The Quirky Librarian: 5/8/11

5.10.2011

Teachers Are Amazing

Teachers really are special people and I am glad schools have a Teacher Appreciation Week each year. I painted this watercolor card for my daughter's teacher this year. It is her first year teaching and she has done a wonderful job. She is like me, in that she was a mom full-time before she went back to school to get her education degree. It is hard to beat that "Mom" experience!

As a student I always enjoyed watching a good teacher, teach. Now that I am an adult and I substitute teach, I work with many different teachers and I am still fascinated by good teachers. Teaching truly is a gift. One of the best ways to learn how to teach is to watch an effective teacher. I am constantly making mental notes. I will always consider myself a student first and foremost, because I love to learn. I just hope that I can be a teacher-librarian that makes others want to keep learning too!

Welcome

I started this blog to chronicle my journey as a graduate student in the School Library Media program at the University of Georgia. I have since continued the blog as first, an elementary school media specialist and then as a middle school media specialist. I am now at a high school and I feel fortunate to have worked at every level as it has given me a view of the entire reading journey for students. I added the reading endorsement when I got my MEd and I have had the chance to be a reading specialist in my librarian positions, but I felt that I needed to know more about literacy in order to best serve my students. So now I am back at UGA working on an EdS in Reading Education. I expect to graduate in May 2022.

Why Am I Quirky?

Note: After making this list, I decided I may be annoying rather than quirky. However, it doesn't sound very good to be called "The Annoying Librarian," thus I will stick with the quirky label.

When I sneeze, it's more of a yell.
I never chew gum—it makes me nervous.
I am afraid of rubber bands.
I do not hold a pencil the "correct" way—I do not believe there is a "correct" way either.
I laugh at my own jokes.
I could not snap my fingers until I was 18.
I am scared to go up escalators, but I don't mind going down.
I do not put lids back on pens, toothpaste, anything.
I cannot swallow pills, although I could for one year in my 20's.
I read magazines from back to front.
I never fold the newspaper back correctly.
I eat cereal before bed every night.
I cannot dance--"Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" is too difficult for me.
I don't close boxes.
Tight clothes make me nervous, even if other people are the ones wearing them.
I NEVER go barefoot.
I cannot sleep if I don't have socks on.
I wear my watch on the wrong arm.
I often dream about things before they happen, but never big things (more like: I'm buying bread and green beans at Kroger—type dreams).
I didn't drink coffee until I was 36.
I didn't get my ears pierced until age 30—I was not ready to accessorize until then.
I never clean my plate even if there is only one bite left.
I shake when I laugh.
When I see a snake in a tank I talk baby talk to it because I know no one else does.
I have recurring dreams about losing my teeth.
I cannot whistle.
I worry about other peoples' problems more than my own.
I hate the taste of alcohol.
I cannot wear turtlenecks.
I cannot throw a stuffed animal away and I still hope they come alive when I leave the room.
Spiders do not bother me, but spider webs do.

I'm married to an even quirkier person—I could write a novel about that.

I'll add more when I think of them...it won't be hard.