Get to know me :)

A Little Background Information for You:

Hello everyone! My name is Melissa Bostic, I am 22 years old, and I live in Mount Olive, North Carolina. 


Me (left) and my best friend Olivia (right)

I live on my family’s farm and would not trade it for anything.  I am currently a senior at UNCW with a major in Elementary Education and a concentration in Behavioral Studies.  I have played teacher as far as I can remember back.  I remember being at a friends house when I was little and we would set up desks and pass out copies of worksheets and we really thought we were doing something back then! :)

Sunset on the farm.

I live on the farm with my mama and stepdad. 


Mama and Richard (stepdad) in Key West, FL

My dad and stepmom live in Fuquay-Varina, NC where I lived up until the age of 4.  I have one older sister who is earning her PhD from Duke University in sociology and I also have three step brothers and the most precious little nephew ever named Wyatt. 


Amie and I when she returned from Germany a few weeks ago.

Chris (step-brother), Robin (sister in law), Wyatt (nephew)
 



During my spare time I spend the majority of my time at my parents place in Topsail Island where I love to enjoy the sand, salt, and sun.  Something that makes me unique is that I am double jointed in all 10 fingers (which tends to creep quite a few people out). 

 

Math to Me:

 

Math to me is the usage of numbers and objects to come up with a solution to a problem.  When I think of math the first things that come to mind are: numbers, symbols, shapes, and thinking.  When it comes to learning mathematics I feel that I am able to grasp concepts fairly easy but like most people I have to try a few times in order to completely grasp the full concepts.  When it comes to teaching mathematics this is one of my favorite subjects to teach because of the complexity that can be involved with it.  I also really enjoy teaching mathematics because I love the look on the child’s face when they grasp the concept and become confident in their skills.  Elementary school mathematics should be something that DOES have a lot of focus on it but it also needs to be something that the child enjoys doing.  There are ways to make math fun for the students while also making sure they learn the appropriate things they need for the “test”.  If you teach the students in elementary school a fun way to do a problem, or a song to assist in their figuring out the problem, or just not pressure them on a problem they will learn to enjoy math and not feel so forced to do it.  The idea of being good in mathematics to me means that you are able to figure out the problems that are put in front of you using techniques that have been taught to you by the teacher or even figuring out a way to solve a problem on your own.  When I was in school I remember I seemed to always find an easier way of figuring out a problem and sometimes the teacher would have a problem with that but the majority of the time they were excited to see that I had broadened my spectrum of thinking.  A good mathematics teacher thinks of ways to help their student to learn mathematics even if it means coming up with that students on particular method of figuring out the problem.  A good mathematics teacher would take the time to show the student how to do the problem and be patient and if they see that their method is not working then they should sit back and rethink on a different method they could use to teach the student.  Every student is capable of learning you just have to dig down to find the right method to help them!

Person I would Like to Have a Conversation With:

 

 

 

If I could choose one famous person to meet with and have a conversation with I believe I would choose Oprah Winfrey.  I have watched the Oprah Winfrey show since she was on basic cable channels and continue to watch her now that she is on her own network the OWN channel.  She has always been so inspirational to be because she is a strong woman who has become a billionaire and the fact that she started with almost nothing and has built her empire as large as she has.  I am not one to boast on money (clearly being that I am going into education) but the fact that she has made herself so large and probably never predicted she would astonishes me.  The reason I would like to have a conversation with Oprah is to get an insight into her true personality aside from the public personality she has to portray.  Oprah is always in the public eye which means she has to watch her actions at all times so that something negative does not come about on her reputation and I have always wondered if she would be so humble in a private face to face meeting or if she would potentially cut loose and act like a "friend" when not being filmed.  Oprah is a strong woman which is something I believe in and am working toward becoming myself which is one of the main reasons I would like to meet her to see how she is able to stay so strong even when tragedy strikes. 

 

I hope this blog has helped everyone to learn a little about me and I look forward to working with you all  throughout this semester :)