Melissa E.

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About me

Gender Female
Industry Education
Occupation ELL Teacher
Location Chicago Suburbs, IL, United States
Introduction I live in the Chicago Suburbs with my husband and our three kids--two sons and a daughter. I've always loved writing, and this blog is a way for me to chronicle my life as a mom. I enjoy reading, cooking, eating out, and gardening. When I'm not being a mom, I teach English (ESL/ELL) at the elementary school level.
Favorite Music I like all kinds of music, from classic rock to country, jazz to adult contemporary. Lately most of my favorite music has been very mellow: Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Keane, Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer, Mozart, Lily Allen, Coldplay, Wilco, Corrine Bailey Rae, etc.
Favorite Books I read too much. It is an addiction, I'm afraid. Here are some examples of things I've read lately. Nonfiction: Some of my favorites are: "Guns, Germs, and Steel, "Freakonomics, " "Deep Ancestry, "The Tipping Point, " "Outliers, " "Before the Dawn, " "Funny in Farsi, " "Your Inner Fish, " "The Power of Kindness, " and anything by Carl Sagan. I also read every book on teaching that I can find, as well as books on organization (not that they help). Fiction: Some of my favorites from this year include: "Water for Elephants, " "The Zookeeper's Wife, " "One Thousand Splendid Suns, " and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." On occasion, I like to read fluff such as romance novels and contemporary fiction. Oh, and I love to read children's books and young adult literature, so that I can recommend books to my students. I've also been known to read tons of magazines. I have subscriptions to Mental Floss, The Week, National Geographic, Ode, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, and The Economist.