Reading

Well I am in a class that is helping me understand how to use reading in my future classroom. It has given me some great ideas so far. I think something I continue to see is that we as teachers often do not understand what reading is. Most of the time we like to assign readings and have students give us summary's or take a quiz on it. This makes us feel like we know if they have read the material or not. Most of the time though, it has no lasting  impact. They read do an activity and don't remember a single thing from it. I think this is because the reading has no meaning for them except a grade. This is why we need to help students connect to the reading. As teachers we need to start thinking outside the box in regards to reading assignments. Maybe students need to read an article or the newspaper to spark interest. Reading will only get better if students find it interesting and are willing to read for something more than a grade. That means students need to want to learn something when they read. There are many ways to encourage this and provide this for students. That is why I am going to look at some strategies teachers could use. There will be three main sections I want to focus on: Before, During, and After the reading takes place. There are strategies to increase learning with simple activities in these three areas that will make a huge difference in the reading experience for students. I will start with Before in my post.
Until then Blessings
Jake Wallbaum

Decisions

Recently I have been in the process of making a lot of big decision in my life. I have not even completed the process yet and it continues to worry me. Through this time I have found that decisions sometimes take time to be completed. It is tough to make decisions that affect the future more then anything else. You make the decision and then wait and wait for its impact. These are some of the most important and toughest decision we make. Many times I see people question these decisions and regret them even before they have seen the consequences. That is why Patience is so key in making tough decisions. We need to seek advice especially on these decisions from people who have gone through them. Also making sure we pray and spend time thinking about them is important. This will help us make wise decisions.
I think though that while these are important many people look past some daily decisions we make everyday. It may be something small like holding a door or deciding to stop and talk to someone instead of going back to your room to get stuff done. These decisions really help shape all the decisions we make. If we are concentrated on our daily decisions the bigger decisions will come easier. I say this because the big decisions are just an extension of the small ones we make everyday. This is why I am challenging myself to be more concise of the decisions I make daily. If I am deliberate in those decisions I will not worry about the big decisions that come in life.
The small decisions affect the big ones so don't overlook your daily decisions.

As I turn 21 I have decided to start a little blog. Mostly just to reflect on life and hope to express myself through writing. Well here goes pretty much nothing.
Turning 21 is supposed to be important right? Well All I see is a man that is one day older and still looking like he is about 15 or maybe 17 with a goatee. I kinda feel bad because I feel like I'm robbing the happiness that is supposed to be in a birthday. I just feel like it is insignificant. It's just a day that happens to be the day I was born. I am not really a year older but only a day older then yesterday.
Now with all of that I still feel like birthdays are a good time to reflect. How was your year since your past birthday? I am asking that question and see that my life has been a  roller coaster. I have had great highs where I am enjoying myself and also following God well. Then there are the times that I strayed so far I don't even recognize myself. With all of this I am now starting to try to be consistent. I am trying to find out who I truly am and what will define me. I have bounced around so much in my life that all anybody could say is that he is positive and likes to go with the flow.
Well I am going to start going with my own flow and create myself. I am going to dive into God's word and find out how to serve him and live in this world. I am hoping this next year I can display myself. I am goign to show who Jake really is and how he serves an amazing God.
21 is going to be a great year and I hope I can look back next birthday and say I have done well in the past year. I want to grow in Christ and Learn a good deal about myself so here I come 22.
God Bless and Good Night!