Budding Bloggers Showcase {Amy from Learning Lessons with Mrs. Labrasciano}

Hi everyone! My name is Amy Labrasciano.  I hail from the sunny state of Florida. I have an amazing husband that has been with me for 18 years.  We were just babies when we met at The University of Florida.  Together we have three spectacular young daughters.

When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter I decided that my career running retail stores was not conducive to raising a family.  So my husband said follow your dream and go back to school for your M.Ed.  So I went back to school.  The funny part of that story is that I work way more now than I used to.  Don't we all just imagine smiling children learning their abc's and going home early while we're in college?  None the less, I love my job.  I recently returned back to my dream position in 2nd grade.  This makes my eighth year teaching.

My partner and I departmentalize.  Departmentalizing is a must for me.  I teach our ELA block.  There is a passion that burns within me when I am teaching reading and writing.  I love to teach thematic units.  If you come in during the fall you will find apple literature, apple projects, apple science projects.  During the spring which is really our summer the kids favorite unit is always the ocean.  We have informational text centers, fiction centers, and diorama projects that are actively being made. You get the gist.  It's kind of fun to see the kids learn without knowing that they are mastering the common core standards.  They just think it's cool that they learned new facts about sharks.  However, I also have a passion for math and science. To keep up with all of my passions, I worked out a schedule with my partner to teach math and science units throughout the year.  It's great for the kids and I get to keep all of my teaching areas up to date.  On the side, I coach a math team once a year.  This is always a fun time of year because one of my girls participates on another math team while I'm coaching.  (Different grades, same school)  Our family spends a lot of time at the competition.

It is important for women, moms, and teachers to keep up with their health.  For Christmas my mom gave me a new Fitbit.  We decided to start a healthy initiative in my household.  We eat healthy and stay active.  However, I have one vice.  COFFEE!!!! I have given up everything else, but I just can't see it go.  In my mind, it's what gets me through the day.  On average I walk 12,000 steps at school.  So if you were to come in my class, you would only see me sitting during guided reading time.  I'm constantly walking to this group and that group to conference with all of the students.  It's no big surprise to see that I developed a foot problem from all of this standing and walking!  Rest assured that I will always do what's right for the kids, even if it hurts me.

The big question that I get from my interns is, "What is your must-have teacher resource?"  My teacher friends are my "must have" teacher resource.  I couldn't do it without them.  I have great friends in my school.  Our children are being raised together.  They are best friends.  We carpool with the kids.  They have sleepovers.  We know from experience if there is an emergency, we will be there to handle it.  Having time to care for ourselves and talk with girlfriends who "get it" is healing.  It makes me a better teacher.  Not to mention that I can go to them and say, "Did you hear......" and get it off of my chest.  Blogging has opened up a whole new friend pool for me.  I have teacher friends all over the country now.  I even talk to them on the phone or by text.  What a blessed life.

My blogging goal for this year is the same goal that I have across my life.  Learn how to balance it.  Focus on creative quality posts that pay it forward to other teachers.  I would love to be able to sit at the computer and get my task done quickly without checking my email, oh what's happening on Facebook, might as well do Instagram since I'm here.  If I learn how to balance my blogging, then I can be more present for my family which is always my number one priority!

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn a little more about me.