My Teacher Story & a 2nd Versatile Blogger Award!

I'm linking up with Janaye over at Tales of Frogs & Cupcakes for this:

I'm sharing mine and can't wait to read about your teacher stories too! Unlike a lot of you, I didn't go to college after high school. Instead, I got married at the ripe old age of 19 and started a family. I wanted to be a stay at home mom and I was for several years. I had Miranda a week before my first anniversary and Dakota close to 6 years later. When he was old enough to go to pre-k, I decided I wanted to go to school too! I loved volunteering at my daughter's school and decided teaching was the thing for me! I always enjoyed school and I loved teaching my own kids things when they were little. I have also always loved school supplies, creating, crafting, decorating,  and back to school shopping, so I thought I might as well pursue a career in teaching and have the best of both worlds.....doing something I love and having time off with my own kids during holidays, summers, etc. So....when Dakota headed off to preschool, I headed off to college! I graduated at the top of my class 5 years later ! I am entering year 10 of my teaching career, but this is where it started......my first job was teaching in a behavior unit....these were kids that hadn't been successful in a regular class and had been placed in this "special" class. They ranged in age from 3rd-8th grade! This was a very difficult job for a newbie teacher....the range of grade levels, kids with undesirable behavior, and ALL boys! Thank goodness there was only a few of them! Anywho, a few weeks into the school year, my principal called me into his office to tell me he was opening another 3rd grade unit and asked me if I was interested in it. Of course I jumped on it because 3rd grade was where I had interned and the grade level I wanted. It was a huge transition for the kids being moved into my class but fortunately it all worked out. This class was not needed the next year because the numbers dropped, so I was asked to move to 1st grade. This was the grade I had said I never wanted to teach, but I went because I needed a job! I absolutely fell in love with first grade and was there for the next 6 years! There is something about watching firsties grow through the year.....it's amazing! The next year, I was ready for a change so I worked as guidance counselor after the GC at my school was hired as the assistant principal. They were willing to let someone work on their degree while working as GC so I interviewed and got the job. It was.....ok, but my heart was in the classroom. I had been feeling like I was supposed to work with teens, so I talked to the HS principal (we only have 1 HS, 1 middle, and 2 elementary schools) and she hired me to teach biology. That is where I was last year....teaching out of field. I loved the high school students, and was planning to stay and teach English this year, however a new rule kept that from happening. I could not teach out of field a second year. That left me with no time to study for, take & pass the English 9-12 subject area exam, so I am back to elementary! Exhausting I know! I will be teaching 5th grade science this year and am over the moon excited! I think it will be the best of both worlds.....my kiddos will be old enough to tie their shoes and wipe their noses but still sweet and not quite as obsessed with cell phones, drama,  and foul language like high schoolers. Our 5th graders change classes and I loved that part of high school. I am now teaching in the other elementary school in our district which is new for me, but I am really looking forward to this new adventure....:) What's your story? 

Here are a couple pics from my first grade classroom.....:)

My 2nd Versatile Blogger Award!!!

I would like to thank Kelly from Kelly Teach for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger award! Stop by her blog and check it out! Thanks so much Kelly! What an honor to be nominated twice...:) There are some rules for accepting the award.....

~1 Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their site.

~2 Include the award image in your post.

~3 Give 7 random facts about yourself.

~4 Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award and include a link to their site.

~5. Let bloggers know they've been nominated.

On to the 7 random facts! I am trying to put 7 different ones....if you want to see the first 7, click here. 

1. I can't stand to wear socks!  Fortunately I live in Florida and don't have to wear socks often!

2. I have two best friends (Jeana & Shelleen) that have been my best friends for over 20 years!

3. I love, love, love Mexican food!

4. I have a class pet....Teddy Turtle, that I have had for 7 years now! He is a red-eared slider and is so much fun! Even my high-schoolers loved him!

5. I love books and the electronic readers will never replace them as far as I'm concerned! I love the way they look, feel, and smell! I am working on building my own little mini library at home for my hundreds of books!

6. I live in a mobile home.....and we are slowly remodeling it. We bought it new and it is paid off so we decided to remodel it instead of going into debt for a house. If I had tons of money, I would still love to design and build my dream house though! Craftsman style is my absolute favorite house design! 

7. I own a beautiful Hammersley Victorian Violets tea pot that my favorite aunt gave me a few years ago. It belonged to my uncle's mom. I have many other beautiful pieces of china too....but this is my favorite piece! 

I hope those were random enough...:)

Now, on to my 15 nominees....drumroll please!!!

Lyndsey from A Year of Many "Firsts"

Judith from teaching with J

Alana from Special Teaching In the Middle

Courtney from Flocking to Fifth

Kristen from A Day In First Grade

Mrs. D. from Reading With Mrs. D.

Mechele from Barrow's Hodgepodge

Little Miss from My Life as Little Miss.....

Emily from The Science Life

Susan from Thank God It's First Grade

Hilary from Fifth Grade Fancy

Lorena from Little Treasures

Amanda from Reaching For the Top

Donna from Working 5 to 9....Math & Science

Andrea from One Teacher's Take.....is Another's Treasure

Congratulations to each of you! I am in awe of all the AWESOME blogs out there! Stop on by and check them out....you won't be sorry! I'm off to let them know about their award.

Be blessed....:)

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