Your first Blog assignment will be to introduce yourself to the class. Tell everyone your name, what you like to do in your free time, any extra-curricular activities you participate in, and some things you hope to accomplish your freshman year at Southwood High School. I'll go first!
My name is Michelle Renee Sparling, and I teach English 9, English 9 Honors, and Current Events this year. In past years I have taught English 7, English 8, English 10, English 11, and World History. I graduated from Jay County High School and the University of Indianapolis. My first year of teaching was spent in Seymour, Indiana, and then I moved to Wabash, Indiana, to begin teaching at Southwood High School. This year is my thirtieth year of teaching, which seems unbelievable to me! I have been the English Departmnet Chairperson for the past ten years. While at Southwood I have coached/sponsored jr. high, freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity cheerleaders, Booster Block, jr. high track, jr. high and high school Spell Bowl, and Battle of the Books.
I met my husband, Dan, in Wabash, and we have one daughter who is a senior this year at Southwood. We also have two Brittany Spaniel dogs and two cats. When I'm not at school, I like to vacation with my family near golf courses and the ocean. I like getting together with my high school and Southwood teacher friends and we travel, shop, eat out, and go to the movies. I like to walk and keep track of my steps with my Fitbit. I love to read, and some of my favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), The Hiding Place (Corrie ten Boom), anything by Danielle Steel, and the Bible. Growing up, I loved to read the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew mysteries. As an adult, mysteries are still my favorite genre, so I like to read books by Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, Janet Evanovich, Diane Mott Davidson, and Mary Higgins Clark.
My goals as a teacher this year are to have my English 9 students read and write as well as possible and feel prepared for future English classes. I want to add to the technology I am using with my students, and Blogger is the first new usage I am adding this year. I want to enjoy my daughter's senior year of high school and not cry too much when she graduates! I'll admit, it will be very strange to not have her in the building next year!
Your first assignment is to introduce yourself. Tell us your name, your interests, your goals for this year and the future. Are you involved in any extra-curricular activities at Southwood? What do you like to read? What do you like to do?