Homemade Bubbles

In the previous post, I shared a cooking recipe with you on how to make homemade applesauce. This recipe is a little different because you will not be eating it. Here is a recipe for homemade bubbles. All kids love bubbles!

Homemade Bubbles

1 teaspoon glycerin
1/2 cup liquid detergent (Ivory Soap or Dawn Liquid)
1/2 water
plastic container with a tight lid
spoon
bowl

Measure and mix ingredients into a bowl. Pour the solution into a plastic container and let the mixture sit overnight for best results. Enjoy!

Ms. C

Classroom Cooking Recipe

Greetings. Today, I am going to share a cooking recipe that I had used with my students. You can adapt the recipe accordingly to each student's skill level. Students love to participate in any fashion; from reading the recipe, to preparing the ingredients, measuring the ingredients, pouring and mixing the ingredients, and lastly and best of all eating the combination of the ingredients.

I feel so lucky to have lived in Oregon most of my life because of the wonderful selection of organic produce that you can find in most health food stores. One day in my classroom, we made homemade applesauce and the kids loved it! This cooking activity was successful because we had spent a couple of days on reviewing the content of the recipe before actually making it.

Homemade Applesauce

6 large apples
1/2 cup of water
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice (from a lemon)
1/4 cup of fine sugar
pinch of allspice
pinch of cinnamon

You will need a large saucepan, hot plate, colander, large bowl, measuring cups, measuring spoon, towels, plastic knifes, and a cutting board. I would let the adults peel each of the apples and core the center. Then you can quarter each of the apples and let the students cut the apples into small pieces with their plastic knifes. Put the cut up pieces of apples into a large bowl. Add the water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and spices. Stir all the ingredients together. Put the ingredients into a large saucepan and cook over a medium heat. The adult should be the only person around the stove stirring the apples. Cook until tender. Let the apples cool down before pressing them into the colander. Serve warm.

As a teacher, you can make a copy of the recipe and give to each of your students. Each student can participate in this cooking activity. It might take some creativity on your part, but it can be done. Here are a couple of ideas. You can have several students write the recipe onto a large piece of white paper or onto a chalk board, students can make copies of the recipe and give to each student, there is preparatory and clean up work, produce needs to be washed and dried, apples need to be cut up into small pieces and measuring of the ingredients.

bon appetit
Ms. C

Student Loans

Greetings. Here are a couple of link addresses in regards to having your Stafford Student Loans Forgiven: www.studentaid.ed.gov and www.studentaid.ed.gov/loanforgivenessforteachers

I think it is great that special education teachers are being acknowledge for their hard work. What I think is unreasonable is only providing these perks for recruiting teachers into the field. If you had worked as a special education teacher prior to October 1, 1998 and also had an outstanding balance on your loans. You are not eligible to have your student loans forgiven. These loans are only forgiven if you had borrowed money from your lender after October 1, 1998.

All special education teachers, should be able to qualify for a loan forgiveness program regardless of the October 1, 1998 time line. It is unfair not to recognize the hard work that we each have done.

Ms. C

Student Loan Forgiveness Application

Greetings. Today, I would like to discuss about the hot topic on student loans. On February 8, 2006, a new provision was enacted to ensure the availability of student loan forgiveness up to $17,500 for newly hired special education teachers. President Bush signed a new legislation that will make a huge difference in recruiting qualified special education teachers.

I have to say, President Bush did well here by creating incentives for students to enter into the field of special education. What I think is sad, is that the criteria on the teacher loan forgiveness application is strict. They are strict about the type of loans you have and the date of your loans. If you are still paying on your Stafford Student Loans and they are dated prior to October 1, 1998. You will not qualify for the teacher loan forgiveness. In my next post, I will continue on this particular subject matter.

Ms. C