Thanks for visiting ELA Buffet. I’m Darlene, and here I thought I’d share a bit about me. I started this blog as a way to share lesson ideas and stories about my awesome and hilarious middle school students. I’d love readers to walk away with something valuable, something that can lighten the load that overburdened teachers carry. Maybe practical teaching strategies, free printables, classroom management tips, valuable links, or even just a wide grin!
I also started this blog because I live with boys. Lots of boys. And I teach middle school kids. Lots of middle school kids. That means this blog is all mine. No one can “borrow” it, and forget to return it. I don’t have to grade it. It doesn’t smell like stinky socks. I don’t have to feed it. I can even decorate it with flowers.
In addition to my passion for flowers and things that don’t smell like stinky socks, I am passionate about my family, which consists of a terrific husband, two wonderful kids, and a goofy lab mix we rescued. That dog is my furry baby; he had me at “woof.”
I’m also passionate about my work as a teacher. For over 20 years I’ve taught every grade level from 3rd through 12th. There was something to love about each grade level, but 7th and 8th graders have my heart. That’s where I’ve been for over 12 years now.
I love to teach. I respect kids, their potential, and even their angst.
I love to challenge kids by creating engaging lessons that make them think. Hard. My TpT store is a reflection of that. It provides me with the opportunity to create resources that make kids laugh, create, explore, and learn– about themselves AND the big beautiful world we live in!
I still can’t believe that I get to spend every day watching kids fulfill their promise. Pretty amazing stuff.
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You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Facebook. You can also email me, but if you do, please don’t ask me to help you find a spell to become a mermaid. When I find it, I will Tweet, IG, and FB it immediately, so you’ll be the first to know.