Liebster Award!

Today I am sending out my gratitude to Katie over at Cowgill’s Corner for nominating me for the Liebster Award!

I’m very excited to be nominated for this award, as a new blogger. I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the supportive idea sharing community that teacher bloggers have created here.

To accept this nomination there are some things I have to do:
1. Link back to the blog that nominated me
2. Nominate 5 - 11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers
3. Answer the questions posted by my nominator
4. Share 11 random facts about myself
5. Create 11 questions for my nominees
6. Contact my nominees to let them know I nominated them

My nominations are:

Adelle at Primary Jungle

Becca at Kindergarten A to Z

Natalie at Sunny in Kindergarten

Nicci at Chalet Re

Erin at The E-Z Class

Now to answer the questions that were posted by my nominee:
1. When did you decide you wanted to be a teacher?

Like my nominee Katie, I can’t remember a point in my life where I decided that I wanted to be a teacher. Throughout my life I think I’ve just always known that I wanted to be a teacher. When we were younger my little sister and I used to play school with our Beanie Babies, I would even write out tests for them to write, and then grade them and put stickers on the papers.

2. What is your favorite vegetable?

This is a difficult question as there aren’t any vegetables I don’t like, but if I had to choose it would have to be cucumbers. They are just so delicious to have as a snack, I am really excited to pick some fresh ones from the garden this week!

3. Where do you like to go on vacation?

I like to go everywhere! I don’t get to go on vacation very often because I don’t have a lot of extra money. Most of my vacations have resulted from opportunities I’ve decided to cash in on and save up for. My goal is to eventually travel to every continent (except for Antarctica) and after I get to England I will only have 2 continents left! My big dream trip would be to Egypt, I have a slight obsession with the history there.

4. What is your favorite subject to teach?

My favourite subject to teach is Social Studies. As a history minor (and ancient culture enthusiast) I find the material very interesting and enjoyable, and I find that students get really into the topics. As well, there are a lot of fun interactive ways you can illustrate the topics (for example, during my grade four placement I put together a black plague simulation for my students learning about Medieval Times – they loved it!)

5. What is largest number of students you have had in one class?

When I taught for 3 weeks at a high school in Ecuador my classes had between 35-45 students in each class.

6. What made you decide to start blogging?

When I saw that my friend Lisa at Grade 4 Buzz had started a teaching blog, it made me realize that I have a unique and interesting story of my own to share with the blogging community.

7. Of the grades you've taught, which one is your favourite?

Grade 4! What a fun age!

8. What helps you unwind after a hard day?

Spending some quiet time by myself or cuddling up with understanding Dearest Boyfriend who is nice enough to give me shoulder massages!

9. If you could drive any car, what would it be?

A Robins Egg Blue Volkswagon Beetle!

10. Have you ever had a class pet? If so, what was it?

I’ve never had my own class, but I once did a placement in a class that had a Bearded Dragon for a class pet – her name was Lizzy. 11. If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? Why?

Cleopatra VII, relating back to my slight obsession with Egyptian history! I find her life story very intriguing, I’ve read so many versions of it, I would just want to hear her side of things and learn the real truth.

11 Random Facts about Me:

1. My one and only little sister moved to Calgary in June and I miss her a lot
2. I’m both excited and terrified of leaving for England
3. I slipped a disc in my spine three years ago
4. I’ve been in three different continents
5. Dearest Boyfriend and I have been together for 5 ½ years and met while we were both in high school
6. I’ve lost 20 pounds since last September (it was 25, but then summer happened…)
7. I have a slight Hello Kitty obsession
8. I absolutely love horses, but I’m allergic to them
9. I lived with the same roommates throughout my undergraduate degree (I miss them!)
10. I took dance lessons for 14 years, 6 of those years I danced for my studios competitive team, and 2 of those years I myself taught lessons to children
11. I love online shopping (I think it’s fun receiving things in the mail!)

11 questions for my nominees:

1. Who has inspired you in your career?
2. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
3. What’s one piece of advice you would give to a new teacher?
4. What inspired you to start your blog?
5. What’s the most embarrassing/funny thing that’s happened to you in the classroom?
6. What’s your favourite chocolate bar?
7. If you could teach any grade, which would you choose? Why?
8. If you weren’t a teacher, what job do you think you’d do instead?
9. What has your best success in the classroom been?
10. In your opinion, what book should every teacher have on their shelves?
11. What do you like to do outside of school (hobby, sport, etc.)

Thank you again Katie for nominating me, and congratulations to my new nominees!