Complete Dork

I am a dork. I am sure this doesn't take a lot of convincing, especially those of you who know me well. Actually, even those who have just gotten to know me could probably tell too! I have the most ridiculous laugh, I stumble over my words and often times my own feet, I have strange addictions to cardigans, Harry Potter, and baking. I fully embrace my dork-hood, I do!

Julia and I were talking last night about how important it is to be a dork when you are a teacher. Maybe this isn't true for every single teacher, but for us, we feel it is important. We share stories each and everyday when we get home, which is always fun to discuss and compare, especially since we have such different age groups. We also give each other ideas for lessons or ask for the other's opinion on a situation. We both get totally excited for each other when we come up with a totally awesome lesson plan. Just tonight Julia was helping me rifle through our fridge and cupboards to find foods imported from other countries for a lesson I am teaching this week in Social Studies!

Side note: my roommate rocks.

When your career is centered around teaching children, you have to be excited about what you're teaching, otherwise why should they be excited about it? I love amping my kids up for a lesson in little ways, whether it be by showing them an object and having them guess what it may have to do with what we are learning, counting m&m's in math instead of blocks, or passing a ball around to have different students answer. It is easy for a school day to become one big long routine, I am constantly challenging myself to find little ways to keep the day interesting. This can sometimes include spelling words in accents. I know, I am a dork. But if it helps them to remember something better, I am all for it.

I love when we are doing an activity and I hear "This is so cool!" "We gotta do this again!" "This is the best subject ever!" I will pretty much do anything I can to get my students to learn, and not only that, but to ENJOY learning. If I can accomplish that, I will be over the moon excited and feel as though I have accomplished what I set out to do when I decided to become a teacher.

We studied the story of the wise men in Bible this past week, so I had the students make boxes from construction paper and fill them with pieces of paper, on which they had written gifts they could give to Jesus. They turned out wonderfully!

Happy Anniversary!

This week, the 24th to be exact, marks the anniversary of my parents wedding. This year in particular marks 25 years of marriage for my parents. Now in a world where half of all marriages end in divorce, celebrity marriages are counted in weeks or months, and the general attitude towards marriage is rather casual, it is an amazing thing to celebrate 25 years of marriage.

My parents met back in the day at the restaurant my mom worked at. My dad's friend brought him to meet my mom. After that, they dated and fell for each other. My mom has told me that for dates she would often times help my dad milk the cows and do other farm chores. Yep, that's true love alright. Then came marriage and the rest is history! 

Now I may be quite bias, but my parents are pretty much amazing. They are hilarious, caring, hard working, and wonderful people. Whether it was running their farm together, raising me and my sister, or battling my mom's cancer, my parents have always faced everything together, as a team. I am so blessed to have them as parents. They have taught me so much, been there for me and my sister no matter what, and for many other people. They are a great example of a solid Christian marriage.

While I wish I could be home this weekend to celebrate this milestone for my parents with them and the rest of my family, I am celebrating from Pittsburgh this weekend by thanking God for blessing me with 2 amazing parents. If you see my parents in the next few days, give them an extra hug or hello for them from me!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I love you so much!

My crazy parents...and people wonder where I get it from! ;)

They are the best!

Getting to Know You

Teaching is a profession that is very unique. As a 2nd grade teacher, I am spending the majority of my time these days hanging out with 7 and 8 year old's. I'm part of conversations that include talk about the latest fairy book, the made up game played at recess, and what new toy someone got for their pet hamster. Needless to say, I have gotten to know these kids very well, which has been such a joy. I even scared them the other day, when one of the students raised their hand and before they could even ask the question I said that no, we wouldn't be doing a grammar worksheet today. She put her hand down and said, "Woah! Miss Ongna, you just read my mind!" Its just one of the many talents teachers posses, what can I say?

While I have gotten to know these kids very well, I forget that during this time, they have gotten to know me well too! When we went to the museum on a field trip, a few of them yelled out to me, "Miss Ongna, don't look over this bridge! Its very high and we know you don't like heights!"They will also ask me about Wisconsin, tease me about the packers, and draw me pictures with my favorite color. I have also told them things about my family, which they ask about often. One of the most touching moments happened just this past week.

During our morning devotions, we share prayer requests. My grandma has been having some serious health problems over the past few months, and this past week she had surgery. I had been sharing this prayer request with my students, and they would ask about her or ask for prayers for her before I would even mention it, which was so wonderful and heartwarming. Well, last night I got an email from a parent telling me that their child had prayed for my grandma in their bedtime prayers. Wow. I couldn't help but tear up. How humbling and amazing it is to have one of my students earnestly praying for my grandma, someone they have never met. God is so good and these students are an unbelievable blessing to me.

To me, this is what teaching is all about. Making relationships with these students, being a big part of their lives for a year, in which I get to teach and learn with them. I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of these children's lives, and for that I am thankful. They teach me so much and I am grateful for each and every single one of my students.

Oobleck!

Today was an exciting day at school. We made oobleck!

What is oobleck, you say? Well, let me preface this post by explaining to you what my students are studying/what I am teaching in science at the moment. We are learning about the states of matter, which is totally awesome because there are TONS of awesome experiments and hands on projects. Now, back to oobleck.

Technically, it is a non-newtonian fluid. In a simpler, more 2nd grade appropriate term, it can be both a solid and a liquid at the same time, and "feels totally awesome!" (direct quote from an actual 2nd grader right there) If you haven't tried making oobleck before, you NEED to try it. It is the coolest!

Here is the incredibly easy directions:

1. Pick up supplies: cornstarch and water. Food coloring if you want to add an extra fancy factor. 
2. Mix cornstarch and water, approximate ratio is 1 and 1/2 cup cornstarch to 1 cup water. 
3. Enjoy! 

You may need to add more cornstarch or more water depending on how it mixes up, but when mixed properly, it will be a liquid substance when you slowly run yours fingers through it, but will turn hard when you poke it or smack it. Like I said, it is the coolest. My students fully enjoyed it! But beware, it is a bit messy. Its all part of the fun!

Oobleck awesomeness

Now go enjoy your non-newtonian fluid.  

P.S. There is a great Dr. Suess book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck. Cross curricular education there, my friends! Reading, science, Dr. Suess...it doesn't get much better than that!

A Year in Review

It is that time of year, when its out with the old and in with the new. The starting of a new year always brings about reflection of the year past and looking forward to a new year, full of expectations, resolutions, and general excitement. As many do, I have been reflecting on this past year quite a bit lately. I can easily say this past year has been full of the most changes I have ever experienced. I lived in 4 different states, traveled to about 10 (and a Canadian province), student taught, graduated college, got a job, and started my teaching career. Phew.

I have experienced some crazy things this past year, many things which I never would have imagined dealing with. Thankfully I can say now I am stronger because of it and have learned an immense amount about people, God, and myself. It seems like I am finally becoming an adult and figuring out God's calling for my life, though there are bound to be surprises still to come!



I was blessed to be able to end 2011 in Wisconsin, spending a week there. It was an awesome time of rejuvination and reunion with family and friends. All in all, there was a LOT of laughter. I was reminded, again, of how blessed I truly am! Now I have returned back to Pittsburgh, ready to tackle school once again. I must admit, coming back was a bit hard this time, after spending so much time with family and friends. But I know this is where I am suppose to be, and I am excited to take on the challenge of the second half of school. Bring it on!

Here's a little picture time line of my life in 2011. What an awesome year!

I got to start the year living in Chicago with my cousins, the Beezholds, during my first part of student teaching. Such a fun 2 months!!

Some of my senior year roommates, finishing off our last year of college!

We graduated college! These are some pretty awesome people who I get to call friends.

Summer = lots of weddings. Our sister group at my friends Clara and Dave's wedding.

For my friend Jessica's wedding, I got to road trip to Ontario with 2 of my favorite people in the world! Kaylee, in the picture with me, and her fiance Adrian. We even got to see Niagara Falls :)

The big move to Pittsburgh!

My amazing 2nd graders. You already know how much I love these kids!

The end of the year holidays were spent with my hilarious and wonderful family and friends. A great end to a great year!