The end of July is
a strange time for teachers. It’s
still summer break, and you aren’t contractually obligated to work, but you
know in your heart you have to start working. There’s no way you can be ready by an August 14th
First Day of School unless you start preparing July 14th (or is it
just me?).
Here's a little taste of what is going on in my spare bedroom. It's seriously like moving twice each summer.
So in the spirit
of the end of July, I’ve come up with 50 Thoughts That Plague Teachers At The
End Of Summer.
1. What day am I supposed to report?
2. So what day should I start moving all my
stuff back?
3. What day is today?
4. Where is my key? Did I have to turn that in? How do I get it back?
5. I bet the air conditioner isn’t on
yet. It’s going to be hot as crap.
6. What are the odds that all my furniture is
still in my room?
7. Whew, I got in my room. Somehow, all my matching chairs have
been replaced with 27 different kinds of chairs.
8. I didn’t know we had that many kinds of
chairs.
9. How did I get 34 desks? There’s no way all those desks will fit
in here? Besides, I only have 27
chairs to go with them.
10. I wonder if the custodian will yell at me
if I put some of these desks in the hallway…
11. Yep, I got yelled at. You’re not allowed to do that. It’s a fire hazard or something. Time to get creative…
12. Ok, I turned the desks into larger
tables. That’s better for
cooperative learning anyways. The
table in the middle can hold the supplies!!! I’m a genius!
13. I think I saw something about that on
Pinterest. Maybe that wasn’t my
idea…
14. Ok it’s hotter than Hades in here, I’ll
come back in the morning.
15. Next morning: What in the world?! How had they not cleaned the carpets
yet?! Starting over.
16. I should have taken pictures yesterday.
17. I give up.
18. Let’s decorate a bulletin board!!!!
19. Wait…what’s my color scheme for this year?
20.
Obviously chevron and polka dots, but what colors?
21. How much is appropriate to spend at Mardel?
22. I saw this really cute thing on Pinterest!!!
23. I think maybe I need new organizational plan, all the
Pinterest plans look better than mine.
24. It would be easier if I take everything out and start
fresh.
25. Oooo, those shelves are really dusty.
26. Where did I leave the Clorox wipes?
27. Ahhh…clean shelves. Holy cow, how did all that stuff fit on that shelf?
28. Oh wow!
Where did all this stuff come from? I’ve never seen this before in my life. What other stuff have I never seen
before?
29. Do I need it?
Can I trash it? Will
someone else want it?
30.Think of Hoarders. THROW IT AWAY!!!
31. Has it been 5 hours already? How do I have less done now than I did
5 hours ago?
32. NEED SONIC DRINK
33. Just get it all back on a shelf somehow.
34. Should I reorganize my classroom library?
35. I saw a really great idea on Pinterest about that. Oh this is going to be great.
36. Has it been 5 more hours already? What in the world did I do today?
37. NEED WINE
38. How many more days do I have before professional
development starts? Can I get this
done?
39. Well I already started, I have no choice.
40.
Is it
seriously August already?! What in
the world?!
41. What is my team doing?
42. Class list!
What percentage of these kids will actually show up? How many others will show up
unannounced?
43. Blank nametags.
Leave them blank.
44.
Shoot. I have to leave
blank all the personalized things.
45. How long have I been here?
46.
What am I doing here?
47. Wait…what day is it?
48.
What day does school start again?
49. I need to get my act together.
50.
If someone comes in and moves everything while I’m gone again, I’m going
to lose it.
Just in case your brain is as scrambled as mine, here are ready-made "Back to School" literacy and math center activities to make your life a little easier!
Here’s to the end
of summer!
Jodie
