Thursday, July 28, 2011

{Giveaway} When is it better to be a follower than a leader?

When you’re a blog reader who follows other professional blogs to spark your passion for educating children (even on your days off)!

(I promise if you make it through all of my rambling, there’s a great giveaway at the end. But….please, please read the whole thing!)

thankyou copy

I noticed that I have surpassed 200 followers, which isn’t a drop in the bucket to pretty much all of the blogs I read, but I am thrilled! Why, because what other profession would so many people be searching for ways to better themselves for their jobs without getting paid?

I appreciate that each of you likely spend countless hours  preparing for your job. Our jobs don’t define who we are, but reflect what we love.

I recently read the following quote and I thought the timing was perfect to share with you.

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” –Sir Winston Churchill

I encourage each of you to make your lives about giving. Giving of yourselves to your family, your friends, your students, your community and your faith.

So, in the spirit of giving and to thank you for your loyalty, I would love for one of you to win a Scotch Thermal Laminator by 3M.  (I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of mine!)

laminator

To enter, just comment below and make sure I have a way to contact you if you win. It’s that simple. I don’t care if you follow me, love me on Facebook or blog about this giveaway. You are here because you obviously searched for or are looking for something to help you be the best teacher you can be to your children or your students. Just enjoy the sheer giddiness of doing something fun for you! You deserve it!

Was that easy enough?

This giveaway will end on Sunday, July 31 at 6 PM CST.

68 comments:

  1. okay, i'll be the first one, even though #1 never wins! :) i love your blog and congrats on 200+ followers. i'd love a personal laminator!
    Krissy
    Mrs.Miner’s Monkey Business
    krissyldavis@hotmail.com

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  2. COngratulations! You always have great ideas. I know how you feel about your 200 followers. I have been watching my followers climb but it is nowhere near the thousands I see on others. However, I believe that you are touching a lot of lives who are then touching lives! What a great give away!
    Jenea
    www.seedsofnoledge.blogspot.com
    jmmidgett03@yahoo.com

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  3. Thanks so much for your sharing heart! I love your blog and all the great ideas. I am an "old dog" always on the lookout for "new tricks". Thanks for being so willing to share!
    Denise Jordan
    kindertcher20@yahoo.com

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  4. Congrats on 200 followers! I love reading your blog and I hope you have a great school year this year!

    kellybrown28021@gmail.com
    Busy in Kindergarten!

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  5. Wow! You have a very generous heart! I would love to win a laminator--this is on my wish list! tillack@verizon.net

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  6. I love reading your blog. I am in need of a new laminator so I hope I win.
    mcraej@westottawa.net

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  7. You are so kind in sharing and giving AWESOME things!! I hope the kindness comes back around to you tenfold! I hope you enjoy your few "last days of freedom" and have a terrific start to a new year.
    ginger.farmer@dalton.k12.ga.us

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  8. Awwww...I loved reading your thoughts and words of wisdom in your post! It is so true!
    Fingers crossed!
    megandw@yahoo.com

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  9. Congratulations on 200+ followers Marlana!! I love reading your blog and learning about so many wonderful ideas that I can use with my own students. Thanks for everything!
    Kari :)

    Karianne1120@gmail.com

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  10. I have been thinking about blogging for awhile but have not taken the plunge. I am a follower of many, many blogs. I have been teaching for 36 years but it is still so much fun to learn something new or find a new idea. I love it. I would also love a laminator.
    kobrien@royal.wednet.edu

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  11. Thank you for those inspiring words! What a great way to head Back to School! I can tell you are an amazing teacher! :)
    Cheryl
    cener(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
    Crayons and Curls

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  12. I just found your website recently and it's a God send as I am getting ready to start my first year as a full-time preschool teacher. LOVE ALL OF YOUR IDEAS!!!

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  13. Yay for +200!!! And another yay for a laminator giveawy-awesome! I follow your blog.

    Life as I know it...

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  14. PS. My email is abbyjohnston28@gmail.com

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  15. Yeah! congratulations on 200+ followers. Thank you again for all your help and your words of inspiration. I enjoy following bog-- and would love a laminator!
    Rose
    The Wonderful World of Kindergarten

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  16. Wow Marlana! That is quite a giveaway! I follow your blog - and I'm so glad I do!
    Tessa
    Spotlight on Kindergarten
    tschep@live.com

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  17. Way to go Marlana, and thanks for sharing lots of good ideas. I suppose now I'll be looking for a round or scallop punch!

    mpenn1010@gmail.com

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  18. Congrats on passing 200 followers... it's a testament to your great ideas and sharing heart!! A laminator is on my wish list--I'd love to win this one!!!
    Karen :o)
    karenstamp@verizon.net
    Mrs. Stamp's Kindergarten

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  19. What a lovely post. It does say a lot about the educators that are spending the summer getting ready for the next year and improving the practice of teaching. Thanks your for sharing :)

    Elizabeth
    epolston@rowland.k12.ca.us
    Mrs. Polston's Kindergarten

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  20. Congrats on reaching 200! I hope to get there one day! :)

    amberlazenby@gmail.com

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  21. I am not surprised at all that you have so many followers. You are an awesome blogger! I so appreciate all of your fabulous ideas!
    ~Meredith
    Keen on Kindergarten

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  22. Great teachers always stick together. Love your blog
    marisol
    soad6274@gmail.com

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  23. Your blog is awesome. I'm a new follower!

    Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

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  24. You are a true Angel! I have said it once and I will say it again! I am so glad that your blog was one of the first ones I found when I started my blog this month. You are TRULY an inspiration to me and I agree with you whole heartedly about how our jobs reflect what we love. The students and wanting the best possible for them. I love my life of a teacher because it has brought so many wonderful people into my life and I am truly blessed! Congratulations on surpassing 200 followers and I hope to get past 8 here real soon! LOL

    Jeannie

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  25. Love your blog and ideas! Thanks for sharing all your great ideas. Would love to win your fantastic giveaway...what an awesome gift!

    Angie
    3cookboys@gmail.com

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  26. Congratulations on all you followers. I follow your blog and am always anxious to see what great ideas you have. What a caring and giving person you are. I would love to win your fantastic giveaway.
    Donalyn
    DonalynPogue@msn.com

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  27. Thank you for offering such a great giveaway. You have great ideas on your blog and I am so happy I found it!

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  28. You have been so inspiring and helpful for me and my blog. Thanx for this oppurtunity!

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  29. Since I've started following you, you've given me a lot of great ideas!!! Thanks so much for everything!!! :)

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  30. I love following your blog. You've done a wonderful job and keep me inspired! Congratulations on 200!
    Angela Just Love Teaching!

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  31. Hi~ I'm visiting your site for the first time as I was looking for different guided reading activities for the next school year~ as a veteran teacher, I love seeing what my fellow teachers are doing in their classrooms! Keep inspiring us! Thanks! :)

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  32. Thank you for offering such a great giveaway. You have great ideas on your blog and thank you for sharing.

    lopezanamarie9@gmail.com

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  33. Thanks for sharing all of your great ideas. The personal laminator looks really cool.

    Shelly
    projectqn@tx.rr.com

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  34. I have you in my favorites, but will become a follower today. You have great ideas and thank you for sharing!

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  35. I can't lie and act like I have read your blog for weeks. I randomly stumbled across your blog from pintrest.com today. I got excited seeing this giveaway. I am a first year kindergarten teacher, and I am desperately searching for good ideas to use and free items to help out.
    Good luck this coming school year!
    Be blessed- Lauren
    lrd0001@auburn.edu

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  36. I love this blog! I just found you a few weeks ago and have alreaday gotten tons of ideas for my kindergarteners. Thanks for sharing. You are much more high tech than me!!

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  37. You have a wonderful blog-so many great ideas!! Thanks for sharing!! Love the laminator-it is on my wish/need list!! :)
    My Kindergarten Kids

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  38. Thank you soooo much for sharing your time, energy, ideas... I spend way too much time being a blogstalker, but I just can't stop because there is so much to see and learn!

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  39. What a wonderful post! I'm new to the blogging world and I have been thoroughly enjoying your site - as well as many others!

    Thanks for all you do!
    Sheri
    kindergarten-roundup

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  40. How thoughtful to just give. I love your blog, and when I grow up I want to be like you - 200 followers. I think 200 is great - congrats!

    PrekMomDotCom

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  41. WOW! Marlana, I love your downloads, the video cutting a star with one cut and all the topics such as apples, math and literacy centers, and the games you've made. It's difficult to believe you've only taught 8 years. Keep up the good work. And, on top of it all, you add a chance to win a prize!
    THANKS FOR A GREAT BLOG!
    Kat 4

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  42. I was a follower before but if I wasn't I would have been after reading that post...
    littlemisskindergarten.blogspot.com

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  43. I just started following blogs about 2 weeks ago and you were one of the first I put on my list. Love your ideas, you are fantastic! Congrats on your 200+ followers!Thanks so much for sharing.

    kswitzky@usd345.com

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  44. I already follow your AWESOME blog! Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas! Congrats on all your followers! :o)

    Cindy
    ccfirstteacher@gmail.com

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  45. Congrats on the 200+ followers! I just started blogging and I can imagine having that many followings! Someday! I'm definitely a follower now! Love your terrific ideas! Thanks for sharing!

    Kim from:
    http://starbucksstandardssharpies.blogspot.com/

    kimandscott2003@sbcglobal.net

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  46. I have a confession to make, I have no idea how blogs work, nor how to "follow" someone. I just happened to stumble upon your page, and am thankful I did. I would love to win the laminator, and I have to say to you, THANK YOU so much for making it easy for us computer illiterate people to have a chance at winning something. Every other giveaway I have seen on the blogs require one to complete a multitude of tasks that some of us have no idea how to complete! Thanks again, for making this easy! I love your page and have put it into my favorites. I will "follow you," "like you" etc, when I learn how! MamaTerri12@gmail.com

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  47. Thanks for the chance to win such an incredible gift! You really know the way to a teacher's heart. I appreciate you words of wisdom and your creative ideas on your blog. Thanks!

    JSausen255@aol.com

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  48. With the budget cuts we don't get to use the school laminator anymore this would be great for my small things. Thank you so much for the chance to win!
    bagoings at gmail dot com

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  49. Hi, I just found your blog and am enjoying reading it. I would love to win since my school is talking about getting rid of ours. My email address is darred13@aol.com.
    Thanks

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  50. Your blog is so cute! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to win this giveaway. I LOVE IT! :o)

    Jennifer
    jennkeys@gmail.com
    Keys4Education

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  51. I am new to finding blogs and loving the ideas shared. Being a K teacher in a rural school it is wonderful to hear others thoughts and joys of teaching K. What a WONDERFUL gift! I have been reading you a couple of weeks now as I get my room ready for the new school year.
    Thank you for sharing this gift for the lucky winner!
    ck

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  52. Love your blog!!! So exciting to hear about your giveaway. Every blog I read is talking about this laminator.

    mdebacker@hotmail.com
    krazyinkinder.blogspot.com

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  53. Thanks for the give away!! I read your blog and am a FB follower!!

    dzamber@aol.com

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  54. Thanks for the give away!! I read your blog and am a FB follower!!

    dzamber@aol.com

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  55. Thank you for sharing so many great ideas. I am new to following educational blogs and I love it! It is a blessing to find so many people who spend so much of their time helping their fellow educators! Your giveaway is so generous! Thank you!


    Gale
    gale.moudy@gmail.com

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  56. Your blog is great! I'm a new follower! Thanks for the chance ot win this!

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  57. I'm new to blogging and have become addicted. I find myself searching for teaching ideas daily. I follow you on Facebook and enjoy your posts. Thanks for your time and generosity!

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  58. Sorry...forgot my email address!

    bvmoody@gmail.com

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  59. Wow! What a great giveaway! Love reading your blog!!

    stephluckey@yahoo.com

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  60. I am going back to Kindergarten after six years in 2nd grade! Your blog is a blessing. I LOVE your blog and it is helping me get ready for this year. Would LOVE a laminator because my new school just got one and we are very limited on the use.

    Staci2nd@yahoo.com

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  61. I just found your blog this weekend and I so love it!!! I have already shared your ideas with other teacher friends and can't wait to read more:) Kindergarten is all I know-15 years and counting and I have loved every minute of it! Teachers love freebies so of course I would love a laminator-I laminate everything so the kids can use things over and over! Thanks for all your fabulous ideas!

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  62. I have been following through Facebook! I love all of your ideas. I am a 3rd year kindergarten teacher and I love my job so much! I stated a blog and I am slowly learning how to do all of this fun stuff! Thanks for all you do!

    Maja Alic
    m-a@gmail.com
    http://kookykinders.blogspot.com/

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  63. Sorry my email is malic1985@gmail.com!! LOL

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  64. I am a follower from Facebook. I am so appreciative of the effort and examples you generously share!

    Christy
    mom3wheeler@att.net

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  65. Just realized that I forgot to include contact info! Appreciate all you time, energy and generosity that goes into a blog!
    mrsde@comcast.net

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