Liebster Award!

I have been trying to get my blog up and rolling, and I know I need to be more consistent with my posts. I received a nomination for a Liebster Blog Award over a month ago and I forgot all about it. I was blog hopping today and I saw that someone else had just gotten one, and a light bulb went off in my head. "Hey, I had one of those before too!" So I checked my email and I still had the invite so here I am.

Thanks to Paulina over at Blessings of a Teacher. For nominating me for this Liebster Award.
This award is for newer blogs with less than 200 followers. It is a great feeling for someone to recognize your efforts. I am very new to this blogging thing. However, I have learned so much already. I learn everyday about great teaching practices from other teacher bloggers. I really believe that teachers are the greatest and they are always willing to help other teachers! I love what I have been learning through blogging!

To accept the Liebster nomination I must do the following:

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me.

2. Nominate 5 -11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers.

3. Answer the questions posted by my nominator.

4. Answer 11 random facts about myself.

5. Create 11 questions for my nominees.

6. Contact my nominees to let them know I nominated them.

Let me answer Paulina's questions:

Here you go:

1. What made you decide to go into teaching? I went in to teaching after working for 16 years for Farmers Insurance. I did everything from working as a file clerk to being a Yacht Underwriter. I had always wanted to be a teacher and in 2006 I had the opportunity to go back to school to become a teacher. My husband retired from the Marines and we moved from California to South Dakota. It was the best decision I ever made!

2. What is your favorite things to do to get ready for school? I love getting to school early at least an hour before the kids get there. This gives me time to unwind and make sure that I'm prepared for the day.

3. Tell about your favorite school memory. My favorite school memory was in high school and being part of the yearbook committee. My senior year I was Editor. I loved those times.

4. What is the best thing about the school you teach at? The students of course! I have a great group of kids this year and a small classroom of 13 fun loving 5th graders eager to learn.

5. Who inspires you? I am inspired currently by learning as much as I can about reading from The Sisters, Stephanie Harvey, Tanny McGregor and so many others.

6. Any advice for new teachers? Get to know your students and always have a positive attitude when engaging with them. This will help in having a very productive year.

7. What's your favorite subject? My favorite subject hands down is Reading! I love reading and love to share my passion with my students!

8. Do you use technology in your classroom? If so, what? Yes, we have 6 laptops, a smart board, computer labs, mobile labs with laptops and ipads, and we have 2 mobile ipod labs.

9. What is the last book you read? The last book I just read was  No More Independent Reading Without Support by Debbie Miller.

10. If you could do anything, what would it be? If I could do anything right now I'd travel the world with my husband. However,  if I could do anything in school I'd love to be a Literacy Coach or a teacher of just Literacy some day.

11. What is your favorite quote? The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go. Dr. Seuss.

11 Random facts about me:

1. I love Peanut Butter M&M's

2. I am addicted to Amazon

3. I have over 2,500 books in my classroom library

4. My favorite genre is Historical Fiction 

5. I love my amazing husband and 2 fabulous sons

6. The beach is my happy place

7. I love to read 

8. I love to teach reading

9. I wish I could draw

10. Teaching is my passion

11. My favorite food is Mexican

My nominees for Liebster:

Tony: Learning with Literature 

Kristen: Aspire to Inspire 

Marie: Beach Lovin Teach 

Sarah: MissKinbk 

Katie: Mind Sparks

Here you go:

1. How long have you been teaching?

2. What is your favorite subject to teach and why?

3. What is your favorite grade to teach?

4. Why did you get into teaching?

5. What is your best memory of your teaching career?

6. How do you plan to get all the standards taught, especially Common Core?

7. If you had a million dollars what would you do with it?

8. What is the best thing about your school?

9. What do you do with behavior problems in your class? Behavior system?

10. Do you have a theme in your classroom?

11. Do you let the kids listen to music while they work?