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Last month, we hosted a Teacher of the Month giveaway as part of the Teacher Feature Blog Hop. This giveaway was open exclusively to teachers for a chance to be named the Teacher Feature “Teacher of the Month” for October 2023! The prize up for grabs was $70 in Amazon gift cards, children’s books donated by authors Meredith Rusu and Claire Marie, and a Q&A about the winner’s experiences in education along with a link to their Amazon wishlist shared by all the Teacher Feature Blog Hop Participants to raise awareness and encourage donations.
The winning teacher was drawn last week, and so we’re pleased to introduce you to the Teacher of the Month for October 2023: Dawn! Get to know Dawn through the interview below, and please consider either making a small donation or sharing this post to help us raise awareness – both are a huge help and go a long way toward helping us clear the list for teachers!
Teacher of the Month October 2023: Dawn Snow
A photo from Dawn’s classroom
Tell us a little about yourself:
My name is Dawn Snow. This is my second year as a PreK teacher. I live in southern Illinois with my husband, two dogs, and two boys.
What inspired you to get into education?
I babysat a lot growing up, then later worked at a daycare after my children were born. Through a TEACH scholarship, I got my Associate of Arts and took childcare classes. When my oldest started school, I volunteered to have children read to me in his class. This led to me getting a job as a paraprofessional at Salem Elementary. I was there for fourteen years when I was told about the Grow Your Own Teacher Grant opportunity. I applied and was chosen for it, so I started taking classes at SIU Carbondale, working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with Special Ed approval. Last August, I was hired by Regional Office of Education #13 to be a PreK teacher. I love children and love my job!
Can you share a little about your classroom?
I have an AM and a PM class. I currently have twenty-eight students. My students are three to five years old. We use the Creative Curriculum. The curriculum is developmentally appropriate and follows the Illinois Early Learning Standards. We cover language, mathematics, science, social studies, physical health and development, fine arts, foreign language, and social and emotional development.
An activity Dawn did with her students while learning about colors and emotions: “I read ‘The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions’ book to my students, they placed their name under the monster that matched their emotions, they did a pompom color sort with the Color Monster tubes, and also played an emotions monster matching game with a partner.”
What was your most rewarding moment as a teacher?
The most rewarding moments as a teacher for me are hugs and smiles from the littles, having parents tell me their children love school, watching a child grasp a concept that they have been struggling with, and having parents tell me that they are glad that I am their child’s teacher.
What will you use your gift card prize for?
I will use the gift card for classroom supplies such as craft sticks, stick glue, bottle glue, construction paper, beads, pipe cleaners, stickers, cleaning supplies, paper towels, Kleenex, crayons, markers, watercolor paint, and washable paint. We receive a credit card at the beginning of the year through my employer to help offset some of this cost, but the children use many of these supplies during our small group instruction and at their art center time. We also go through paper towels and cleaning supplies quickly. During snack time, we use a lot of paper towels for spills, and we clean after morning and afternoon snacks in addition to cleaning at the end of our day.
Click Here to View Dawn’s Classroom Wishlist on Amazon!
Most items on teacher classroom wishlists are already inexpensive: For example, Dawn’s wishlist includes things like Elmer’s Glue and beads, which are only a few dollars, to begin with; pair that with the smoking deals on Amazon, and you can make an educator’s day for the cost of a coffee.
If you’re wondering why so many teachers need donations, please click here to read Contest Corner’s article which goes in-depth on the topic and includes interviews with several teachers. Some educators aren’t given basic supplies like paper, while others dig into their own pockets to buy snacks for underprivileged children who don’t get breakfast at home; the reasons vary, but the need is great. Although most individual items are affordable when you have to buy enough for an entire classroom, it adds up very fast – some teachers have even gone into debt to provide for their students. If each of us contributes a small amount, we could collectively clear the list, so please join us and help teachers by donating and/or sharing this post!
Teacher of the Month Giveaway!
Calling all teachers: We are hosting an incredible prize pack this month in the “Teacher of the Month Giveaway”! One lucky educator will win $70 in Amazon eGift Cards donated by Contest Corner, The Review Wire, and Teacher’s Market, children’s books donated by authors Claire Marie & Meredith Rusu, and the chance to be featured in a “Teacher of the Month” article about their work (complete with a link to their classroom wishlist) that will be published by all of your hosts: Contest Corner, Teacher’s Market, The Review Wire, My Chaotic Ramblings, Nanny to Mommy and It’s Free At Last! This giveaway is open to US teachers only – read on to get the details & enter!
Back-to-school season is in full swing, and so many teachers are trying to clear the list before they start back. If you’re unfamiliar, educators will often make Amazon wishlists and share them online with the hashtag #clearthelist in request of donations. In addition to all the hard work they already put in, many teachers are spending their money to provide everything from snacks for underprivileged children to paper for their classrooms. So we’re hosting this special Teacher of the Month Giveaway just for educators as a way to help teachers and say thanks!
Related: Visit our latest Back to School Guide
One lucky teacher will win $70 in Amazon eGift Cards, two children’s books, and a chance to be featured by the giveaway hosts! Here are the full details on each prize and our wonderful sponsors:
“Teacher of the Month” Feature
The winning teacher will be profiled with a Q&A about their life, classroom, and experiences as a teacher, which will include a link to their wishlist. The “Teacher of the Month Giveaway” winner will have their feature article will be published by all of the giveaway hosts!
$25 Amazon eGift Card – Donated by Contest Corner
Contest Corner is a digital lifestyle magazine founded in 2008. Known for its daily contest listings and monthly giveaways, Contest Corner covers all aspects of a “Winning” life, from recipes and travel to entertainment and fun celebrity interviews. The site is known for annual features such as its Holiday Gift Guide and Mother’s & Father’s Day Gift Guide. Contest Corner recently launched a new series, Teacher Feature, dedicated to raising awareness and helping donate products to teachers by highlighting “Featured Teachers” and providing weekly opportunities to share classroom wishlists. Follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok & YouTube.
$25 Amazon eGift Card – Donated by The Review Wire
Since 2011, The Review Wire has been a lifestyle website focused on publishing product reviews, gift guides, and giveaways. The owner also operates Review Wire Media, LLC, a social media marketing agency offering specialized boutique outreach services. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, MSN, and YouTube.
$20 Amazon eGift Card – Donated by Teacher’s Market
Teacher’s Market is a blog all about helping teachers save money in the classroom. You will find teacher contests, giveaways, and grant opportunities. Teacher’s Market also enjoys partnering with educational companies to offer giveaways for teachers. Teacher’s Market is currently helping teachers spotlight their classroom wishlists. You can follow Teacher’s Market on Twitter and Facebook.
There’s a Yeti in My Tummy by Meredith Rusu
The winning teacher will receive a copy of There’s a Yeti in My Tummy, a children’s book for ages 4-6 donated by Meredith Rusu. Synopsis:
What happens when your inner yeti comes out to play? Matthew is a young boy with BIG, BIG feelings—so big it sometimes feels like there’s a YETI just bursting to get out! And when Mathew’s yeti comes to play, he’s bound to stay all day. That silly yeti comes out of Matthew’s feet, his nose, his hair, his burp, and even his BUTT!
Bound to make any child roar with laughter, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy teaches kids that strong feelings are okay, and so are their inner yetis. Along with Matthew, kids learn to channel those feelings in constructive, positive, and loving ways. And parents will pick up a few tips on language to help children understand when and how to rely on their inner yeti.
An imaginative and fun story told in delightful rhyme by Meredith Rusu and crazy-fun illustrations by Martín Morón, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is a big, bold, instant classic. There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is the first book in The Mighty Moods series from 4U2B Books & Media, where we strive to create resources that enable children to become joyful, compassionate, and brave, and that empower parents and adults to instill those qualities in children.
The book is available on Amazon for $19.99, and you can find the author on Instagram @MeredithRusuWrites and at MeredithRusu.com, where she also has free downloadable printables!
Sammy The Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia by Claire Marie
The winning teacher will also receive a copy of Sammy The Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia, a children’s book for ages 4-6 donated by Claire Marie. Synopsis:
Little readers and their loved ones are invited to the magical world of Crittertopia and introduced to the Critter Elders whose magic helps keep it safe in Claire Marie’s new and empowering children’s book Sammy the Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia. Readers in the 4 to 8-year-old age group and beyond meet Sammy the Sasquatch and her friends in Crittertopia who gently teach us all about doing lockdowns, locks, lights, out of sight, and how kids can be empowered to keep themselves safe.
The book is available on Amazon for $11.40, and you can learn more at SammyAndFriends.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @WelcomeToCrittertopia.
TEACHER TUESDAY
1. TEACHERS: Add your name and wishlist link to the box below and press “Enter.” That’s it! This same link-up is being hosted across multiple blogs by each of your hosts, and your wishlist will automatically appear on them all. Are you a blogger who would like to share this linky on your site to give these teachers more exposure? Contact us!
2. READERS: Please browse the classroom wishlists below and consider donating to help teachers in need. Most of these wishlists are on Amazon, so adding a small item to your cart is easy for your next shopping trip! If you cannot donate right now, please help us by sharing this post so we can get more exposure and donations for these deserving educators! Learn why teachers need donations, plus inexpensive & FREE ways you can help by clicking here.
GIVEAWAY:CLOSED
One lucky teacher will receive $70 in Amazon eGift Cards, two children’s books, and the chance to be featured in our Blog Hop! Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below; please note that this giveaway is open to teachers only!
By entering this giveaway, you opt-in to receive a one-time prize notification email only if you are the winner. Contest Corner will respond to the winner’s confirmation and any related emails to coordinate prize fulfillment and, if necessary and feasible, follow up with winners who have not responded in a final attempt to make contact before re-drawing.
One $25 Amazon eGift Card will be fulfilled by Contest Corner, one $25 Amazon eGift Card will be fulfilled by The Review Wire, one $20 Amazon eGift Card will be fulfilled by Teacher’s Market, and the books will be fulfilled by the PR firm representing Claire Marie and Meredith Rusu. Contest Corner will write and coordinate the “Teacher of the Month” Q&A article and send it to all participants for publication.
Blog Hop participants are not liable for any prizing they are not directly sponsoring & fulfilling. Contest Corner vets all sponsors and will make every effort to ensure winners get their prizes, but is not responsible if there is an issue with fulfillment. Please see Contest Corner’s Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Cookie Policy, and Disclosure for further details on Contest Corner’s policies. Contest Corner team members are ineligible.
The Teacher of the Month giveaway ends on September 30th, 2023, at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be chosen through Rafflecopter on October 2nd, 2023, notified via email, displayed on the Rafflecopter widget on all Blog Hop participant posts, and announced on Contest Corner’s “Winners” page through a corresponding blog post and/or on other Blog Hop Participant blogs or social media; the winner announcement and/or video footage of drawing the winner on Rafflecopter will also be shared on Contest Corner’s social media and email newsletter. The winner will be announced using the first name and initial as displayed in the Rafflecopter widget.
Void where prohibited. The Teacher of the Month giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook or Twitter, and by entering this giveaway, you completely release Facebook and Twitter. Contest Corner is not responsible for late entries or entries lost due to technical malfunctions.
Thank you for the opportunity!
High School English teacher starting year 29!