Kimberly Blane

I am a homeschooling mother with children in preschool, kindergarten, and 4th grade. I have also taught preschool for daycares and for an accredited kindergarten. The kindergarten class I taught had no books or curriculum available (which often made me wonder how they had become accredited). The entire year, I created and taught from my own curriculum and resources. The parents all loved to come in and find what we were learning about next. The kids often had problems LEAVING my class. :D

I love to make learning fun and interesting. Children absorb more when they are enjoying what they are learning about. Learn through play is a big deal for me. I have recently also adapted some Montessori methods. I love the amount of focus and attention a child will put forth to the simple activities. I am also a big supporter of unit studies.

I have never won a teacher award. Although, as a daycare teacher, I was always deemed the "Potty Training Queen" (until I had children and they decided to be the most stubborn children in history). By an overwhelming consensus in all of the daycares I've worked at, I was always deemed "Favorite Teacher" by the children. I would be the teacher who welcomed each child in and would sit and play learning games with the children before breakfast. While other teachers would sit at tables and observe the children during this "non-class" time, I would always be providing activities to encourage different motor skills. I always looked for and encouraged silliness and made it a personal goal to make sure each and every child entered their classes with a smile on their face. My favorite award comes from my children. According to them, I am the "Best Mom in the World." Nothing warms my heart more. While I have never received an award or honor from a school, the honors I have received from my children mean more to me than any award could. They are the ones I am teaching and they are the best ones to judge a teacher's effectiveness.

I graduated high school as Valedictorian. - Don't get too excited. There were four people in my class - two copied off of me, one was a dropout and returned as an adult, and then me. Who do you think was going to get it? (To be honest, though, I worked my butt off!) I am currently one semester away from my associates degree in Social Work.

I started teaching the day I turned 15 in a daycare in the tots class. The teacher who was supposed to train me... when I walked in, she walked out. I was never given training, and because of that I am truly grateful. The children trained me. They showed me what they wanted to do, and I used that to help them learn. What else could I do? It wasn't long before I was being put in the Pre-K class due to the constant loss of teachers. It was there that I discovered my love for teaching. Reading! Oh, what a wonderful subject! I was 16, working two full time jobs (one as a nanny to twins), going to school half days, making more money that I knew what to do with. So, I spent everything I made on those children. I would decorate the room from ceiling to floor in whatever subject we were learning about. They would don animal costumes for reading circles. We would have word blend treasure hunts. We often went on "fieldtrips" out of the room and learned outside on the playground. How on earth could teachers not love their jobs? Then one day, I moved on. I left the daycare and found a job in a kindergarten class. It was technically still part of a "daycare" but it was accredited. The kids had had so many teachers and didn't even know how to spell/write their names - it was the middle of the year! I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. We played game after game. We read book after book. I showcased every small improvement and win with EACH child. Learned to tie your shoe? Learned how to spell your whole name? Lost a tooth? Learned all of your blends? Did a science experiment at home with your parents? Any and all of these were showcased on my picture wall and the deeds were recorded in a weekly newsletter. We had weekly cheer sessions where the students encouraged each other. The parents got in on it, too! They'd come in and see new pictures and they'd congratulate and high-5 their kids' friends. We made scrapbooks for each child... and the amount of joy that was captured from that year was remarkable. It was such a high point in my life. Now, I am a mommy. I homeschool my babies, and do my best to foster their curiosity. There is a big difference, however. When I worked with children, I only had them 8 hours a day - thus I was only there 8 hours a day to encourage their curiosity and to keep them busy (add in meals, naps, etc. and the time depletes). With my children, I'm with them 24 hours a day, and their curiosity doesn't STOP! I run myself ragged trying to find enough for them to do. Even when left to their own devices, while they are still learning, and we are still having lots of fun... honestly... I AM EXHAUSTED! lol.. But in a very, very good way. There's only so much time that they're little... and if they want to learn about something... that is what we are going to do! I just feel so blessed that I get to be such a big part of what brings them joy.