Blog Post 1

About Me
My name is Gwendolyn Mullinax and I am majoring in Early Education. Teaching is my passion and I can not wait to be in the field! I transferred to USA from Faulkner State Community College this Spring. I have always planned to go to USA, but I wanted to save some money, and with Faulkner being closer, I decided to go there first. I hope to one day teach Kindergarten at Robertsdale Elementary, my home town. About a year ago I moved to Magnoila Springs, Al. Other than those to places, I have never lived anywhere else. I am truly a small town girl. I work full time as an Ast. Manager at Eddie Bauer.

I am getting married on October 5, 2013 to my high school sweet heart Jeremy Merchant. We share a beautiful white boxer, with one blue eye and one brown eye named Zeus. Zeus is our only pet so he is a bit spoiled. Family is a big part of my life. Jeremy and I spend almost every Sunday with one of our families. That is something I truly value. Knowing we can all take a day out of our busy schedules to at least have dinner together is one of the best feelings in the world. Between class, work, and my home life I do not have much time for anything else.

My Future Classroom
When I think of a Kindergarten classroom, I think of laughter. A place where children come to learn and also have fun. At such a young age, children are still forming their opinion about school and they do not truly realize they are learning. The experience of school is important to how they view learning for the rest of their lives. Being in a classroom for the first time also effects their social skills and it is important that they enjoy this.

I plan on teaching in a very interactive way. Getting students involved in a hands on projects help to peck their interest. Getting students involved in hands on projects with each other also pulls in their social skills. It helps them learn teamwork, sharing, responsibility and many more traits that will be important to their education. I also know that not every student learns the same. As a teacher, I plan on being able to read my young students and create lesson plans that help fit their needs.

With new technology, students have a chance to experience learning in a whole new way. Smart boards and Apple products give students a way to learn that they actually enjoy. Instead of the boring paper and pencil students will iPad's and other technologies that will not only teach them the importance of technology, but it will give them a new way to fall in love with school. Apple products have many different applications that give teachers a different option of teaching as well. Like, many different learning games that students can play at school and at home.

My future classroom will be filled with color. There is nothing worse than walking in and seeing a boring room filled with nothing. I want my classroom to be fun and children to be excited everyday when they walk in. My teaching style will be filled with surprises that benefit each child's learning. I want to walk into work everyday and see a room filled with children's art work and toys. Nothing more would make my heart warmer.

Time Management
Randy Pausch talks about the importance of time management. I have always had a natural ability to manage my time wisely and many of the things he speaks of are already in my life. He talks about having a plan for each day, week, and semester. Having a goal and setting a plan to get there is very important in everyday life. I always tell my staff if you do not know where you are going, how do you expect to get there. I use a little black planner that I carry everywhere and I even have a backup schedule on my phone. Check list are also helpful to keep people on track. I use them when I have a overwhelming week of school and at work so the staff and I are on the same page and we know what has been done and what needs to be done. Check lists are also nice because I feel accomplished when I am done. Following the steps in Randy's video can truly make a difference in you life.