2012: Highlights & Memories

It is hard to believe that 2013 is pretty much here! Thank you so much to all of you who have visited and/or left comments. Thank you for being a part of my journey this past year. Here's a quick look back at 2012...

 I am very thankful for what 2012 has brought me, and I really hope that 2013 is a year for me to do a lot more growing personally and professionally.

Some of my most memorable events from 2012 that I shared on the blog:

1. Visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium with my class and keeping close tabs on a particular student who kept dunking his hand into all of the tanks! It was a very fun trip though, the jellyfish exhibit was my favorite.

Posing at the penguin exhibit and looking out at Monterey Bay.

2. Taking my class out to the local bay to hunt for all sort of critters. I remember the day was dreary and raining, but that made it even more fun! I can't tell you though how many times I escaped falling while walking through the mud!

3. Last school year (2011-2012) I team taught a 4th-5th grade combination class, and it was probably one of the best experiences I ever had. Several of the 5th graders were looped from my class from the previous year, so I enjoyed being their teacher again. I really liked the challenge teaching a combination class presented to me, and it's definitely a school year I will remember as being special. This is a photo with my 5th grade girls right before the advancement ceremony in June. It was also the first advancement ceremony that I got to take a part of as a teacher, which was special since I also graduated  from the elementary school I teach at and these kids were kindergartners when I first started teaching at this school!

4. I really had a very sweet class last school year. I got many handwritten cards from that class, and it is one of the things that I appreciate receiving as a teacher. 

5. Spending a part of my summer vacation at Hawaii is something I always look forward to. One of my favorite things to do while there is to go hiking out in nature. This was taken in August at Manoa Falls on the Oahu.

6. This was the first year that I taught my students the concept of having a fixed mindset vs. a growth mindset based on the research of Dr. Carol Dweck. Essentially, hard work and effort pays off! As a teacher, I find myself more and more interested in the behavior aspect of my job as time goes on. I guess that's why I majored in psychology in college!

7. In October I was fortunate to travel to San Diego for a work related conference with two other colleagues. I miss southern CA, especially being at the beach! 

8. I finally upgraded my phone this year after a very long time, and I started using Instagram. Here's one of my favorite instagram photos that I took from the balcony of my hotel in Hawaii:

9. I started to develop an interest in DIY projects this year, and I was able to create a couple of necklaces that I made on my own. I ordered more teardrop pendants than I knew what to do with! Here are some of the pieces I made:

It's been a wonderful 2012, and here's to an even better 2013! Wishing all of you the very best!

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