To My Past-Self

Long time, no see!

It has been several months since I took my much needed hiatus from blogging (and most of the other aspects of my life that didn't involve teaching!).  With my first full-year of teaching in my current district under my belt, it's safe to say I've learned A LOT about education, management, and most importantly - myself.  Bringing my first year full-circle, I decided to write a letter to myself that I wish I had on the first day of school.  Whether you're just beginning this journey, are in the middle of all the action, or are nearing retirement, maybe you can take away a lesson from my experiences.

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Dear first-year Emily,

You did it!  You've landed your first real big-kid job, you've spent all summer organizing and developing a positive classroom environment, and your curriculum is starting to take it's shape.  I'm sure your eyes are wide, your smile is huge, your heart is pumping, and you're already lacking sleep from the adrenaline of your impending adventure.  Well, your future self has two words for you:  slow down!!!  Here are a few things you should consider before leaping head-first into the chaos.

1. You don't always have to say "yes!"

You're new to your school district and building.  As the new kid around, you want to make a good impression and build a reputation of being a great co-worker, motivated employee, and reliable colleague.  Guess what?  That doesn't mean you have to agree to everything and anything you're asked, or take every single opportunity that presents itself to you.  Of course, it's important that you participate in school events and immerse yourself in your school community, but you also have to maintain a normal sense of sanity.  You are only human and unfortunately, you (most likely) don't have super powers either.  It's OKAY to say no, whether it be to heading up a committee, volunteering your time for a school dance, or telling a co-worker that you aren't able to pilot a program they are interested in using.  If you over-book yourself your first year, which is already stressful enough with day-to-day events, you won't make it far in your career.  Have you heard of (and heaven forbid witnessed) a burnt-out teacher?  I'd safely bet on it that they've said "yes" one too many times.  Don't let that be you!  Get in the game, but be practical.  You're not a machine!

2. Write things down!

This first year is going to go by quickly.  When you've got a minute (or realistically, a few seconds), write down important things that happen, funny stories, changes you'd like to make, or just your thoughts.  Keep a notebook on your desk in a safe but accessible location.  Add tabs for important things you'd like to write down such as (1) funny stories, (2) wish list [improvements you'd like to make in the future], (3) changes for next year, (4) pros/cons [explain things that really work and what doesn't work], and (5) self-reminders [things to remind your future self].  It might seem tedious and time-consuming now, but your future self will definitely be grateful.  You would much rather take time to write it down as it happens than try and remember it on a Friday afternoon when your brain is only focusing on crashing on your couch with a pizza and a Netflix marathon that you'll fall asleep to before the clock hits 7:00pm.  (Oh yes, disclaimer - Friday nights will most likely be devoted to sleeping, not socializing.  Trust me, it will be glorious!).

3. Teach deeper, not wider

By now, you've probably sat down with a colleague or two to talk about curriculum.  How exciting, fun, and stressful at the same time!  You've covered it all: what topics you'd like to cover, what standards you need to cover, and what activities you want to incorporate.  Education is not what it used to be, and there's a lot of pressure for you to teach multiple years worth of content in one year.  To be successful as a teacher and to be an effective teacher, I strongly suggest that you teach DEEPER, not WIDER.  What I mean by that is, take a step back from your curriculum and decide what is a necessity to teach, and what isn't.  If you spend the year sprinting through various units and just scratching the surface of a multitude of topics, did you effectively educate your students?  Or, did you just expose them to a million topics they've probably forgotten by Monday morning?  Whenever you can, strip down your curriculum and focus on what's most important, and teach those topics deeply.  Spend more time on the important stuff and less time on the non-vital topics.  I'd much rather spend an afternoon reading one good book slowly, soaking up each page, than skimming ten books at once only to realize I didn't really grasp the story lines at all.  Remember, deeper, not wider.

4. Socialize

It's honorable that you love your job more than anything in the world, and you'd rather spend an evening in your classroom (after an already stressful 8-hour day of school) than go to dinner with your best friend whom you haven't seen in a month, or attend your nephew's softball game.  But guess what... your job will always be waiting for you.  That activity you want to do next week can wait until tomorrow, and your desk will get cleaned eventually (or when you get really swift, you get a student to do it!).  Life is always moving forward, and what gets you through the good times and the bad are the PEOPLE in your life, not the to-do's on your list.  Of course I'm not suggesting that you leave at the end of the day with no tangible plans ready for tomorrow, but I am suggesting that you take some time for yourself every week and go spend time with the people who matter to you.  Your students will probably think you live in your classroom - don't let that silly idea become a reality.  Set a time for yourself to go home every night, and stick to it.  If you have to bring some work home, it happens.  But don't become obsessed.  Spend time with your family, stay out a little too late every once and a while, see that movie you've been anticipating, or do a little retail therapy.  You need to be happy and have fulfilling relationships if you want even the slightest chance at being a successful teacher.  

5. Go big or go home

You've made it this far already.  It's not time to start slacking!  As they say, "go big, or go home."  Most teachers I've met are not impulsive, impractical adrenaline junkies.  I'd say teachers are pretty thoughtful, methodical, play-it-safe type of people.  Take chances and try new things!  Some of the most rewarding experiences in your career will be when you chose to do things you never thought you would do.  Join a teacher bowling league, agree to help with the school play, organize a spirit day to your principal, say yes to that offer to represent your school at a conference, set up a fundraiser for a local charity, anything!  Of course, don't over do-it and agree to too much, but enough playing it safe.  This is your career, and you should live it to the fullest!  You might be surprised at what you're capable of and the amazing memories that come from those experiences.

At the end of the day, no matter what, your first year is going to be one for the history books.  It will be stressful, it will be memorable, but most of all, it will be rewarding.   Sure, you'll probably work way more than your contractually paid to work, you'll sleep less and when you do sleep, you'll have dreams related to school, but this is the big league and you're doing what you've always wanted to do.  This is your career, and you've got to make all of those years in school (not to mention the debt you've racked up) worth it.  Being a first-year teacher is a lot like being a ring master of a circus in the sense that you're juggling an endless amount of tasks at once, many of which involve wild animals or an unnatural amount of glitter, but you'll make it work.  Rely on those around you, ask for help when you need it, and take time for yourself so you don't become lost.  You didn't make it this far on luck, so go out there and own it.  You're shaping the lives of kids and making a difference every single day.  What can be better than that?

With love and support, 

Your future-self Emily  :)

Bulletin Boards on a Mega-Scale!

You know you're a teacher when...

...you get excited about decorating a bulletin board.

Yes, decorating and filling bulletin boards can be fun.  Especially when you've got useful information you want posted in your room.  With my new classroom, I was giddy about having a blank slate with my boards....

Until I saw them.  I failed to realize that some bulletin boards can be of monstrous size, becoming more of a pain in the you-know-what than a fun way to spend an afternoon.  They say good things come in threes.  However, when they are giant, 8 foot bulletin boards, maybe not so much.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful I've got such a spacious room that can hold bulletin boards of these size, but it's hard to keep them filled and not over-stimulating at the same time.  

My solution was this: put things on the bulletin boards that are useful, clear, and long-term.  I wanted to decrease the necessity to re-do them all the time.

Here's what they looked like at the beginning of the year.  They are now entirely filled with information they have learned since the year began.

I have a content-related bulletin board, a class expectation board, and my favorite - an inspiration board.  I rarely find a poster that has just the right amount of information on them, so I spent a lot of time this summer making my own.  Every....single....one.....  I never said I had much of a life outside of school! :) 

I'm a firm believer in positive messages and the power they can have in your classroom.  I filled the inspiration board with some of my favorite quotes that cover a multitude of feelings that my middle schoolers might have.  Most of them are by famous figures that my students would recognize - Katniss Everdeen, Roald Dahl, Albert Einstein, Peter Pan, Albus Dumbledore, etc.  I love it!

Although my complaining was unnecessary and exaggerated, I truthfully did enjoy creating the boards this summer.  The great thing about these boards are that I CAN change them IF I need to.  

Be inspired, people!

Emily :)

Freshen Up a Little!

Looking to freshen up your room?  Here is a SIMPLE trick!  If you've got bulletin boards or picture frames that are dull and boring, add a trimmer to them!

I have a large, plain  bulletin board hanging near my desk and it stuck out like a sore thumb.  Here is what I started with:

All I did was dig out some black trimmers (also called bulletin boarders) and used some double-stick tape to adhere them to the bulletin board.  You could also paint them, but the trimmers were much more time efficient and totally mess-free.

Just like that, it looks a thousand times better!  Here is the result:

Has a better vibe and makes it appear as though it belonged there.  All that was left to do was to fill the board.  Right now I'm using it as a quick-reference spot for schedules, notes, and reminders.  In addition, it's also a motivation wall where I've put up my favorite quotes, photos, and objects.

Happy trimming!

Emily :)

Classroom Reveal!!!

Drum-roll please.........!

Finally I am posting my classroom reveal to you!  After spending all summer cleaning, organizing, painting, and crafting, my room is un-officially finished.  It's my hope that I can freshen up the typical middle-school classroom and make it more fun without stepping back into an elementary classroom.

Here is a sweep of the room:

North Wall:

East Wall:

South Wall:

West Wall:

Bulletin Boards...

Reading nook...

My work space...

 Behavior management system..."Potato Head Madness"

Whiteboard...

Utility Cart (Sign In binder, hall passes, extra credit, lost&found)...

Student counter (absent drawers/binder, turn-in basket)...

Curriculum file cabinet...

Front counter... (I LOVE having this extra prep space!)

Hope you enjoyed this first glimpse into my room!  For the next few weeks, I will be writing blog posts that explains what some of the stations/posters/objects mean and linking them to this post.

Happy first week of fall!

Emily  :)

Makeover Part 1

I know, I know.  It's been well over a MONTH since I've posted!  Shame on me.  But in my own defense, I've been exhaustively busy.  However, what little free-time I've had outside of work has been devoted to something very worth while and necessary.  Since my last post, I've scrubbed my classroom clean, organized, painted, and organized some more.  In addition, I've also moved into my new home which brings a whole new slew of tasks that need to be done.

Finally, I'm back on track with my classroom.  Before I show you everything I've got going on, I wanted to give you a bit of a sneak peek and show you what I'm using as my foundation for my classroom - a focus wall!

Here is what the focal point of my classroom looked like on the last day of school, before the previous teacher had everything moved out.  This is the first wall you see upon entering the room.

Just your average middle school classroom.  However, it's very large and has ample amount of storage cupboards - four for my own use, and a giant sliding shelf unit for curriculum tools.  I also have two large waist-high counters with cupboards but I'm still working out what needs to go where.

At first, I was a bit overwhelmed.  Where do you begin?  Then I etched out a plan.  I wanted everything in the room to be very "matchy-matchy" since it is such a large room.  I don't want it to over-stimulate my students but still want it to feel comfortable and homey.  So, I started with a color scheme.  There are a million varieties to choose from, and none that I saw on other blogs really sparked my imagination.  Our main school color is red, so I thought I would incorporate it into my color scheme.  The last thing I want to do is paint a giant wall red (a color known to cause anger or excitement - NOT good for middle schoolers :] ).  

Calm and relaxing.  Yes, your light bulbs are probably going off - blue!  I decided to go with a teal/aqua and red color scheme.  Very popular in the crafting world as of late.  I ended up choosing the exact hue by looking for bulletin board trimmers.  I found a pretty teal blue trimmer and a red to match.  It was as easy as bringing a sample of the bulletin board trimmer to the local hardware shop and having the color matched.

But I didn't stop there.  I wanted my blue wall to pop.  It needed some excitement and a focal point.  Instead of explaining it, I'll just show you!

Ta-daaa!  A lovely hue of blue and a large silhouette of a peaceful tree.  It fills up the space nicely and prevents me from having to concoct some sort of wall-art to hang (which would most likely violate a fire code with everything else on the walls).  I drew the tree on the wall first, and then painted it solid black.  I love it!  It was simple enough and didn't cost much - just a night of painting.  

Although this was my first major task (of many), it was a great start to my classroom makeover adventure and I already felt I was on to something from the get-go.  I've been working hard ever since and have much to share with you!  

Keep checking back for updates!  The school year will be here before we know it.  Whether we're ready or not, here it comes!

:)  Emily

Go big or go home

You know the phrase, "Go Big or Go Home" ???

Apparently, my students definitely do.  Typically, the end of the school year brings restless students who can only think of one thing - sweet, sweet freedom.  Boredom, lack of interest, and irresponsibility can be expected.  Sometimes, behavioral issues may increase, but nothing out of the ordinary.

This year, it was much different.

The end of the 2012-2013 school year was in the form of a five-day week.  Yikes.  From what I've experienced, the last week of school is usually a half-week.  I had prepared myself the weekend before the last week to battle restlessness all week and get some real work accomplished.

BIG mistake.

Here are some phrases that I caught myself saying,

"Are you trying to burn all of your bridges before you leave?"

"What made you think that what you did was a fantastic idea?"

"Please stop writing on your arms!"

"No, you may not stand on your desk!"

"Why are you hiding under the bean bags again?"

"Please keep your fingers out of the fan."

"Who took all of the caps off my markers?"

"Did you think before you acted?"

Any sound familiar?  It's as if all rules, expectations, and social skills flew out the window.  A culmination of many chaotic behaviors was this:

Two students showed up to class with their arms taped together.  They (apparently) used an entire roll of masking tape.  I should just stop asking "Why?" at this point.

On Tuesday, I decided to throw in the towel for the last day of actual class.  I wasn't going to fight this losing battle anymore.  Instead, like most times in my life, I agreed to just roll with the punches.  Sugary snacks?  Sure!  Movies?  Why not!  Obnoxious games?  Of course!  Needless to say that last day of class went much better...

I've accepted the oddities and quirks that middle schoolers have. I love that about them.  And next year I'll just prepare myself for the worst and hope for the best for the last week of school.  

I love middle school.  I love the day-to-day insanity of the unexpected.  People will say what they want to say about a teacher's yearly schedule and having the summer off.  But we all know that without those summers, we wouldn't be able to handle the school year with an unexpected sense of calmness.

Cheers to summer to all of you teachers, students, and parents alike!

Emily :)

Goodbye Goodies

As the end of the school year draws near, many teachers are thinking about fun (and inexpensive) ways to say "Goodbye!" to students.  If you are a Pinterest fanatic like me, finding ideas isn't too difficult.  There are loads of great ideas and inspiration you can find there and tweak to make your own creation.

That's exactly what I did.  In order to stay within the means of my minuscule *recent-college-grade-with-student-loans-and-earning-a-sad-teacher-salary* budget, I opted for a crafty gift for some of my small group students that required few purchases and more of my time.  (I also made goody bags for the whole class that I will post later).  In the end, I realized that going the crafty route was much more personal and fun.  

Here's the end result:

I love all of the catchy sayings that go a long with candy or fun toys.  "You are the SWEDISH student", or "I hope you have a KOOL summer," or maybe even "You were a BURST of fun in my class."  

You get the idea.  

So, I took three of my favorite play on words and put them into a message.  (Seen below)

It reads, "(Name), you are such a SMARTIE and it was FUN being your teacher.  Have a BALL the rest of the year!"   This was given to students at the end of Term 2 (thus the "rest of the year") but you could easily replace that with summer.  I was able to buy a pack of Fun Dip for less than $4, an entire bag of Smarties for less than $2, and a bunch of small bouncy balls for less than $3.  I was able to give about 15 students these goody bags for under $10.  They only took about an hour to create and assemble, and they loved them!

I've learned that sometimes, the simple things mean the most to kiddos.  If you put a personal touch into an end-of-the-year gift, it helps keep attitudes positive about school so that students just might want to return again in September!

Emily :)