Proud Recipient of the Liebster Award

This past Friday I was contacted by Amanda at Daisy Designs who nominated my blog for the Liebster Award.  I almost fell out of my chair!  I am honored and humbled!  I was still thinking that no one reads my blog and to my surprise they do!  The Liebster Award is an award given to bloggers from bloggers.  I kind of feel like it's the internets People's Choice Awards!  It is an award from my own fan club, fellow bloggers.  I just want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart Daisy Designs!  It truly means so much to me that you nominated me!

What is the Liebster Award?
The Liebster Award is an internet based award that is given to bloggers... by other bloggers! How cool is that?? To qualify for the Liebster Award, a blog must have less than 200 followers and to accept it I must nominate other bloggers and answer some interview style questions here in this post! For more information, check out this website and if you'd like to nominate someone for the Liebster Award, all the pertinent details are listed there.

In order to accept the nomination I needed to fill out a Q and A from my dearest, newest blogger Amanda from Daisy Designs.  So here I go!

1. Why do you blog?

Why do I blog? Hmm… I blog to stay sane, especially in the crazy world of kinders. I blog to meet other teachers just as OBSESSED with the profession as I am. Most importantly, I blog to share ideas with other educators.  Blogging provides me with an outlet to watch my lessons come to life.  My blog is a place to write, network, share, love, and give to others.

2. What are my hobbies?

My hobbies…  Well, I am pretty infatuated with my family, TPT, reading teen literature, and hanging out with my husband.  I have three “personal” children and I have 26 “school” children.  I am constantly planning, visiting, and working with any and ALL of these “children”.

3. What is one thing you cannot live without in your classroom?

I COULD NOT live without Penelope the Pink Pro! She is my Macbook Pro. Actually, everything in my classroom has a name. I’m not joking!  It’s like a scary soap opera.  Penelope has EVERYTHING I NEED!  I am a techie and I love all of my digital outlets in my classroom which all originate from my Macbook.  I begin my day with an interactive calendar on my ENO (like a Smartboard) so… I really couldn’t start my day without Penelope.
 #Loveher

4. How long have you been teaching and do you imagine yourself retiring as a teacher?

I have been teaching kindergarten for 6 years and I love every bit of it.  I can definitely see myself retiring as an educator.

5. Who is your favorite children's author and why?

I L-O-V-E Theodor Geisel AKA: Dr. Seuss.  I have loved him since I was a little girl. As I became a mother and an educator, I realized his genius, or was it that his genius was validated? J  
Teaching students to read in kindergarten is a difficult task and Dr. Seuss books uses phonemic awareness skills while taking the students on a journey in far away imaginative lands.

6. Who is your role model or the person who has had the most positive influence on you?

My role model is my mother.  She passed away 3 ½ years ago unexpectedly.  A few weeks before she passed away she finished painting my classroom rocking chair.  Every day that I teach I imagine her arms encircling me. She was a strong, loving woman who loved unconditionally and always believed in me.  I became a teacher later in life and it was my mom that supported my dream~ to teach.

7. What subject could you teach all day long?

I could teach science ALL DAY LONG.  I love science. I love teaching the scientific method with kinders. Science is a subject that can be immersed into ALL other subject areas.  That’s why I LOVE IT!  Plus, I love to get messy and who doesn't love bugs, shaving cream, and dry ice experiments? 

8. Think of your favorite teaching resource you've purchased. Where did you buy it?

My favorite resource that I have in my classroom would probably be my colored cabinet.  I keep everything in it.  From my Daily Five weekly resources, to my developmental centers/stations, to my whole group lessons and papers to grade.  These drawers have everything and it has it all organized! WHEW!  I bought it at hobby lobby!

9. What are your pet peeves in your classroom?

Pet Peeves in my classroom?  There aren’t too many since I teach kinders.  Others might disagree with me.  If I HAD to pick one, it would probably be not putting our resources away.  My table groups have a crayon tote and the whole class uses the color station with our author/illustrator tools.  I am very specific on how we use these tools. At the beginning of the year the students have mini lessons on how to use these tools and they are great with it!  That’s why it bugs me if they don’t put the tools away appropriately.

10. What is your favorite part about your job?

The favorite part of my job is probably the smile that I see in my classroom when one of my students reads their very first book.  I remember each and every smile.  Teaching someone to read is a powerful thing!

11. What are you going to do over summer break this year?

This summer I am SO excited to go to the TPT summer conference in Las Vegas!  I am booked and ready to go.  I can’t wait to network with others!  My TPT store is Loving Kinders.  Check me out!

And now for those that I have nominated! My absolute favorite part about blogging are the people I meet and follow!

Here are the questions I'd like answered by my nominees in the event that they accept!

1. When did you start blogging and why?

2. Why did you become an educator? How long have you been a teacher?

3. What is your favorite part of your day?

4. What is your favorite teaching resources and where did you purchase it?

5. What do you do on the weekend?

6. What is your favorite unit to teach and why?

7. Who is your role model and why?

8. What is your classroom pet peeve?

9. What are you most excited about in the classroom?

10. What are you planning for during your summer vacation?

Here are my nominees! Check them out for their answers!