No words!

I knew this would happen - school starts and now I have no time to blog! I guess it's going to be a hit and miss type of thing - whenever I get time.

It was an amazing week - one like I've never experienced. Open House was wonderful and the parents were so supportive. The only parents who didn't come were those who were working - all the rest were there.

For the first time in my life, my wish list was almost emptied - that's NEVER happened before! They were so giving and willing to help. I even had a parent buy me a projector to use in class! I have no words to explain how I felt when I found that out. I now have a ton of playground equipment - whereas before I had nothing. They brought in all their classroom supplies so the closets are bursting. It's amazing - God has blessed me so much.

To top it off, I was so worried about leaving my old teammates that I had built up such a wonderful relationship with - years of getting to know them and loving them. I didn't know what it would be like to work with someone different. But God knew! And BOY, did He know!!!! I couldn't wish for anyone better to work with. She is one of the Godliest people I have ever met. Her love for her students just oozes out and she is so much fun to be with. She is spunky, bubbly and a treat! I thank God daily for putting me where He has.

So it's weekend - and I need to go ahead and plan for the week. The curriculum is still very different for me, but I know everything will soon fall into place.

Information Overload

2nd Teacher Workday over - and my brain is pounding with information overload! It's a good overload, but now I have to try and sift through all this information and make sense of it all. After being in one school for 9 years, you pretty much get to know what's going on. Understanding the schedule is easy, knowing the kids who are coming up is exciting (and sometimes scary!!), and knowing what's expected of you is a cinch.

BUT, going into the unknown is also an adventure. I like not knowing the students I will be getting - clean slates without any preconceived ideas. I like the excitement of being able to plan my own schedule around certain guidelines, and being flexible. I love meeting new people every day and feeling like a part of their family already. It's a good place to be.

My new school is a Christian school - every morning starts with Staff devotions and ends with prayer. What an amazing way to start the day - knowing you have given everything to God and that, through Him, you can do all things. My new teammate is AMAZING, which helps every time I miss and long for my old team mates. I know that God has given me someone who will love me, encourage me and uplift me when needed. I have had the privilege to work with wonderful people ... and so the journey continues.

One week today, my new "babies" will have walked in to my classroom. We will size each other up, wonder at what is ahead, and start the beginning of new relationships. I LOVE being a teacher!

The End ... and Once Upon a Time

It's the end of the summer .... where did the time go? It was a full one, especially with the move from one school to another. I think, though, that reality is going to hit this week as I start teacher workdays at a new school, with new colleagues, and am no longer part of where I was for the last 9 years. It's going to be a huge change, but I know it's going to be a good one. I've already found the people that I've met at my new school to be warm, inviting and wonderful. I am looking forward to making new friends, yet keeping the golden friendships that I've developed over the years.

So tomorrow I get tech training in the school's web system. I'm really excited! I love technology and am dying to finally get stuck in!!! Wednesday is our first official Teacher Workday - where I'll meet everyone and get up to speed on what I need to be doing, and how I need to be doing it. I know things are going to be very different, but I think it's a different that I'm going to enjoy.

Getting there - slowly but surely

Went back to school today to try to continue organizing. I found two more boxes that had bits and pieces in them, and part of the challenge was finding place to store it all. I know, I know, I should chunk the junk!  BUT .... maybe I'll have a use for it somewhere down the line???  Anyway, I reorganized my desks, and put some things away.  Let me know what you think - don't know if the desks will work this way, but hoping they will. Wondering whether I should get rid of the blue table at the back of the room. I want to use it to display projects, books, etc.

 Front of the classroom.

 Lonely bookshelf, now has books on it.  Not finished by a long shot!! Still got a ton of books to label. Waiting for some more bookshelves to arrive, then I can finish that area off.  Think this is going to be the most work!

 Side of the classroom with cabinets. Got my construction paper and extra papers  stored. Mailboxes on the right will be for notes home and homework, etc.

 Computer area - I only have one computer, so I'm hoping to try to organize a schedule so that all the students can have some computer time.

 Classroom from the door. There is a narrow passage between the desks in the middle that I can walk through.  Worried that this may close, but we'll work on it!

 View of desks from the front of the class.

Teacher area.

Inspirational Movie for Teachers

This is what it's all about! The reason why we take work home, sit up until all hours grading and planning. This is why we love what we do.  It's not a job - it's part of who we are.

Good things!

So, I just got notification that my visa has been approved for the next 3 years!  I am SO unbelievably excited. The way this has happened, is truly a miracle - it came through just a week and a half after being filed!  That's almost unheard of.  Makes me realize that I am where I am  for a reason.

Had new teacher training yesterday - quite an eye opener. Different in so many ways to public school - the stress is going to be GONE! I have the most amazing team mate to work with, and our administration is one of the most caring I have ever come across. I am so blessed.

Can't believe teacher workdays start in two weeks - I am really starting to get excited.  The summer has been too long.  Looking forward to meeting my new "babies" and getting on with some great teaching and learning :)  Roll on 2011/2012 school year!

Learning all the time

School's not in yet, but that doesn't mean we can't still learn. Now this may not be that interesting to some people, but I learned something new today.

I was watching a program about snakes in Africa, in particular the black mamba, and found out that the scat (poop) of the mamba smells like curry!  Interesting - I did not know that :)

Something we need to remember :

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.

-William Butler Yeats

Book Shares / Book Reports

Last year, I did book shares with my students. We did one every 9 weeks. I did both fiction and non-fiction.  Click on the words "book shares" and you will find the documents: there is a rubric included, guidelines as well as book report ideas for the students.

What we do is important.

Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression.

- Haim Ginott

Progress

I've made some progress in my classroom. Went in on Wednesday, and tried to get most of the boxes emptied and put away. Re-arranged the desks to try to fit them in a better way.  I nearly forgot that I still have a bunch of stuff in my van which has been in the shop for 2 weeks .... long story!

Little update about the visa - it was filed this morning and, because the expediency fee was paid, should come through in 15 days (I assume working days). So please continue to keep us in your prayers. I know this is God's will - for me to be here, at this school.

I've added some pictures of the updated classroom. I will continue adding as I change until I have the final version - just before the kids come in.

 The front-left of my class - next to the white board. My desk in the background.

 My area - not that I intend spending a lot of time here, but it's a good place to put my teacher books and store items that I don't want to leave out.

 View from the window to the door.  Textbooks on the far desks in readiness to be handed out. Computer station in back corner. Mailboxes on the cabinets as well as paper/construction paper / plastic pockets, etc.

 This will be the station where students will be able to get scissors, markers, crayons, paper, etc. as well as to find work that they may have missed if they were absent.

Classroom pictures - before and during

So today, I went in to my new classroom.  I've added pictures of the classroom before I starting moving stuff, and what it looked like when I left at the end of the day. I seem to feel it looks worse now than it did the beginning of the day - :)))

Ok, I've emptied quite a few boxes, unpacked some stuff and put it in the cabinets, and put out the desks. My bulletin board is ready to go!  I know I will be changing the desks before school starts, and would love some ideas as to other arrangements.

BEFORE :

                               DURING :

Lonely library shelf!!!

It's all about teaching AND learning

Starting a new school year, at a new school. Very exciting!  Many changes, and many things to learn. There is going to be a new curriculum to learn; new routines to learn; new people to meet; new students to share with. I'm excited, and a little nervous!  I want to use this site to post the daily things (or weekly if  I can't keep up) that I encounter, and that I learn from.  I want to post pictures of my classroom so that I can look back and see how things have progressed!  It's going to be a good year :)

One of the the upcoming challenges is completing the transfer of my visa to my new school. We have just about a month left before the school year begins for teachers, and it has to be through by then. I am trusting that God will continue to have His hand on this process, as He already has.