#teacherweek13 -- Meet the Teacher!

Hi everyone!! I'm excited to be linking up this week with Blog Hoppin' for:

MONDAY Topic:

(I'm going to "steal" a few random facts from a recent blog post)

1) My name is Sam. Technically, Samantha Alexis Nowak (pronounced "novak"...my grandma is Polish). I was born on February 14 and I have a big sister named Stephanie:

(She's less than one year away from becoming a paramedic! ...I hope this means I get to go for rides in the paramedic van)

2) I moved waaaayyyyy up north (not really THAT far, but definitely far for a city girl) just to teach. There were next to no teaching jobs in the city so I dragged my fiance back up north to his home town. As terrified as I was at first, we very quickly fell in love with this place. How could you not?!

And, before I knew it, this became my favourite past-time:

I quickly learned: the more mud the better!!!

3) Speaking of the fiance, I'm marrying my partner-in-crime in Jamaica on February 12, 2014 (his birthday). We're a little nuts...

4) I danced 24/7 for 16 years of my life. I have my Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 2. My studio was competitive so I've traveled to places like Florida and Las Vegas for Grand National competitions.

5) I eat whipped cream out of the tub like icecream. DE.LISH.

6) The only "celebrity crush" I've EVER had is Jim Carrey. No Aaron Carter, no Brad Pitt, no Channing Tatum. I've only got eyes for Jimmy!

7) I love sketching and painting, although I haven't had the time in a while. It was always my favourite subject throughout elementary school, high school, and university. 

8) I make my own red and white wine.

9)  Last year (2012) was a *crazy* year: I graduated from teacher's college in April, moved up north, finished the school year supplying at a local elementary school, got engaged, and, about 2 weeks before the new school began, landed my dream job as a first grade teacher. 

Those two weeks were spent in a complete frenzy trying to prepare for something I suddenly felt I knew nothing about...but it didn't take long for things to fall into stride.

(When I moved into my room, it was completely empty. This picture was a couple days before school started and, although it may look finished, there was still TONS to do!)

My first year was absolutely insane. Good insane, bad insane, I got it all!!! There were days when I was *loving* life as a first grade teacher: working at school until 5 and then working at home until 12. And there were days when I went home at 3:15 in tears, opened up my computer, and started looking for another job. 

I thank God every day for the support from my school's staff (you guys are stinkin' AWESOME!); my family who put up with my stressed-out, over-emotional, borderline bi-polar behaviours; and the amazing world of teacher bloggers for continually renewing my love for this career!

10) Oh, and of course I have to mention CARLOS our minniature long-coat chihuahua. He's super important. So here's some cuteness before you go:

Like I said, I LOVE connecting with new teachers every day...you are all so creative and inspiring, and I can't wait to get to know you all a little better.

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So, head on over to Blog Hoppin' to LINK UP and join the fun!!! 

Here's what's on the menu for the rest of the week:

Throwback Thursday

Since I'm still quite ill with Linky Fever, I decided to fuel the fire by linking up with the fantabulous Cara over at The First Grade Parade for a little Throwback Thursday

So, just as Julie Andrews sings in The Sound of Music...let's start at the very beginning...

My *very first* blog post!!!

(Originally posted on October 9, 2012)

HELLO WORLD!!! 

(I believe that is the customary first-blog-post greeting, yes?) haha This is my very first year of teaching and I am starting a blog mostly because I want to remember this year forever, and what better way to do that than a digital scrapbook! For all my teacher friends (and parents...Hi Mom and Dad!) I will be posting various activities that we do throughout our school year. I'm hoping my firsties' parents might get involved, too, so that they can have a closer look into the goings-on in our grade one classroom!

So I suppose I'll dive right into my first education post with a pattern party! At the end of our patterning unit, we had a pattern party to celebrate everything we learned about patterns (my kiddies breezed through this unit so it was certainly a nice introduction to the school year!)

I set up a different "centre" activity at each of the table groups. Station 1 was making a pattern crown using stamps and stickers:

Station 2 was making a pattern strip using popcorn, beans, and pasta:

 Station 4 was cutting shapes out of playdough and making a pattern:

The kiddies LOVED our pattern party. We came dressed in patterns and some even brought patterned snacks and lunches!

I forgot to take pictures at the end of the day but after our pattern centres during math time, the party raged on and we made pattern necklaces out of liquorice and fruit loops. That obviously went over very well with my hungry little peanut gallery :)

(LOVE the crowns. They wore them for the rest of the day!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

____________________________________________________

Now it's your turn to head on over to The First Grade Parade and join the link-up!

Pay It Forward...Blog Style

Two posts in one day?! Either I'm bored out of my mind orrrrr....

I've been nominated for a Liebster Blog Award!!!

I was so excited to be "nominated" by Sandy over at Elementary Expedition. Thanks a bunch, Sandy :)

I had *no* clue what a Liebster Award was so I did a bit of research---actually a lot of research---and found that the award is basically a way for bloggers to connect (specifically newbie bloggers) and spread the love! It's a pay-it-forward kind of deal which means I also get to nominate other bloggers as well! In order to "accept the award" nominees must:

1. Link to the person who nominated you.

2. Answer questions from your nominator.

3. Share 11 facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 5 to 11 other blogs {with less than 200 followers}

5. Pose questions to your nominees.

Let's do it!!!

1. Who nominated me? 

Sandy from Elementary Expedition!

2. Questions from Sandy:

1) What is your favourite subject to teach?

I have two: I have always *loved* teaching anything related to language arts...probably because there is SOOO much you can do within that one subject area. And, more recently, I've actually developed a love for teaching math (first grade math, that is!! Any other math I still detest because I am all kinds of awful at it...I don't even know my multiplications tables! Sshhhh, don't tell) for the same reason as I love language arts...there's so many possibilities!

2) What gets you through the day?

All of the AMAZING staff at the school I teach at. I would not have gotten through my first year without them...well that and green tea in the morning ;)

3) What is your favourite inspiration quote?

Again I have two! 

...because I am a ball of stress!

...sieze the day!

4) What kind of music do you listen to?

I like a little bit of everything: pop, rock, country....anything from Celine Dion to Down With Webster! 

5) What do you do to relieve stress?

Have a bubble bath with wine, walk the puppy, make lists, craft!

6) What is the distance from your home to school?

I'm very close to my school. It's about a 3 minute drive, 7 minute walk :)

7) What other jobs have you had besides teaching?

I worked on a farm one summer and did a little bit of everything: bake pies and cookies, cashier, fed animals, birthed a lamb (no joke), drove tractor rides, was the Farm Educator, grounds maintenance, and about a zillion other things. Probably one of the most exhausting but fun summer jobs I've had!

I was a waitress at a little lakeside restaurant at my cottage.

And I've also worked at a daycare (with infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers, and school-age kids), and at an outdoor summer camp.

8) What are your favourite things to do in your spare time (not teacher related)?

Explore new trails on the four-wheeler, ride bikes, craft and decorate, go fishing, go hiking with the puppies...

9) Why did you start blogging?

I originally started blogging to create a "digital scrapbook" of my first year of teaching, and also as a way for parents to get a closer look into what their kiddies were up to in my classroom.

10) How long does it take you to get ready on school mornings?

I like to be at school an hour before the bell rings (so I get there at 7:45 and the bell rings at 8:45). I like to take my time getting ready so I usually give myself at least 45 minutes to get ready...I get up around 7:00.

11) Where did you attend college?

I went to Nipissing University for both my undergraduate Honours English degree and my Concurrent Education Teacher's Certificate.

1) I danced 24/7 for 16 years of my life. I have my Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 2. My studio was competitive so I've traveled to places like Florida and Las Vegas for Grand National competitions.

2) I'm marrying my crazy partner-in-crime in Jamaica on February 12, 2014 (his birthday). I can't wait!!!

3) I am *terrified* of flying. I mean hyperventilate, grip the armrests, worse-than-a-crying-baby, freak-out-the-person-next-to-me TERRIFIED!!! The only thing that calms me down (slightly) is a glass of red wine. 

4) I was born on Valentine's Day. It kinda sucks since I *love* Valentine's Day and my Birthday totally crashes the party.

5) I make my own red and white wine.

6) I LOVE animated movies.

  

7) I eat whipped cream out of the tub like icecream. Love it. 

8) My favourite season is fall. I love fall fashion, the leaves changing colours and crunching under your feet, hot chocolate, brisk walks, mmmmm...

9) I totally sleep like this guy:

10) The only "celebrity crush" I've EVER had is Jim Carrey. No Aaron Carter, no Brad Pitt, no Channing Tatum. I've only got eyes for Jimmy hahah don't ask me why, it's just one of those strange inexplicable mysteries. 

11) I love sketching and painting, although I haven't had the time in a while. It was always my favourite subject throughout elementary school, high school, and university. 

4. Blogs I'm nominating:

I follow soooo many other blogs and boy it's tough finding some that have not yet been nominated! I know you can be nominated an infinite number of times (given you have under 200 followers) but I tried to stick to those that had not yet been nominated...I *think* I found 5 fabulous blogs to share with you :) 

Angela from Teaching With Style and Grace

Leslye and Janaye from Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes

Julie from Ms. Shope's Class

Amy from What Happens in First Grade

Tiffany from Edventures in England

and Marvellous Molly ;) from For the Love of Learning

5. Questions for my nominees:

1) What do you use as your "teacher bag"? What's inside?

2) What do you have for lunch at school?

3) Where is your favourite place to travel?

4) What is your favourite children's book (or author)?

5) What was the best Christmas present you ever got from Santa?

6) What's your favourite kind of soup?

7) If being a teacher was not an option, what would you chose to do?

8) If you could be in any movie, which movie would you be in? 

9) If you could live anywhere in the world (besides where you live now) where would you live?

10) What is your favourite "teacher store" (where you get all of your classroom goodies)?

 11) What's one of your pet peeves?

Well, I hope you are all not bored *out of your minds* by all my blabbering. 

Thanks again for the nomination, Sandy!