You Think You Know... About Amber from The Sunny Side of Second Grade

I am so excited to be blogging with my friends at The Elementary Entourage again this month. You know most of us already, but we have grown as a group and as individuals since we first introduced ourselves last year. I bet you didn't know there was even more to our stories. Keep reading to find out more about me, and stay tuned for more on some of our other EE friends as we close out the month of June.

I am a fitness enthusiast. I recently trained and competed in my first NPC figure competition. It was a little scary, but I walked away with 3rd place in the Easter U.S. All Military Forces and 5th place in the Gold's Classic (a double show in one night). Not bad for my first ever fitness competition...and I even qualified for Nationals! Here is a picture of me with my hardware. More to improve as I learn and grow in this sport! {Yes that is a tattoo...yes it is real...yes I have more...} :-D

I am a military spouse...so it depends on where I am when you visit! My hometown is Beaufort, SC, so we will go with that! Have you ever heard of Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea? Well that is home for my family and me. We love it there. To say you have to witness the beauty in person is an understatement.

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Beaufort is known for its breathtaking views, old Southern charm, and exquisite waterways. And it is also where I met and married my amazing husband! If you are looking for a place to experience true Southern hospitality, then Beaufort is just the place you want to visit. Oh and I hear we may be finally getting a Starbucks!

You mean before or after I was playing school with barbies and stuffed animals? The moment I truly realized teaching was where I was meant to be in life was when I took a "filler" course as a Senior in High School. We all know what senior schedules look like. You have to fill those schedules the last year so you are attending the school the "recommended" number of hours. {HeHe} 

I enrolled in a course called the Teacher Cadet Program. This program was funded by the state, yieled college credit at the end of the year, and was actually pretty cool. I went to class each day and learned about child development stages, learning modalities, and the teaching experience. We were educated much like we are in college courses, and at the end of the program, we actually got to observe a class for a week. Our final exam was the deliver a lesson to that class, all while being observed by that classroom teacher. It was really intimidating, but the experience led me to realize my dream of becoming a teacher.

I change things so much each year it is difficult for me to think of a teacher tradition. In my two years of Kindergarten I always did a Polar Express Pajama Party. Those little sweeties really loved learning and lounging in their jammies. The last year I did it, I even had a parent make golden tickets and attach bells to them. It was such a memorable moment for both me and them.

As I enter my third year teaching second grade, I realize that the only thing that has remained a tradition is my ability to change. Between adjusting to different standards and a new school, I have been nothing if not flexible and ready for change. I always have an EOY celebration around a central theme. This year I tried out a pirate theme, and I can tell you right now that this will be a tradition. The students loved learning about pirates all day! Look how much fun they had!

My latest saying that gets me through most days is Dream, Believe, Achieve! This is something I teach my students now because it is something I have learned to live by recently. Any dream can be achieved if you simply believe. I dreamed of becoming a teacher, I believed a could after receiving the necessary education, and I finally achieved that dream after several years of hard work. Anything is possible if we simply believe it and never give up!

Thanks again for stopping by The Elementary Entourage! What is one thing we don't know about you?