Saturday, September 21, 2013

Budding Blog Linky

I've been blogging for almost a year and I've stumbled through a few obstacles...a few may be an understatement!

One of those obstacles is having an audience.  What's the point of putting your thoughts and ideas out there if no one is seeing them?  (Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way...)  Recently, though,  I got my first ego-booster in my blogging world when a stranger (a.k.a. someone I do not know personally) started following me.  Another big boost came when a different stranger re-pinned my very own pin that links back to my blog.  I finally feel like my blog is getting out there.

I was reading through my Feedly teacher blogs when it dawned on me...a linky is the way to get my name out there in the face of the blog world.  Why didn't I think of this before???  So I've started linking up.

Today I'm linking up with Jess at I {heart} Recess for a Budding Blog linky party.


This is a linky designed to give new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) the chance to showcase their blog and to find other bloggy newbies. To link up, just answer the same 5 questions I have, include the image above, and link back to I {heart} Recess.

So, here goes...

1. Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging in February.  A coworker and I had just returned from a technology conference and we were pumped up about all things techy.  We made a pact to 1-start a blog, 2-make a QR code activity, and 3-start a TpT store.  Well, I've done 2 of those...still working on the TpT.  I like blogging because I like reading blogs.  Although my ideas aren't completely original, I like to think that things I do in my classroom might help someone else better their teaching abilities the same way other teacher blogs have helped me.

2. What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
Good question...hard to answer.  I've been teaching for 6 years and all I've taught so far are Reading, ELA, Writing, and Social Studies.  I loved teaching 5th grade Social Studies because the subject matter (Civil War to present day) was so interesting and easy to make fun for the students.  3rd grade Social Studies...not so much! I love teaching Reading because there are so many ways and resources you can use to teach the same concept.  I'm scared to death at the thought of teaching Math, mainly because I've never taught it!

3. Describe your teaching style.
I love teaching small groups.  For me, this means stations/centers.  I like the teacher-to-student ratio that small-groups create.  I also like the differentiation that is readily and easily accessed through stations.  I love teaching students who struggle academically.  It's challenging but rewarding when they have those little "a-ha" moments.  This year I'm teaching an inclusion class and a below-grade-level EIP class.  (This is starting to sound like a fast food commercial...ba da bababa, i'm lovin' it!)

4. Give three interesting facts about you.
1-I have fat thumbs.  Seriously, they look like toes!
2-I have trouble with my 'R's.  Always have, but because it didn't impact me academically I didn't qualify for speech.  I can remember sitting cross-legged in my bedroom floor with my daddy when I was in kindergarten saying, "R-R-Ruffles have r-r-ridges" to try to fix my 'R's.  More times than not it came out "wuffles have widges."  To this day, I still struggle with 'R's.
3-My nostrils flare when I'm angry.  It's a dead giveaway.  No poker-face when it comes to being angry.
**By the way, all of these have been and still are sources of ridicule over the years :)

5. Do you have a TpT store?  If yes, post the link.
As I said earlier, this is a part of the pact that my friend and I made.  However, I have not yet bitten that bullet!  I think it's an inner fear of creating 'new' products.  I don't think I'm that creative...at least not yet!

Now it's your turn to go link up!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

September Currently

This is my first attempt at linking up with Farley's Currently.  Here goes...


Listening-to college football...YAY!!!
Loving-this new school year
Thinking-so much to do, so little time...boy, am I a good procrastinator!
Wanting-to start a Donor's Choose project but not sure what to ask for first
Needing-to get busy planning ahead...boy, am I a good procrastinator!
<3-1. find the good  2. work ahead  3. smile more

**Thanks to Albuquerque Amy for the tutorial on how to link up!