I have been a public school teacher since 2005 (with a two-year hiatus while my then four-year-old son underwent cancer treatment). It took me four and a half years to get through my education classes, and so, I graduated in December of that year. I was blessed to be hired to take over a 3rd/4th grade combined class after Christmas break. We all know college doesn’t prepare us, and I DEFINITELY don’t remember being taught how to teach two grade levels in one class! I cried myself to sleep every night. That summer, I attended a Great Expectations Methodology training and began the next year with some direction and with fewer mental breakdowns. My entire college career, I expected to be teaching elementary, but when we moved, I was hired to teach middle school English. I NEVER thought I would be a middle school teacher! At my new school, I taught 6th, 7th, 8th (and a couple years of HS) English and reading. It was a small school, so I had the same kids every year. It was a cool experience.
When I say that I have done it all, I mean it! Over the years, I have taught all levels: elementary, middle, and high schools. I’ve taught a single prep, multiple preps, and multiple grade levels all in the same day. I’ve been self-contained, part of a three-teacher rotation, taught from a cart, and have been part of a two-teacher team. I have taught just about every core subject, with a HS elective careers class thrown in there somewhere. No matter what I have taught, however, language arts has been the constant–reading and writing has always been my passion.
A couple of years ago, I started a TeacherGram not knowing a THING about what I was doing (Honestly, I still really don’t). My purpose was to share ideas, resources, and funnies. I also started a TpT account and began selling the resources I was already making for my own classroom. I never once thought that these things would become a (super) small business, but have been so grateful for it. I have always loved helping other teachers, and it seems so much more important now. Too many of us are reaching our breaking points and stepping away from education. If I can help teachers get through and find their joy again in any small way– I am here for it.
On this site, I hope to not only share teaching resources and ideas, but also real life. Teaching doesn’t define me. I am a mother, a wife, a sister, an aunt, and most importantly, a child of God. Teaching is my job. It isn’t everything that I am. I will be sharing all these facets of who I am here on this site. I hope you’ll come along for the ride!
I truly appreciate you being here– Jayme