Dr. Shadden "Really Has a Ring To It"

This weekend I made the biggest decision of my life thus far! I must say it took much consideration due to the time commitment invovled. I am excited, but at the same time very nervous. I have enrolled to begin the Educational Leadership Doctoral program at Argosy University in Nashville this fall. As many of you know as an educator I have a strong value of higher education. Many of you probably do not know that since graduating high school I have been enrolled every semester in a college program. I consider myself to be a very ambitious person and contribute that to my professional success. At the age of 25 I currently hold a Bachelor's Degree in Multidisciplinary Studies of Human Learning K-8, and a Master's Degree in Instructional Leadership. I am highly qualified to teach grades K-6 and/or pursue a position in administration or supervision. It is estimated with much hard work that I will complete my Ed.D in Educational Leadership within three years. So that by the age of 28 you may be calling me Dr. Shadden. How exciting is that! It is going to be challeging because I am working full-time as a fourth grade educator, but I have a large support system behind me. I have to say that my parents are my number one cheerleaders. They are the best in the world and have provided their unconditional love through each of my professional endeavors. I am also excited to be attending the program along the side of my administrator (our school principal.) We will be each others support system away from home. We will be commuting, studying, and helping one another every step of the way. I have been blessed with a dedicated and loyal administrator which has encouraged me to persue larger dreams than I truly ever imagined. With her gudiance I have been able to see that in the future when I am ready that many doors can open. Please keep me in your prayers because I will be traveling to campus frequently.

Miss Shadden's Classroom

Picture 1:

My First Bulletin Board of the New School Year

Picture 2:
Awards won by my class in the county-wide Science Fair 2007.














Picture 3:
Our classroom Reading corner.




















Picture 4:
Our classroom educational center.




















Picture 4:
Miss Shadden's teaching area.








Finally, as many of you have requested I have posted pictures of my new fourth grade classroom. During my first three years of teaching I taught fifth grade. So this year I requested to be moved down. My request was granted although, I was only moved one grade down and one classroom over. I spent all summer working to move furniture, setup my room, and decorating a new classroom. As many of you that know me well understand I have a very positive attitude and cheerful personality. I consider teaching a true passion. I teach in a very low socioeconomic school so most children have very challenging home lives. I try to welcome every student with a smile and energetic greeting to my classroom. Many students actually have nicknamed me "Miss Smiley." To portray a happy environment I have made my classroom theme each year smiley faces. My collection is rapidly growing, but my heart melts each time a child walks through my classroom door and that overwhelming smile comes over their face as they look around.

• Hope you enjoy the snapshots of my new classroom.
  

TEACHER'S NOTE: I created the above bullentin board by hand. I make alot of my bullentin board sets myself to reduce the cost of buying pre-made sets. It's amazing what a projector, markers, and time can do.

Lasting Memories...

Wow! Yet again it has been awhile since I've had time to sit down and post a new blog. As many of you have learned after graduating high school many move away, get marry and have children. The tradegy is that your lives turn in many different paths often leading you away from one another. As the years pass the time spent with your old friends become less and less. Although, last Saturday I was invited to join Carrie (Human) Beavers for a celebration of her new baby boy "Logan." I was so honored to get to share in this wonderful celebration of life. As you may or may not know he was born very premature. He spent several months in Ohio at Children's Hospital while he underwent various surgeries. I also had the chance to catch up with many high school friends. Even though, we keep in touch through email the distance is just too much, so it's hard to believe that I haven't seen most of them in seven years. We spent hours reminiscing about high school, and comparing notes on how others were doing and/or where they were living. I truly treasured the time I got to spend with each of them and hope to see them again sooner than later.

Surprise! Teachers Take a Field Trip

As many of you know by now I am officially back to work for another adventurous school year. This week has consisted of both administrative days and various inservice workshops. However, yesterday was like nothing I've ever experienced before. On Tuesday, our principal told us that later in the week she had planned a surprise field trip for us. She explained to us that all teachers, assistants, office personnel, custodians, and cafeteria workers would be riding a school bus to a undisclosed location. The only information we were given was to wear blue jeans and tennis shoes on Thursday. The anticipation began to build and so did the questions. So she told us... we were not allowed to wear our bikini, we were not allowed to bring our beer coolers, no kids allowed, and if we brought our iPod on the bus she was not responsible for it. Of course, I was busting at the seams with excitement. So we loaded the bus just like a group a children on their first field trip, but we still didn't know where we were headed. The bus driver hit Hwy. 70 and took a right turn. Were we going to the State Park? Were we going to Chuckles to play laser tag? We came to the Interstate ramp, but we didn't get on the Interstate. The anxiety continued to build among the staff as we went straight through town. We were out of guesses and then had no idea where we were headed. Finally, we reached our destination the 4-H camp. We wondered what was in store. As we got off the bus we entered the dining hall for breakfast. Then we broke up into 2 teams for stretches. O' No! What were we in for? The leaders then told us we were there to complete the teamwork challenge course. Each group had to work through 3 activities that required every team member to use their strenghs and knowlegde. We had to balance our weight evenly on this odd contraption. Then we had to complete a rope swing from one side to the other. Finally, was the trust fall. We walked up a set of steps to a platform that was about 7 feet in the air, if not more. Our team lined up in two lines, one across from the other on the ground. We turned around backwards, then crossed our arms and blindly fell backwards into the trusting, loving arms of our colleagues. I now have a new found trust in all of my co-workers, even the chickens. I was energized because I conquered my fear of heights and completed the free fall. On Thursday, I saw a whole new side to my colleagues. It's a memory for the scrapbook. If your workplace has never taken time to share in a day like this I recommend that you suggest it to the boss because it was an awesome bonding experience. To follow was lunch, and a leadership seminar. We wrapped up with fruit snacks and headed back to the bus.

NOTE: I do have photos of this event and my new classroom that will be posted very soon.

School's Back in Session

I have put the petal to the metal since returning from vacation. I have been adding the final touches to my room and trying to get mentally prepared for another year, so it has been a few weeks since I have had the time to sit down and write a new entry. School is now back in session and teachers started a new school year by attending a county-wide inservice. Tuesday's inservice was very motivational and a great start to the new school year ahead.

I have taught fifth grade for three years and this year I requested to move down. So this year I am eager to begin a new journey in fourth grade. I believe that God grants every person with the abilities and patience to succeed in various occupations. I can say without a doubt my heart is in teaching. I am dedicated to both my school and students. I teach in a very low socioeconomic community and must say that most of the time my classroom is the only safe haven for the majority of my students. The majority of my students are struggling to strive in broken homes, have parents that are serving time for crimes, or been abandoned or abused by their loved ones. Every year I get emotionally attached to every child because I quickly realize the challenges of being a child in today's era. I have not been out of school that long, but I know that none of my classmates ever faced the obstacles that our children face today. If you are a teacher you should be able to relate to those thoughts in one way or another.

With each new school year my heart fills with joy of seeing the students again, my smile of happiness begins to peek through, and laughter fills my classroom as colleagues come in to see me. However, today made a turn for the worse. This morning as we met in the library for today's inclusion inservice our administrator announced to our faculty that one of our students had been severely injured in an ATV accident this morning. One of my fifth grade students from last year's class had a serious ATV accident this morning and was airlifted to UT Medical Center where he is in critical condition. He has a room in pediatric ICU where he is still unconscious. My heart broke when I heard the news and I have shed many tears since hearing the news. Our faculty held a moment of silence and prayed for his recovery. This is an extremely difficult way to start to the new school year. I hope that if your reading this entry you will pray for this 12 year old boy and his family that this accident not end in a tragic situation. May God Bless and Keep You Safe...