Progress in Room 703

My classroom is going to be super organized this year. First, I have way more storage options, plus I have the time to make decisions about where I'm going to put things.

Last year as a first year teacher my room was empty, save for the desks. Then at intervals the math and reading coaches would deliver my texts and manuals. I was throwing stuff in cabinets and on shelves like crazy. One cabinet I didn't even open again until the end of the year. This year since all my stuff was already in there, I've been able to organize it better. Plus the layout is slightly different.

Also, I have two new additions to my classroom. An awesome easel on wheels. It is humongous. It is magnetic. It has a storage shelf. Need I say more? Also, this year I have tables instead of desks. You have no idea how exciting this is for me. My heart actually leapt for joy when I saw them in my room. Ahhhh, the simple pleasures of a teacher.

There are so many new and exciting things this year. We've adopted a science curriculum, and it came with kits! We've also adopted a writing program. There are not words to describe how absolutely, positively, supercalifragilistically awesome and timely this is. I won't bore you with teacher speak, but it really breaks down the writing process, and gives the kids language to use while they are building sentences.

That is all for now. I gotta go eat dinner.

One More Day of Freedom

Tomorrow is my last day of summer vacation before school starts.

We have a week of preparations, and then the kiddos.

Just thought you all would like to know.

Time Flies When You Work in the Summer

I realize my past three posts have been about websites. I'm in a sort of rut, I guess. So I thought I'd try and bust out by posting what's been going on with me.

Summer vakay is still in full swing. The plus side is I get time to recover from my first year of teaching. The downside is I have waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to much time on my hands. Yeah, sure, I read a lot, and see movies and go dancing, but each of those activities is only a few hours long, and last time I checked a day has 24 hours...at least. I realize by publishing this statement I sound like a whiney baby, but I've finally realized that loads of free time is not what I want. I want to be gainfully employed, but balance that with times of rest too.

On a different note, one of the books I'm reading is called True Faced and it's written by three men at my church. It's basically about dropping the masks that we put on for ourselves to try and convince others and God that we are fine. This book is about learning to be fine with not being fine, but mostly about letting others see us and love us when we are not fine, and baring our not-fineness to those who want to love us.

It's really making me think about how real I've been with people. And I think to some extent I've been a little real with people, as I've gradually become more in touch with who I am. However I definitely think I have some masks that I didn't even know about. I'm a little uncomfortable when I read this book because I feel like it's pointing a big, fat finger at me, but I think that's good because that means I'm being stretched.

I Need a Red Paper Clip

If only I could embark on a journey like this. I would be a homeowner in a year! And meet celebrities!

Where Have All the Homestarrunners Gone?

This post was originally meant to be a lament on the absence of the one remnant of my college days. Where has Homestarrunner gone? For a month and a half?!

Yes, I still check this website, and though I feel a sneaking suspicion that I may soon be outgrowing Homestarrunner, I will hold out as long as I can.

Anyways, to my overwhelming joy and surprise I went to Homestarrunner.com today and there is a new cartoon!

Check it out. No seriously...check it out.