Just a thought

+JMJ

So I've been thinking.

I follow alot of blogs. Teacher blogs. I love freebies as much as the next teacher, but when is it too much? As a teacher in year round school and gearing up for the new year, I've wanted ideas. I've wanted what everyone has been reading, professional development, a new book, a new poem.

However, lately, it's been crazy. Especially on Facebook. I follow teacher pages there too.

I've just come to the conclusion that I want more as an educator. I don't want to jump through a million hoops in HOPE of getting a prize with a company that gave it to the teacher. (which is kind, but is it really? It's a marketing ploy)

I just feel that they have become more of commercial city and more spam on my FB feed and updates. What they use, flash freebies within the hour, or half hour, where I can buy stuff and that's fine, I just want more from my teacher bloggers. I want more from me, because frankly, I'm guilty too. There IS a store that I will promote in a future post, (I won't spam) only because the store keeps no profit for itself, and a percentage of what I sell there goes to a literacy fund for teachers and their students! I LOVE promoting literacy and this is SUCH a great cause.

So with that in mind, the change begins with me. I want to share ideas. I won't advertise products, but I will share a good book for your classroom. I want to share books, literacy, math games, science ideas, etc.  Also, recently, a Top Seller at TpT completely shocked me by sending me harassing emails for a "perceived" negative comment on a top selling item. I reported her. The "team" at TpT agreed with me, but basically, left me without a clue if they were going to bring it to her attention. (I mean, TpT is a business, I just thought teachers were first) I'm left with thinking that I've got to change ME. I can't change TpT policy to protect customers from Top Sellers that are cyber bullies who bring in huge revenue, nor can I change teacher bloggers to share ideas than items I have to buy. I can be the change I wish to see in the world.

So with that in mind, this year will be a good year. A year of change. I want to share what I'm doing in the classroom without making you feel like you have to buy something from my store. I LOVE LOVE LOVE when a teacher posts about what she found at a dollar store and how she used it. I LOVE how a teacher shows her anchor charts and ideas. Or when a teacher shares an article from the International Reading Association, or LIKE THIS. I'd say that is what teacher friends would do, wouldn't you? And I want to be a teacher friend, not a salesman.

I hope to accomplish that!

Keep Calm and Teach On!