A Little About Me

This is my first post in my first blog, and I've been wanting to blog for a while but didn't feel I have much to say that anyone would want to read. I still don't have a lot to add to the world, but today is my last day of spring break and honestly, I'm procrastinating doing the work I need to do. Like if I avoid getting ready for tomorrow, then it won't come and I'll stay on break forever. (Wouldn't it be nice if it worked that way!)
Ok, so here is a little about me. My name is Emily Brown; I grew up in Ohio, went to college in Ohio (Go Rockets!) and then decided I was done with the cold. I'm not a fan of snow- I've seen enough of it to last a lifetime- I like warmth and palm trees. So I decided I would move south, and here I am :) I didn't get the palm trees, but I did get away from the snow, for the most part.
I'm wrapping up my second year down here, and I'm so glad I moved. I'm in a school with more technology than we know what to do with, and surrounded by awesome people I'm blessed enough to call friends. I teach in a rural middle school and let me tell you, there's never a dull moment. Our kids are rough, and some of their home lives make me cry and beyond grateful I grew up how I did, but I feel like I'm really making a difference for some of them. Not as many as I thought I would when I was in college- when every pre-service teacher thinks they're going to change the world- but enough to keep me coming back each day.
In Ohio I was actually certified to teach 7-12 grades, but got down here, North Carolina tacked 6th grade onto my license, and my principal put me in a 6th grade classroom, so here I am. My original plan had been to go to grad school right away. I wanted to be US Secretary of Education (because I figured at the top, no one could tell me "NO!" when I tried to make changes in policy) and change education policies, but I didn't get into grad school (they failed to mention- and I was too naive to know- teaching experience was required for the program). I then went to Plan B: Teach For America. They would find me a job across the county, provide a support system, pay off my loans, and look good on my resume. Needless to say that didn't work out, and I didn't have a Plan C- because I'm an overachiever and have always been fine with just a Plan A- so I spent a semester living at home, reading, and pinning like crazy (Pinterest, for those of you who may not know what it means to "pin").
So I think that's all there is to know about me. On a personal note, I have a cat I adopted in college, his name is Kolby, and he is the softest cat on the face of the earth. It's just the two of us here. The rest of my immediate family is in Ohio but my brother is moving down in August to go to law school at Campbell (congratulations Bubby!).
As I said before, this is my first time blogging, so forgive me (and PLEASE tell me) if I do something wrong, and I'll try to post as often as I can. I plan to focus on my math class; some of the crazy things that happen, the activities we do and just some reflections on how things are going. Our school is 1-to-1, so every student has a laptop; I have a laptop, desktop, SMARTboard, and document camera. I have also bought an iPad I use for different things relating to work. Our classes our 80 minutes this year and I have been doing my best to use/make Interactive Notebooks this year. I tell you this to give you a foundational understanding of what my classroom "looks" like.
And here my first blog post ends. Check back periodically for a window into the Madness in Math Class!