First Post ... Newbie Blog Hop


1.  what state you are in
I am currently taking up residence in Illinois. 


2.  your current teaching position
This year I will be teaching a third grade ESL class.

3.  your teaching experience
This year will be my second year teaching. I am lucky enough to be at the same school again, although I will be changing grades (and rooms). Last year, I taught a second grade ESL class. I'm very thrilled to be heading into this year a lot more organized, and I am cautiously excited to have some of my students from last year back in my class again.

4.  when you started blogging
It may look like I am just starting blogging with this post, but I've actually been blogging for a bit now... just under different names. Picking a teaching blog name is tough stuff. I've also had a cupcake blog in the past. Baking is my other true love, although cooking is quickly picking up steam.

5.  share a blogging tip / blogging resource
Find a blog design website that has free or inexpensive templates. Uploading a template onto your blog may seem like an unnecessary thing, but it's really motivated me to get started with my blogging, and when I am surfing through blogs, I'm much more likely to spend time at one that is nice and designed than one that just uses a basic blogger template. I'd like to get my own customized blog one day, but I'm trying to be smart and wait until I have some actual followers. Hopefully, one day that will happen!


Follow past the cut to see everyone in the blog hop!





23 comments:

  1. Welcome to blogging. Joining a linky party is a great way to get new followers. Having a direct link to your blog in your comment is another great way to get new followers. Here is a link telling you how to do that.

    http://www.ladybugsteacherfiles.com/2011/02/more-code-funleaving-your-link-in.html

    My blog name just came to me and I hope it fits. I had a free template for several months and then had Diana at Custom Blog Designs do mine and I adore it. She is your gal if you ever want to have a makeover. =)

    I am happy to be one of your first followers. If you get the chance, I would love for you to hop over and visit me.

    Heather
    Heather's Heart

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    1. Thanks for the follow, Heather. I'll definitely be hopping on over to your blog momentarily. Now to see if this linking works here before I go and muck it up on someone else's blog. :)

      Teaching In A Nutshell

      I think it's working! Yay! Great tip, by the way.

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  2. Welcome to blogging and teaching third grade! I am so happy to connect with another third grade teacher. I am so glad you joined the Newbie blog hop! I've nominated you for an award! Stop by my blog to check out the details...

    Grade Three is the Place for Me

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  3. I just found your blog through the newbie blog hop and I am your newest follower!! It is so cute!! I would love for you to visit when you have a chance.

    Jess
    Mrs. Wood's Class

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    1. Jess,

      Thanks so much for checking my blog out! I just visited yours and joined!

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  4. Thanks for visiting my blog. I like your story sticks. Oh,
    I'm your newest follower.

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  5. Thanks for visiting my blog. I'm your newest follower!

    Kathy

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  6. Thanks for visiting my blog Kristin! I'm now your newest follower! I haven't been up to my classroom yet this summer either, I feel a little behind. But unlike you, we are allowed to be up there working!

    Cyndi
    Lacy's Letters

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    1. Thanks for visiting! I'm definitely jealous, although I found out that we're allowed back in again. I think it wouldn't be as big of a deal if I wasn't so new to teaching. This is my second year, but my first year that I've actually had some sort of idea of what I need to/want to do.

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  7. So glad you stopped by my blog! I understand about the blog design. One day I would love to have a fancier blog, but for now mine is truly mine and all done. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us!

    Andrea
    Reading Toward the Stars!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Andrea! Hopefully I don't disappoint!

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  8. Kristin,
    I'm glad you visited my blog! I'm your newest follower. You will have fun with your 3rd grade ESL class. So, you have a class and everyone is ESL? Do you have any languages that are the majority in your class? We have ESL pull-out and those kids only get 45 minutes of ESL. But, we only have about 6 ESL kids per grade in all. I'm looking forward to seeing how your year goes!
    Corinna
    Teaching Fabulous Firsties!

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    1. Corinna,
      This year, everyone's native language will be Spanish. Unless I get new add-ons from what I saw at the end of last year. We have some kids at our school that only receive pull out services, but those are the students who have 'graduated' from the ESL program basically. We have a very high Spanish speaking population at our school which is why we have full ESL classes. There are five teachers on my team this year, and two of us will have full ESL classes, one of us will have a bilingual class, and the final two will be teaching general English sections with a few ESL pullout students. Anyway, thanks for stopping by my blog!
      Kristin

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  9. Thanks for visiting my blog! Always exciting to find other ESL teachers out there, as well as other Illinois teachers! :) You mentioned northern Illinois - I'm originally from Rockford! Are you from near there, or closer to the Chicago area?

    I'm your newest follower!
    Stephanie
    Maestra Bilingue

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    1. I'm currently teaching in Round Lake, so I suppose that's more like the Chicagoland area. Thanks for joining!

      Kristin

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  10. I'm also a third grade teacher and will be excited to learn along with you this year.

    Carolyn from Third Grade Adventures
    http://thirdgradeadventuresinelbert.blogspot.com/

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  11. Just found your blog through the hop and am your newest follower. I'm a fourth grade teacher and I'd love it if you stopped by.:)
    Kristin
    iTeach 1:1

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    1. Thanks for following, Kristin! Hopefully you stop by again sometime! :)

      Kristin

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  12. Kristin! Thanks for being a new follower. :)

    Also I have a confession. I was perusing your blog and noticed you were from Illinois, which is AWESOME because I feel like there are so few IL bloggers. So I creeped and figured out that you teach at my student teaching school! OMG!

    Marvelous Multiagers!

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