Exercise for Graduate School

As I near the end of my graduate school career, I am glad to be entering into the world of exceptional school librarians that use their school library websites as virtual learning commons. I have met and worked with these different teachers for assignments or fieldwork and they represent elementary and secondary schools.

One thing they all have in common was clear welcoming pages that were appropriate for the age group they work with. For elementary-aged students, the website is simple and gives students four options of what to do, such as looking at the online catogue, a video or a game, and look at the different databases available to students. The middle school librarywebsite is more colorful, and is organized top to bottom with the tabs. Students can find new books and other activities from there. For the high school school library website, there is a symbaloo page that allows students to click on different tiles for different databases, activities, and other fun options.

I like that the options increase for each age group, but still allow students to do self exploration and that there are options for both teachers and parents.

End of the Month Photo Post- March

As March last year was filled with trips on teh weekends and events, this was a much slower month for me. Besides kicking it off with a trip to China, I was really more laid back during the month. The weekends were a little bit lazy and the weeks were full of starting a new term and getting to know new students. I also started teaching ABC, an everyday class. These are some of my favorite students.

But First things first! Here are pictures from St Patricks Day. This year we managed to get to the fair earlier and it was much warmer than the previous year.

I bumped into my friend Jin!

The group. Sydney, Matt, Carly, Suzanne, Mckenna, Alex, Jesus*nickname* and Me

Mckenna, Alex, and Kimchi(the cat) Before going to the festival.

Yes, a Nicholas Cafe ad...freaky.

Dancing a jig. Get it Nick!

People starting to reel.

At the end of the month, Mckenna, Alex, Brittany and I got together and rented swan boats. This is something we had seen a lot whenever we were near the Han and since it was warmer, we decded to try it out! It was a bit of a wa-waah time though since all four of us could not be in a boat together. It wasn't too expensive, 30 for the two boats for 45 minutes. We took some beers and got on the boats!

Da Swan boats.

And of course, my ABC students. Ruby, Alex, and Lucy. Nina not pictured.

End of the Month Photo Post - February

Alex's birthday scavenger hunt, lots of stress at work, photo class, small part of china trp
February was a busy month for me! I took a photo class every Sunday morning which helped me learn quite a bit about my camera. It also taught me that I would outgrow my camera within a year or more as well as the lens bought. I enjoyed this class a lot since it was me and just one other student. Here are some pictures from the homework I needed to do and using models.

Girl we pulled from people walking by who really exemplifies Korean fashion!

                 

                    
                    

Horsey dance.

                                                

In the middle of February we had Alex's, Mckenna's boyfriend, birthday party which was a scavenger hunt in Seoul. It was an afternoon into the evening event with lots of drinking and just juvenile antics.

like taking a fish out of its tank.

or attempting pull ups on the subway

by multiple foreigners.

Getting ice cream from the Turkish guy.

Putting money on the wall of a bar.

And silly pics at a bar :)

It was a great night and February was such a fun month for me. It also ended with me completely part of my great bucketlist of going to China. More in my next post!

End of the Month Photo Post - January

January was a "cold" month. The beginning started with  the new year rolling in and ended with a great hike that really showed how out of shape I was in!
With the new year I decided that I needed to expand my horizons and try out a Korean spa, a jjimjilbang. It was an awesome experience. I came in sore and feeling crappy and I felt leaving relaxed and relieved. I recommend Dragon Hill Spa right next to Yongsan Station in Seoul, South Korea.

The after photo of going into the Spa.

A week or so after break, I decided to spend the money on a photo class so I could learn how to use my camera more. I took a walk near apartment in Suwon, and got some great shots of this wren flying along the creek by my apartment. The walk proved to me that paying around $200 for a photo class would be worth it because I have no idea how to use my camera and I really want to become a better photographer.

At the end of January, I went on a hiking trip with Seoul Hiking Group. We went to Manisan, which is on an island close the North and South Korea border. I went with Susan, Carly, and Belinda on a last minute decision to join on a Sunday morning hike. I was tired and cranky since sleeping seemed to fail me the night before. It wasn't too cold, but cold enough that I didn't really want to not wear jeans. The hike was a nice, challenging hour and half to one point and then another 2 hours after.

That kinda darker gray in the middle...that's North Korea.

You can kinda see it...kinda.

Pretty dead leave with frost.

Let's throw leaves into the air.

'cause it makes us look cool!

Me trying to not enjoy the view even though  I had a hard time keeping up.

From the peak. Gorgeous view really.

Group shot at the top, didn't work out too well.

Suzanne and her acrobatics.

More shots from the top.

Going back down saw this man carrying his probably 4 or 5 year girl UP THE MOUNTAIN LIKE THIS.

This is what the majority of the hike was like. Needed crampons for sure.

Once I arrived at the peak, I decided that there was no way in hell I was going to continue on and it as a good thing I decided that. I was not in the best of shape and I definitely was not up to small versions of rock climbing, even if ropes were used. I enjoyed a nice little nap on the bus as well as changing into my sweat shirt since I had sweat through my t-shirt during the hike.
After every one got back together from the hike, we went to one side of the island and had an amazing soup supper. Korea definitely has some of my favorite soups, due to their savory and spiciness. We also had a great ocean view from our restaurant. I'm a sucker for winter beaches, some people don't appreciate the look of snow and sand together, but it's nostalgic for me.

And again, another jumping photo that actually worked...though I do look like I have a rocket pack on.

The last weekend of January brought me to the Tim Burton exhibit at Seoul Museum of Art. The Tim Burton Exhibit was a great excursion for a Sunday morning...too bad it meant getting up at around 7:30 AM! I went with the people I did knitting club with, which was a great change of pace for me. A lot of my friends had already gone to the exhibit during earlier months, so this was my chance to go with people I knew from different activities. The exhibit showcased select artwork from Tim Burton's private collection of his own art from different movies, early inspiration as well as journals from his youth. It offered a nice  view into his mind and what his inspirations were for his movies. I really enjoyed the quotes that were placed through out the exhibit.
Even though I am not as well versed as others for his movies, I enjoyed looking at the costumes, story boards, and other inspirational artwork Burton as done over the years. It's all just morbidly whimsical. A strange combination of the two, but it fits. We were not allowed to take photographs while inside the exhibit but there were pieces we could take photos with outside. I enjoyed how the art museum had gates put up with Tim Burton's name in the expected typography that is famous from his movies. The entrance displays inside manifests the ideal of being swallowed into the mindset Tim Burton possesses in his creative process. I could continue on in this overly analytical rhetoric, but I will cease because I'm boring myself.
I enjoyed this art exhibit because I felt that it was an honest interpretation into the mindset of some one who lived in his own complete, little world. Which is appealing to any person who isn't afraid of their own mind.

January was a fun month that led me to decide to pursue more opportunities taking pictures and getting to learn more about my camera. Check out my February Photo post to see what I learned in lessons!