Summer Vacation....well kind of

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Whoever said that teacher's have the summer's off are cra cra!

Here is my summer schedule:

• One week of Common Core Training 
• Week long Cruise with the Girls (that's my one sanity break)
• Ten days in Texas for my Sister's Wedding
• Four days of VIMS/gradebook manager training in July
• Five days with the kids at Fort Wilderness (hubby doesn't go so that's like work)
• One day of VSET training in August
• Two more days of VIMS/gradebook manager training in August
• Paint my kitchen (it has been the same color for 20 years)
• Pack up my classroom after 20+ years (this activity has to fit into any open space that I have)

I'm hoping to fit a day or two of relaxation in there, but those kind of days are looking slim.

Oh, and I know I left you hanging on my last post. Unfortunately, you still have to dangle for a little while longer.

I am not officially allowed to discuss my new position.  I must remain undercover, incognito for a little while longer.

But believe me, I will let you know as soon as the muzzle has been removed.  All I can tell you is that I am excited (with a touch of overwhelmed).  After all, wouldn't you be overwhelmed if you were possibly leaving the classroom after 20+ years.

Which brings me to my next question, WHERE DO I PUT ALL MY STUFF?

I have accumulated quite a lot of loot after all these years.  I don't want to just give it away just yet because of that underlining question...WHAT IF I END UP BACK IN THE CLASSROOM?

I need some suggestions.  I don't have a garage and the room I will be moving to is a portable that doesn't have any storage.

I have been looking on pinterest for some ideas but really haven't seen anything that makes me go "Yes, that's it! That's what I will do."

So, if there are any teachers out there that have experienced this problem...  Please share your ideas with me.  I would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, I will try to keep up with my hectic "summer vacation."  At least I have my CRUISE WITH THE GIRLS next week.  I am looking forward to a little "just for me" time.

Until next time, Happy Blogging!

Ann

I'm still here!

Hi blogging friends!

I know it has been a LONG time since my last post.  

I have no one to blame but myself.

I let life catch up with me.

Let's just say I have been a bit overwhelmed BUSY!

I have also been attending millions of many workshops to prepare me for a BIG CHANGE in my career.

I can't give details yet, but as soon as I am able...I will spill the beans (PINKY SWEAR).

I have been trying my best to keep up with all of you, but my computer time has been VERY LIMITED.  It sure is difficult trying to balance all the hats that I am currently wearing but as my husband said to me the other day "You enjoy the challenge!"

He is right!  I do enjoy when I am overwhelmed BUSY.  However, my house doesn't look like it appreciates it (I think I need to hire a maid.)

Well, I am looking forward to including you on this new adventure.

I will keep you posted.

In the meantime,  mums the word. Okay?

Happy Blogging, my friends!

Ann

P.S.  I DID GREAT ON MY EVALUATION!!!!!!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Leprechaun Traps

Easter Word Mixup Center

Rainbow Poems & craft

Happy Blogging!
Ann

What State Are You From?

I'm linking up with Fifth Grade in the Middle to share what state I am from.

This looks like a fun linky...so go check it out!

Happy Blogging!
Ann

Currently...

Is it REALLY March already?

Where did February go?

I must have blinked.

A new month means....time for Currently with Farley.

Here's what is going on for me right now...

Yes, as you can see...I'm procrastinating this morning.

I have been on Facebook, more than once.

I have read all the current blog posts, more than once.

I have gone onto Pinterest, more than once.

And now I am doing my Currently blog post....don't worry, I won't do it more than once (even though, it is tempting).

Can you tell I am avoiding something?

I am!

It is that wonderful time of year.

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

No, it's not Christmas again!

It's time for that "O" word.

You know the word I'm talking about.

The word that every teacher dreads to hear.

Have you guessed it yet?

OBSERVATION

UGH!

Now, after twenty years in the classroom, you would think that I would be fine with the "O" word.

In the past, I have always been fine with it.

I would tell them to stop in anytime they wanted and they would see me in action!

But now, someone has come up with a new process that they believe will BE BETTER AT DETERMINING A TEACHER'S LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE (You know...there is always a better way to do something.)

Because we all know that observing a teacher only once "in action" with a few additional 5 minute walk throughs will provide any administrator with adequate information on that teacher's ability to instruct.  Right?

Oh, and did I mention that we have to write a dissertation as well.  You know, prior to the visit so that administration will know EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TEACHING AND HOW WE ARE DOING IT.

I am sure MANY of you are going through this process as well and are experiencing the same level of frustration regarding the new process.

I guess it is just my time to VENT about it.

I don't know how you feel, but as an educator, I personally feel that my time would be better spent doing other things to prepare for instruction, than spending six hours writing a dissertation on ONE LESSON.

But as I often say...."It is what it is!"

So, as always, I will NOW bite my lip and do what is expected of me.

AND....I WILL ROCK MY OBSERVATION!

For those of you who have stuck with me, thanks for giving me the time to vent.

Now, I am off.

Today I will clean my house (I have never been so excited to clean.)

I will do loads of laundry (I might actually let the kids roll around in dirt in their clean clothes just so I can have extra laundry to do.)

And, at some point today...

 I will WRITE MY DISSERTATION (unless my computer decides to CRASH).

Until next time,  Happy Blogging my friends!

Ann

Read Across America Classroom Fun

We had a SEUSSICAL week last week!

• We actually read 30 of Dr. Seuss books.
• We had special dress up days all week (silly sock day, funny feet day, hat day, red and blue day, and green day).
• We tried green eggs and ham (well some of us did).
• We made Cat in the Hat pops.
• We had guest readers.
• We got special birthday presents each day from the Cat in the Hat bag.
• We sorted and counted goldfish crackers.

Here are some images of all the "funnier than funny" fun we had.

 Thing 3 enjoying his green eggs and ham.

 We graphed if we liked them or not.  This is a freebie found at

A to Z Teacher Stuff.

We enjoyed wearing our "hats" on Friday.

 Here is a pic of the Cat in the Hat Pops.

Easy to make.

Dip half a marshmallow in milk.

Dip it in red sugar.

Put three on a skewer.

Eat!

 Loved using this freebie I found at Lil' Country Kindergarten.  

Thank you, Marlena!
I just LOVE her Hidden Picture Hundreds Charts and so do my kids.
Go check her stuff out on Teachers Pay Teachers.

They were so cute that I had to hang them in my room.

What did you do to celebrate Read Across America Week?

Happy Blogging!

Ann

Organized Teacher Space

As I mentioned before, I LOVE ORGANIZATION.

And, although, I am a little behind on this linky, I still wanted to participate.

It just took me a little longer than I thought to complete.  I don't understand why...it's not like we don't have any meetings, parent conferences, paperwork, carpool duty, lesson planning, professional developments (I am a common core leader and teach lessons once a month for my faculty)....I think you get the picture.

So here are the before pictures of my teacher space...

 My teacher space (no desk)

 My work basket and essential tools

 My Sterlite towers that store just about everything that I need.

 My two file cabinets with paper organizer on top.

 My sub communication corner.

Has anything posted that a sub may need to know (seating plan, how they get home, clinic passes, referrals, daily schedules, bus colors, etc.).

My assessment files and my trash can (that drives me crazy).

What do I like about my teacher space:

1. I love my Sterlite drawers.  I have EVERYTHING that I could possibly need to teach and plan right behind me.
2. I love that I use my small group table as my desk.  It keeps me from allowing the clutter to build up.
3. I love my essential tool basket on my desk.  You can't see it from the picture, but it has a starfish glued to the front.  I made it a few years ago.  It has grading markers, pens, pencils, stickers, parent notes, clinic passes, referrals.  It's right within reach.

What would I change in my teacher space:

1. I am not sure if you can see from the picture, but I have one more Sterlite tower on the other side of my file cabinet.  It seems so out of place there.  It's lonely!  I need to get it with the others (my OCD talking).
2. I HATE my garbage can sticking out.  It is ALWAYS in my way and it is ugly!  I need to find it a home WHERE I WON'T TRIP OVER IT.
3. My sub communication center always looks so cluttered to me.  I need to re-evaluate it and see what I need to do.
4. I would love to paint or cover my file cabinets but that will have to be a summer project.  No time to tackle that right now.

So, I spent a LITTE TIME, re-organizing my teacher space and here are my AFTER pictures...

 A clean table.

* still has my essential supplies basket and my work basket.

* the clipboard houses my lesson plans for the week.

* I LOVE my hot pink chair (IKEA find).

 The top of the Sterlite towers.

* Small Sterlite drawers & assessment files.

* Notice the small fan (essential at my age...hot flashes)

* I love my assessment notebooks; I covered them with duct tape and added hot pink ribbon.

 My Sterlite Towers-LOVE!

* I moved the 4th one over.

* LOOK!  I had room for the trash can to the side.  It's not sticking out any more!

* All labeled-LOVE!

*Summer project...glue paper to the front of each drawer (on the inside) so you can see the labels better.

 My file cabinets and paper organizer

* pink and blue baskets house I-pod stations (they come out daily).

* snack jars on top

 Small Sterlite drawers

*phone

*pencil sharpener

*cassette player 

*Note the missing drawer (another teacher has it, these drawers house my easy readers)

 My awards and gift shelves

*these shelves my husband installed

*they house all my awards and special gifts from students over the years.

A bare wall?

Use to be my sub communication center.

All of those papers are now housed in a binder.

I like how clean this looks. 

I plan on making this an "I Can" wall to celebrate my student's accomplishments.

Here is a look at the clean teacher space...

Overall, I am pleased with the outcome.  Oh, and my summer project list seems to be growing...I even added to make a table skirt to hide extra clutter and maybe even make those cute crate seats.

So that's my teacher space.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my little home away from home.  I hope you link up with Clutter Free Classroom and share some of your organizational ideas.  That way my summer to-do list can keep growing.  LOL!

Happy Blogging!
Ann