The Spotlight is back, y’all!!! Today, let’s meet a teacherpreneur friend from the world of brains and reading. Meet…
Jonathan and Lisa, thank YOU so much for letting me stop by Created For Learning. I’m a huge fan of your TpT store and your blog. I’m super psyched to be here! Thanks!
What levels and subjects do you teach and what’s a little bit of your teaching journey?
I’ve spent most of my teaching career in the middle school setting. I love middle schoolers! They’re so honest and funny and awkward (which makes them super lovable). I’ve also spent time teaching internationally. So, I’ve taught in classrooms in Ghana, Belize, and England. Traveling and teaching? That’s a perfect combination in my book!
How’d you get started on TeachersPayTeachers?
I have two friends that started selling on TpT before I did (Yay for PreK and Literary Sherri).
Both of them mentioned TpT to me several times before I did a true investigation into what it was all about. It wasn’t until one of my friends said that she bought her dishwasher with her TpT earnings that I realized that maybe Teachers Pay Teachers could be a real opportunity to change my family’s life…and oh boy, it hasn’t disappointed one bit!
What aspect of teaching really gets you fired up?
My favorite part of teaching is well…teaching…and all the wonderful things that come with it like witnessing students take risks, helping students revel in their learning, laughing together as community of learners, and growing students’ skills as not only readers and writers, but as passionate and curious learners.
What’s the funniest/weirdest/most awful memory you have from your early days of teaching?
Well…there was this one time when I went to Driver’s Ed without ANY driving experience. Everyone else had driven before. However, I hadn’t even sat behind the wheel. I thought you drove with two feet. Needless to say that summer in Driver’s Ed was a rocky road (both figuratively and literally)!
Which of your resources do you enjoy teaching the most?
Poetry! I love teaching poetry! It’s because students always groan when I mention that they’re going to be writing and analyzing poetry. However, by the end to the units they’re begging for more. What’s more fun than that? I love ending poetry units with a bang. Over the years, classes have participated in Poetry Readings, Poetry Podcasts, and even a Poetry Boot Camp (with real drill sergeants!)
Who are some other TpT teacher/authors you think people should know about and check out?
There are SO many amazing teacher-authors creating hands-on, comprehensive, and just plain amazing resources on TpT. Of course, I love Yay for PreK and Literary Sherri, but I’m also nuts about Room 213 and The Classroom Sparrow.
What are some quirky details about yourself?
I think one of the most quirky things about myself is that I like to take on a lot of jobs/projects at once. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always worked multiple jobs. When I was 14 I worked at a Chinese restaurant, an ice cream shop, a pizza parlor, a gift store, and I cleaned an insurance office. These days, in addition to my TpT store, I also have a Home Staging and Design company, and I make and sell headbands online. Truly, it’s hard for me to pass up a “Help Wanted” sign! Oh…and I live for dessert. I LOVE baked goods!
If you could travel back in time to tell your 12-year-old self one thing, what would you tell yourself?
Stop fighting your curls! I spent a good 20 years trying to have straight hair. It was a battle that I eventually lost. One day, I decided to embrace my natural, crazy curls…and ironically, it’s the part of me that makes me the most me. So, I’d tell my 12 year-old self to get busy being just being herself. (If you’d like to see those curls…just click HERE.)
It’s been so fun getting to know you Mary Beth. First we joined you over at your blog and now you’ve graced ours. Thanks so much for dropping by to let everybody get to know you better! Keep on being made of awesome!
