Monday Meet Up!

I'm linking up the The Teaching Tribune's Summer Bloggin' Linky Party!  Last week, was all about introducing a buddy.  I didn't get it up last Monday, so I wanted to introduce you to my buddy today!

This is Jean!  She's an Aussie blogger.  (I've always wanted to visit Australia)  She blogs at The Teacher Gene, and she's just started, so head over there and give her some love!  She's also on TPT, and she has some fabulous products!!

This week, we were supposed to share about us, so here goes!

I'm starting my 16th year teaching next August.  Boy, that sounds like a really long time.  I should be pretty good at this by now.  ;-)  Next year will be my 9th year in second grade.  I absolutely love teaching second grade.  They're old enough to "get" the whole school thing, but they're still pretty innocent.  Seven is such a fun age to be!  I got my masters degree three years ago, and last summer, I finished up my ESOL endorsement.  Last school year, I had all of the second grade ESOL students in my class.  All 20 of them.  It was one of my hardest years ever teaching, but they were probably my most favorite group ever.  They were so sweet and so hard working, and they made SO much progress.  Seriously, I was almost in tears reading with them at the end of the year because they had gotten so much better.  I'm missing them.

My favorite TV genre is probably crime shows.  I've watched every episode of CSI ever made (even the really bad Laurence Fishburne ones).  I also used to watch Criminal Minds until it got WAY too freaky for me.  Probably not a good thing since my husband works nights.

Since summer started, I've done some serious reading.  I've read biographies of Queen Victoria, Catherine the Great, and Elizabeth of York (Henry VIII's mother).  I've also read The Lady in the Tower about Anne Boelyn, and I'm working my way through a biography about Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch.  I love to read, and I hate that I can't get enough time for it during the school year.

In my free time, I volunteer for a great organization for moms called The Mommies Network!  They have online chapters in almost every state.  The great thing about it is that TMN has online forums, and local chapters where you can meet other moms face to face.  I've been a member since 2007, and have met some fabulous friends!

Head on over to The Teaching Tribune to meet other great bloggers!!