Teacher Week - 5 Fun Facts About Me!

Hey everyone! I am so excited to be linking up with the wonderful ladies of Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week 2015! My first one ever! Make sure to stop by my blog throughout the week to hear about me, see my classroom, and get some classroom tips!

This is Mr. Chai. We met while we were both in high school (seven years ago!). After dating for almost four years, we decided to tie the not and have now been married for 3 years. I seriously don't know what I would do without him. He is my center. He keeps me grounded, he supports my teacher madness, he is my best friend, and he is always there when I need him. He has spent so many countless hours cutting laminate, hanging bulletin boards, and doing whatever else I need. I am so grateful for him and our marriage! It's what keeps me sane!

I am totally obsessed, and have been since I was a kid, with books! My mom always had to take away my books to get me to go out and play. Today I am no different. I just love to read! The picture above shows a few of my favorites: Harry Potter, Spirit Animals, Deltora Quest, Sisters Grimm, and the Secret Series. But I have a ton more books!

One of my favorite things about teaching fourth grade is that I get to share my love of reading with my students. We are always talking about books, our favorites, ones we didn't like, when we stole some reading moments, what books we should read next. Most of my favorites come from books my students have recommended!

If you didn't see it in the picture above, I love Harry Potter! It is my all-time favorite series. I have collected stuff from the books, seen the movies countless times, read the series every single year, and incorporate it into my classroom theme. No joke! I love it that much, but I have never been to Harry Potter Land. My husband and I decided that next summer will be the summer to go! I can't wait!

Last year I got accepted into my district's technology endorsement program. There were forty of us who received 1:1 Chromebooks for our classroom mid-November last year. At first, I really struggled with them and desperately wished we had gone the iPad route; however, as I have used them more and more, I have come to realize just how much I love them! I spent a lot of time tweaking my instruction this summer so that the Chromebooks would be a more integral part of our daily schedule. It has definitely paid off! These first two weeks of school we have been using our laptops during math centers, for digital reading and writing interactive notebooks, for ePortfolios using Kid Blog, and so much more. They have definitely transformed the way I teach and I wouldn't go back for anything!

One of the things I am looking forward to most about this year is becoming a GOTR, or Girls on the Run, coach, again. Last year was the first year this program had come to my school and I loved every minute of it. If you aren't familiar with it, GOTR is an after-school program for girls, where they learn lessons about peer pressure, inner beauty, taking care of their bodies, being healthy (mentally and physically, and more. After the daily lesson, the girls, and coaches, run! By the end of the program, the girls have had 22 lessons and participated in a 5K. This program is truly a miracle for many of these girls and for coaches too. I know it helped me be less stressed at school, reminded me to balance my personal and profession life, and helped me lead a more rounded life. I know it'll do the same for me this year!

So there it is! Five fun facts about me. I cannot wait to go read over on Blog Hoppin' about all of  you! Make sure to link up anyway you can!

Enjoy your week!