and now for spring break!
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ONLY 100 OR SO MORE BOXES TO GO*
Friday, March 29, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
16 Boxes
That is how many boxes I have packed. The first box sweep is next week during SPRING BREAK!! I won't be there, but when I return, all those boxes will be in a storage container on the playground. As of this moment, I have no idea where or what I will be teaching- I just know that it won't be in the classroom I have now...the aged, rodent infested, leaking roof of a room with the gorgeous views.
I have way too much to pack, but thankfully two wonderful moms packed 4 of the boxes for me. They also filled plastic eggs for an egg hunt on Friday. I am very lucky- it has only taken 28 years to work in a place like this....I am ready for the next adventure...I should find out Friday what I will be doing if I choose to stay at this school. Then it is SPRING BREAK BABY!!!! Off on adventures with the Captain :)
I have way too much to pack, but thankfully two wonderful moms packed 4 of the boxes for me. They also filled plastic eggs for an egg hunt on Friday. I am very lucky- it has only taken 28 years to work in a place like this....I am ready for the next adventure...I should find out Friday what I will be doing if I choose to stay at this school. Then it is SPRING BREAK BABY!!!! Off on adventures with the Captain :)
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*PACK A BOX OR TWO...OR 500*
Monday, March 18, 2013
Darn Leprechauns!
Today was the day I dread...the day after St. Patrick's Day...when the kids can't wait to get into the classroom to see if they caught a Leprechaun!! But alas, not a wee Leprechaun was to be found...just tripped traps, stolen loot and a note to find his missing hat...oh- and he left a gold coin and a chocolate covered coin in each trap - Just one problem...the gold chocolate coins I bought just for this occasion, were hidden in my desk...and mice got to a few of them!
Ghak!
The Green Eggs and Spam pan was waiting for me to clean...the inside of the eggs were really GREEN...I took the syringes from when Daughter #1 was a diabetic (due to chemo,) and made a pinhole in the egg shell and shot in a syringe full of green food coloring! Imagine the excitement when the cracked egg was broken into the bowl and it was GREEN! And imagine that I had the kids the rest of the day all hyped.
Until next year....see ya Leprechaun and your foolishness!
Ghak!
The Green Eggs and Spam pan was waiting for me to clean...the inside of the eggs were really GREEN...I took the syringes from when Daughter #1 was a diabetic (due to chemo,) and made a pinhole in the egg shell and shot in a syringe full of green food coloring! Imagine the excitement when the cracked egg was broken into the bowl and it was GREEN! And imagine that I had the kids the rest of the day all hyped.
Until next year....see ya Leprechaun and your foolishness!
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*KISS ME I'M IRISH*
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
What's worse than packing you ask?
Parent conferences and report cards!
In kindergarten for the past 16 years, parent conferences were in November and May...now that I have graduated to 1st, parent conferences are in November and March. I do like that so the end of the year is not so hectic BUT, pile on packing up my entire classroom to go to storage is insane....along with reading assessments and report cards...I have reached the point where weekends and evenings are getting eaten up with work details.
On top of that, I have no idea what or where I will be teaching. There will only be 3 first grades next year and I am the 4th teacher...just like what happened to me last year as the 4th K teacher...so I pack up boxes of things I used in fall and winter and label them only with my last name...and hope that all 100+ boxes will make it to whatever room and whatever school I happen to move to.
Life is good in my old classroom despite the leaking roof and mice. It is a shame it will be remodeled into a room with built ins with no choice of how to set up. Right now I have no cabinets or built in anythings and I can arrange it however I please....plus my new SMART BOARD is so so cool! I am so lucky to have taught in this room for 2 years...I am hoping not to have to go into the portable with the windows that only open 3" and one door...I will feel like a caged animal. I will miss the sunrise over the trees and the view of the bay....and these little children who I have taught for two years in a row...who came to me, some not knowing letters and now benchmarking in reading!
In kindergarten for the past 16 years, parent conferences were in November and May...now that I have graduated to 1st, parent conferences are in November and March. I do like that so the end of the year is not so hectic BUT, pile on packing up my entire classroom to go to storage is insane....along with reading assessments and report cards...I have reached the point where weekends and evenings are getting eaten up with work details.
On top of that, I have no idea what or where I will be teaching. There will only be 3 first grades next year and I am the 4th teacher...just like what happened to me last year as the 4th K teacher...so I pack up boxes of things I used in fall and winter and label them only with my last name...and hope that all 100+ boxes will make it to whatever room and whatever school I happen to move to.
Life is good in my old classroom despite the leaking roof and mice. It is a shame it will be remodeled into a room with built ins with no choice of how to set up. Right now I have no cabinets or built in anythings and I can arrange it however I please....plus my new SMART BOARD is so so cool! I am so lucky to have taught in this room for 2 years...I am hoping not to have to go into the portable with the windows that only open 3" and one door...I will feel like a caged animal. I will miss the sunrise over the trees and the view of the bay....and these little children who I have taught for two years in a row...who came to me, some not knowing letters and now benchmarking in reading!
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*I AM ONE LUCKY GIRL*
Thursday, March 7, 2013
LOCK DOWN!
So 3 years ago I hit a first in my teaching career...I experienced a tornado warning...which is very uncommon if not unheard of in California. Today it was a lock down...not a first in my career- there was the time we were under lock down in my old school district due to a meth lab bust with an evacuation of surrounding apartments until all the combustibles were taken off the premises. -
But today's was a real lock down as some robbery suspects were fleeing police, they drove into the neighborhood and hit a dead end street just a few blocks from school- and then dumped the car and ran....not before hitting an officer with their car. Thankfully it was not life threatening! The suspects were finally arrested and taken away. But the police locked down my school and the local middle school until they were sure they had all the suspects. When I heard the announcement I went to lock my back door and saw a class out at P.E.- they could not hear the announcement due to all the police sirens. I blew my whistle and yelled to the teacher to go back to her room that there was a lock down. My classroom still does not have Columbine locks so I have to open the door to lock it- thankfully or I would not have looked out on the playground.
My students were really good and continued work as I frantically texted other teachers and my husband to find out what was going on. They are too young to really comprehend Sandy Hook and most parents did not let the children watch the news about that. But the 5th graders were worried...and even mentioned that someone may come with a gun...so sad.
All is well that ends well...now off to a board meeting to present a little on the Running Club that I run at school.
But today's was a real lock down as some robbery suspects were fleeing police, they drove into the neighborhood and hit a dead end street just a few blocks from school- and then dumped the car and ran....not before hitting an officer with their car. Thankfully it was not life threatening! The suspects were finally arrested and taken away. But the police locked down my school and the local middle school until they were sure they had all the suspects. When I heard the announcement I went to lock my back door and saw a class out at P.E.- they could not hear the announcement due to all the police sirens. I blew my whistle and yelled to the teacher to go back to her room that there was a lock down. My classroom still does not have Columbine locks so I have to open the door to lock it- thankfully or I would not have looked out on the playground.
My students were really good and continued work as I frantically texted other teachers and my husband to find out what was going on. They are too young to really comprehend Sandy Hook and most parents did not let the children watch the news about that. But the 5th graders were worried...and even mentioned that someone may come with a gun...so sad.
All is well that ends well...now off to a board meeting to present a little on the Running Club that I run at school.
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GOOD THING I CARRY MY
CLASSROOM KEYS AROUND MY NECK*
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
When Old Tech Meets New Tech
I know...I am spoiled at my new school...I have a SMART BOARD...but I still have video tapes and I am not going to invest in purchasing those in DVD...or pay to have them digitized...
So this morning I googled, hook up a VCR to a SMART BOARD and sure enough...it can be done. I was pretty sure, since I saw the yellow, white and red plug holes that it could be done...but I didn't want to blow up such a nice, expensive piece of equipment.
And now we have old meets new in Room 14!
So this morning I googled, hook up a VCR to a SMART BOARD and sure enough...it can be done. I was pretty sure, since I saw the yellow, white and red plug holes that it could be done...but I didn't want to blow up such a nice, expensive piece of equipment.
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*LAUGH HARDER*BECOME
YOUR OWN TECH MASTER*
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Small Tale of Worldly People
My daughter met these folks in Laos.
(CLICK HERE)
When I told her I had seen an article about a couple riding their bikes around the world, and they were hit and killed by a pick up truck last month- she gasped and said, "We met them in Asia."
I just pulled up the article, and sure enough it is them. RIP - Small small world.
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*SUCH
A BIG WORLD, SO LITTLE TIME*
Friday, March 1, 2013
READ ACROSS MY CLASSROOM
I got to work at 6:15 to set up...to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday, known in the school world as Read Across America. The kids who were in my kindergarten class last year were looking forward to today...and although I had not planned to wear pajamas, on Thursday afternoon the kids insisted. So we voted and 23-1 it was decided....and I was very comfortable today.
I got permission to bring our foster dog as a "reading dog." She loved being in the classroom with children...she has only been to my school on weekends and knows her way throughout the building but she was blown away when the students showed up..and they loved her to death. She was read to many, many times today.
I had a packing meeting at lunch and I had morning snack duty so I had no break in teh school day...so by 3:15 I was more than ready to leave...I packed up and took the dog to meet The Captain at the vista point...he was there but had forgotten my workout bag...so instead of swimming we came home...and I promptly rested with my feet up. That makes tomorrow a run and swim day...so I am off to sleep.
I got permission to bring our foster dog as a "reading dog." She loved being in the classroom with children...she has only been to my school on weekends and knows her way throughout the building but she was blown away when the students showed up..and they loved her to death. She was read to many, many times today.
I had a packing meeting at lunch and I had morning snack duty so I had no break in teh school day...so by 3:15 I was more than ready to leave...I packed up and took the dog to meet The Captain at the vista point...he was there but had forgotten my workout bag...so instead of swimming we came home...and I promptly rested with my feet up. That makes tomorrow a run and swim day...so I am off to sleep.
*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. SEUSS*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)