Meet the Teacher Monday!

As of this post, I have ZERO followers. Don't feel badly for me, I just created this blog today. I have a personal blog, a classroom blog and wanted to be MORE than just a blog stalker. I want to be a GIVER! I am participating in Teacher Week 2011 and am excited to see if I can collect any followers along the way! Here we go...........

Tell us a little bit about yourself.........

My name is Lori and I teach first grade in Spencerport, NY. I love teaching and I love first graders! I am Mom to a 7th grade son and a 4th grade daughter. They keep me busy in my "spare time".

I am married to David and have been for 13 years. He is a great Dad and husband and can fix just about anything. He also puts up with my crazy ideas and obsessions!
When I am not hanging with first graders or with my own kids, I love to read, garden and sew. I also scrapbook and am currently obsessed with my cricut machine.

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 10 years. Most of those years have been in first grade but have taught briefly in 4th grade and had a wild 3-year ride in kindergarten!

You might not know..............

..........that since I was in elementary school, I have wanted to be a teacher. My report cards used to state that I was always helping the other kids with their work! After college I could not find a teaching job so I worked as a case manager for the developmentally disabled adults in my community. I also worked in a group home with severely physically and mentally disabled senior citizens. I really enjoyed these jobs and they were the very essence of what teaching is about.

What are you looking forward to most this year?

Last year I looped with 10 of my students and I am kind of looking forward to a new "crop" of learners. I also relocated my classroom and am now in the same hallway as my other first grade colleagues. This is the first time that has happened. It will be nice to be with them. I am also going to try to incorporate technology into my classroom a little more this year and I have some goals for myself!

What do you need to improve?

I need to be a better record-keeper. I have set up several new systems to help me be a more reflective and more organized teacher!

What teaching supplies can you not live without?

I really do love the Mr. Sketch smelly markers....thick and thin......I also seem to have developed a bit of a crush on Command hooks. They are SO CONVENIENT! I also have a great apple print apron with big pockets that my Mom made for me when I started teaching. It is in my closet and ready for any messy project that may come along!