Introduction+to+Lliane+Blons


 * Hi Everyone! I'm Lliane (pronounced "Lee Ann") and I'm about 2/3 through my MAT in Teaching Language Arts at a Secondary Level, at NEIU. I'm in my 6th year as a Special Education teacher and the cheerleading coach at Mather High School, which is located just about 2 miles northeast of our campus. We are one of the most culturally diverse schools the U.S., with our students going home to over 60 different languages. Prior to my time at Mather, I taught elementary school for 2 years, while working on my Master of Arts in Special Education. I finished that degree at Roosevelt University about 6 years ago. Before I started my teaching career, I was a youth pastor. I moved to Chicago in 1996 to finish my Master of Divinity degree at North Park Theological Seminary. I then graduated from Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN, but stayed in the Chicagoland area. I hail from the beautiful state of Minnesota, and I try to get home to visit as much as I can. I finished my undergraduate degree in at the University of Minnesota in 1992, so I have a few years on most of us in our class:) Currently, I live about a block form Lake Michigan and spend as much time as I can by the water, either running, walking, or biking. I love the outdoors!**

This is my family on Christmas morning, December of 2009. We are in the snow, just outside of Dallas, TX, where my sister Kari, her husband Todd, and their little girl, Samantha live. They are next to me in the picture, followed by my brother Bob. He has his arms around his two daughters, Rachel and Riley. My mom, Jeanette, is in the front, in her wheelchair. 2 days prior to this, everyone was in shorts, fishing in the backyard. My nieces, and my whole family, occupy a very big place in my heart!

​Here I am with my friend Charmaine, with whom I teach, and my boyfriend Steve. We're at dinner, celebrating Charmaine's birthday this past August. Charmaine always has a fun birthday party with lots of our friends from work to close out the summer. I consider myself very blessed to have such wonderful, fun friends and a great boyfriend!

 These are my homeroom students at their graduation last June. We held the ceremony at the UIC Pavillion, and I had the opportunity to read their names, as they walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. I was their homeroom teacher throughout their high school years, and this day was one of the proudest in my life.

This is my cheerleading team at Mather High School for the 2009-2010 school year. This picture was taken at the Illinois State Sectionals competition in February of 2010. They are a great group of students who take up a big space in my schedule and heart!

Casey and Jasper have been my constant companions for 17 and 13 years, respectfully. We're a household of green-eyed cuddlers!