Happy 8th Blogiversary!
EnglishTeacherMelanie.com is 8 years old this month!
No, blogiversary is not a real word! It’s a combination of the words blog + anniversary. That’s called a portmanteau. An anniversary is a date you celebrate something that happened in a previous year. A blog is a website with posts that are added regularly. On my websites, posts are called lessons.
I started my website in 2009 as a way to market myself as a private teacher and to help English learners. I had no idea what I was doing. I had only been teaching English for 2 years but I knew that students liked the way I teach and that I had something to different to offer English learners. I knew there were things missing in your English education, so I wanted this website to be different from all the information already available on the internet.
I published my first lesson on this website on October 15, 2009. It was about weddings. You can read it here. I noticed that English learners often talked about attending a “wedding party,” which is not how you talk about a wedding.
That’s why I started this website.
I wanted to offer specific advice for independent English learners who had already spent years studying the language and needed to know more natural ways of saying things. I wanted this to be a space for students who were looking for something different and something real to help them become the English speakers they have always dreamed of being.
I also started this website because there is a lot of bad advice out there. I put together a list of the 8 worst pieces of advice I’ve heard over the years as both a language learner and a teacher.
In 8 years my lessons have changed significantly as I learned more about teaching and more about what English learners need. I’ve deleted almost 40% of the lessons I’ve written since 2009. Let’s be honest, some of those early lessons weren’t very good! I have started rewriting the remaining lessons to make them the best possible lessons.
After all this time, the 8 most popular lessons on this website are all from 2010-2012. No matter what I do or how many lessons I write, the 8 most popular lessons have never changed. For a lot of people, this is how they found me and this website.
The website is called English Teacher Melanie because I couldn’t think of a more creative name! On the plus side, it tells you exactly who I am! At the time it was unusual, but now everyone calls themselves “English Teacher _____” or “Teacher _____.”
I have had a chronic illness for many years, although it wasn’t until 2009 that I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. I couldn’t work full time, and I was only making $10 US an hour teaching at an online school. I decided I could make more money and serve students better by creating my own job and working for myself.
Running a business while dealing with a chronic illness is not easy, however, and I have been very inconsistent with posting lessons on this website. I have so many ideas that I have never been able to start because I don’t have the time or energy and that sucks!
Thank you for reading this. Thank your for supporting this website. I am grateful for each and every one of you who has read a lesson, posted a comment, joined the email list, or shared a lesson with your friends and family. I love my work, and it’s only possible because of you.
I enjoy reading all your comments, emails, and social media messages, and I am a better teacher because of all of you!
Comments
Congratulation and wish your blog to prosper!
you are a great teacher and take care of your self. Long time we didnt see you to post some
Dear Melanie,
I was happy to read about your 8th Blogiversary. I have listened to all of your podcasts so many times and enjoyed very much every time.
I wish you all the best and much success with your blog and future lessons. I am truly impressed that you have the persistence and the drive to keep working no matter what. Thank you for your efforts!
I hope that this personal comment reaches you and I am looking forward to more lessons from you.
Kind regards,
Aleksandr
Hi , thanks for your best lesson and you are my best teacher in this way and I can use better English languages to compare already and I am happy to all of your deep English and also your website and thanks for send me your link
I will read all listen that there are here and congratulation for 8th anniversary
have a great day
Mona
Hello my Teacher Melanie!
Happy because I get news from you. Every lesson you send me, I learn, I correct or reaffirm my English learned over the years.
Teacher Melanie, thank you very much. God bless you and keep you many years.
Happy 8th Anniversary of English Teacher Melanie!
Woooooow!!!!!! I missed you so much Melanie! How are you? May God Almighty bless you more. People I want to make friends, email me [email protected]. I will be glad. I am from Zambia.
Hello Teacher Melanie!
Thanks for the knowledge you shared last time which helps me a lot in learning English.
God bless you!
Happy 8th Anniversary of English Teacher Melanie!
Happy 8th Anniversary, Melanie!
I’ve been learning English from you for a long time. I enjoy your class every time. You always find many interesting topics to me. I like your lesson very much. I’m thankful to have a great teacher like you.
Your continued support will be greatly appreciated.
See you next week then.
Kayo
Hi Ms Melanie:
I’m so glad you’re back !!! I’ve been thingking about you, because I never get any email from you in this year. When I got email from you I was so happy not even before I red what in the email! And it’s so Touching your Story about Everything what you wrote … from now on I hope you can sent us email at least once a month Right?
Happy happy eighth anniversary and May the Lord Continues to bless you years to come????????????
Hello teacher Melanie,
I’m so glad you’re back. I feel your pain because I’m also diagnosed with a chronic illness. I pray that God will continue to use you in many ways and good health. & Happy 8th Anniversary of English Teacher Melanie!
Thank you for all your lesson and encouragement!
Dear teacher Melanie
Good afternoon
thank you very much , for your corporate, Your atlre Great techer because your are gating new technic to keep us understanding the lesson.
again thanks
best wishes
Mustafa
Dear Melanie;
Happy 8 Anniversary:)Thank you very much for your lessons and efforts to keep on going. Keep up the good work, keep being a great teacher. God bless you, and keep you healthy for ever and ever.
Love
Cristina
Please, let me know if is it right to use the word “keep” 4 times here? English is my 2nd. language.