The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award!

I just found out that I was nominated for the Liebster Award!   The award is given to new bloggers with 200 followers or less and I certainly qualify (but I am  happy to have any and all new followers)!  I was nominated by Mrs. Sommers at What's Working This Year in Kindergarten  I love her blog design....I so I wish I had seen it first!  LOL!  Thanks for the nomination Mrs. Sommers I will be sure to "pay it forward"!

Here is how it works:

1. Post 11 random things about yourself
2. Answer the questions the nominator set for you
3. Create 11 questions for your nominees.
4. Choose 11 other blogs with fewer than 200 followers to nominate and link them to your post.
5. Leave a comment on this post if you were nominated so I can learn more about you and see who you nominate

My 11 randoms:
1.  I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, and I bought the house two doors down from where I grew up.

2.  I never wanted to be a teacher...I just kind of went that path...with some urging of a university professor...and it was the best "intervention" ever!

3.  I have two Boston Terrorists named Bella and Smarty.

4.  I love to watch the "Housewives of __________"fill in the blank (NYC, NJ, Miami, Vancouver, Atlanta) shows!  My little indulgence!

5.  My best friend is also my life partner...after 9 years together.  We are so lucky to have each other!  He is my rock!

6.  I read novels voraciously....2 minutes at a time... while I brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush each morning!  You would be amazed at how much reading you can do this way!

7.   In high school I played flute, piccolo and oboe.  I was part of a choir which toured all over Europe too!  BUT I no longer sing or play an instrument.

8.  My hubby and I are both LEOS!  Watch out if we decide to roar!

9.  My last vacation was to take my daughter to Disney World, Orlando 2 years ago.  Lots of great memories!

10.  I am a caregiver to my mother who is 85 and suffers from Alzheimer's and my brother who is 47 and has multiple malignant brain tumours.  To say my life is busy is an understatement.

11. My  only "artistic" talent is painting my nails.  I am obsessed with nail art!


The questions from Mrs. Sommers and my responses:

1.  What is your current favourite article of clothing?
Black Pilate's/yoga pants.  I must own 10 pairs of them.  Super stretchy to cover a MULTITUDE of sins!

2.  What is your dream car (obviously, money is not an object)?
A bright red Dodge Challenger.  I had a rental for a week a few years ago and FELL IN LOVE!

3.  What is your favourite flavor of ice cream?
Although I am lactose intolerant...I would have to say Baskins Robbins Pralines and Cream.

4.  What is your most memorable teaching moment?
Winning the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in Math, Science and Technology.  I was nominated by central board staff, my principal, parents and students.  It was such as shock, and an honour to win!

5.  What is your favourite lesson or topic to teach?
I love to teach math.  Currently I am working on implementing Interactive Math Notebooks.  I do not use textbooks, and I try to integrate math with the topics I am teaching (e.g. creating paper air planes and holding contests to see which can fly the furthest, collecting the data, graphing the data and creating a brochure to promote the design of the best air plane...integrating technology of course!

6.  Do you prefer to read books or magazines?
I read ANYTHING and everything, newspapers, books, magazines, the back of cereal cartons...!

7.  What made you want to get into blogging?
I was inspired by all the great ideas I was getting from other teacher bloggers.  I found so many "kindred souls" out there.  I wanted to be able to share some of what I have been doing for the past 23 years both in a and out of the classroom.

8.  What was your most favourite vacation that you ever took?
Touring around Europe when I was a teenager.  I visited  France, Italy, the UK and Wales.  I will never, ever forget the bridges in Venice!

9.  What is your favourite pizza topping?
Okay, I know this is weird, but I have to say artichoke hearts AND goat cheese.  LOVE this combo!

10.  Why did you decide to become an educator?
I thought I would end up working at the bank I had been at for four years putting myself through university.  I decided it wasn't for me.  I was "encouraged" to try the Bachelor of Education program by my philosophy professor.  I was lucky enough to be part of a con-current teacher education program, so I was able to take 3 years to get my degree at the same time as getting my B.A. in Sociology.  I student taught for 3 years, and realised at the end that I was hooked!  I have never looked back.

11.  What is your favourite holiday?
I love Thanksgiving and Christmas equally...because I love to cook a huge turkey dinner with all the trimmings and share with family and friends.

My nominations are:
1. Taking a Walk on the Teaching Side
2. Reading with Mrs.D
3. The Craft of Teaching
4. Tales of a First Grade Teacher
5. Teaching with Moxie
6. Rock & Teach
7. Lessons from the Middle
8. The Digital Primary Teacher
9. Pocketful of Centers
10. It's a Jungle Out There
11. The Teaching Bug

The questions for my nominees are:

1. List five adjectives that describe yourself.
2. What are you currently reading for enjoyment?
3. When did you decide to become a teacher, and why did you choose this field?
4. What do you want to be doing in five years?
5. If you could have only one powered appliance at home/work what would it be?
6. What is your favourite subject to teach? Why?
7. What is your least favourite subject, and how do you overcome your indifference toward it to teach it well?
8. What do you think is the funniest word in our vocabulary?
9. What is the greatest success you have had in teaching?
10. If someone wrote a book on your life what would you like the title to be?
11. What would your students say was the most important thing that they had learned after spending a year in your class?