T minus 10 days

It is now August 5th. It's 10 more days until pre-planning, and the children start back the following week. I'm looking forward to meeting my new little ones but I'm also feeling stressed because we are in the process of closing on a new home and the closing date is MUCH TOO close to the date I have to go back to work. For those of you who know what the first few weeks of school are like, I'm sure you can appreciate my stress in trying to get in to a new house and settled (hopefully) prior to that day.

However, in waiting for my home closing (for the past 2.5 months!) I've thought about things I want to change for next year. I wanted to revamp my behavior management last year but didn't want to do so in the middle of the year. After doing online research I came across Beth Newingham's website. She's quickly become my hero and I've looked to her for so many wonderful classroom additions for the new school year.

I am going to implement the following:

• Clip-Up Behavior Management chart-I believe it was developed by Jonathan McDade. Follow the link for details. I've altered it slightly to fit my needs but I've kept it the similar for the most part. I created the chart myself using construction paper and poster board. This is what it looks like...

Each student begins on "Ready to Learn" with their pin. Students can move up or down the chart according to their behavior. I've changed "Teacher's Choice" to "Time Out." I've decided that if students have to move to "Thinking About It" or "Time Out" then they have an opportunity to move back up pending good behavior. Once they've reached "Parent Contact" then the there will be no moving back up and a parent notification will be sent home.

Clothespins-If a student reaches Outstanding then they may place a stripe on their clothespin (colored in with a marker.) Once a student has 5 stripes on their clothespin then it can be "retired" to the "Clip Hall of Fame" in which the student will be awarded a new clothespins of a different color (1. Orange, 2. Green, 3. Purple, 4. Blue & 5. GOLD.) Once someone has retired 4 pins then they are awarded a GOLD pin to use. (One that is fitted in glitter.)

• Have Your Students Filled A Bucket Today? -this was a program that was developed to increase "community" in the classroom. I stole lots of ideas from Beth Newingham.
• Class library reorganization-I also stole Beth Newingham's ideas for classroom library organization. She's created book basket labels that help to break down books by genre.

I'm going to take pictures and post them here. I've created some picture documents that go along with these new fun ideas but I've yet to learn how to put attachments into this blog. I'll have to research that!

The next time I type to you I hope to be in my new house! And I'm sure I'll be back to work by then, putting all of these in to place!

School's Out for Summer

I think I was supposed to update this thing throughout the year. It's been almost a year exactly since my last post. Truthfully, I thought about it periodically but somewhere between running around like a crazy first year teacher and not wanting to be too brutally honest about how I REALLY felt about my first year, I decided against it.

As everything wrapped up, the year was pleasant. I had an amazing group of kids whom I miss dearly already! I think about them often over the summer and hope they're doing well. As much as I am enjoying this time off, I am looking forward to them visiting me as 4th graders!

No one could have properly prepared me for what was in store for my first year. Probably a good thing too because I'm not sure I would've agreed to this otherwise. Things did get easier as the weeks passed. I look back and see things I'd like to change but that's all in the learning process. I'm already looking forward to making adjustments for next year. Hopefully I'll actually keep up with this blog! I'd like to add new systems I've implemented and what I find works and doesn't work. If not for my own records, then perhaps for other new teachers.

Initially I wanted to use this blog to tell my funny -first-year stories (boy did those exist!) but naturally, I've forgotten most of them...that and it seems meaningless to go back now to record them after they've past. Almost like standing in a room full of people, trying to tell a funny story, but no one laughs. It's the infamous "Guess you had to be there..." moment.

I had my ups and downs on my emotional rollercoaster. Thankfully, I had the best office-mate in the world to pick me up (and give me a verbal slap in the face when necessary. I needed it... most of the time.!) ;)

If I could go back to the beginning of the year, I'd give myself a great big bear hug and say "It's all going to be okay. Don't waste your time crying, don't stay at work until 8pm, don't stress about not knowing all the verbage and abbreviations BECAUSE your kids WILL pass the state test. You're awesome!"

Not that I think I'm awesome (ahem) but it's an exciting, motivating word. Especially among 3rd graders. They told me I was awesome every day. I'm sure they told their 2nd grade teacher the same. And they'll tell their 4th grade teacher as well. Hmmmm....I need to do more to make myself even AWESOME-ER

So, I promise to try to update this more. Even if no one reads it.

Oh, I just realized...I'm no longer a "first" year teacher. I need to change the title of this blog. Exciting!

Everybody Wants You To Be Special

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We had our first 3rd grade pre-planning day this afternoon. We discussed many things I was curious about and it left me feeling satisfied, yet overwhelmed. I want to get this right from the beginning but I just feel like that isn't going to happen right away like I want.

I have volunteered to do the 3rd grade newsletter because I LOVE creating and designing. But I really hope I haven't made a mistake in my volunteering efforts. Ohhhh well! Bring it on!

We discussed AR books, which I've been nervous about. One of the other teachers said she has over 1,000 books in her classroom! I think I've collected around 30 so far. Note to self: CONTINUE TO BOOK SEARCH FOR CHEAP! (I've been fortunate enough to buy most of them for under $1.00.)

I have loads of ideas for activities this year. I'd share them but I feel like I first need to try them out before doing so. If they work then you'll hear about them! I shared one of my ideas with everyone else today and it seemed to go over well. Maybe they were just being nice. Yeah, probably that. I've already gotten the "oh wow-she's DEFINITELY a new teacher because she's WAY too enthusiastic." Was this a good or bad statement? Wait. Don't tell me.

The summer is zooming by and it doesn't show signs of stopping (Did anyone else just reference "Let it Snow" in their heads?) I'm going to be busy with in-service, pre-planning, setting up my room, workshops and orientations right up until we "actually" begin working. I get paid for some of it, thankfully!

Speaking of orientation, yesterday I had to go downtown and get my fingerprints, badge, background check, sign up for insurance and listen to some lady talk who I wasn't really listening to. (Did I just say that?) I'm fairly sure downtown will be seeing me again because my fingerprints didn't seem to take. I'm used to that though.

No more crazy dreams recently. Well, at least not about my classroom. I did have one the night before that involved baby sea lions in my yard, but that has nothing to do with school. So, nevermind.

I'll Wait Back Here

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I think the purpose in having this is to update it regularly. Or that was my initial intention. So, here we go...

Since you have last read this, I have 90% equipped my classroom. About .5 percent of that came from money the school gave, for which I am grateful for, but then 95.5% came from out of pocket expenses. *Groan* I've been warned how expensive being a teacher is and that was no joking matter. My classroom theme is polka dots. Don't laugh. My kids will love it. And if they don't then at least I will! Actually I think they'll love it because it's fun and eye-catching. Since my eyes are naturally drawn to anything pink I've done my absolute best in not making it too girlie. So much holding back! I think I've succeeded though. Believe that pictures will be coming! I'm looking forward to the day when I can carry everything into my classroom because it has easily taken up an entire wall in various boxes and storage containers.

Speaking of "my room," the principal was nice enough to escort me to it last week. It's massive, equipped with an office, a storage room and a "bonus" room. I don't know what I'll do with the extra bonus room but you won't find me complaining. Even though I have a lot of equipment things so far I imagine it will still look bare for a while. There's no possible way I could fill that place in the beginning. Then again, perhaps my eyes have deceived me. I did see the room in nude form so I imagine once it's placed with furniture and decor it will shrink to half it's size.

Wednesday I will be an official employee with my background check, fingerprints and badge.

Last night I had a dream that it was the first day of school and it was an utter failure. There was a hurricane and my room started flooding and the kids were chaotic. While I was trying to save all the beautiful decor in my room from it's ruin, my kids starting fighting and punching one another in a moment of chaos. I sat in a corner and cried as the other teachers came in my room to yell and tell me to control my kids. Turned out my room was the only one hit with a sudden hurricane, but of course I still received no sympathy from my fellow co-workers and the kids, naturally, took advantage of my vulnerability. A girl approached me in the corner and said "Mrs. Mason, I'll help you." Then she said "SHUT UP EVERYBODY! SHE'S CRYING!" The class staggered to their seats, the leaking stopped, the sun came out and then I woke up.

So what does this mean, dream interpreters?

It means that I need to stay home on hurricane days, forget my room decor if there's ever a leak, never cry in front of my kids and tell them to shut up when they are out of control. Right? No wait, have another kid tell the class to shut up so I don't get into trouble. Yeah, that's it.

I believe in yesterday

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On Friday I was jobless and unsure of the 2010-2011 school year. Disappointment has been following me, it seems, through my job applications and interviews. Seventy-something school resume's later and three school interviews behind my belt I was FINALLY offered a 3rd grade teaching position on Saturday.

I received a phone call on Friday to come in for the school interview on Saturday. Yes, strange they were conducting interviews on the weekend but I hardly gave it any thought. The interview went well and I was offered the job before I walked out the door. What a blessing. I wasn't expecting to find out so soon but God seemed to understand my panic with the last interview (which I didn't get) and He knew this was the right job for me.

I'm excited, nervous, eager and edgy. I hope to track all of my first year adventures via this blog, mostly for my own amusement. Maybe when I'm having a bad day I can look back and laugh at myself (or someone else...ahem. But, um, I would NEVER laugh at a student...)

Since I intend to keep this public, I am not revealing my name, the school I will work at or actual names of any students. So if you've been invited by me to read this blog please refrain from saying any of this information.

I feel like I have so much to do! Oh boy.