Introducing Liz Tate a Reflection Post for EDU 414

                Hey Everyone,

Jenny on the Left, Lyla on the Right

Slinky Enjoying the Warm Pizza

Lyla Taking Up My Bed

I am Elizabeth Tate; however I am better known as Liz. I am currently a junior at Southern Connecticut State University; I am studying in the Elementary Education/ Special Education Collaborative Program. I am very happy to have finally been accepted and to be able to get started with all the EDU and SED classes here.  Along with the above program of study I also study Liberal Arts where I focus on Psychology, History, and English. While all of these combinations are a ton of work I have to admit that even when its overwhelming and I feel like I’m drowning in work and that there is no way I can possibly get it all done, I LOVE it all and I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s how I know I have chosen the right path for myself. Apart from school I enjoy spending time with my family which includes my mom, stepdad, and stepbrother, dog (Jenny), dog (Lyla), and cat (Slinky). When I’m not in school or at home I enjoy seeing my friends as well. I count myself extremely lucky to have multiple friends still from high school and many new friends from College. And if I’m not doing any of the above, I can be found at work. I am currently employed at the Soundview YMCA in Branford, CT. I am a Child Watch Attendant, I watch children as young as 3 months all the way to 9 years old. I really enjoy working with children and look forward to a future of doing so. One of my interests include, running, I used to run cross country and track, but now I usually just go to the gym and get some running time in, or when it’s nice outside I don’t mind going out to run. I also enjoy reading and traveling. Fortunately I have been able to travel recently within the United States to Las Vegas. However I have also been to many other different and interesting states. In the near future I will be traveling to Canada for my third time for a vacation. This is always a fun and interesting experience. Unfortunately I have not yet been able to travel to any other places outside of the U.S. but one day I would really love to go to Germany, Australia, and many more places. When I’m relaxing at home reading I enjoy the Harry Potter Series, the Twilight Series and recently have gotten into reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Help. When I’m not reading for fun at home I LOVE to paint my nails, I tend to change the color on my nails weekly, sometimes more frequently. Sometimes it bothers me because I don’t want to waste my colors but I love each old and new polish and am always so eager to see how a color looks, and to try new things with the polishes. All of these interests keep me busy for the most part, but occasionally like anyone I like to just sit back relax and watch T.V. With the new semester here I will miss all the free time I had over break but I am looking forward to challenges and changes this semester will bring.

Good Luck to All, Happy and Safe Semester!

Liz Tate

Millions of Cats a Post for EDU 307

One of my first memories of language arts goes as far back as kindergarten. At that time in my life I lived in Alabama and attended Glenwood School. My teacher at the time had been reading to the class as a whole and encouraging us, the students, to go out and find books that we would enjoy and that we could read by ourselves. Part of this lesson included a visit to the school library. There we were to search and find a book that we would like and be willing to read. We also were to check the book out of the library and to bring it home to read with our parents. To this day my mom and I still remember and even have our own copy of Millions ofCats. At that point in my life when I went into the library looking for a book to read and check out, I loved cats. I had my own cat at home that I loved and I wanted to continue reading, thinking, and talking about cats. I knew it would be something that I enjoyed and could have fun with. I really don’t remember how the Dewey decimal system worked, or how I found the book within the vast sea of books that surrounded me, but fate somehow brought the book to me. I saw the cover and could read the title, and right off the bat I decided that would be the book I was going to read and check out to bring home. After reading the book alone during the time we were given in the library and in the classroom, I was in love. I could not wait to go home and share the book with my mom. At home my mother read the book to me and I read the book to her as well. It was something we enjoyed together. After having to return the book when it was due and the lesson was well over, I can remember returning to the library many times and continuously checking and rechecking the book out time and time again. Overall I think this was a HUGE step and an AMAZING memory for my language arts development. By finding something that I really loved reading about and being able to enjoy it over and over by myself and with my mother, it really made a BIG impression on me. I experienced that reading and sharing what I had read was FUN. I think this experience really helped to show me that books are fun and that reading is fun as well. I believe this was an important experience for me to have that really helped me to develop. By realizing how much fun I could have with books and the sharing of them, I was convinced to continue on my path of reading for school and for enjoyment. I believe that a good first experience with books is crucial for young language arts learners. With a good first experience like mine students will want to read in school and outside of school. With encouragement and enjoyment it will make them happy and will give them memories, like mine to remember and recall as they grow and learn throughout the years.