Ok, @PrincipalOgg - I accept your Blogger challenge!

I have been a TERRIBLE blogger lately, so I feel like to get back in the game, I should accept this challenge from my friend Mr. Ogg (@principalogg).  This is a lot of stuff to write all about myself (feels a little weird!) but here goes...

11 Facts About Me:

  1. I think writing 11 things about myself is a little narcissistic (but I am going to do it anyway because Mr. Ogg asked me to).
  2. I am a 4th generator educator and proud of it.
  3. I have two little boys, Jake (4) and Cooper (2), who remind me daily why I need to change the world.
  4. Both of my boys were adopted.  Every day I feel blessed and honored to be a mom (yep, even when I'm pulling my hair out).
  5. I am back in grad school to finish my Masters in Instructional Technology at SHSU.
  6. I move my furniture around in my house.  A lot.  I think it's because I am a restless person.
  7. I love to make lists and my friends and colleagues make fun of me for being the agenda Nazi.
  8. I don't sleep well.  It's very frustrating.
  9. I met my husband at Texas Tech University and have been happily married since 2000.
  10. My husband and I bought a boat before we even got married - priorities! We love to camp and ski.
  11. I drive a minivan even though I swore I never would.  :)
Ogg's Questions for Me:
  1. What got you into the education field?
    • My family.  Both of my parents were administrators and it was a natural progression for me to join the ranks.  :)  I never doubted that I wanted to be a teacher and I don't regret it for a single second.
  2. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment in teaching?
    • Eek.  That's tough.  I think these days it's simply being a part of the BISD Tech Dept.  Because I joined this department, so many wonderful things have happened to me (Google Certified Trainer, Google Teacher Academy, Texas Google Summit to name a few!).  And I just love working with the people in my department and with the BISD teachers and students.  Every day is a rewarding accomplishment!
  3. In your opinion, what challenges do you see teachers facing in the future?
    • TESTING, TESTING AND MORE TESTING!  I am SO on the outside looking in and I wish I could affect change more quickly than I am.  I hate seeing GOOD teachers - REALLY good teachers - looking to leave education because of the testing pressures put on them.  I don't know what the solution is, but I darn sure hope I am a part of it.
  4. How do you balance home life with your work life?
    • HA!  I don't do this well at all.  I am constantly juggling and merging the two.  Emailing from the stop light or browsing for resources during bath-time!  Luckily, I have an AMAZING husband (he really is - ask anyone) who takes more than his fair share of household and family duties.  This certainly helps!
  5. What was your favorite subject in school?
    • Science! I had two really amazing high school science teachers!  Mrs. Swearingen (Biology) and Mr. Gibbs (Chemistry).  They were cool.  They were nice.  They loved their jobs and their students.  If you know either of them (Marcus High School - Flower Mound, TX), please tell them I became a science teacher because of them!!!  :)
  6. Are you a person that sees the glass half empty or half full?
    • Definitely half full.  I am a pretty positive person (I think) and try to find the good in most situations.
  7. Favorite book?
    • That's tough.  Not fair.  Professionally, the book I remember affecting me the most early in my career was Educating Esme.  However, I loved the Harry Potter series and the Twilight series, too.  (I have read 100s of books and find this to be a VERY tough question to answer!)
  8. Favorite App or Web 2.0 tools?
    • Google Apps and Twitter are the ones I use daily.
  9. In your opinion, how important is it to use technology in education?
    • On a scale of 1 to 10 - technology is a 10...when it is used purposefully!  Random and useless technology integration just to make something cute gives our industry a bad name.  However, using technology to reinforce skills like the 4C's (collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity) helps support innovative learning that is critical for success both in school and in life!
  10. If you could create a school in any way that you like, what would it look like?
    • Eek.  I think it would look like the Texas Google Summit!  :)  Learner-driven opportunities, voice and choice, LOTS of communication and collaboration, fun, Google-centered.
  11. Why did the chicken cross the road?
    • Really, Ogg?  I don't even know how to answer this.  One of my 11 things up-top should have been that I am not very witty.  :)
So, this has become an awful lot of writing.  As part of this challenge (as outlined below), I have to nominate 11 of you to help me spread this thing.  I guess it's like a chain letter?!  I have no idea if any of you have already done this or if you have a blog and I will not be hurt if you do not accept because you may never even know that I nominated you!  :)  

My nominated bloggers:
  1. Kanon Gourault (@madamegourault)
  2. Staci Stephens (@msstephensmath)
  3. Cat Flippen (@catflippen)
  4. David Theriault (@davidtedu)
  5. Will Deyamport (@peoplegogy)
  6. Cathy Moak (@edtechdoc)
  7. Deb Tackett (@bmsreads)
  8. Melinda Sears (@theprofspage)
  9. Tong Utakrit (@mrutakrit)
  10. Jessica Powell (@itechjess)
  11. Terrie Rambo (@physicsfarmer)
My questions for you:
  1. How did you choose your Twitter handle?
  2. What kind of phone do you have?
  3. What's your favorite online publishing tool?
  4. What do you order at Starbucks?
  5. Without sharing his/her name, tell us about your worst teacher ever.
  6. What is your dream job?
  7. How many hours do you typically sleep at night?
  8. When is your favorite time of day?
  9. Do you think you can change the world?
  10. What would be the first thing you did if you were President?
  11. What burning question did I not ask that you're dying to answer?  :)

Here's how you keep the challenge going:
  1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
  2. Share 11 facts about yourself. 
  3. Answer the 11 questions that the nominating blogger has created for you.
  4. List 11 bloggers or would be bloggers
  5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer.  Let all bloggers know they’ve been nominated.  Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.



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