The next
few weeks mark the TNReady test. This is the opportunity for all of SCMS’ students
to shine and show their knowledge. This is an amazing time for many people, but
for others, it is scary. These test-taking jitters can leave students unable to
focus and show their full potential, but there are ways to overcome the testing
stress.
The first
strategy to alleviate this stress is to get an acceptable amount of sleep
before the tests. “With adequate sleep, your ability to think clearly and to deal with
anxiety will both improve,” said a website from Brown University. This shows
the effect of sleep on a student’s brain. Studies show that students our age
should get at least eight hours of sleep each night. Make sure to catch your Z’s
to test to your full potential!
Another strategy to get rid of
that pesky anxiety is to use the deep breathing method.
“Deep breathing can slow down a beating heart or a racing mind, so practice
these techniques at home. The very act of concentrating on breathing and
thinking can biometrically alter those anxious feelings,” said The Princeton
Review. Use this deep breathing if your anxiety starts getting bad. his method
is called the 4-7-8 technique. Inhale through your nose and count to four.
After that, hold your breath and count to seven. The last step is to exhale
through your mouth and count to eight. Repeat that until you feel relaxed.
The
last strategy is to have a confident attitude. “View the exam as an opportunity
to show how much you’ve studied and to receive a reward for the studying you’ve
done,” said studygs.net. It may be difficult to think positively about the test
but approach the test with a good attitude. The more positive the test is
thought about, the more positive results there will be.
Test
anxiety is a serious thing, and these strategies will help when one fears the
upcoming tests ahead. Use these, and the test will be thought of as way easier
to conquer as it seems. Good luck!
It is now March. That means that students are getting ready to
move grades. It is a big thing, especially for eighth graders, who are going
into high school. As an eighth grader, I have been interested in what it is like.
So, to save the stress, I asked my friend Abbey in ninth grade some questions
to tell us what to expect.
Is high
school as scary as people make it out to be?
“On the first day, it may
seem scary, but after a few days of getting to know where your classes are, it
really isn’t all that scary.”
Is
high school easier or harder than middle school?
“High school is definitely
easier than middle school.”
What
is the best thing about high school?
“The best thing about high
school is the level of freedom that you are given, and there is a
fifteen-minute break between first and second block.”
What
advice do you have for eighth graders moving up to high school?
“My advice is not to stack
up all of your honors classes into one semester unless you want more homework
than you know what to do with. Also, DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!!”
Mrs. Skaggs is a seventh-grade teacher who teaches advanced and
regular math classes. She has been in first place for earning the most amount
of money for a terrible disease called, Cystic Fibrosis. Station Camp Middle
school decided to try to raise enough money to cure Cystic Fibrosis, with what
we call the Blizzard. Scientists are near finding a cure!
Here are some questions we asked our lovely teacher, Mrs. Skaggs:
Mrs. Skaggs, what is the blizzard for?
“The blizzard is to
raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis and to hopefully one day to come up with a
cure or new treatments and medicines for those who are struggling with Cystic
Fibrosis.”
How much did the school raise on the first day?
“The first day, which
was Monday, we raised about five hundred dollars. We have been doing this for
eight years and for the past seven years, we have raised about 3,500 or 35,000
dollars.”
Do you have anything
to share about the disease?
“My hope is that one
day, we are going to find something out there to help those who are fighting
with this disease every day because personally, they should know I have experience
with this.”
Do you want to add anything you would like to say?
“I just hope that
students realize that they are helping a great cause and I want to thank everyone
who donated. Our total was
$6,586.57!!!! AMAZING!”
Thank you, Mrs. Skaggs! We love
you for everything that you do!
“Well, first off, teaching was not my first
career. A few years ago, I worked for a company called BMI. They do copyright
clearances for a performing arts organization. Interestingly, this is where I
met my husband.
I worked there for a few years where I traveled outside of my market and basically licensed places that use music. I did that for a while and then I went to work for a food broker doing sales marketing. After a little while, the person for whom I worked ended up downsizing, so I lost my job. At that time, I was pregnant with my twins, so we decided that I was going to stay home instead of working. Sadly, they were sick for the first two years of their life. When they turned three years old, I went back into sales, which required me to travel. It was another music company, but it was not family oriented, nor it was convenient for me and my family. Since I had to be gone, my husband had to take care of the kids and he had to work. So, I thought that I needed to look into another career. I started looking into schools and teaching. I began to take teaching classes in western Kentucky and I went to Trevecca to look into teaching license and I reviewed with them. Trevecca said that they had a Masters’ Program. Since I already had a Bachelor Degree, I could get my masters and my teaching certification at the same time. Well, I thought that was a good idea. All I have to do is, pay for my classes, get my teaching certificate, and get my master’s. I went back to Trevecca, and I didn’t even do student teaching, I did several interims and they had me on an alternate license. I basically walked in, fresh, to a classroom. I would not recommend that for everybody. That was hard. That was back in 2006 or 2007. So I got my license. When I did, I got a position at Indian Lake, a couple in Madison Creek, and Jack Anderson. I did an interim here, back in 2010 for Melissa Skaggs, when she had her second child. She was going to be gone for the full year. The next year, there were no open positions, but the year after that, our old principal, Mr.Brown, called me and offered me a job.”
Who inspired you to go
into teaching, if anybody?
“I would say, my kids. I wanted a job where I could
be with them and I thought it would be very convenient with being on the same
schedule. Also, I could grow with them and be with them. So, I would say, my
kids.”
Have you ever thought
any other subject other than ELA (English Language Arts)?
“Yes,
I have taught math, science, social studies. Well, I have taught everything.
Except for related arts, but other than that, I have taught everything.”
What is your favorite
part of being a teacher?
“I would say, making a connection with the kids.
Especially when, I explain something and they get it. That lightbulb goes off
and they make that connection. I think
that is when I know that I am doing my job.”
What is one thing you
wish you knew before becoming a teacher?
“I would probably say, how hard it is. You don’t
think it is a hard, hard job. I mean, you know that there are going to be some
challenges, but you don’t realize how hard it is being a teacher. Mostly
because, every day you make decisions, “Should I do this today, or should I do this today?”, or “Would this be
more beneficial, or that be more beneficial?”. It is the constant of going back
and forth and trying to be your best because you want you and your kids to
grow. Also, you want them to really learn from you, so that making those vital
decisions is important. Well, I gotta be my best so I can do what is best for
them.”
How many years have you
been teaching?
“So, my very first
teaching year was in 2007, which was twelve years ago.”
Do you have any
children?
“Yes, I have three. I
have twins that have just graduated Station Camp High school, Briana and Carly,
they graduated in December. Well, they have not technically graduated, they got
out early. They are going to walk [in the graduation ceremony] in May, but they
are done. Then I have a son, Jack, he is a fifth grader next door, at the
elementary.”
Was seventh grade the
only grade you taught?
“No, I have taught
every grade except for high school, which means I have taught kindergarten to
eighth grade.”
Is there anything you
would like to add?
“I would say, Station
Camp definitely has been my favorite. I prefer this age group, I think I can
connect with this age group better than with the elementary kids. It has been
very good, I have met with a lot of great students. And, what is really great
is when I am out, and I see a student that I had five or six years ago and I
recognize them. They would tell me their name and I would be like, “Oh! I
remember you!”. So it is really cool, when you see students that have gone on.
They would tell me what they are doing, “Oh, I am in college now and I am doing
this,” or,
“I am studying that.” I believe that is just really cool, and I love when those
moments happen. They happen quite often because I still live in the community.”
Thank you so much for sharing your
stories! We are glad to have you here and that you love all of us so much!
Thank you Dr. Philbin!
You are stuck in a time loop as a detective in Oakmont, Massachusetts in the 1920’s United States. According to the description of the game ‘You are investigating a mysterious flood inundating the city, in the hopes of shedding light on the darkness that has seized the place and corrupted the minds of the inhabitants – and yours…’ Things appear upside down. A giant octopus (the Kracken) seems to kill you to restart the time loop. Every time, you become more and more like a squid. One time when you die you wake up in the trailer. When you blink two different eyelids you should not have come from the side of your eyes instead of both eyelids meeting in the middle. You find yourself in a sunken city and you have to help others, because they are more in need of help than you are.
To submit your work for possible posting, please make a clean copy (no eraser marks or wrinkles in the paper) with you name on it. You may initial or sign your work on the front, but be sure I can read your name on the back. Then bring to Mrs. Meade in room 102 or have it put in my Mrs. Meade’s mailbox in the office. Digital work can be sent to joy.meade@sumnerschools.org. All work is reviewed for appropriateness.
To submit your work for possible posting, please make a clean copy (no eraser marks or wrinkles in the paper) with you name on it. You may initial or sign your work on the front, but be sure I can read your name on the back. Then bring to Mrs. Meade in room 102 or have it put in my Mrs. Meade’s mailbox in the office. Digital work can be sent to joy.meade@sumnerschools.org. All work is reviewed for appropriateness.
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