True Heroes
World Teachers’ Day!
Happy World Teachers’ Day
from California Casualty!
The Fun Stuff: Giveaway Winners!
Here at California Casualty, we care about
the fun stuff.
We know auto and home insurance isn’t anybody’s absolute favorite thing to talk about. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have some fun around here. For me, the most entertaining part of my job is…
announcing the winners of our giveaways!
No matter what we are giving away, no matter who wins, no matter where they live… it’s always a blast.
They’re also excited.
They’re always surprised.
And they’re always so grateful.
(Which is slightly ironic, considering our giveaways reward people who truly deserve it and are our way of saying thanks to them.)
We’ve recently announced the winners of TWO giveaways: Our “Work Hard, Play Hard” Polaris ATV and Our School Lounge Makeover.
The winner of our Polaris ATV is a very deserving volunteer paramedic and EMS instructor named Ellie Piatt of Huber Heights, Ohio.
Congratulations, Ellie!
When we headed to Ohio to surprise Ellie at a department meeting, we learned she’d never even so much as sat on an ATV before! But that didn’t seem to curb her excitement. Ellie says she plans to use the $10,000 ATV to help her Bethel Township Fire Department better help the community.
Ellie, The Bethel Township Fire Department, and member of the California Casualty team all posing with the Polaris ATV
An extremely selfless volunteer paramedic!? I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised. But the genuine bigheartedness of the people we work with is always the biggest reminder of why we work so hard to protect these American Heroes.
Congratulations, Ellie, and thanks for continuing to volunteer your time, talents, and treasures to your community.
As if that wasn’t rewarding enough…
We also revealed our most recently completed School Lounge Makeover!
This time, we had the pleasure of working with EON Designs to remodel the Teachers Lounge at Tusky Valley High School. (Tusky Valley is also in Ohio, what a coincidence!)
I had the pleasure of going out to TVHS in May to help surprise our winning teacher.
Kelly Gulling is a highly regarded and much beloved Chemistry and Physics teacher.
Congratulations, Kelly!
For the last 3 months, the EON Design team has been working hard to give the TVHS Teaching Team the Teachers Lounge they deserve. One with chairs that don’t break when you sit in them, enough space for everyone to enjoy the space, and a decor that is relaxing and soothing.
So here’s what the lounge looked like before the School Lounge Makeover…
On Tuesday, we revealed the newly made-over TVHS School Lounge!
Are you ready for this?!…
Doesn’t it look fantastic!? I really love the color…
And here’s Kelly, our winner, in the Lounge with her local Union President (far left) and the Principal at TVHS (far right).
I can’t tell you guys how great it was to see the Before and After of this School Lounge Makeover. The entire community at Tusky Valley High School was a pleasure to meet!
We hope you guys have a rockin new school year in your new lounge! Thanks for letting us get to know your community and reward your educators for everything they do.
Are you an Educator? Could your School Lounge use a Makeover? We are giving away TWO $7500 Makeovers next year! Click here to enter your school for your chance to win one!
A Special Kind of Class: A TOP Education Blog
Part of the beauty of the blog world is the opportunity to bring people together, to help facilitate the sharing of ideas and resources.
This is especially true among our Education bloggers. While our Police, Fire and EMT, and Nurse bloggers also share resources and mostly support, educators love to share actual lesson plans, teaching ideas, and other day-to-day resources.
And the blog world is the perfect place to bring teachers who all teach a specific grade level or specific class together to really target the sharing.
This is especially true of today’s blog: An education blog about Special Education.
Today’s TOP EDUCATION BLOG is…
A Special Kind of Class.
Amanda from A Special Kind of Class is a Special Ed Teacher and rockstar blogger.
Not only does Amanda have awesome experience-driven tips for special ed teachers, but she also has great general teaching ideas and resources for all educators (like adorable Father’s Day presents).
And she catalogs it all with great pictures.
Like most of our Battle of the Bloggers, Amanda’s blog is a testament to her multi-tasking skills. She participates in Book Clubs with other bloggers and maintains a great TeachersPayTeachers site where you can buy some of her original teaching resources.
Want to know more about A Special Kind of Class? Here’s our Q&A with Amanda:
How would you describe your blog? It’s a blog about the life of a special education teacher.
What is the focus of A Special Kind of Class? I hope to give tips to teachers for working with special needs students. All the products I made can be adapted and I show how I do it.
Why did you first start it? There were not a lot of special education blogs out at the time. I didn’t have anywhere to go to for teaching ideas for my population so I thought I would write it myself.
How long have you been blogging? Just over a year.
What’s your favorite thing to write about? Adaptations I make.
How would you describe your blog ‘community’? I am surrounded by a group of other teacher bloggers that are wonderful in supporting others that are just starting out. They welcome everyone, share tips etc.
What has been your best experience as a blogger? Finding other teachers with classes like mine that want to share and learn for each other.
What have you learned? That I’m not alone teaching the children that I’m teaching.
If you win Battle of the Blogs, to which charity will you donate your $200 winnings and why? The Starlight Foundation because they grant wishes to families and children with disabilities.
Is there anywhere else on the web we can keep up with you? Yes, Facebook.
Want to check out some of the tips on A Special Kind of Class? Click here! To vote for your favorite education blog, click here!
Drape’s Takes: A Top Education Blog!
When I’m not busy finding, reading and writing blog posts, I also love to interact with our network of teachers on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
And recently I’ve noticed a topic of conversation that comes up over and over again– no matter which social media site teachers are using to interact.
Education and Technology.
As we transition into a world of smart phones, tablets, and social media, teachers are doing what they do best: learning about it. They are then taking what they learn and applying it to the classroom. And best of all?
They are helping each other adapt. They are all learning and teaching technology together.
Sharing their pins, retweeting advice, blogging their experiences.
It is such a cool process to watch.
So today, I am so excited to profile a blog that specializes in the Education Technology world. Today’s TOP EDUCATION Blog is…
Drape’s Takes.
This is Darren Draper. The man behind the blog.
Darren Draper is a Director of Education Technology.
And he asks this question:
His answer?! It doesn’t. His blog talks about how to use technology to make school interesting, fun and engaging.
Or, as he says:
So we caught up with Darren to learn MORE about Drape’s Takes. Here’s what he had to say:
How would you describe your blog? My takes on items of interest in the world of educational technology.
What is the focus or mission of Drape’s Takes? I focus on that place where education and technology collide – and what happens when it does or doesn’t.
Why did you start it? I started it as a personal space for reflection.
How long have you been writing Drape’s Takes? Since 2007.
What’s your favorite thing to write about? Controversial topics where I know I’m probably in the minority.
Do you have a least favorite? Technology tools.
Tell us a little bit about your blog ‘community’ … I love getting comments from people I’ve not yet met – that really make me think and consider the world through a new lens.
What has been your best experience as a blogger? Thinking deeply with others I’ve never met.
What have you learned? I’ve learned that most people that comment on my blog are earnestly looking for truth.
If you win Battle of the Blogs, to which charity will you donate your $200 winnings and why? Canyons Education Foundation because they provide scholarships to students and technology grants to teachers.
So, want to hear some of Drape’s Takes on all things education and technology? Check out his blog HERE! Then, go vote for your favorite education blog here!
Mrs. Wills Kindergarten: A Top Education Blog!
What is it about Kindergarten teachers that make them such outstanding bloggers!?
Today we are profiling another magnificent Kindergarten blog: Mrs. Wills Kindergarten!
If you are looking for an elementary school blog with fantastic (and super creative!) resources, Mrs. Wills Kindergarten is a MUST SEE blog!
And the blogger behind the blog, Deedee Wills, is a rock star.
Not only is she a fun, interactive blogger, but she is also working on a web site that helps teachers find the right books for their teaching ideas, organizes web-based teacher book studies, and is constantly updating the blog with great book ideas and giveaways.
Phew!
Luckily, Mrs. Wills did manage to find a little time between all this multitasking to talk to us a little bit about her blog and her experience as a Kindergarten blogger!
Deedee, how would you describe your blog?
My blog is about the daily happenings in my kindergarten classroom. I share lesson ideas and hopefully inspire teachers to try new things in their classroom. I also can connect with teachers around the world. Blogging helps me be even MORE reflective in my teaching… as a result, my students win.
What do you aim to accomplish with ‘Mrs. Wills Kindergarten’?
To share and connect with other teachers, particularly primary teachers.
Is this your first blog?
Yes.
When did you launch it?
January 2011
Do you have any favorite or least favorite topics?
Favorite: student writing!!!! Least favorite: promotional items.
(I have to step in here and say that Mrs. Wills has a fantastic post about student writing that I just love. It’s about the class pet, Miss Theodora, and you can find it here!)
Tell us a little bit about your blog ‘community’…
My blogging community is awesome! There are so many bloggers that make me laugh out loud… goodness! In the world of teaching we often shut the door and work with little kiddos. We sometimes can work closely with teaching peers in our building, but everyone is busy. In the blogging world, everyone’s door is wide open. You can look inside of 15 classrooms in less than 5 minutes. It helps you gauge if you are on track with your instruction or if you need to kick it up a notch. You can see the possibilities. Anyone who says that teaching is no longer fun, needs to sit down and see how amazingly joyful it can be.
What has been your best experience as a blogger?
Last summer I led a blog book study on Math Work Stations. GOODNESS! I created Linky parties and asked other bloggers to help host various chapters. We had K-2 bloggers represented and it was amazing. We were able to share resources and see the vertical alignment of instructions. It was incredible! I am getting ready to do the same thing with a book based on writing instruction. We are VERY excited! You can read about last summer’s here: Math Work Stations Chapter 1 and 2 This summer’s here: In Pictures and in Words.
What have you learned from the blogging experience?
There is more than one way to bake a cake! There are many ways to inspire and teach children. When we share our perspectives, children win.
There is no such thing as a dumb question. I have had first year teachers email me and say, “This may seem like a silly question, but…” My feeling is that we were all new once and someone helped me. If I can help someone through my semi-random ramblings, I am happy to do it.
Any stories you’d like to share?
I had a teacher who was from Joplin, MO email me and tell me how low the teacher moral was (this was 8 months after the devastating tornado). She asked if I would donate an item I had made to give to these teachers. Of course… but then I thought… I can do better than THAT! I called out to the blogging community and they were AMAZING! You can read about this here: Love to Joplin.
So, Mrs. Wills, if you win the Battle of the Blogs, to which charity will you donate your $200 winnings? Why?
Donors Chose is a wonderful organization. I would love to be able to support another teacher by helping to fulfill their project.
Want to know more about Mrs. Wills Kindergarten? Check out her blog here! Already a fan? Vote for her in our Battle of the Blogs here!