Hello there! Thanks for stopping by. I'm excited you are here and ready to explore the power of story with me.
When I say the power of story, I mean it. Stories help us find ourselves, connect to others, and make the world a better place. I should know, stories made me who I am today.
See, I grew up in a northern suburb of Chicago. A super wealthy northern suburb of Chicago. It’s beautiful and fancy and the people are beautiful and fancy and all the things there are beautiful and fancy. But I didn’t always feel beautiful and fancy. My parents rented a small little apartment and drove used cars and didn’t shop at all the high-end stores in town.
Maybe I didn’t have a mansion or a Mercedes but my parents loved me. My mom took me to the library where I could check out any books I wanted. And as many as I wanted. My dad took me to bookstores where I could wander the stacks and choose a book that he would buy just for me. And it was all my own.
But most importantly, the books I read from the library and the bookstore were the exact same books my friends were reading. When so much about me and my life didn’t feel like enough because of the town I grew up in, there were always books and stories. Books and stories made me feel whole, helped me fit in, gave me an escape but also propelled me forward. I loved them, they loved me, and they helped me love myself.
I write because the power of story helped me love myself.
In March of 2015, I blogged every single day, using words to unravel the shame and guilt I felt over being the not-so-rich girl in a super wealthy, beautiful and fancy, northern suburb of Chicago. By the end, I realized more than ever how books and their stories are a big part of who I am today and that I have stories to tell. They’re mine and they’re special and they’re unique and they have to be told. In The One Where I Have To Share My Stories, I finally truly and deeply understood this. Click on the link above to access all the posts I wrote and learn more about me.
I have a story to tell.
And you have a story to tell.
I believe that through exploring your stories, you can embrace expansion and live your best life - in and of the classroom. We do not have to be overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed out. Teachers do not have to sacrifice it all for our students.
Last but definitely not least, I'm a mama to two amazing boys, a snuggly pup named Perdi, and a bearded dragon named Zeke. My partner and I love to try new things and go on adventures. Gotta keep exploring! We're grateful for everything we have and make the most of this wonderful life we're living together.
Wanna say hi? Please email me at jen@teachmentortexts.com.
***Kellee Moye blogged at Teach Mentor Texts for about two years until she started her blog Unleashing Readers with Ricki Ginsberg in July of 2013. If you want to learn more about Kellee or enjoy her reviews and other posts here, please visit her at Unleashing Readers!