Back to the Real World...

I THINK things are starting to settle back into the regular routine of life.  The first few weeks of school are always a blur!  I can't believe October is right around the corner!  Here's what's going on around here...

1) My house?  Well, I just have to adjust my expectations.  A good cleaning is needed and I suppose I'm the one who has to do it, but... Nah.  I'm just not feelin' it. 

2) My fitness plan?  Well, this sums that up...

I REALLY have to get back on track.  I keep saying "next week".  But let's face it...  I'm tired, I've been straight out, and it has been HOT (and I do mean HOT.  Wowzer!).  Now that it is starting to feel more "fallish", I need to move on and pull it back together, without regret, and do what I can, when I can.  I'll get back there, it will be okay.  Right?

3) On the positive side, I have been making time for nail art, which is like therapy for me.  My kids at school LOVE my crazy nails and are already asking "what's next?"  It cracks me up and gives me a break from life, which is mostly filled with chore orientated activities.  The past couple of weeks have been cute and colorful,  paying homage to life as a teacher (excuse the poor picture quality!)

             

4) As September comes to a close, I have been looking back on some of those goals I set for myself a while back, I am pleased to say that I accomplished many things on the list!  I should make another list for the upcoming months, but we'll see.  There is such a thing as unfinished lists causing anxiety, and I have enough going on right now without adding more "poo2do"!

5)  THE wedding happened last weekend and we had a great day (THE is capitalized because I feel like it's been a lonnnggg time coming!)  Beautiful weather, good food, lots of dancing and laughs! 

The beautiful bride

It's always about the dessert!

 This girl is growing up way too fast!

There were some tough moments, but we got through it

It was all followed by a crazy week of work, meetings, and the regular ups and downs of life.  Now, on to the weekend!  Let the good times roll :)

The Pressure is On!

August "Bucket List" list of Poo2Do (because, let's face it... a Bucket List is, theoretically, a list of things one would WANT to do.  This?  This is a list of things that are keeping me awake at night!)

Home
1. Finish the office walls (including the wainscoting!)
2. Get the office put back together... Clean it up, wash the windows, and put things back where they belong
3. Kitchen... wash cupboards and deep clean floor (involves scrubbing on hands and knees)
4. Get the dining room put back together (need to finish office first!)

School
1. Set up classroom
2. Apple Bags and Cubby Labels
3. Welcome Back packets
4. Plan Book
5. Grade Book
6. Curriculum Alignment
7. Book Bag
8. National Board

For ME/Personal Life
1. Spend time with niece
2. Beach Day
3. Make wedding guestbook (not for me...but I will enjoy doing it!)
4. Plan and host my parent's 49th Anniversary party
5. Get together with school friends (where did the summer go?)
6. Keep to an every other day running schedule
7. Read one more book!

There's not supposed to be a comma after August, but I laughed anyway!

Wall-Pops!

When I read Growing Kinders' ideas and question about how we manage to post target learning goals in our classrooms, I knew I just had to share!  I LOVE Wall-Pops.  They are "removable wall decals".  I stick them right to my whiteboard.  They can be written on with dry erase markers, cleaned off with felt erasers or white board spray and paper towel, and can be repositioned without damaging the board.  Being approximately the size of a dinner plate, there is plenty of room to write a short learning objective.  And... most importantly, they look cute :)

I always write the objective/target with the kids as we begin each lesson.  My district has encouraged this strategy for the past few years and it is now listed as part of the lesson on our new evaluation tool.  Since I was HORRIBLE at remembering to do this, the brightly colored circles on the board provide a nice visual reminder.   I wish I had a picture of my classroom to share!  

 

  I am sure there are many other ways they can be used (maybe on a table as a space to practice skills during a small group?)  Hmmm... I'll have to think about that!!

Kumbaya

Ahhh...summer is "officially" over.  Tomorrow is "meet and greet" day (aka kumbaya day) for teachers, followed by Tuesday's professional development, then Wednesday is our first full day with kids.  This past Friday was k orientation.  What a bunch of cuties I have this year!  The teacher in me is looking forward to getting back into the classroom.

Here is one little area of my room ( thought I had more pictures to share, apparently not!)  This is a view from the window side of my room.  There is a mini math station in the corner, a job chart, behavior chart, word wall and my "desk".  Featured above the door to my closet are birthday "cupcakes" that I found here.  I didn't do them exactly the way it was suggested, but I think they are cute.  They will look even better when I can finally add the kids' names to them.

My daughter calls them birthday "muffins".

Tomorrow, I will try to get more pictures of my room... always so much to do :)

Today

I was finally able to get back to my classroom (my daughter's volleyball schedule is brutal!)  I only had about an hour and a half before I had to be a taxi again come back home, so I'm glad I left my room well organized.  I was able to fly in and get right to work.  In a VERY short period of time I was able to put some things up on the walls, -I am eternally grateful to Cara from The First Grade Parade for her post about using hot glue to put things up on cinder block walls.  How did I ever survive 20+ years of teaching without this knowledge??- I got my car emptied out, things put away, and was a laminating fool.  So... I am ready to go back again tomorrow and hopefully "finish up".  Below are things that have kept me busy the last couple days...

"Apple Bags"  -  So simple, yet SO important!

Apple Bags are gallon-sized zip lock bags that have my kiddos' names on them.  These bags go back and forth between school and home on a daily basis.  They hold everything from milk money to art work and are invaluable to me.  Things don't get lost, parents know what they send in is received, and it keeps my kids organized.  Such a simple thing that makes my teaching life so much easier! 
What you see laying on top is the welcome packet that parents receive at Kindergarten Orientation.  Included with the packet is ...

...a student information card.  This card keeps information close at hand and readily accessible.  The binder is actually a small one that holds 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 paper.  The "paper" is a large index card that is hole punched.  As parents return them (in the Apple Bags!), I simply file them alphabetically so I can refer to them when needed.

It is slowly coming together.  Hope to have pictures of a finished classroom tomorrow!

Back 2 School Linky

I am playing along with the linky party hosted by Jeannie from Kindergarten Lifestyle ... You know it's back to school when...  What a fun idea!  

I love linking up and seeing what other teachers have to say!

 

I don't know about everybody else but, YOWZER, my "office" looks like a storage facility right about now.  I have binders, projects, bins, baskets, sharpies, crayolas, etc. spread out all over the place.  I admit, I did go a *little* crazy this summer with the whole idea of getting organized.  My hope is that this will all be worth it in the long run and that I will have reached that ever elusive feeling of Zen-like peace when school begins on Friday.  Assuming I actually complete some of the things I have started, I hope to post pictures of my achievements!

It's time - Really?

Today was the first day that I  was able to bribe my way get into school.  I hate my district's policy of not letting teachers in to their classrooms until five days before school begins!  School officially begins for teachers on August 27th, but kindergarten orientation is on the 24th (Next Friday?? How can that be??)  The custodians took pity on me when I explained that I just wanted to "drop some things off".  After spending about two and half hours there, I feel like I am over that initial back-to-school shock.  My furniture is set up (I hope!), my rugs are in place, and I have the paper/borders on my bulletin boards.  I did finally unload my car, but forgot the screwdriver I needed for my new storage shelves (bummer - but there is always tomorrow).  Tonight is a night of work.  I have labels, crayon cans, and Apple Bags to make; my September files need to be organized into my new "binder system"; and I would also love to get the next chapter of Debbie Diller's Math Work Stations read.

Ugh - and so it begins!

View from hallway door...

Getting there!

Pulling it together?

It's amazing how time just gets away from me.  I had all intentions of posting Tuesday, but I didn't.  I wanted to post yesterday, still no post.  So much for good intentions!  Tuesday I was BUSY - manic, flat out, how am I ever going to get all this done?? busy.  I made "stuff" for my room, did laundry, ran the kids around to various places, cleaned a little, attended two meetings, ran errands, visited my parents, went to dinner, came home and just said "Phew, that was alot!"  I have decided that I am no longer allowed to go to the Dollar Tree and AC Moore.  It's just too tempting!  Here are just a few of the *necessary* things I picked up...

Needs a cute label - Right?

These are the new pointers for my Read/Write Around the Room center.  The bucket was a Dollar Tree purchase, along with some BIG eyeglasses and some magnifying glasses that have long handles (could also be used for "bug hunting", but that is just the manufacturer's recommendation).

Love these!!

I found these cuties at AC Moore.  My initial plan was to hand paint wooden pieces and glue them to dowels.  While I was looking for an easier solution considering all my options, I stumbled across these pieces that were already done.  YAY!  They  each cost under a dollar and were easily hot glued onto the dowels.  My kiddos are going to love them!

I also bought:  baskets (small ones, medium ones, large ones - just because I could!), chip and dip trays (to be used as paint trays), felt (which has been cut into squares for when the kids work with white boards), and poster board for my new Daily 5 posters.

"Paint Trays" and  felt square "Erasers"

Yesterday, I played hooky...from life.  Packed the kids up and joined two of my closest friends at the beach.  It was nice.  It was restful.  It was a much needed break from "vacation".

Back to the real world - We'll see what today brings!