Why Do People Blog?

Why do people blog? I've always wondered. They don't get paid for it, and who actually reads them? Even though I am a notorious crossword nerd (cross-worder) and English major, I thought that only lame people took the time to write about their experiences in a blog and only lamer people took the time to read those blogs. Not until this year have I realized what a benefit they are to both parties, especially in the education world where collaboration and the sharing of ideas is key! Plus, let's be honest, nobody has time to create everything that is needed to teach (ain't nobody got time for that!), so borrowing and sharing is fantastic. The benefits become even more magnified in the world of Special Education where teachers are expected to teach a range of classes that they may or may not have prior experience in, to a curriculum that may or may not exist. This is where I ended up becoming the ultimate geek and taking the blog plunge. 

It all began back in college where I determined that I was going to be a teacher. Everyone except myself was convinced that I had the teacher personality. All I knew is I was good at school, and I loved school, so why wouldn't I work in an atmosphere I already liked? For most people this thinking can lead down bad roads because good student does not always equal good teacher. Nevertheless, I do think it worked out in the end for me. 

In college, we had to double major to become a teacher. I chose to be an English major because of my love for words and reading in addition to majoring in elementary education. I also took classes to be certified to teach Special Education. Little did I realize that I would end up teaching high school, especially since I look like a high-schooler at best. The first day of school I got mistaken as a new student. When I became pregnant last year, I thought that would help, but no. Students asked how old I was, and if I was ready to raise a child, as if I wasn't 24, married, and holding down a full-time job and grad school. The other day, I was asked by the girl behind the National Fitness desk if I was 18. I looked at her and asked, "Are you 18?" I'm 25! Lol. But I digress. In any case, I was certified for a lot of different positions and I added to my certifications with a Special Education Degree for K-12 students in graduate school. However, I could not get a job in NY, and my husband and I were making $20,000 together trying to make ends meet. So, I started interviewing elsewhere and ended up taking a job at my current school teaching high school Geometry and Reading. What a combo! 

The funny thing is that I loved teaching Math (the Reading class was a different story... yikes). I always regretted my decision to major in English. Not because I didn't love English, but because I didn't like teaching English. I learned that teaching something concrete is easier than teaching something abstract. Plus, there are so many fun projects that can be created to increase visual learning, and a lot of math manipulatives that aide in understanding. A year and a half later, I can tell you that I thoroughly enjoy learning with the students (what works and what doesn't). I am excited to teach the lessons I prepare, and I feel like my talents are being used in the best way possible. I flourish in breaking down rigorous content to its most basic components, so what better place for me that to teach a notoriously hard subject to a people who struggle with that concept?! 

AND I discovered ISNs! Interactive Student Notebooks. Which I actually should give my mentor and friend, Juliana Hillebrant, credit for first introducing me to them in her 5th grade ELA classroom (although she didn't call them that). These are the best idea since Shirley Temples especially because they perfectly accommodate my students' need for guided notes, multiple learning styles (visual, oral, kinesthetic), pre-taught vocabulary, differentiation, step-by-step instructions, color coding, graphic organizers, additional practice, ongoing feedback, and more. Not to mention, our routine is predictable. Students know how to use the Notebooks, and they love all the different foldables that I find/create. So...

All that is to say that I am a believer and a blogger! Converted during the great global cooling of February 2015 in the great city of KnoxParadise.  

P.S. I apologize for all the random trains of thought that occurred in this blog :)