Tell us a little something about you…
I’m Amanda, and I am so excited to be joining such a FAB group of authors over at Blog Hoppin’! I am going through at least 856,345,321 changes in my life right now. Haha! Okay, so maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but you have to admit that switching districts and buying a new home in the same month is pretty crazy. Both moves have my mind reeling, but it’s a really exhilarating time of my life, and I am soooooo excited! Thanks for popping by to learn a little more about little ole’ me!
How long have you been teaching?
This is my sixth year teaching. I started out teaching Title I Reading in an inner-city behavior school with kids from 3rd to 8th grade during my first year. After that, I moved into a more rural district where I worked for a year as a Title I Reading tutor for 1st and 2nd graders before landing a position in third grade. I taught third grade for three years in a wonderful district, and now I’m starting a new school-year TODAY in a NEW place! So far, I really love my new school-home, and I am excited to grow roots there professionally and personally. 🙂 I will be teaching third grade yet again, but this year I will be departmentalized. I will only be teaching Language Arts & Social Studies. I have to admit… they are my favorites! I will miss teaching all subjects and being self-contained though. Maybe not all of the planning it entails, but I love the community you can build with one group of kiddos. {I’m going to miss all of my MES friends though! Hope you have a great year!}
You might not know…
I am currently working on my Masters in Literacy Curriculum & Instruction. This degree is basically like the song from Lambchop & Friends… remember it? Seriously, this is the degree that never ends. 🙂 I love my classes, but I took last summer off for our wedding, and I have not been able to take a class for two consecutive semesters, because they are either full or not full enough. This endeavor has taken three years so far, and I still have four more classes to go. Hopefully I won’t have any more setbacks, because I would love to wrap it up! My ultimate goal is to eventually work as a Reading Coach or obtain my Doctorate in Literacy. I keep thinking how great it would be to work at the college level, but I have NO idea when I will feel like I’m ready to move out of the elementary arena. I just love precious children WAY too much to leave the classroom anytime in the next ten years, at least!
What are you looking most forward to this school year?
I am looking forward to meeting my sweet classes tonight at Meet the Teacher, and I am so excited about cultivating a new community of learners within each group! It’s crazy to think that I will be working with about fifty kiddos this year, but I just know that I am going to LOVE them! I’m also looking forward to working on the Ohio Improvement Process team at the building level, because I was so sad to walk away from leadership positions at my old school. I am so fortunate to be given an opportunity to get involved right out of the starting blocks! The third thing I am really looking forward to is working with my awesome new teamie Stacey. Seriously, we are going to be great together! We both drive Nissan Rogues, our birthdays are a day apart, we both coached cheerleading… I’m telling you… it’s meant to be. Haha! Anyway, my whole third grade team is wonderful, and I can’t wait for this year to get rolling. {Dear summer, I will still miss you… and sleeping in too.} I’ll
What do you need to improve?
I am continually trying to improve my classroom management techniques. I feel like this has to change and adapt with each group of kids. I am always looking for new ways to organize my times and materials more efficiently. You have all helped me immensely with this! I probably also need to stop being so hard on myself. I am way to much of a perfectionist sometimes, and let’s face it, I am so not perfect. So, I tend to be my own worst enemy a little too much!
What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?
I couldn’t live without chart paper, markers, a timer, Pilot pens, cute notebooks, binders, and sweet tea.
Now it’s your turn folks! Hop over to Blog Hoppin’ to share your life story! I’m going to hop to Convocation! I can’t wait to read all about you! Thanks for participating in our linky party!
Just a little curious (as I think everyone else is, too)…who are all of the authors at Blog Hoppin and how did you get picked? It's like the greatest mystery in blog land! LOL
How exciting to be starting fresh this year!! And it sounds like the position really was meant for you 🙂 Can't wait to hear how the meet the teacher night goes…
Love your blog! 🙂 Glad I found you. Best wishes to you at your new school!
Good luck at your new school…it's always tough being the new one, not knowing where things are, etc. You'll be great
Love your blog, so glad I came across it!
I recently read somewhere that the best and worst thing a teacher can be is a perfectionist. We get the job done but can make ourselves crazy in the mean time. I'm totally with you and have to learn to let it go! Love reading your blog!