Our New Name!

When I started this blog back in 2009, it was for me. Documenting what I was learning as a relatively new teacher. But then I started sharing it throughout our district, inviting others to celebrate with me the good things that were happening in our little EL room. It even made it to a college course or two. Then I had The Cuteness and chose to stay home with him, and the blog sat dormant. But a few months ago, I got lassoed back into the teaching world, working with other teachers. And so it with revitalized spirits (and typing fingers) that I continue to share with our town, our state, and {dare I say} our world our take on Teaching ELs in the USA. This fresh start needs a fresh name: enter TeachingELs.com. 

Would you join me over there? (You won't find anything else here!) My fabulous hubby has been working hard to make it look pretty and work effortlessly. Let's go!

Bringing It to Now

"What do you do?" people ask.
"Teaching elementary English language learners" was always the first thing I said. But not anymore.
"I am Mom to a beautiful redhead," I reply.

"I also work part-time for the local school district," I continue. "Five or so hours a week. Perfect to keep me connected but still allow me to stay at home."

And stay at home I have. We've been having a blast here, learning about each other, dusting off old hobbies, meeting other moms and kids. I've also been quite invigorated by the time spent away from The Cuteness. Those hours I put in for the district are hours I get to spend with elementary EL teachers, advocating for them, for their students, and for their low-income families.

I've taken a long hiatus from this blog. Ever since I stopped teaching (a year ago!), I've had every intention of closing up shop, shuttin' 'er down, saying goodbye. But I couldn't. ESL (turned ELL turned EL) has been such a strong part of me for so many years. How do you quit? So I've postponed my goodbye. 

Sometimes I hop on the blog just to read where we've been, remember the journey, dream for the future. Please don't read this as discontentment with my current calling. I love being a mom. And a wife. A caregiver. A cook. A seamstress. A reader. But boy, did I love teaching those precious EL students! 

So. What am I saying? As I'm still connected to the EL community, I thought it only appropriate to continue sharing what I'm learning, even if it is only in five hours a week. 

• I plan to highlight EL teachers and their building teachers who are doing great things for EL students. 
• I plan to showcase this ever-changing world and how teachers are adapting and succeeding in it. 
• I plan to demonstrate to the nay-sayers out there that teachers teach for reasons far beyond themselves--reasons with names and faces and souls.
• I plan to document for my own intellectual well-being, to keep my mind sharp for this field that has grown me in radical ways.

It'll be a great ride!

Sarah

An Unwarranted Thank-you

Not sure what I did to deserve this thanks, but then again, what kind of "thanks" asks you to pay money to receive your thank-you? Not sure if I should feel honored or offended?!

A New Job

We had our baby! Thanksgiving Day 2010 Corban James Steele graced the world with his presence. 6 lbs. 11 oz., 20 inches, and gorgeous red hair. He absolutely is our pride and joy and a "gift devoted to God" (Mark 7:11). I'm starting to feel the pangs of postponing the work I love and watching my students grow to be with my son and growing him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We love you, Corban!

How life will change...

James and I found out some life-altering news just a couple months ago. And Friday, we got to see this news for the very first time.

Isn't that just the cutest blob you've ever seen?! Well, we certainly think so. ;) 

The reason I've posted this picture to my teaching blog is that it will change a whole semester of teaching for me. We're due just two weeks before Christmas Break, and we're currently planning for me to take the whole Spring Semester off to be with Baby Steele. I'll probably post a picture of the baby before I take off in December, but it could be a while after that that I would post after that! Man...our lives are about to change (we don't even fully realize just how true that statement is!). But it's a change that we're looking forward to. :)

I love Wayside School!

How many of you have read the Wayside School stories? I was first introduced to them just two years ago (a shame that I lived without them for so long!) when I did my student-teaching assignment in 4th grade with Cindy Nash. I love Louis Sachar's zany humor in them!

Anyways, so James and I were driving in Fort Wayne this past weekend and drove right by this sign. I got so excited that I made him turn right back around so we could take this photo!

So it's true! There really is such a place as Wayside School. I wonder if Louis the Janitor (that's his name, right?) has a brother named Mort that helps him sometimes... :)

A bracelet for me

One of my 5th graders made this bracelet for me out of her birthday beads. Aww... :)

A Fresh Start

So...I've noticed my tendency to post school-related issues on our family blog. Rather, James has noticed it! I've decided to direct my educational postings to this separate blog and keep the personal one for, well, personal topics.

I chose the name "as.she.grows" for various reasons. One, if I leave spaces and somehow the words get smushed together, it creates a new word, one I'd rather not have on my blog. :) Two, I feel like I've learned so much even just in the two years that I've taught. I'm a very different teacher than when I started, and I would like to document this process.

So here's to growing and learning and overall pushing ourselves to become better professionals, better leaders, better people.