Liebster!

Well, it appears that is Liebster Award season in bloggyland.  Bagby of Math Madness,  Lisa from Fluent in Fourth, and Ellie of Middle School Math Moments have  nominated me for a Liebster Award!  At first, I was not entirely sure what it was all about, but I have been assured it is a sweet way of acknowledging new bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  So, I am very flattered!

Apparently, there are a few requirements that need to be fulfilled before accepting the nomination.  You have to answer a few questions (I pulled from my three gracious nominators), share some random facts, and pass it on by nominating a few more bloggers for the Liebster.

First up are the questions from Bagby of Math Madness, Lisa from Fluent in Fourth, and Ellie of Middle School Math Moments.

1.     What is your favorite all time movie?  In Harm’s Way

2.    What is your favorite book?  Once An Eagle by Anton Myer (read it about 20 times)

3.    Do you have any pets? Currently, I have three dogs.  One that is visiting and eats the food I give him, but he really could get his own.  One that will only eat if it is quiet and you encourage her.  And one that inhales it before the food bin is closed.  Guess which one is the… Catahoula, the rescue mutt, and the Lab?

4.    If you have a day all to yourself what is your favorite way to spend it? In bed, curled up watching a self-imposed Stargate marathon.  I am a little bit of a fan girl.

5.    In what store could you spend hours and hours?  There is an entire block of antique stores that I love to go and wander in.  Malls and retail stores are not my thing – only when necessary.

6.    If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?  Scotland or New Zealand!  It would be a tie. 

7.    If you could take your class on a field trip to anywhere in the world where would you go? Pompeii – I teach 6^th grade!

8.    What is your favorite part about teaching?  Laughing with the kids, and those moments when they forget that I am there and keep on talking!

9.    If you weren't a teacher what would you be?  Well, the original plan was to sweep the Summer Olympics and win all the swimming medals, then astound everyone by winning the figure skating in the Winter Olympics, and of course become a movie star like Esther Williams. Strange that it didn’t quite work out that way.

10.  Who is your hero?  I have many, but Dietrich Bonhoeffer comes to mind.

11.   Blogging makes me feel…connected, like an ongoing fantastic teaching conference with endless sessions to choose from!

Some random facts about me…

1.              I read my first Louis L'Amour book when I was in the 3^rd grade.

2.             When I was in middle school I could swim 75 yards underwater with out taking a breath.

3.             When we were little, my brother and I dug holes – big holes, fort size holes – in our backfield.

4.             I worked at a used bookstore in college.

5.             Ancestory.com and I have an intense relationship.

6.             My sister-in-law, my nephew, and I attended a ghost hunting workshop and then a ghost hunt – where we mostly made fun of the guy that kept seeing dead people everywhere.

7.             The fact that I have less than 200 followers kills me – super competitive.

8.             I can still do a cartwheel.

9.             I say that I quilt, but actually I just collect material.

10.           If my students run to lunch, the next day we all go together in straight lines, while I sing songs from the Sound of Music.  They only run once every few years. – word spreads.

11.            This one closes the circle…my first literary crush was on Tell Sackett.

Enough about me!  Onto the bloggers that I am encouraging you to go check out!

Kasey Kiehl at Middle School Teacher to Literacy Coach:  Kasey really knows her stuff!  She shares resources and solid information about running records, small groups, anchor charts, and interventions for middle school teachers.  Her blog is not fluff!  Every time I check in on her, I come away with something to try (or she has reminded this old teacher of something).

Mrs. Shepherd at Shepherd's Shining Stars:  Mrs. Shepherd was one of the first people to connect with me when I started blogging.  She shares good stuff every time she makes a post.  Make sure to check out her post on her Passion Projects!  If she finds a resource, then she shares it!  That is why I started to blogging, to share and learn.

Heather Temske at room 4 imagination:  Like Mrs. Shepherd, Heather was one of my first contacts in the blogging world.  One of the reasons I love reading her blog is that her passion for continued growth inspires me.  I feel like a little bit of a cheat, but I am not reading Teach Like A Pirate, I am just reading Heather’s posts about it.  Make sure you check out her super cool post on paper making with her students!

Hodgesgal at Hodges Herald:    Elizabeth continually shares all the good stuff she does in her classroom, and the new resources that she has found.  I always check in with her blog, because she has real stuff and examples from her classroom.  She even shares when she learns how to do something new with her blog.  I am stealing her Divisibility Rules fold-able for my interactive notebooks.

Again, thank you for your consideration and continued support!  Tomorrow, check back for more about Master Math Notebook, A Gazillion Parts (imagine William Shatner saying that with a resounding echo….echo…).