Spotlight on: Erin Beers from Mrs. Beers' Language Arts Class

Hi there!  My name is Erin Beers and I am a 6^th grade teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio.  I am thrilled to be a part of this Lesson Deli crew.  We are a group of 20 intermediate to middle school teachers who love sharing about our clever and "tried and true" teaching ideas and products for grades 4-8.  Please share our blog with your teacher friends and colleagues!   Also be sure to check in with us weekly as we have linky parties that feature amazing deals, steals, and FREEBIES.

It all started...

I graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1998 with my elementary certification in grades 1-8.  I have 15 years of experience in the classroom, all of which has been in an urban setting.  I have taught grades 5-8, but my heart is in 6^th grade language arts, which I have taught for 12 years.  I am a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent English Language Arts.  I have my Masters in Administration also from Xavier University, and I dream of being a building principal some day.  I am hyper-organized and I struggle to sit still.  Like my students, I thrive with both structure and order. 

Today...

I have been married to my husband, Geoff, for 11 years and have 3 AMAZING kids, Brennan (8), Lilah (5), and Landon (1 ½).   Here is a recent pic of my crazy crew…

I am currently on “extended maternity leave.”  It is extended because I had my third child, Landon, in March of 2013.  With three kiddos, my husband and I decided that it would be the best decision for our family if I took some time off.  I have to say, it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made stepping away from the classroom, but in retrospect, I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity.  It has given me priceless time with my children, the opportunity to refine my classroom resources, and the chance to take on tutoring, coaching, and troop leading roles.  When I told my mom that I would be taking time away from teaching she responded, “What will you do with your time?”  She laughs now when she visits and observes our non-stop household.  However, my plan is to return to the classroom when my littlest enters preschool.

Always on-the-go...

In addition to managing my nutty household, coaching soccer, and being my daughter’s Daisy Scout Leader, I love to read, write, and run.  While I am not currently teaching in a classroom setting, my teacher personality is ever present.  I am always on the look out for the perfect novels for my third grade son and for use in my classroom.  There is nothing better than finding that perfect book to get students hooked.  As a 6^th grade teacher, I found that many of my students were struggling readers and I was always in search of high-interest texts to engage them and enhance their fluency and comprehension.  On my “extended maternity leave”, I have had the opportunity to write and create some reader’s theater scripts that are the ideal resources to help my diverse readers.  Here is a shorter script that I would love for you to download and utilize…it incorporates fluency, word work, comprehension, and writing-a perfect Daily 5 resource.

I would love to hear what you think, so if you download, keep me posted on how well it worked in your intermediate to middle school classroom with some feedback.  

Thanks for taking the time to learn a bit more about me.  I look forward to sharing more tips and tricks, so check back soon!