Friday, August 2, 2013

Awesome! I've been nominated by Lauren @ Mrs. Thompson's Treasures for the Liebster award! Thanks Lauren! This is a great way to get connected with others and learn a little more about one another.
Now I have to answer some questions and pass the award on to others!! Here are my questions and answers:
 1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I would live in Florida. I lived there for almost 5 years and loved it. I now live back in Michigan and do not like the cold and the snow. I'll take the sun and the sand any day!
2. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? The best vacation was also Englewood, Florida. We spent a lot of time in the sun at the beach, fishing, and took one day to go to Discovery Cove in Orlando to swim with the dolphins.
3. What are you most proud of in your life? I am most proud of my 3 beautiful children, Nicole, Cheston, and Aaliyah. I love them all 3 with all my heart.
4. What time do you wake up on school mornings? In the summer? I get up at 5:00 during the school year. I started out that way in the summer but have been staying up later and getting up a little later (around 7:00) now that school has been out for a while.
5. What is your favorite thing to cook? Well cooking is not one of my favorite things to do but I guess my favorite thing to cook is pot roast in the crock pot. Easy to do and tastes great!
6. What is something you can't live without each day? Easy....my family:)!
7. What movie could you watch over and over? The Notebook...I love that movie!
8. Did you always want to be a teacher? No, for a long time I wanted to be a nurse but I really would not have been able to handle that (very weak stomach). People always told me I would someday teach kindergarten...guess they were right!
9. What is your favorite restaurant? I have several but Red Lobster is one of my tops.
10. What is your favorite season of the year and why? That would be summer...I love being home with my youngest daughter...My other 2 are grown.
11. If money were not an issue, what kind of car would you drive? I always thought I wanted a
     Corvette but the Dodge Charger is pretty sweet.
Eleven Random Facts about me:
1.  I am the mother of a brain tumor survivor. 
2.  I once drifted out to sea on a raft trying to help a child and we both had to be rescued by a boat.
3.  I was born in Hazard, Kentucky
4.  I hate flying.  The ground is my friend...lol!
5.  I have never been out of the country other than Canada (see number 4..lol)
6.  I can play music by ear on just about any instrument (simple tunes-nothing spectacular).
7.  I have taught kindergarten since 2002
8.  There is a 17 year difference between my first and last child. 
9.  I am terrified of snakes and lizards.
10.  I was nominated for National Heritage Academies Excellence in Teaching award and received a
       Nook Color, a gift card, and a trophy for the nomination.
11.  I have a lifelong dream of publishing a children's book.  I have been published 3 times (an
       article in The Michigan Reading Journal, a poem in The Helping Hand, and a teaching idea in
       The Mailbox), but no book yet.  Maybe someday!
Here are my Nominees for the Liebster Award!
And here are my questions for all the Nominees!
1. Where were you born?
2. How many children do you have?
3. How many years have you been teaching?
4. What is your favorite subject to teach and why?
5. When did you first know that you wanted to be a teacher?
6. What is your biggest fear?
7. What is the title of the best book that you have read in the past year?
8. Where do you currently live?
9. Do you have any hobbies?
10. What is your favorite month of the school year and why?
11. Who was your favorite teacher as a child and why?
For my Nominees - to accept the Liebster Award please do the following!
1. Link back to my blog
2. Answer the questions I wrote for you
3. Share 11 random facts about yourself
4. Nominate between 5-11 other blogs (with less than 200 followers) for the Liebster Award
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees
6. Contact your nominees to let them know they've been nominated
That's it!! Have fun!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Monday, July 29, 2013

What’s in a Name? A Back-to-School Literacy Unit | Scholastic.com

Here is a great literacy unit for back to school based on names.  The article includes a list of related read alouds and graphic organizers.  

What’s in a Name? A Back-to-School Literacy Unit | Scholastic.com

Monday, July 22, 2013

Back To School Linky Party

Back to School Linky Party Please link up your awesome back to school products.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Summer Reading



It is once again almost time for students to return to school. If your children haven't been reading during the summer months, it is not too late to get them started once again before the school year begins. Not every child likes to read but it is so critical during the school years to practice and build upon reading skills. Here are a number of ideas to make reading more fun and to encourage reluctant readers to give it a try.
Start an incentive for your children based on reading time or number of pages read. After they attain their goal, take them to get ice cream, a small prize, or plan an activity that your child will enjoy.
Find a wide range of reading materials for your children. Introduce them to multiple genres to teach them about different kinds of reading to choose from. They can try reading a mystery, and then a non-fiction book. Science fiction and adventure books are popular with boys. Girls like books that they can relate to. Find books that are well-suited to their age level. And don't forget the  little ones. Reading to them will help them take pleasure in reading as they grow older.
Children that don't like to read can still find things they enjoy reading about. There are magazines available for every topic. You can find something on their preferred subject that they can read. If your child wants to be a pilot when they grow up, find books on flying and building airplanes. Finding something that is interesting will help encourage them to keep on reading.
Make sure your children see you as a reader.  If they see you reading it will show them the importance of it and will encourage them to want to become lifelong readers as well.  You could set a family reading time where everyone reads together as individuals or a read aloud together as a group. 
Reading develops  a foundation for learning that will follow your children throughout their lives. It is such a necessary skill to have and develop and is crucial for success in school. Teaching your children good reading skills also leads to discipline for other studies. It aids with concentration and comprehension.
Successful reading skills will help your children become better at school as well as to help ensure their love of reading and keep them on the road to become lifelong readers.