About Me

Welcome to my blog!  My name is Mary Dressel and I am currently a 4th grade teacher in Northwest Ohio.  For the last 14 years, I've enjoyed teaching at both the 3rd and 4th grade levels in my current district.  My career began a few years before that in Las Vegas, where I taught 1st grade (definitely not for me) and a 4th/5th combination classroom (which presented many challenges).  I enjoy change, and although most State mandated changes are not fun, the changes I enjoy are moving grades, moving classrooms, and finding new ideas to weave into my teaching.

New to me this year will be focusing solely on ELA, and figuring out our new reading series, McGraw Hill Wonders.  Since I'll only be teaching ELA this year, I've been spending a little time each day trying to grasp this series and prepare to hit the ground running in the fall.  I've always been one to make many of my own materials, and late into last year I finally got a store running in Teachers Pay Teachers to share (and sell) some of my materials.  While making a little extra money is certainly nice, it is a great feeling to know that others find value in the resources I spend a lot of time creating.

Besides spending time learning and creating, I cherish the time I get to spend with my wonderful family.  I have a very supportive husband.  At heart he is an artist, and he enjoyed helping me to name my blog, and design the site.  We have two sweet children.  My daughter recently turned 13, and my son 11.  And of course, our goldendoodle Finn makes our family complete! 

Finn watching me drink my coffee during the slow starting summer mornings.