I am just tickled pink about this award I received this week. I'd like to thank Stephanie at Polka Dot Palace for the nomination.
The blog award I'm being nominated for is the Liebster Award, which is for new blogs. According to Stephanie, Liebster means "dearest, beloved, cute, lovely, and welcome."
I started my blog this summer after several summers of reading stalking other educational blogs. It's been something I've wanted to do for a while now, and I finally just went for it! It's really nice to be recognized by my blogging peers. Thank you so much for this award!
Here are my "rules" for accepting this nomination:
- Link back to the blog that nominated me
- Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers
- Answer the questions posted for you by your nominator
- Share 11 random facts about yourself
- Create 11 questions for your nominees
- Contact your nominees and let them know you nominated them
My nominations are:
Lisa @ Second Grade Stories
Kerri and Lindsay @ Teacher Bits & Bobs
Markeeta @ A Teacher and a Blog
Sara @ First Grade Funtastic
Bec @ Books, Bugs, & Boxes
Stephanie's Questions For Me:
1. What is your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would be the summer I spent with my best friend between 6th and 7th grade. We were inseperable! We spent the night at each other's houses just about every weekend that summer. It's hard to explain, but at that age, it's important to have a best friend like that, and I'm so glad I did because we're still friends today!
2. Tell me about your least favorite teacher in school?
My least favorite teacher has to be my 10th grade Advanced Biology teacher (I'll keep his name out of this!) He loved to use the overhead projector in a pitch black room and make us write pages of notes for what seemed like hours at a time. The whole class was way more advanced than it should've been for 10th grade, and most of us were totally lost as a result of his inability to vary his teaching skills. I think that's why until this day I prefer Chemistry over Biology. I just didn't learn much from his class.
3. What is your dream teaching job?
I received my Master's Degree in Educational Leadership in 2011, so eventually I'd like to be an administrator. However, another avenue I'd like to explore if the opportunity allowed itself, would be as a literacy or math coach. I spend a lot of my school year tutoring and teaching summer school to students who are below proficiency in reading and math, and I think being able to focus on those students in small groups each day would be beneficial to them.
4. Would you ever want to be an administrator? Why or why not? I'd have to answer, "Yes" to this one seeing as I've spent a lot of time and money getting the degree to do it. :) But on a serious note, I feel I can make a difference as an administrator. I've had a great mentors in my principals at the school I'm at now. I've been there 10 years, and I've learned so much from watching, listening, and participating in various leadership activities. I know I still have a lot to learn to be at the level I need to be, but I know that's where I want to be someday.
5. What was your first car?
Oh my goodness, I was so proud of this car! I bought myself a Chevy Cavalier back in 1994. It was maroon with tan interior. It had power windows, locks, and a great stereo! It didn't have a CD player, but I sure did wear that tape player out! :)
6. What was the last movie you saw in the theater?
My husband and I had a date night last month, and we went to see The Hangover 3. It was hilarious. I just get tickled at Mr. Chow. He cracks me up! Oh, and Bradley Cooper is one hunkaman!
7. If you have kids, how did you come up with their names? Something you liked, family significance, etc.
I have two awesome boys! Will, my oldest, is 14. Back even before we even thought about having kids I watched Days of Our Lives religiously. Back then, there was a character named, Austin who was married to Carrie, but he had a son with Carrie's sister (in true soap opera form), and his name was Will. Hence, my son's name...Will Austin. Now, my youngest son, Owen, is 2. Yes, he was a wonderful surprise addition to our family! Owen's name was chosen because I liked it. It had to grow a bit on my husband, but when we paired it with Benton, my husband's middle name, Owen Benton it was!
8. Tell me about one of those lessons that just went wrong, it didn't work.
Well, it was the lesson I taught during my Praxis 3 visit when the state representative observed me for my assessment...you know, the one that you do so you can have a teaching license? Wellll...I was teaching a fractions lesson to first graders in March of that year, and they all decided it would be fun to fuss and fight and not share as I was trying to create this wonderful climate of community and love and joy with a great hands-on math lesson that day. One thing led to another, and finally my patience got the best of me, and I just had to cut it short. Needless to say, I was mortified during my interview afterwards, and I just had to chalk it up to one of those experiences I'd learn from and try differently the next time.
9. What do you do to relax?
I enjoy watching TV or a movie with my family or when I have time (usually in the summer) I enjoy reading romance novels.
10. What was your most memorable vacation?
My husband, Will, and I went to Panama City Beach, FL a few years ago with a stop in Mobile, AL. Will was 10, and we surprised him by taking him to see the USS Alabama that's docked there. We got to tour the ship and see all kinds of tanks and planes and stuff. He thought that was the bomb! (no pun intended) After that, we spent a week at the beach in a really fun condo that had a water park and a lazy river (my fave). We really enjoyed that vacation a lot!
11. Are you a Coke or Pepsi person? If you don't drink soda then what do you drink?
I like them both, but I guess I prefer Pepsi over Coke. I drink them occassionally because I'm more of a tea drinker. I love me a big 'ol glass of sweet tea with lemon in it! (That's Arkansan for "I drink tea")
11 Random Facts About Myself:
1. I really, really, really want to go here some day!
2. I love this little dog! His name is Woobie.
4. I could eat here once a week! Yummo!
5. My kids are my pride and joy!--Owen (l) and Will (r)
6. This is my most favorite snack food in the whole wide world! Any flavor, any time of day!
7. Sometimes there just aren't enough rocks...and that's all I have to say about that! This is one of my all-time favorite movies.
8. Something I need to try harder to do...
9. I'd love to learn how to sew!
11. And finally, without this guy, I don't know what I'd do! I am loved so very much! He's my man-crush and best friend :)
My 11 Questions for My Nominees:
1. What is your favorite grade to teach and why?
2. What do you feel are your strengths as a teacher?
3. What are your weaknesses in the classroom?
4. What subject do you like teaching best? Why?
5. What "tool" do you rely on most in your classroom to help you teach?
6. If you could change anything about education today what would it be?
7. If you weren't a teacher, what career would you choose and why?
8. How do you relax when you're not teaching?
9. What is your biggest pet peeve?
10. Some say chocolate is a teacher's best friend. What is your favorite
"teacher treat"?
11. What school supply to you find most useful? Least useful?
I absolutely loved reading your answers. I too spent almost every day the summer between 6th & 7th grades with my best friend. We lived down the street from each other, but usually we were at my house...I had a pool :) And I too have a 2 year old son, he was born on St. Patty's Day. When was Owen born? And your kids are just precious. And who doesn't love some Cheddar Chex Mix? All those different textures....yummy!!!! Thanks so much for answering the questions, this was a well deserved nomination.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
PolkaDotPalace
We have a lot in common! Owen was born April 8th, just three weeks after your son. His first birthday was actually on Easter last year. We always had a pool growing up, too. We always had big swim parties, and it was the place to be every summer! I appreciate all your sweet comments, and I'm glad we met :) I may be hitting you up for some blog pointers if that's ok. I'm trying to learn all the gadgets and fun add-ons...and it's a lot to learn! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the nomination Christine. You have a super sweet blog. I am your newest follower
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