My Introduction to the Blogging Community

Hello All,

My name is Allison Zaleski and I am currently a part-time Middle School BSI Math Teacher.  This is my first REAL blog.  I have had a little experience with this blog back in college, and am still currently somewhat posting on a Provisional Teacher Program Blog (that blog is just for assignments through the program).

Here is a little about my background.  In college, I carried a Mathematics and Secondary Education Degree up until it was time for me to begin student teaching.  Before that semester, I found out that my education advisor messed up my schedule and I wasn't going to graduate on time because of it.  I wanted and needed to graduate on time, so I dropped the Secondary Ed Major and graduated with a Mathematics BA Degree.  After graduating, I became K-12 Math Certified via alternate route.

My first job with my degree was in February of 2012 as a part-time aide at an Elementary School.  I finished that year and was told I had the same aide position for the next year (and yes, I did spend that whole summer looking for a full time position as a teacher).  After being an aide for a year and a half,  I was then given my first teaching position at the same Elementary School as a BSI Math Teacher for grades K-5 (this was a maternity leave).  I loved it.  I loved that school, the staff, the students, and the parents.  But, in February of that year, the Principal gave me warning that he could not keep me because he was told to downsize on the number of teachers he had.  I applied, applied, and applied from February through the Summer.  Just when I thought I was going to be unemployed, I got word form my previous Instructional Supervisor of a Middle School BSI Math opening .  I quickly sent out my information that day.  The very next day, I was called in for an interview.  I found out I got the jo, immediately after the interview.  It is still just part-time, but still THE BEST FEELING OF RELIEF EVER!!!!  I wasn't unemployed and I was going to continue doing something that I love.

So, here I am now... five months into this position and on this snow day,  thinking about writing a REAL blog.  What do I mean about a REAL Blog?  Well, I said in the beginning that I have tried blogging before in college and it really never stuck with me.  And now, I have a blog for the Provisional Teacher Program I'm attending, but that one is more like homework assignments (fun, right?)  I have tried to keep a reflection journal like most new teachers should, but I couldn't keep up with it.  It got boring.  I think it was that I didn't really like writing to just myself.  I would rather share my experiences with others.  But why didn't I like it in college?  I have realized, it was that it was homework.  I was given the topic of my posts.  Now, with this blog, these posts will be about what I want it to be about and/or what my followers want it to be about.

So, I leave you with this... I am very excited to post and share all my ideas, experiences, and maybe even some of my struggles.  And can't wait to post again.