Welcome! I've been thinking about starting a teaching blog for quite sometime and now that it's summer, I figured I would try it out. Before I start, here's the explanation for the title of this blog: In American Sign Language (the primary mode of communication I use to teach) the letter "X" is used to create the sign for "apple". It's also the title of a book I wrote with a good friend for my master's degree. I hope one day we can actually publish it!
So, here's a little bit about me: I'm 29. I live in South Florida with my amazing boyfriend, 1 dog (hopefully another one soon!), and 4 cats- I know! It's a zoo around here. He's obsessed with cars (specifically Subaru WRX) and lots of other random things (he's pulling apart an old TV as I type so he can melt the copper into bars...). I love him though. In addition to teaching, I like to read (anything and everything), watch movies, cook, clothes (though I can rarely afford to buy stuff), and makeup. My God, do I love makeup- but I'd rather sleep an extra 20 minutes in the morning than wake up early to put it on :).
I have been teaching for 5 and 1/2 years at the same school in the same classroom. I teach Kindergarten through 2nd grade Deaf/Hard of Hearing students. It's as tough as it sounds. I love it, but there are many days and some school years that don't end soon enough. Many of my students function well below their listed grade and so I've taught students all the way up to 5th grade. Primarily my students function between the ages of 3 and up to about 8 years old. Their abilities vary depending on the day and subject area. It's tough, and not to toot my own horn, but I sure as heck don't get enough respect and/or appreciation for all that I do on a daily basis.
I hope that by creating this blog I will hold myself more accountable for the things that I do with and for my students in the classroom. It's my intention to showcase interesting activities and stories that happen daily or weekly (depending on my mood and ability to remember to update this blog) and to upload as many teacher-made products as I can to help out others. I'm a firm believer in "work smarter not harder."
Thanks for reading and come back for more updates!
Megan
