About Me

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I'm a mid twenties girl. Who has the cutest two boys ever. I'm married to the best hubby ever (aka the Man). I'm also a teacher of sixth grade with a masters degree in Education. I'd rather be busy than bored. I love things bright and beautiful and my family means the world to me.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Job title


I am so in love with my new job this year. I completed my Reading Certificate in August, but I knew at the end of the school year I was switching to a new position. I left a classroom and moved to an office. A windowless, three chairs,  used to be the "calm down room" office. I've slowly made it mine but you really can't hide the pipes in the corner (I'm not taking a picture, because the space can't dampen my love).

From our initial conversation to today, my job has changed. I already have ideas of how I'd like to tweak it for next year! My job has two parts I am a Literacy Specialist and the Reading Interventionist for our 6-12 building.


I started the year working with our Social Studies and PE/Health PLC's to ensure they were implementing the reading and writing standards within the content areas. While one group has said they are assigning lots of various writing I've started to realize that they're standard of writing and where our district hopes for them to be don't align. Currently, I've also been helping our English department work on the Essential Outcomes, which will hopefully progress to assessment and intervention planing based on those scores.

I have been working closely with a 12th grade teacher and his class to adjust the content to hit the needs he has encountered with his group. We had to really look at the books he preferred to teach, then find additional resources that could replace them because they weren't right for the class. I've also been working with him to have more writing work.

I feel like I am going to be comfortable looking at our results from this year's testing and then addressing our staff as to what we should focus on and do to ensure we meet our district goals. We have some great teachers in our building but I don't feel that we're hitting what we need to the best of our abilities.


After all the research and additional text I've been finding I've really fallen in love with teaching reading. What many see as a basic skill can be so hard for some students. What's even more worrisome is that we have students that have fallen through the cracks for many years, hit high school, and just can't do. I don't think any one specific grade or teacher is to blame. I have seen so many victories from teachers who work together. This year has really allowed me to branch out and really have fun again at work. Bring on the second half of the year!

Monday, January 5, 2015

Let's read something this year!

I saw this and fell in love with the idea. The goal is to read 26 books in 2016.

From their Facebook page, I saw a link to a book mark that could be interesting and a helpful reminder. So I hope to keep updating this list throughout the year, I got started already and packed a bunch of reading since New Years. I will try to add a link to where you can get the book. Are you game?
  1. A book you own but haven't read
  2. A book that was made into a movie
  3. A book you pick solely because of the cover
  4. A book your friend loves
  5. A book published this year
  6. A book by an author you've never read before
  7. A book by an author you love- "The Longest Ride" by Nicholas Sparks 

  8. A book at the bottom of your "to be read" pile
  9. A book with a color in the title
  10. A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
  11. A book you started but never finished
  12. A book with a lion, a witch, or a wardrobe
  13. A book with a female heroine
  14. A book set in the summer
  15. A book of poems
  16. A book you learned about because of this challenge
  17. A book that will make you smarter
  18. A book with a blue cover
  19. A book you were supposed to read in school, but didn't
  20. A book "everyone" has read
  21. A book with a great first line
  22. A book with pictures
  23. A book from the library "The One and Only" by Emily Griffin
  24. A book you loved... read it again!
  25. A book that is more than 10 years old
  26. A book based on a true story


Saturday, January 3, 2015

Currently January

I'm linking up with Farley and so many other teachers for the first Currently of the year! Make sure to check it out! 


Listening- Luckily with all this time off the boys are getting along well. Ryker is becoming very two and moody. Tucker likes to push his buttons so it can be pretty interesting sometimes, tonight they're doing well.

Loving- The last few breaks we've either had a lot of snow or the Man has been super busy at work. This year we got to see him a whole lot. He and I caught up on some movies, he took Tucker ice skating, they all wrestled at any free second, and he just plain for to relax with us.

Thinking-  One of my goals is to open a TPT store. I feel like I have plenty of material to put on their  but they need more work before I commit. When I start making them buyer ready I start to doubt myself and worry that some other teacher will think I copied or that it's really crap.  I just have to stop letting my worry get in the way.

Wanting- 'nough said!

Needing- I have some last minute things I want to make sure get done before Monday, so I always start with my favorite thing,  A LIST!

YES! I'm going to comment on more blogs, meet up with more people around my area, and make some more teaching friends.
MAYBE- I'm working with some teachers this year in my new position that I haven't worked with before, hopefully I can inspire them to try something new.
I WISH! Some things are in the works for the Man and I just really hope that it all works out and he loves it.

Five on Friday (kind of)

Hey it's Saturday, which means I should get going on Five on Friday.

Link up with these ladies for some friend.

5. Christmas 
We were blessed with many gifts this year, the boys will definitely be set in the clothing department. A few things Santa brought were a beanbag, books, bike, and stuffed stockings for the boys. They were very content.


4. Teaching goal
My goal this year is to put myself out there more. Both in the real world and online, I'm working on starting up a TPT store and hope to build more connections both locally and farther away.  Stayed tuned for more news on that hopefully.

3. Personal Goal

I worked a lot over break and throughout the last year to really examine where our money is going. From that and from doing some research of the Dave Ramsey materials the Man and I are really going to focus on spending our money right. We have goals set for ourselves and have completed Baby step #1, only we felt comfortable with a different number so we saved a little more.

2. Questioning the future
Another discussion that we had, on Christmas Eve actually, was about baby #3. I brought it up and we had an honest discussion about it. I hadn't realized how much I really planned for a third baby, how much I had built the idea up in my head. As we discussed our goals and where we saw ourselves and when, some things would really need to change for it to be feasible to have a third. Needless to say, I was a little sad over Christmas, then mad at myself for being so greedy and unappreciative of the two blessings we already have. I gave myself a few days to find peace and re-examine my perspective. It's not to say that it definitely won't happen but it's closer to not than will happen.

1. Hitting the pavement

I got some new running pants and today was a gorgeous day to try them out. It was the best run I've had in a really long time. I only went a total of two miles but I felt great the whole time, did some stretching when I got home, and even now still feel really good.

Happy 2015!