Category Archives: blogging

I happened to catch this secret on PostSecret the other day (from the website: PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard).

Did you ever get stickers on your work when you were young? I vaguely remember receiving some. I know my fourth graders still love getting them (they’re not stars though, they’re Spongebob and Batman and other commercial heroes!).

Star stickers represent work well done. How often do we commend our students for their good work? How specific are we with our praise? “Good job” means a lot less than “I’m so proud of you for remembering all of your capitals and periods!”

And as we grow into adulthood, accolades seem to fade altogether. They’ll come in the form of “employee of the month” or a small raise, or something. But I think we’re all kids at heart, and we all like to be recognized for work well done. I know I feel good about myself when another teacher asks to borrow an idea I’ve had or some materials I’ve created.

And I certainly felt good about myself when Melissa of Me:Daily passed on this nice award to me this morning!

I’m blushing.

But nothing in life is free, and there are rules for this award! I’m going to share ten things about me, and then spread the love onto three other bloggers. Ready? Let’s play.

1. I’ve never had highlights in my hair. I’ve always wanted to do it, but at the heart of me, I’m just too cheap.
2. Someday I’m going to write a novel (and you can’t stop me!)
3. I have a serious addiction to ice cream.
4. I’ve eaten the same school lunch for two and a half years (recipe here). Yes, I still enjoy it!
5. I think it would be great fun to be a school librarian.
6. I thought Chicago was in northern California until I was in tenth grade.
7. I tend to lose Scrabble games because I’m too preoccupied with finding the most creative word instead of getting points.
8. I once held a rhinoceros beetle on my arm when we were in Costa Rica.
9. I’m fluent in French (for all the good it does me with my students’ Spanish speaking parents…)
10. I was nineteen years old when I learned that gas isn’t actually sold in the gas cans. Who knew?

And now I’m passing on the torch to these three lovely bloggers:

Momma May Be Mad: I’m so glad I found her! I love reading her honest and insightful look into her own life and struggles.

Life-Based Education (TeachEnEspanol): I love reading her reflections on her life in the classroom!

Anne-Marie with a Dash: a French teacher in Canada who blogs about things other than school (What? You mean teachers can have a life outside the classroom?!?)

And now that I have completed the steps for accepting this award, I’d love to see an “About me” list of ten random things about you! Post your list (or link to your blog post) in the comments section if you’d like to play along .

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