher and she would state revise them over again. I mean I would do them over and over again.

I thought I had planned the perfect lesson one day I just taught the lesson and thought that did not go well. So I went right back to the drawing board revising, deleting and going over it with my cooperating teachers. At first I thought I was not going to come out of this one. I thought to myself, prayed to myself turned to Dr. Mosenson, and other educators in my family and seek ed their help. I eventually mastered the skill and I worked that classroom, understood the way in which it should be done. I continued to teach the classes and at the end  they all treated me so well I thought they had enough of me this student learning on their watch. They had showed me such grace, respect,tolerance and patience. I was so grateful towards them and I personally learned that even-though it may seem that you are not at the top, patience and continued hard work pays off.  They bought me a large cake, gift cards, lots of encouragement, wise educational discussions for my future endeavors. I must always be humble and thank the students for allowing me to teach them at the best of my ability. So when you state elusive goal I thought about the lessons at first was hard to comprehend, or to identify at first. However, I maintained and mastered the skill of becoming another one of Queens College FACS certified teacher.

I always say that as you climb that ladder you must remember all those who helped you as you look down.  Shallah Stevens

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Using 21st Century Education Technologies in FACS

Technology in the classroom is the new style for teachers  and students today. Technology have been taking to a new frontier. Students have access to smart board, laptops, computers and different  aspects of learning. The students are better at these new different technology savvy apps then when we were students could ever imagine. Throughout all lessons that are given in the classroom, students in my school are taking a computer lab class along with each class taught. In a social studies class they use different software and have access to the Internet to research their topic of study. Technology is here to stay and we must adapt to this new skill and teach our future students.

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A Memorable Teacher ( Student Years)

 My personal and fond memories of my first  teacher  was actually my  first grade teacher Ms. Charles in kindergarten at P.S. 121Q. She was such a delight, very patient and tolerant with all of the children.  I was very scared the first day and I was constantly crying. I wanted to be home with my mother.  Even-though  I had siblings that were in higher level grades it was  still a very  scary place at first.  Ms. Charles was so patient and noncritical. One must keep in mind of discipline and  the rules in the classroom. As I look back her management style was very much controlled and well planned.

 My second favorite teacher was  Ms. Krotenberg we were free to think and ask questions, I remember asking her the same questions over and over again  and she just patiently answered my questions. I really did not understand the math and I thought she is going to be so upset because I really did not get it. After a few sessions with her I eventually came out on top. I remember that to this day. Once a teacher makes you feel like the learning process is to be molded and how it takes time. I was willing to even work harder. She never lost her cool. Mrs. Krontenberg  was cool, disciplined and laid back but still managed to focus the class on the task and goals. She also  taught me about peer pressure, nutrition, respect for your body and others, and to always maintain good study habits throughout learning.

I have chosen to pursue teaching because it is an interesting area to work with people when at the learning stages in ones life. Learning takes place throughout all ages and at different periods in ones life.  I do know when teaching any individual or groups it takes patience, a lot of culture sensitivity and a love for the topic you are teaching to be effective to the learner.

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A Book I Would Love to Write

If given a chance to write a book it would be a health book for all women. The title would be A Health Promotion and Wellness for Women. I would love to write about 10 chapters in a pretty lavender and green cover page filled with fruits and women from around the world. My three introductions would be written by  the great author for all women tales  Toni Morrison, secondly it would be the health fitness expert herself Denise Austin and last but not least it would be the one and only Ms. Oprah Winfrey the worlds women of choice. I would have ten chapters in my book with a lot of information about women and the sacrifices and hard work they go through on a daily basis.

Table of content

1. The women in my family

2. Women around the world from their cultural prospective

3. Role models/caretakers

4. The role of education

5. Entrepreneurship and the new CEO

6. Leaders of the New World

7. The first Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama

8. Health care “First and Foremost” Wellness

9. Childbirth and Parenting

10. Promoting healthy financial affairs

This would be such a great venture to look forward to. I would write about all of these topics that women face in this world. As women we have so many issues , that it would be great to collect different view and put the responses in one book so women could have all the knowledge wrapped all in one.

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Common Core Standards/Annual Proffessional Performance

The question is have I heard of the Common Core Standards and my response is yes. It was created by the New York State to create a new skill and educate all students. The State created these standards for the next generation of students to help prepare them for college and career readiness. The Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) is an effective way to address the needs of the teacher in their content  area, subject matter, and instructional delivery that results in active student involvement. It also guides as a means of collaboration with other teachers and staff. The Professional Annual Review I believe is needed  and it serves as a means for continuous practice.

However, I do know that the common core standards are geared toward students learning and being sufficient in all areas like reading, listening and writing. It covers all other areas like history, social studies, science, and technical subjects.  As I read the guidelines about the (CCS) I really believe this is the way for students being competitive with other countries with the ability to produce grounded basic academics. All teachers should be aware of the New York State Common Core Learning Standards for children in grades K-12. Teachers should be knowledgeable that these students must be proficient in their grade level before moving forward. We should challenge each student with the structure and gaining knowledge for their future.

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Passions

My passion is the excitement in my soul, my pose, the way I walk and how I engage people. I have struggled throughout life raising children and working in institutions that has created such a humbling foundation for me. I have been working with food and people all my life. My passion is to teach and work directly with individuals of different ethnic backgrounds because you are constantly learning. I am really moved by peoples individual stories about their personal life. I am very passionate about, cooking, teaching the Family and Consumer Science curriculum, traveling, talking, listening to others, party planning, learning  pure academics and to ultimately communicate and be effective.

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Career Path

My career path has been chosen when I was about 13 years old taking a Foods and Nutrtion class at Elizabeth Blackwell JHS in Ozone Park Queens NY. I completely loved this class throughout the two years I was in school. I would Rock that foods class with my group and other students. My teacher ( Ms. Zeillo) really instilled that passion with pure observation and her patience with me as a teenager. I was so good I would help with programs in the community and eventually working with the farmers market in Queens and LongIsland. As I went on to Highschool I found myself coming back to the same JHS to do a cooking show and working at the local food fairs cooking mainly with fruits and vegetables creating everything. In highschool I worked in the daycare center creating healthy vegetables and talking about the farmers. On my watch all children ate their vegetables and the correct amount of fruit because I made it fun.
After highschool I went on to LaGuardia Community College majoring in Dietetics and doing my clinical rotation at St. Johns Hospital. I was eventually hired as a Food service supervisor/ dietician clerk. Wow that was my first real professional experience and they treated me well which really forced me to advanced in the area. I continued to attend York college majoring in Health Promotion Management . I learned how to create grants for health program and worked on healthy eating programs with the great Dr. Marks at New York University this course load was very challenging but the job was done. Over the years I went to work at Wic, Cornell Coopertaive Extension, the classroom Cookshop (K-5) in Harlem NY, the Farmers Market, John Adams Highschool Teen Smoothies Project, and I am currently working at NewYork Methodist Hospital as a Dietician Assistant which is my love . I then eventually entered Queens College to major in the Family and Consumer Science under Dr. Andrea Mosenson (such a great teacher) . I did my student teaching with the Sewanhaka district under the supervision of Joan Cheiffo and Alex Gonzalez . Eventhough I have worked in the health area pursuing my career all those teachers have helped and shaped me to become that Certified Family Consumer Science teacher I am today. I am continuing to work on my Masters in Education which will hopefully be completed in July of 2012. If NYC had the same program I would push hard to teach at the same JHS I originally came from. However I would travel to LongIsland and give back to all of the students. To me this is my longlasting career to be an effective teacher within the Family and Consumer Community

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