Kid Lit Book Review – Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the School Dentist by Katie Melko

Ever been scared to do something for the first time…especially if that thing is going to the dentist?  Heck, some adults (myself included) still get nervous going to the dentist.  That fear, and overcoming that fear, is the theme of the book, Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the School Dentist by Katie Melko.

Overview

This book is a fun and fanciful read about a dog, Roxy, who is afraid to go to the dentist.  Her brother, Mason, does not help matters by teasing her about how awful it will be.  After worrying about it all week and trying to find excuses to skip out on the dentist, the day finally comes and Roxy finds out that there was never really anything to be afraid of in the first place.

Outstanding Points

The first thing that I noticed was that all the characters in the book had traditional “pet” names.  There was names like Roxy, Mason, Jasmine, and Harley. (No offense intended for any humans who happen to also have those names).  I thought that those names helped bridge the gap of making personification truly believable.

The illustrations were also very well done.  The book is visually pleasing with the illustrations being full and engaging without looking cluttered.  The characters are believable and expressive.

The plot is just long enough to fill the book without feeling likes it’s banal and overbearing.  I think that children will relate to each situation that Roxy is in and in turn engage with the book and story.

Discussion and Teaching Points

This book is perfect for all sorts of discussion and teaching points.

First, the message that is so obvious to adults is something that makes for good conversation points with children.  Parents/guardians who may be sending their children to school for the first time can talk about how Roxy was scared but there was really no reason to be afraid at all.  Parents/guardians who are encouraging their children to try something new can talk about how new things can be really positive if you can overcome the initial fear of things.

From a teaching standpoint, there are so many fun cross curricular  connections you can make.

In social studies, you could incorporate this book into something like Ruby Bridges.  Talk about how if we’re scared, like Roxy, of doing small things like going to the dentist, imagine how much more courage it took for her to do what she did.  Have students talk about some times in life when they’ve been scared to try something new and how those things turned out when they finally tried them.

TEETH! Lots of things have teeth!  My mind is literally exploding with all the science lessons you could teach on different animal teeth.  Talk about how each animal’s teeth coincide with their diet.  Incorporate the key words herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore.  After studying several examples, you could show just the animals’ teeth and have them first guess the animals’ diets, and then try to guess which animal each set of teeth belongs to.

Overall, I found this book to be really delightful.  I enjoyed it from start to finish.  It’S a great book for children from probably 3 until 7.

The author, Katie Melko, was kind enough to take the time to do an interview with me about her book.  Please keep reading.

Hi Katie!  First, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview as part of the book review process.  I think that it adds so much to the book to be able to hear some of the things that the author has to say about his/her own book.  

ES – So first, let’s just talk about your book.  Tell us the story behind the story. Where, when, and how did you get the idea/inspiration for a story about a dog who is scared to go to the dentist for the first time?  I assume it probably has something to do with your profession as a dental hygienist?

KM –  Yes, so I’ve worked in public health as an RDH for 10 years, treating children in schools, churchs, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. The inspiration for the story came from those children that I treated and seeing how scared they were. I wrote this book almost three years ago now and put it away and didn’t take it back out until September of 2017, when my dog Roxy passed away. It was then that I decided to honor her life forever by keeping her alive in pages of children’s books for all to share.

ES – How long was the writing/editing process for you?  From the day you finished the first draft to the day the book launched officially, how long?

KM – Well, from the time I took it back out after it sat for over a year. I took a little over a year from that moment to getting the first print in my hand. I had to really push myself to believe in the journey and step out of my comfort zone to do this project.

ES – What does the writing process look like for you?  Do you bring in other people in the editing process or just step away from the book for a couple days then come back and reread it with fresh eyes to see what needs tweaked?

KM – So I write the story, let it sit for a week or so, reread it and tweak. Then repeat probably two more times before sending it to an editor.

ES – One thing that I loved was that all the characters in the book had names that would be considered good “pet names.”  Roxy, Harley, Jasmine, Luna, etc. Where did those come from/

KM – All of the pet names in the book, are actual pets in my life. Roxy, Noel and Mason are my dogs. Luna is my brothers. Jasmine was my family dog growing up. Harley was my aunts dog. Astoria is my cousins cat. They all have a meaning in my real life.

ES – So, your bio says that you also founded a publishing company, 12 Paws Publishing.  Can you tell me more about that?

KM –  I started 12 Paws Publishing, LLC in December of 2018. I wanted to build a business for my self published work. The name came from my three dogs (12 paws) and the logo looks like a yellow labrador (just like my rescue pups).

ES – Can you tell me a little about the process of finding your illustrator.  Who is she? How did you find her?

KM – Roksana Oslizio is my illustrator and see lives in England! I found her on a facebook group for children’s authors and illustrators and fell in LOVE with her work!

ES – Has it been difficult working with someone who lives on a different continent?  How have you been able to work through those obstacles?

KM – It has honestly been very easy, she is super quick with responding, we communicate via facebook messenger and dropbox! She is an absolutely pleasure to work with and love her work!

ES –  From the outside, it seems as if you have about a hundred different things you do in life right now? Does that ever get exhausting/

KM – I’m very busy, yes! But I love it, and by doing so many different things, I have finally found my passion which is public health dental and creative writing!

ES – Do you ever picture yourself stepping away from the dental hygiene profession and being a full-time author?

KM – This is my big dream, I would love to do this in the future! The main reason I work so hard, I also started writing romance novels! My first one will be out soon hopefully!

ES – Your website says that there is a second book in the works.  Can you tell me a little bit more about that?

KM – Yes! Paw Elementary: Roxy’s Adventure to the Hair Salon

The book walks you through Roxy’s fear of getting her hair trimmed for the first time. She talks to her friends and family about getting her hair trimmed at Honey Bear’s birthday party and why she is just so scared!

ES – Where can people find you, your books, etc.?  Do you have a Twitter, IG, or FB page?

KM – People can purchase my book on my website www.12pawspub.com/shop and follow me on IG, Twitter, FaceBook, and Pinterest @12pawspubllc

The kindle or e-book version is also available on https://www.amazon.com/Paw-Elementary-Adventure-School-Dentist-ebook/dp/B07NFC7C43/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1_sspa?crid=2Z2LNA3TYXAXL&keywords=paw+elementary+roxy+adventure&qid=1557931790&s=gateway&sprefix=paw+elementary+rox%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&psc=1

Teacher Interview Mrs. Calaiacovo

There are a few people in my life who I credit with helping to shape me into who I am today.  I had the pleasure of interviewing one of them, Mrs. Calaiacovo.  She was my Spanish teacher during my junior year at Medina High School.  She is one of the reasons I ended up going to college to become a teacher in the first place.  I really enjoy some the perspective that she brings as a veteran teacher.  Up until now, most of my interviews have been with teachers who are relatively young in their teaching careers.  I hope you enjoy Mrs. Calaiaovo’s wisdom as much as I did.

Erik – Can you give us a history of your teaching experience? Where have you worked and for how long?  What you have taught?

L.C. – In 1993 after graduating from Toledo I taught at Medina Jr. High/Claggett Middle School for 5 years teaching Language Arts and Spanish.  In 1998 I moved to Medina High School and have taught Spanish here since. Levels 1-3.

Erik – What is your favorite class that you have ever taught?

L.C. – I love teaching Spanish III.  The kids know enough vocabulary that I can stay in the target language most of the time and we still teach Destinos, the Spanish soap opera.  I like to teach grammar using “real world” situations from the drama to make it more meaningful for the kids.

Erik – Most of the teachers that I have interviewed so far have been very new to the profession.  I’m excited to get the perspective of someone who has been doing it for a little bit longer. How do you keep things fresh year to year?  What keeps you motivated?

L.C. – I never think that what I do is perfect; I always think there is room for improvement.  How to get more repetitions, how to be more efficient, how to make things more engaging. That is what keeps me motivated:  always striving to be better than the year before. Sometimes I get sick of teaching the same thing year after year so I try to change things up so it does not sound “tired” to my students.  

Erik – Aside from the obviously stellar class of 2006, are there any students or years in general that are extremely memorable to you?

L.C. – Of course!  We all have our favorite students.  My favorites are the ones I really connected with and could talk to, and were not always stellar students.  They were the fun kids who made class enjoyable. They were the ones who were energetic. Facebook is a great way to follow students who have graduated to see the amazing lives they lead.  After 25 years of teaching some of my students have kids that are now in the school system here at Medina!

Erik – What are some of the craziest things that you’ve witnessed?

L.C. – Crazy to me is simply not caring.  The crazy thing is that if kids would just put forth a little effort, they could do well.  I don’t understand kids who don’t value an education, but I think a lot of that comes from home.  

But I know you want bizarre:  so a 7th grader picked up a desk and threw it across the room.  I had a tile floor so it slid all the way across the room to the wall.  He was angry about something silly. By the way he was in jail before he graduated from high school.  

Erik – Aside from teaching, what other things are you involved in at the school?

L.C. – I am super involved in Student Council.  It consumes my life! I have a passion for leadership training for teens and love working on projects with the kids.  I have evolved StuCo into more of a service learning organization which has kept things new and exciting for me. I travel with my StuCo kids and take them to leadership workshops to help them with their leadership skills.  I probably spend more time during the week doing StuCo things than Spanish things, and I spend a lot of time preparing for Spanish classes!

Erik – What things do you do outside of school?

L.C. – My favorite sport is volleyball and I play indoor and sand.  I love doing classes at the rec center, walking, running, biking and spending time with my family and friends.  I am not a TV watcher and rarely sit. I like to be out and moving.

Erik – One of the things you told me when I first started teaching was that sometimes you just have to “Close the door and teach.” It’s some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten.  Can you elaborate on it? What are some of the specific ways that has applied to you over the years?

L.C. – There will always be distractions.  The state expects so much, the district, your department, your principal, that it seems sometimes they all forget that we are here to teach kids.  It is important to be able to shut out the drama and distractions and focus on your students and just work with them without being preoccupied with the other million expectations.  My main job is to teach students Spanish. They don’t have to love Spanish, but I do expect them to try to learn. They know when a teacher is not “all in” and then they don’t put forth the effort.  

Some times of year are harder than others.  I try to remember when I have 97 things going on that I just need to close my door and teach and forget everything else for that 43 minutes.

Erik – With summer fast approaching (Well…fastish), do you have any big plans?

L.C. – I am taking a group of students (StuCo and Spanish) to the Dominican Republic for a service trip.  We will be doing eco-tourism projects in the middle of the island. We were there in 2014 and I am excited to go back.  My family will also be going to Ireland, a trip we have always wanted to take. My son graduates in May so we have all the grad festivities and parties.  Volleyball and lots of working out, working on projects around the house and spending time with family will make a fast summer! I try to work on some school stuff a few days a week as well.

Erik – There are times when teaching is a simply exhausting profession.  Aside from “Close your door and teach.” is there any other advice that you would give to a first year teacher?

L.C. – Time management is huge to me.  As teachers we are pulled in so many directions and it can be overwhelming to try to keep up with it all.  I don’t waste a minute. While my kids are working on their bell ringers/warm up activities, I do attendance, talk to kids that were absent the day before, grade a couple tests, answer an email.  If we do a book exercise I tell the kids they have 90 seconds or 2 minutes, or whatever time I think it should take, then we go over it and move on. 43 minute periods can go by quickly and it is hard to teach everything without using all the time.  Kids stay engaged when there is no time for chatting or waiting around. This also cuts down on discipline issues, which I think is a huge hurdle for first year teachers. Kids don’t have time to fool around because we constantly move from one activity to the next.  Also, I try not to do any activity for too long so kids don’t get bored. 5-7 activities per class period keeps it fresh and makes time fly!

Erik – Do you remember any teachers in your life that made huge impressions or had a major impact?

L.C. – I had a speech teacher in high school that I just loved and she is the reason I majored in English/Speech.  She was kind, understanding, fair and fun. I think we remember teachers who made us feel good, but we don’t necessarily remember their curriculum and lessons!

Teacher Interview – Ellyn Lykins

Hey Everyone!  So it’s been almost two weeks since I last posted on here.  The reason for that is that we’re now in the middle of something known as testing season.  Theologically, I’m not sure what I believe about the concept of purgatory.  However, if there is such a place, then any teacher sent there will spend their time doing nothing but proctoring standardized tests until they have received penance for their sins…or until 85% of the class has tested at a proficient level. Either way, it can be as soul draining as it is time consuming.  However, in the midst of all that, Ellyn Lykins took the time to be the subject of the next teacher interview.  I found her responses to the questions to be thoughtful, heartfelt, and passionate.  I want to start by thanking her so much for spending her precious time doing this.  Enjoy this insight into an amazing and passionate teacher.

Erik – First of all, thanks so much for taking the time to do this.  I know that now we’re in the middle of testing season (an unfortunate reality for us these days) and you’re probably really busy but it means a lot.

Erik – Can you start by just giving a history of your teaching experience?  Like where you’ve worked and in what grades?

Ellyn – For one year after college, I worked for Americorps as a literacy program specialist and tutor in neighborhood centers on the East side of Cleveland. During that time, I worked with mostly elementary and middle school students. The next year, I worked as a high school English teacher in a private school serving 9th-12th grade students with Autism. Currently, I am teaching 7th-grade language arts for my fourth year at Visintainer Middle School in Brunswick. I’ve liked working with all age groups for different reasons, but 7th graders are especially awesome!

Erik – Do you have any plans for the rest of your career?  Do you plan to continue teaching or do you think you might want to go into admin at some point?

Ellyn – As of this year, I cannot see myself working in a setting that doesn’t involve being in the classroom and working directly with students. I have considered going back to get a license in administration, but I cannot honestly imagine being a principal. It seems really stressful, and I don’t think I’d sleep at night. Plus, I feel most fulfilled when I’m teaching; time is irrelevant when I’m in the middle of a good lesson.

Erik – What inspired you to be a teacher in the first place?  Is there any kind of a story there?

Ellyn – There is no “aha” moment for me. I can’t say that teaching was something I knew I was going to do growing up. Most of teenage years, I wanted to become a hairstylist. When I started at OU, I declared my major to be East Asian Studies. Sometime during my sophomore year, I decided to take a teaching course, then soon chose to teach English because it seemed like the best option. I’m not really sure why I chose to pursue teaching, but I do remember thinking many of my teachers growing up were the happiest adults. They were people I wanted to emulate.

Erik – Who were some of the teachers that really had an impact on your life when you were in school?  Why do you think they had that impact?

Ellyn – Elaine Taylor was my art teacher at Medina High School. I am friends with her on Facebook now, so she may see this! I always wanted to be in her classroom. Even if I had a study hall, I would find a way to spend it in her room working on my art projects. It was my happy place. She created an environment that was warm and comfortable; I felt like I could be myself. Likewise, Pat Werger, my art teacher from A.I. Root Middle School, was incredible. I remember thinking of her as my teacher but also thinking she was the coolest adult ever. She had so many interests that she shared with us, and she embraced everyone’s weirdness. I always wanted to be in her classroom, too. If I wasn’t a language arts teacher, I’d want to be an art teacher. I also remember my 7th-grade team of teachers at A.I. Root Middle School. The teachers were fun and energetic, but more importantly, they seemed to really like being at school everyday. It was my favorite year of school. Oddly enough, I am now a 7th-grade teacher, and I hope my students think that I like being at school!

Erik – What are some of your best memories as a teacher so far?  Are there any students you’ve had that stand out specifically?

Ellyn – I will never forget the students that I worked with at the school for Autism. That was my first year with my own classroom, and I only had 14 students, so I got to know them all very well. Many of the students had been removed from their home school districts. The school was– in a sense– a last resort for them. They needed supportive adults in their lives so badly, and I wanted to support them in every way I could. During my time at Visintainer Middle School, I have had so many experiences with students that I will cherish forever. Language arts is a special subject to teach because I get to talk about so many interesting aspects of life with students all the time. This year will be memorable to me; it is the first year I have really slowed down enough to enjoy the little moments with the kids. In previous years, I was working on (and stressing over) many new teacher requirements. Now I realize that I’m helping kids grow up which is an awesome privilege, and I have to treasure it!

Erik – We’re now about six weeks away from summer break.  Any big plans?

Ellyn – Usually over summer break, I take on extra jobs (tutoring, babysitting, etc). This is the first year I will not be doing that! I am very excited to be going on a trip to Norway with my husband, my brother, and sister-in-law at the beginning of June. I am also signed up to take tennis lessons! My goal is to master the art of relaxing more so than I have in the past. Last summer (and pretty much my whole life), I have constantly felt the need to be busy. To encourage myself to relax, I’m going to buy a hammock.

Erik – I’ve found a lot of times that teachers always have a lot of side projects going on like writing, art, music, crafting, being a teacher-author on teacherspayteachers.com, etc.  Do you have any of those?

Ellyn – At the moment, I don’t have any side projects going on other than trip planning. I would consider that a hobby. I have written and shared pieces of writing a few times in the past, and it is something that I’d like to keep doing. I’ve also done some freelance editing. Writing is definitely a passion for me. You also mentioned teacherspayteachers.com. I have thought about submitting curriculum materials to the website many times. I think this summer I may submit a few! Why not?

Interview with Doug Hoover

Hey Everyone!  Welcome to my first ever attempt at an interview.  I chose one of my favorite teaching peers of all time to interview, Doug Hoover.  We worked together for three years at Horizon Science Academy Denison Elementary.  The interview was conducted over several days via a Google Doc.  I shared with him the initial questions and he answered them and then I followed up with some more questions to try to give it the feel of a face to face interview even though it was conducted entirely online.  Hope you enjoy getting some insight into the life of another teacher.  If you have any suggestions for questions to ask in future interviews, please leave them in the comments section or via the contact page.  Thanks for reading!

Erik – So, can you start by just giving us a history of your teaching career?

Doug – I am in my 9th year of teaching P.E.! My first 3 years of teaching, I was part-time at two different private elementary schools located on the opposite sides of Parma, Ohio. The next 3 years of teaching I was at a Charter school in Cleveland, Ohio (Horizon Science Academy…with you!). The past 3 years, I have been teaching Elementary P.E. in Lorain City Schools. This is just my official PE teaching. I have been doing summer camps/sports camps for probably close to 12 years.

Erik – So all nine years teaching at the elementary level.  Do you ever envision moving to middle or high school?  Is that something you think you would like to do at some point?

Doug – I’m not sure to be honest…if I HAD to, I definitely would, but I really enjoy the elementary level kids. Most of them are excitable and want to be there. I could see myself being a lifer at the elementary level.

Erik – What led you to be a teacher in the first place?

Doug – I enjoyed being around kids and wanting to help them make good decisions. I liked being able to teach them how to do things. Not saying that I am good at all those things by any means, but I am more skilled than a young child so I feel like I could do some good! Going through school, I enjoyed PE and being able to get my energy out and learn how to do cool things (and ride on scooters and play with the parachute of course). I had pretty good relationships with the teachers I had and liked most of them… I will admit, that most of the time, I was that kid trying to do the right thing and be helpful whenever I could. If I could help leave this world a more positive place because I was able to influence some kids in a good way, than I wanted to do it.

Erik – Have you ever thought about leaving teaching for another vocation?

Doug – There are bits and pieces of me that every once in a while pop up and think about, what if I had gone into a trade or some more construction. I do enjoy the work, but I don’t think it would ever be enough to leave teaching. I work in the summers as a director of a summer camp and if I were to change anything, I would test the water in the summer with something different. I do really like working at the summer camp too though.

Erik – Does it bother you when people call it “Gym Class” and not “Physical Education”?

I’m kind of split…to me, it all depends on the demeanor of the person saying it, and honestly, the age. If it is an older person/teacher, to them, it was “Gym class” and I guess old habits are hard to break. When someone calls it “Gym Class” in a bad way, like it’s just recess, or they think that I just supervise kids playing dodgeball…yes, it does bother me. I have learned to thank and emphasize when teachers and students refer to it as PE, and subtly correct those who call it “Gym.” For example, if a teacher says (and I am around to hear it) “When you’re done with gym, I want to hear a good report.” I would say something (to the kids when the teacher can hear it) like “After PE, I hope that I can give your teacher a good report.” I obviously always use the term PE, or Physical Education/Phys, Ed. but I do not flip out on people when they say “gym class.” It does bother me when PE teachers call it “gym class” though. Have some respect for your own professions. Although, I do believe that the final wave of PE teachers that just roll out the ball, will soon be all the way out the door.

Erik – As a fellow bald man, I catch a lot of flack from kids about my hairline.  Do you get the same?  Does it bother you?

Doug – Initially, I did get some flack, but that was right at the end of college/graduation. I quickly learned to embrace it and I just keep my hair buzzed. It’s second nature now and I am fully willing to put my baldness out there. I make fun of myself for it or when my hair gets a little long, the kids start to notice and they ask why I keep it short all the time. I bend over a little bit and show them the horseshoe pattern on my head and say my hair is thin and non-existent. The soon realize it. Recently over Christmas break, I decided to not shave. I’m personally still undecided on it, but the kids at school are pretty split. I think that the one’s that like it, or say they like it are just being nice. Then there are those kids that almost every day say… “You need to shave. That looks bad.

Erik – I’ve always said that if you want an honest unadulterated opinion of yourself, ask a first grader. Have you ever been seriously offended by something a student said to you?

Doug – Not that I can remember. If a kid insults me or my class, or the school. I know they are just upset about something and don’t know how to truly express it other than by throwing out insults. I usually just ignore it or shrug it off.

Erik – What are some of the best memories you have of teaching?

Doug – Throughout the years, there have been a lot of kids that have impacted my life through teachable moments. Along with that, there have been several events and moments during class that will forever be engraved in my mind. The culture shock of the first few classes of teaching some kids and seeing their behaviors and saying “I gotta use it”…knowing what they meant, I would say…”Use what?!” Eventually, after them saying “IT!” over and over again, I kindly correct them, using correct grammar. Most of the students got it quickly because I wouldn’t let them go if they didn’t ask correctly. Making up handshakes with kids, building relationships with them and joking around with them was really awesome. Knowing that I could see a kid in the hallway and connect with them and help them figure out why they were in trouble and work with them to make better choices was great. Specifically, there was a crazy time that I won’t forget…It wasn’t a best memory, but one that will last. It was the 2nd week of school during my first year at Horizon Science Academy. And for those of you that aren’t aware, the Gym was in a separate building in the lower level…it was big which was great, but it had that musty dungeon type feel to it. We were playing a game where students were working on locomotor skills with music and quickly and quietly finding a hula hoop to go in, or share with a partner, when I stopped the music. 2nd round of playing (Kindergarten I believe…maybe 1st grade), there was a student named Ivrionna. She took of sprinting for a green hula hoop and there was a student standing looking for a hula hoop. Ivrionna saw him and dodged him, but did not see a second student running in a perpendicular path and WHAMMM! She immediately goes down screaming! I knew it was bad, but as always, you have to keep your cool. I went over to her and asked her where she was hurt and she looked up to me holding her hand under her mouth which was full of blood and her upper lip was split wide open and blood was pouring out! I immediately ran to the old kitchen that was connected to the gym where I kept my gloves, etc and ran with paper towels back to her. God bless the kids in the class at the time, because they all stayed away and were calm because they knew I had to handle the bloody mess. I had her hold the paper towel on her lip and I called over to the school to send someone over to get her. A couple minutes passed and no one came, so I sent her with a trusted student to the office. I stayed on the phone with the secretary who was watching them come from the gym to the office until she told me they were with her. It was a crazy moment, but one that I won’t forget! Not sure if that was the kind of “best memory” you were looking for, but for the more traditional “best memory” I would say that there were several of those “Yes, I got it!” moments with kids working on certain skills that would get overly frustrated, but were determined to get it. I even worked with some of them during my lunch to give them extra time because they didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of their classmates. It is pure joy when a student achieves something they didn’t even believe they could do themselves. I have a 4th grade student whom is reserved and timid, English is their second language and they are not very coordinated. It was actually this week that we were working with long jump ropes and jumping in while the rope was spinning. I could tell this student was never going to try it on her own. I watched to see what her groupmates were doing, and they tried encouraging her, but she kept standing quietly away from her group. I came along side of her and said to her, “Pretty scary, huh?” She nodded her head and I assured her that I would come along side of her and help her time it up and I would pat her on the back when it was time to follow the jump rope in and then jump. She hesitantly agreed and God Bless the kids in the group who were so patient with her. The kids started spinning the rope nice and slow and really big so she had a huge window of opportunity. I stood next to her…”1…2…3…Go!” I gave her that pat on the back and she trustingly went for it, and she nailed it! She ran in and jumped over the jump rope twice and was elated! The biggest smile I have ever seen on this girl and her group mates immediately came over and congratulated her…made my day!

Erik – I remember Ivrionna!  She was a kindergartener in Mrs. Turner’s class I believe.  Tiny little girl with a big voice. Do moments like that make it all worth it for you?  Is it hard to get through the stress of the day to day to make it to those times?

Doug – Moments like that do make the more stressful moments worth it. Although, you never know when those moments may come. Sometimes, it takes a while and it gets rough. My family is truly what makes everything worth it. Knowing that I’m providing for my family enables me to really put up with anything.

Erik – What do you do aside from teaching?

Doug – I am a husband of almost 9 years to an amazing wife and mother, and I am a father of two incredible boys (3 &1/2, and 11 months). I have a long commute to work, so during the school year, I pretty much come home and play with my boys then hang out with my bride then go to bed. During breaks or on weekends, I am an occasional runner, and I enjoy working with my hands. Not saying I’m great, but I like to do woodworking and help family members with projects or building things. That takes up most of my time, and I love it. I will also throw out there that I do enjoy spending time with my friends. I don’t keep in contact with friends from High School, but I made the best friends of my life during college (and a couple throughout my working career). I put a strong emphasis on being intentional with those relationships whether it’s through text or phone calls. It’s one of those situations where you haven’t hung out for a long time but never missed a beat sort of thing.

Thank you for interviewing me and including me in your new endeavor!