WELCOME TO MY BLOG!

I started reading teacher's blogs approximately two years ago. Every night, I couldn't wait to go to my happy place to read these awesome blogs.  I'm always trying to find ways to better myself and besides my district's staff development sessions, I found these blogs inspiring and educational, especially the book studies. They should count as SD, right? 

These blogs have given me so many wonderful ideas, classroom strategies, and so many aha moments to use in my classroom.  Of course if it benefits my firsties, I'm hooked.  Additionally, one of the many things I like about these blogs is how you all treat everybody with respect.  You are so willing to share and help one another. You are so quick to send a link, to recommend this or that, to suggest how to do something, etc., etc.  I'm so proud of all of you my fellow teachers!  You have inspired me to want to become a member of this amazing blogging community!  And what a better way than to start my own blog and share my ideas, right? Wait! ...What!  Did I just say "start my own blog"? Insert screeching sound here. Me, a blogger, really, no, no, yes, maybe... Did I tell you social media kind of ... intimidates me? No?  

Let me tell you ... I never wrote a comment on any blog.  I didn't want my name out there. Can we say stalkers, identity theft, hackers, someone looking at me thru my computer, yikes!  I'm not talking about you my fellow teachers but the "other" people out there.  Too many Lifetime movies, I guess. I don't want to use the word "scared" but there was a feeling inside me that would not let me participate. 

When I was thinking about my new year's resolutions I realized I had to overcome  my uneasiness and start getting involved. First step of 2015, I opened an Instagram account, still not writing comments. Once I became comfortable with that, I decided to start a blog.  Baby steps my people, baby steps. The amazing Tennille Gates (www.designesbytenille.com) created this wonderful blog at the end of April. However, you know how the end of the year is so crazy/busy. I never found time to sit down and figure out this blogging thing.

Our last school day was June 5th, the following week I was getting ready (shopping) to go on our first cruise. Then we went on the cruise, just got back Saturday. So, it's taking me this long to start blogging (I may or may not have used all that as an excuse). So now, I am finally here writing my first post  and it feels good!  It feels right! It's the beginning of me conquering my intimidation of the social media and at last becoming a part of it!

I am where many of you were many years ago or maybe just recently, trying to figure out this thingy. I definitely have a lot to learn, e.g., how to upload pictures and how to manage all the different features of my blog. I plan to follow in your footsteps and share with you all my reflections, my own aha moments, some things that were learned without a lesson plan, and so many other things. If I can inspire one of you from time to time I will be ecstatic!  

I hope you will follow me and come back often!