First 12 Linky and a Freebie

Lorraine from Fabulous 4th Grade Froggies is having a linky party to look back at the first 12 post of 2012 and reflecting on them.

 

• Randomness and Giveaways! – Haha!  complaining about going back to school after the break.  I guess nothing changes!  I did do come work before going back last year.  I WILL NOT feel guilty about that!
• Clutter! – I joined the Clutter-Free Classroom Project.  Well, that was a giant fail considering I packed my whole classroom.  It did help reduce the things I packed.  I think I need to go through that again because the number of things in my little classroom keeps growing!
• Blog Updates! – Oh!  I had made some updates to my blog!  I think it is time again.  I like to overall look, but want to redo my button.
• Leibster Award Love! – Ahh!  An award.  I love them because it means someone is still reading.  But, goodness they take forever to follow up on. Sad to say, the awards thing just wore me out last year.  I stopped following up after a while. 
• Go-To Books Linky Party – This was a great linky party  I t really helped me to think about what books influenced my teaching and I found some that I wanted to reread.
• Thank You! – Another award.
• A Few Random Things – I shared some organizational tips and a Valentine’s printable.  I still use the math organization and it is a blessing with the departmentalization of math this year.  It helps everything stay speedy!
• Pinterest Tips – I loved this post!  I use the search function to look up pins from my favorite blogs all the time.  The printing of your board is also really helpful!  I need to try that again!
• Clutter-Free Classroom Project…and Other Stuff – Again, the Clutter-Free project.  They were good rules.  Maybe I need to take a look at them again.
• Currently Linky Party – Hmm!  This currently was during a really busy time!  I was planning a baby shower, negotiating to switch grades, and applying to go back to college.  What was I thinking!  I always look back and think that, if things were that crazy then, I have no reason to complain now! Oh, I forgot about the 50th anniversary party and defunct reunion I was planning too…
• My Rules for Purging – Clutter-Free Project
• Organizing Centers – Hmm!  I wonder how I should start to organize my centers now?  After all, it took my five years to get them down in first grade!
• Wow! – haha!  I topped 100 followers!  I’ve been holding around the same number for a long time.  I try not to focus on that.
• New Toy! – The file bag!  I just pulled that out again..  Great tool – need to use it more consistently!

This was a fun linky party! I actually listed 14 posts because that’s how many I had in January last year. Check out any of the old posts if they interest you!

I also make a quick freebie.  We have departmentalized math classes and this is a huge adjustment to me.  I have been having a tough time tracking everything when 3/4 of the class is from another homeroom.  At any rate, I am not too much of a stickler for homework - only if I notice that it never gets done.  I am stepping up my game and created an "Oops Slip." Believe it or not, my teachers in elementary school used these to remind us to bring our homework back.  After 3 slips, we lost recess or had to have our parents sign the slip.  If it is something you can use, feel free to print.

Currently Linky!

Wow!  Two days – two posts!  A-maz-ing!  I’m linking up with Farley for her Currently Linky:





1. I discovered the Eleventh Gorgeous girls on YouTube!  They are a riot!  Seriously, if you want a pick-me-up, check them out!  They have me doing their voices and everything!



2.  I found a new book series!  The Immortals series is a good one!  I am currently reading City of Bones.  Good thing I got a ton of gift cards for Banes and Noble, because I have vowed to not buy any more books this year and I need to pick up the second book in this series!



3. I have been down and out for over a week! I never never never get this sick.  I usually just get tired, but this wiped me out.  I started coming down with what ever it is before the break, but held out.  I ended up lazing on the couch for 9 days.  It was only on Monday that I actually got up and felt human again.  I saved a bunch on gas because my car literally went out to pick up last minute gifts last Sunday and went to my parents (5 mins. away) and back on Christmas Day.

4. Enough said!

5. Yes, I am on a purchasing strike!  I cleaned out my closet and realized that I keep buying clothes and really don’t need them.  If you show me an outfit, I can probably pull it out of my closet. 40 skirts and 50 sweaters is waaaay more than any one person needs.  I really need to purge and see if I can reclaim both my closet and my craft room/office again. Oh, but I did buy a new dishwasher.  I am waiting oh so patiently for it to come in.  Our broken about 2 years ago and it is one of those little baby 18 inchers.  That means twice as much money and twice as long a wait.  I tried to be happy with doing dishes, but the reality is that I need to have a dishwasher.  I just hate doing dishes and I would rather buy a new dish washer than become a slave to the sink.

6. Balance – If you read my post yesterday, you know that I want to find some balance.  I have been exhausted and doing so much without really doing anything at all.  I need to balance home, school, and college.  I think the first step is to pull myself out of grump mode and start getting some good planning and correcting done so I feel like I am on the ball at work.  I also want to get myself in order at home.  That means purging and organizing.  Have you seen A Bowl Full of Lemons?  She has a great plan for organizing your house in 14 weeks.  I’m going to give it a go!

 

Have a great one!

New Years Linky Party!

I so want to get out of this rut that I seem to be in right now, so I am going to link up to a few linky parties to get myself going!

I'm linking up with The Teachers' Cauldron to make a personal resolution and a blogging resolution.

My personal resolution is to find balance in my life. Okay, I cheated.  That really encompasses a few things. I need to find some balance between home, school and college.  For home, I would really like to get my house organized and stop feeling like I am a hoarder (I have vowed to not buy any more clothes, home décor items, or books this year.) At school I would like to get some units under my belt and really do some strong planning.  I feel like I have been coasting a bit because my four hour mornings are just killing me this year. And for college, I would like to be able to better balance the demands of coursework with school planning and house work.

My blogging goal is to simply blog more.  I have been out of the blogging and creating mode this year.  I want to share more and maybe even update/create some items for Teachers Pay Teachers – hopefully the field isn’t so saturated that everything has been done!

Well, those are my resolutions this year.  I have already started on some of them!  I have a large roast in the slow cooker for dinners for the week, have an outfit ready for tomorrow (and hope to have a few more picked out tonight), some items ready to copy tomorrow morning, and have oatmeal ready to get into a new breakfast routine. 

For everyone going back to school tomorrow – have a wonderful day!

Wondering, pondering, and reflecting...

So, it's Christmas Break, right? We have a few days this week when the school is open and I know I should go in and organize and do some work, but can I be honest? I don't really want to. I have been down and out sick for several days and I have to say that I'm not all that thrilled thinking about how this break was supposed to get me on track with planning and teaching for the next several weeks. I'm tired. Just plain tired.

Does anyone else out there wish we could take a sabbatical from teaching and still have a job to come back to? I know that the blog world is generally a very positive one, but I know there are others out there who must be feeling as worn out as I am. I have actually been taking a big break from reading blogs because they can make me feel stressed about all the amazing things I should be pulling off in my classroom.

I was thinking back to when I taught this grade ten years ago in another place. Yeah, I know it was another time too. But I was thinking about how the stress was so different. I was in a much smaller, rural school and the focus was on doing the best we could for our kids. I know times have changed in a decade and I am teaching in a very competitive suburban school, but I can't help but reflect on how the stress I am feeling is just not good stress for me. I know that I was sick the last week of school, but kept pushing until the break and of course I'm really sick now. Fun vacation, right? I think the stress level and my packed four hour mornings have not helped my illness level this year. Yes that's 4 hours before sight of a time without students. That means, as all teachers know, you better have your morning routine down pat if you want to make it through to lunch.

I'm beginning to think the balance is tipping for me. I love education, but lately I'm not feeling all that great about what I'm doing. I love my class this year and I am enjoying my grade level. But the classes get more and more challenging every year. So much so that I don't feel like my job is really to teach anymore. It's to manage and parent and run meetings and administer tests. Oh, apparently I am the attendance police this year too. The teaching part is coming second and I can't help but feel that it's second rate.

The politics is a factor too, due to time and place. I have several wonderful colleagues who I work with. It's just so hard to try fitting into a new building again. The fact that I am from another building makes this a little challenging. It shouldn't, but sadly it does. When did teaching become so competitive and some times just plain mean? I think it may also have something to do with the fact that most people think I am in my mid-twenties and started my career in this district 5 years ago. A few have expressed surprise when age or experience comes up. I'm not a newbie!

So, here I sit thinking of all the things that need to get done, the organizing I need to do, and the curriculum I need to pour through, and how I just don't want to do any of it. I want to be able to come home and not think about the piles of papers to correct and copies to make and management things to change. I keep wondering how other teachers can manage everything and still have a life when the day is over. Because, I sure know that all I think about after school is school. I love teaching, but I want my job to be a job and to not feel like my life is defined by my job. Maybe the teaching of tens years ago just isn't teaching anymore. Maybe thing have "progressed" too much.

I know this was a Debbie Downer post, but I have been doing a great deal of reflecting the past few weeks and wondering where my place is. I feel a bit like I am going through my teenage years 20 years too late - wondering what I want to do with my life and if I'm not a teacher, who am I?

Does anyone else wonder about their place in education?

Holiday Tips

I thought I would post a few tips that have made my holiday life easier at school.  It seems that I needed to remind myself of some of these things I used to do this year.

1. Party Supplies – I used to have a copy paper box that I stored in my cupboards with party materials in it.  It saved on those days when a parent forgot to send plates or cups in.  I also buy juice when it is on sale and have a couple containers on hand – pretzels are handy too. I buy a couple table clothes to have on hand for parties.  Usually an orange one works for fall and spring, and a white or red for the other holidays.

2. Party Decorations – I had another copy box with holiday decorations. We don’t do much with holidays any more, but hearts for Valentine’s and snowmen for winter are still nice to display.

3. I usually keep an apple cutter, a knife, and tongs in the room.  They come in handy for cutting and handling food.  I also like to keep a couple trays from the Dollar Store and a couple baskets to put food in.

4. Notecards – last year I bought a set of 100 generic notecards at TJ Max.  They are so handy fir jotting a quick note or a thank you note.  I try to get my thank yous done as soon as a I get the gifts.  I am not fond of writing thank you notes and the extra time it takes on break to write and mail them is something I try to avoid.

5. Anchor Packet – I always have a packet of activities copied and ready to go.  On party days, I always feel like we have odd pockets of time and it is nice to always have a back up – especially if parents are in.  It makes things a little more controlled.

What do you do to prepare for parties?