Let the games begin!

It's almost here!!!!  Our school officially started Thursday, that's when 1st through 5th graders came back to school.  Our district uses those first 2 days of school to meet one on one with kindergarten students and their parents.  I really like having that opportunity to meet with my new darlin's and their parents, answer their questions, and hopefully alleviate some of the anxiety.  Kindergarteners begin Monday...TOMORROW!!!

I put the finishing touches on my room this weekend and finalized some details on my lesson plans this evening.  I can still think of dozens of things I coulda, woulda, shoulda...but all in all I think I'm in a good place.  Here are some pictures of my room before the kiddos come.

This is the view when you come into my classroom.

 

Here is my calendar board / math focus wall.

I opted to forego a traditional teacher desk this year.  This is my small group table and teacher corner.

 

This is looking towards my class library and Reading Street focus board.

 

This is a view of my word wall, birthday poster, job chart, and writing table.  I want to put a skirt around the bottom of the table.  The one I had on last year didn't stay on very good.  Does anyone have a good suggestion??

 

I am so excited to get all my kiddos tomorrow.  I hope that they are excited too.  It should be so much fun!  I don't want to give away all my exciting plans, but I will post tomorrow how everything went...if I'm not too exhausted.  Now if only I can get to sleep tonight!

 

 

 

This teacher suffers from summer slide too.

Ok...I have been a teacher for over 13 years and although I like the teacher's schedule of having summers 'off' (which is a topic all of it's own), I have discovered that I am a much better person once school starts.  Don't get me wrong, I love the freedom to go camping in the middle of the week or to run errands on a Tuesday afternoon, or to stay up late watching movies...or celebrating a friends wedding :-), but I think I like myself better--and I think my family likes me better-- when I have a schedule and a more defined purpose. 

 

My grandma used to tell me a little rhyme about a girl who had a curl right in the middle of her forehead.  When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid. 
During the school year I somehow manage to get myself and 3 school aged children feed, dressed, and to school on time...I teach...plan with teammates...tutor...participate in leadership teams...help my children with homework...cook dinner...clean the house...etc. etc. etc.  Yet, in the summer all of our routines go out the window.  It is not uncommon to find the children in pajamas at 2:00 in the afternoon...to dine on oatmeal for dinner or potato chips for lunch...or to find a stack of mail that I haven't been motivated to open yet.  I would feel better if I had at least caught up on some reading or cleaning or even a craft project.  But that doesn't seem to be the case.  I just to a little bit of everything, but not enough of anything. 

 

Never fear dear family.  School starts next week and you will get me back 100%!