It's WINSday...and...Budding Bloggers Showcase: Reading with Mrs. D

Hello friends!  Yesterday, our TpT shop hit 2,000 followers - woohoo!

We are so THANKFUL for each and every one of you!  To celebrate our TpT shop, I'm going to start a new Wednesday series....or should I say WINSday series. :)

Every WINSday, I will showcase an item from our TpT shop.  I will share some of the feedback that teachers have left about the item and then someone will have a chance to WIN it!  It will be a "flash giveaway" - enter on Wednesday because the next time I post (hopefully Thursday, but no promises) I will announce a winner!  Easy peasy, friends!

So, this week's product is one of our Language Bundles....these bundles include everything you need to teach these skills.  Think instructional slideshows (PC Only), boardgames, card games, practice pages, tic-tac-toe menus, review games, anchor charts, and more!

Here's what our customers had to say about this unit...

If you're interested in any of our other language bundles, click HERE.

If you'd like to WIN this bundle, just click here to read the description and then comment on this post and let us know which activity from this unit you think would be your FAVORITE.  The winner will be announced in my next blog post!

Not following us on TpT yet?  Click "follow" while you're there!

And, now, what you've been waiting for (I hope)....

Since my new "It's WINSday" series is starting up, this will be my last Budding Blogger showcase on Wednesday.  But, no fear...it will be moving to a Saturday Showcase....now that school is starting up, it will be something for you to look forward to on the weekend.  You can grab a cup of tea, kick up your feet, and spend some time getting to know a new blogger, like Mrs. D....read on to find out more about her today!  Then, drop by her blog and leave her a little bloggy love!

Good morning everyone! I am SO excited to be this weeks featured Budding Blogger. Thanks for picking me, Amanda. I go by the online name of Mrs. D since my first initial is a D, but my students call me Mrs. Trott (or they will this year, I wasn't married yet last time I taught. I used to be called Ms. Smiley).

I named my blog the totally unoriginal but totally mine Reading with Mrs. D


Here's my blog button, click on it please!

I started writing as a teacher blogger in March 2011, but I was only testing it out until the end of the school year. I was trying to figure out who I was as a blogger before I got too far into things, but when late August came and my principal called to say enrollment was down and that he wouldn't be needing me that year, I was devastated, so I mostly abandoned blogging until I was on Maternity leave in February when I started sharing ideas and resources again. 

Personal info (state/family/pets/interests):
I am from Nova Scotia, Canada. 
But I'm moving to Saskatchewan this summer to teach there this fall.
I am married to a wonderful man (Mr. C) and we have one beautiful little girl who's 16 months (Munchkin).

Our Wedding day 2011

Family photo fall 2012

Our Munchkin July 2013

I don't know where to start when it comes to describing my interests. Maybe I should say I love blog stalking? I definitely have a few must reads amongst the many I follow. I should mention I have a slight obsession with Superheroes. I've always believed that Superheroes and their stories can be compared to traditional fairytales in the modern world, and so I'm designing my classroom environment this year around a Superhero theme.I LOVE to cook, most especially bake. My specialty is a chocolate chip dipped shortbread stick I make only at Christmas. My husband loves everything I make for him, but if it has bacon, then it's even better. Have you tried adding bacon to different foods? This year we've wrapped it around hot dogs and put it in grilled cheese. Both were hits with Mr. C.

Grade You Teach:
This year I'll be teaching grade one.

How long have you taught?
I graduated from UMPI (University of Maine at Presque Isle) in December 2004, and once my certification in Nova Scotia came through in May, I started substituting right away. 

Mom and me the day she left me at UMPI

After more than 3 years of working as a substitute teacher in the local board and a local private school, I was getting frustrated not getting anywhere and began applying across Canada to get a job elsewhere. After a few months of applying I got hired in Northern Manitoba at OK (Otetiskiwin Kiskinwamahtowekamik) school where I taught for two years, the first year in grade 3, the second in grade 2.

Otetiskiwin Kiskinwamahtowekamik

After coming home, I tried again really hard to find a teaching job, and found a maternity leave at a private school (Maritime Muslim Academy) where I taught grade one. 

Maritime Muslim Academy

I haven't actually taught in the two years since my term there ended since I found out I was pregnant and needed to have guaranteed work, so except for my one year maternity leave (yeah, Canada!), I've been working in retail.

What is your favorite subject to teach?
I love teaching reading, but I'm also a huge fan of social studies, and anyway I can combine the two subjects is fine by me. I love putting all the new words from spelling and that weeks mini reader in my chart and allow students to rearrange the words to make new original sentences.

Sentence formation

What would we likely see if we popped into your classroom unannounced?
You'd more than probably see a mess, but that's how I work! You'd see happy busy students working at their own pace, and when they're finished either reading or doing another choice activity.

What gets you through one of “those” days?
Right now knowing I'll get a kiss and a hug from my daughter at the end of the day helps, but so does the promise of caffeine in the form of chocolate and Coca Cola.

What is one “can’t live without” teaching resource?
Pinterest! I have found and shared so many freaking awesome ideas since I gave in and joined the site, that my teaching experience is going to be seriously transformed this year. There are some seriously talented teachers I've discovered in the blogosphere, just because I followed a link back to their blog.

Give us a glimpse of your teaching style by sharing a brief summary of a favorite classroom activity/project.
When I taught grade 3 we did a unit all about the Vikings for Social Studies, and as a culminative activity, each student created a viking log house out of a shoe box. It was easily the most popular activity that year. They loved gluing the popsicle sticks to the boxes and cutting out furniture to glue inside.

What is one of your blogging goals for this year?
Is it okay if I have 3?

I love pictures, and I can't wait to show pictures of the resources I've created actually in use. 
I also hope to gain some more followers. 
Remember to comment more often. I've been a bad blogger this year. I was getting better, but since my mat leave ended I've allowed that to lapse.

I hope I've entertained you a bit, and didn't bore anyone, and if I did, I'm terribly sorry.