Welcome to Nicki's Page 

  
      



   
Allow me to introduce myself...
My name is Jennifer Nicole Underwood, but I go by my middle name and everyone calls me Nicki.  I am 25 years old and grew up in a small town called Leechburg, PA outside of Pittsburgh, PA.  I moved to Moultrie, GA in 2001 and I have just started the Early Childhood Education program at Valdosta State University this fall.  Last semester I graduated from ABAC with an Associate of Science and am looking forward to finishing at VSU.  I am a musician at heart, and have played musical instruments all of my life.  I play the flute and the piano. I also sing and am involved in the choir at the church I attend, First Baptist Church of Norman Park.  My father is a pastor, which is how we ended up in Moutlrie all the way from Pennsylvania, and I live with my mom, dad, and one of my two younger brothers.  I am a full-time student and a part-time waitress at a little restaurant in Moultrie called Three Crazy Bakers.  I also have a boyfriend, named Luke.  He is 27 years old, and currently student teaching at R.B. Wright Elementary School in Moultrie, and will graduate with a B.S. in ECE from VSU in December.  I am head over heels in love with him and hope that we get married someday.  

                         






I want to be a teacher because.....
I love children and I love music.  When I was in high school, I was in the marching band, the concert band, the choir, and the drama club. I also began to take flute lessons and piano lessons. I developed such a love of the arts that I decided that I wanted to share that love with children, so they could grow to learn about and appreciate all forms of art.  I also developed a love for children by baby-sitting, working in the nursery at church, and teaching flute lessons.  In recent years I have interacted with all ages of kids from infants and toddlers in daycare, all the way up to adolescence by substitute teaching in the public schools.  I feel the arts are a critical part of the education system and an even more important part of the development of young minds.  I believe the arts benefit children of all ages.  Primary learners benefit and grow through rhythm and movement and the pure fun of songs and musical games.  Older students can be taught to be open-minded and accepting of new and different forms of music or art.  Children of all ages also grow and learn by creating music and art, gaining a sense of accomplishment when they have created something unique.  Right after high school, I majored in music education at Clarion University of PA, but decided that I did not want to be limited to teaching in a music setting and wanted to teach many things and many different types of children, not just the kids who chose choir or band.





I had an inspirational experience...
When I moved to Georgia, I faced a difficult time of change and adjustment.  Before leaving PA, I was a music education major.  But a move across the country interrupted my plans, so I put everything on hold for a while.  Well, after about 6 months of waitressing, I decided to get a more concrete job and took a paraprofessional position in a psychoeducational facility.  I was employed as a one-on-one aid to a 6 year old autistic child, but also worked very closely with other children with social, emotional, and behavior disorders.  When I began working with the autistic child, he couldn't sit in his desk with the class unless he was watching television or engaged in an activity he had picked out.  The experience I had working with that child inspired me to finish my education, get my degree, and become a teacher.  At the end of the year, both myself and the child I worked with had made tremendous progress together.  He learned his full name, his birthday, his address, his phone number, his letters, his numbers, some math skills, he worked on handwriting and other motor skills, and most importantly social and behavior skills.  By the end of the year, he was sitting in a desk with the rest of the class and involved in group language arts activities. Nothing is as inspirational as seeing a child progress and learn.





These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things.....

I like Musichristian.combecause it has a great selection of chrisitan music and accompaniment cds that I use when I sing in church. 


I am a casual, laidback person and really like the cute, comfortable clothes at Old Navy.
         

I love books, movies, and music.  One of my favorite things that encompasses all three of these is The Wizard of Oz.  I've only         read the first book, and there are several more, but I love the book, and the movie, and the music from the movie.  I was even in a production of The Wizard of Oz in high school.  This website is a good one. (It even has lesson plan ideas to accompany the               book.)



Because I love books, movies, and music, I would definately recommend Amazon.com for an extensive selection of all forms of entertainment.  I have also discovered that if you think something is rare or hard to find, try Amazon.
   

The other movie and book that I truly consider to be one of my favorites is Gone With The Wind. If you have not read the book or at least seen the movie, you are truly missing out.






I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has any suggestions or ideas for this site.  One day, when I'm a real teacher, I hope to keep this site and update it to use as a resource for my students and to keep in touch with their parents.  For now, you can email me if you have anything in common with My Favorite Things or if you find anything interesting on the web you think I might like. 
   





Books of Common Thread Project

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Do you know how the mountain grows?

    
Global Diveristy Page
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
by Paul Goble
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