I bet you’re wondering…
What is even in a cappuccino and what does it have to do with my classroom?

I’m glad you asked! Well, for starters, a cappuccino is a glorious combination of espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk, of all equal parts. I look at my classroom very similarly:

  • I, the teacher, am the espresso – without me, it’s going to be a very boring and uneventful time.
  • My students are the steamed milk – they are always hot and ready to learn, but it takes a delicate process.
  • My classroom is the foamed milk – it is specific to my student’s needs, as foamed milk is only used in particular coffee drinks.

It is important that all three components are present, functioning properly, and ready to take on the day!

That is why I started sharing my resources with other teachers, students, and classrooms in April of 2021. I wanted teachers to feel organized, prepared, and like they were giving their students the tools to succeed.

How I got here

I have wanted to be a teacher since I was nine years old.

I used to “play school” with my younger sister, who hadn’t even started Kindergarten yet. I had my parents buy me workbooks to use to teacher her how to write her name and know her ABCs. It wasn’t until she started first grade that my “homework” and her actual homework became a little too much for her.

The game ended, but the passion continued.

By this time, I was starting middle school. You know, that really awkward age where you start to discover yourself and what you want to do with your life. I even took that “Career Exploration” test, and sure enough, teacher was at the top of my results.

Fast forward to crunch time: college (this is where the real magic happens).

While studying Elementary Education at Eastern Illinois University, I met my now-husband. Without him, I would not be here, telling you my teaching story.

Some of you my be familiar with the term edTPA *cringe* and if you are, I’m truly sorry. I was one of the horror stories of edTPA, having to take it (and pay for it) THREE times! Yes, you read that right. The first time, there was an upload error with one of my files. The second time, I was told I did not use enough “academic language.” By the third time, I had to find a brand new classroom to teach in for a couple weeks, and I passed with flying colors. However, if it wasn’t for my husband, I probably would have given up somewhere during that failed process, or at the very least, it would have taken me a lot longer to get where I am today.

My first year teaching was a disaster... literally.

I was hired as a 6th grade self-contained teacher at a very small school, with less than two weeks before the first day of school. Even though my class size was small, I had a class full of students whose past teachers had bailed on them (I’m talking three teachers in one school year), so they saw me as just another fill-in. On top of that, my admin practiced micro-managing, resulting in my final evaluation as a “Needs Improvement” for the school year.

Feeling discouraged, I looked for other jobs, but had no luck. I still did not have enough experience under my belt to stand out in any of my interviews. However, with less than a week to prepare, my admin moved me to a combined Kindergarten/1st Grade classroom, as she thought it would be a better fit for me. And maybe it was, but I spent the entire school year pregnant with my daughter, so my patience for 5- and 6-year-old problems was… thin, to say the least.

As we started our family, it was time to move back home.

Moving two hours to be closer to family, I needed to find a new job. Somehow, I found another very small school near my hometown, but the only opening they had was for a Middle School ELA teacher. I told the principal that I was not qualified, but she insisted I come in for an interview anyway. Less than 30 minutes after the interview, I was offered the job on a provisional basis. Meaning, I had three years to get my Language Arts 5-8 Endorsement in order to keep my position.

And here I am, an Elementary Education Major teaching Middle School for the majority of career.

Teaching middle school has given me an entirely new perspective on teaching, especially when it comes to building relationships. I have had so many opportunities to grow and learn in this position, and I will forever be thankful for that. My principal is the one who actually encouraged me to start my TPT store! Now I get to help not only myself and my students, but so many other teachers and so many of their students, as well!

If you've made it this far, thank you.

I know my journey is a long one, and maybe a little more than you bargained for, but I’m hoping it may inspire a young teacher, or even an experienced teacher, to keep the passion alive and growing. Bumps in the road will happen, that’s a guarantee, but how you choose to move forward… that’s when the real fun begins.