Do people even blog anymore?

 So I've been thinking about this blog all summer.  And questioning if people even blog anymore.  Or if I cared enough to base my decision on other people.  Or if I could even keep it up.  Since I obviously have a problem with that - look at how often I posted before.

But then I decided that since I am switching schools and positions, I wanted to try this again.  Maybe I'll post regularly and be able to have this record of this year - this year of COVID and a new school.  Maybe I won't.  But I'm at least going to give it a shot.

So, back story for the past few years...

I've spent the past 8 years at the same school.  I taught 3rd and 5th as the inclusion class general education teacher.  And then I have literally taught K-5 as the ESE teacher.  The last 2 years I was the K-2, and then the K-1 ESE teacher.

This past year was the hardest year of my professional life.  I had a VERY non-supportive, and honestly, bullying, Assistant Principal.  I'm not getting into specifics cause I'm tired of giving her space in my brain. 
But this bully of a person made me doubt my teaching.
Doubt my passion.
Made me cry on my way to work multiple times.
Made me hate one of my favorite places. 
I decided in AUGUST that I was done.  I could not, and would not, come back to that environment.  It was so bad that my wife even told me not to sign a contract for the following year.  Tell them no and we'd figure it out. 
I truly believe COVID and the lockdown saved me.  I was able to get out of the physical location and not interact with this person.

I am very happy to say I will be teaching at a different school next year.  I am also very excited because I am going back in the classroom and will be teaching 2nd grade.  I am a little stressed because I am also grade level chair at a new school (I have the most experience on the grade level), am the inclusion class, and also will be teaching a hybrid class.  It's a lot.  But it will be fine.

I'm hoping if I give myself some topics to specifically talk about, then maybe I will be forced to come back and write more.  So I'll explain about the hybrid class another time. *Fingers crossed.*

Science and stuff

*Disclaimer*

Apparently I wrote this post and never actually hit post.  So this is an old post, but I didn't want to lose it.  So I'm hitting post now.  

So now that I'm back in the classroom, one of my favorite things is teaching science again!  I LOVED being an ESE teacher, but teaching reading and math and reading and math and reading all day long...

sometimes I think about how I would love to departmentalize but then I remember.

I love my school for many reasons, but one of the greatest resources we have is a science lab.  It currently also houses our Math coach, which means we can't use it 2 days out of the week.  But, I know plenty of schools that don't have a science lab at all.  So I know I'm blessed for having one.

What that also means is that (as long as no one else is signed up for that day) I can set the experiment up the afternoon before and everything is ready to go!!  One of my best friends teaches 5th grade next door to me.  We plan together and hit our experiments on the same day.  Which means we can set it up either the afternoon before or right before my science (my science is first thing in the morning) and then leave it up for her science.  It's great!

Also, do yourself a favor and buy a lab coat.  I got mine from Party City.  I wear it every time we go to the Science Lab.  But I put it on as soon as I get to school.  Which means I'm wearing it as my kids are coming in from breakfast.  The first time I wore it they were very confused.  A few of them knew that I liked to use the lab, so they had guesses.  Now, whenever I wear the lab coat they know that means we're going to the science lab.  And they get very excited about what we could be doing that day.

Our first science lab was that drops on a penny lab that everyone does.  

Essentially I was just introducing them 

to the lab

to my expectations

to the scientific process

to how to handle spills or questions or "I'm done, not what"

We were also able to talk about why we got such vastly different results.  

And why scientists complete an experiment multiple times before publishing their findings.

I know how lucky I am to have the science lab as a resource.  And (if I can stay on top of this and post regularly), you'll see that I take full advantage of it...

So...I'm back?

I guess I should start with "hey, remember me?"  Haha.  Or maybe not.  Who knows.

Either way, I'm back.  I didn't realize how long it had been until I went to write this post.  And even then I had to re-read my last post to realize how long it had truly been.  Literally over a year.  I guess I got too busy, or this wasn't a priority, or something.  I do know that part of it is because I'm crazy and like to write these out when I'm alone.  Like, right now, I am sitting on the floor of my wife's old bedroom at her parents' house.  Everyone is asleep but me.  Got too much sleep last night I guess.  I'll pay for it in the morning...

I guess I should do a quick "year in the life" recap maybe?  

So here we go...

2016-2017 school year at a glance

new principal

new ESE counterpart (only 2 grade levels 3rd/5th)

same office

new kids

new curriculum

new testing...lots of testing

new coworkers

And then the end of the year...when 2 of my favorite people in the world and 2 of the best teachers I know felt called to teach at other schools.  What do you do when your TBFFs (who are your real-life BFFs) decide to go to another school?

This year I have some new changes as well.  I have a new Assistant Principal.

And I'm back in the classroom.

5th Grade

I ended last year thinking I would stay in ESE.  I asked to move out, but we were making some changes to ESE, and one-third of our trio was leaving.  My principal asked me to stay ESE for one more year.

To help with the changes

To make sure everything went ok

I said yes.  Anything to help my school.  And she promised me that the next year, a classroom was mine.

But then she texted me over the summer and asked if I would consider going into the classroom now.  But that would mean I would have to help the new ESE team as well as continue teaching.  Of course I said yes.  

Well, first I yelled at my wife from across the store (we were on vacation in St. Augustine, visiting her brother and niece).  Then I texted my squad to get their opinions.  Then I said yes.

So, I'm going to leave this post on that note.  Well, and also with this...I am not changing my blog name, I feel like I am a very Disney-fied teacher.  But my classroom is not Disney themed this year.  I'll give you a hint...

Another year over...

It seems like the school years are passing by quicker than they used to.  There's a saying I heard when I was younger..."when you're young everything takes forever.  When you're old everything passes in the blink of an eye."  This is so true.  I blinked, and it was Christmas.  I blinked again and it was state testing.  I half-blinked and it was the last week of school.  

It's been a busy year though.  

A good year.

I moved down the hall to an "office".  I still switch back and forth from calling it my classroom and my office.  It's big enough to pull kids into, so I am still pulling my groups there.  It's also sandwiched between the guidance counselor's office and our academic coaches' office/science lab (complete with doors from my room into each of those rooms).  Which is great, but also means my room is sometimes used as a cut-through.

We lost some teachers in the middle of the year, which always throws everything off.  But we made it.  Our kiddos made it.
It really has been a great year.

But the end of every year makes you introspective.  And if it doesn't, maybe you shouldn't be a teacher.  I know that sounds harsh, but if you're not constantly evaluating and reworking, why are you teaching?  It is our job to always reflect and revise and revisit all of our lessons.

On that note, I am taking the summer to rework my entire math pacing.  I don't have a curriculum for math.  So I work off of the standards.  But trying to memorize standards for 3 grade levels is hard..doable, but hard.  And I haven't tried hard enough to memorize them.  So that's my goal for this year...memorize and rework.

What about you?  Any summer goals?

Currently August 2015

New month...new post.  Hahaha.

Time to link up again with Farley at 

for her Currently link-up.

Listening: Marriage Boot Camp is my guilty pleasure.  That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Loving: I LOVE teaching summer camp.  I really do.  But I am SO glad tomorrow starts my last camp.  I mean, it means my summer is over, cause we go back for pre-planning the following week.  But that's ok.

Thinking: I need to figure out what I'm doing for lunch tomorrow.  :-/

Wanting: My wanting never changes.  I want a million dollars...however I can earn it.

Needing: I brought boxes of stuff home to organize.  And I've only organized one.  Oh geez.  I need to get working on it.

B2S RAK: My school did the Capturing Kids' Hearts training over the summer.  And one of the things they talked about was writing notes of appreciation to those around you.  I am making it my goal to write a note for every member of my school family by the end of the year.

So, what about you?  Have you linked up?

Tell All Tuesday...on a Wednesday

So, I'm linking up with Diana from My Day in K and Jayme from Teach. Talk. Inspire for their Tell All Tuesday linky party.

 

And this week it's all about your dream classroom....

So...dream classroom...go!

Oh, and if I've done it right *crossing fingers* - if you click on the picture, it should go to the original page where I found the picture.  :-)

First, I want LOTS of space!  So I would take my previous classroom (I haven't written it yet, but I had to move classrooms. *sad face*) and double it.

I would only have a few desks, and they would be as tall as they could go.  I would have a few tables of various shapes around the room.  I would have a variety of different seats (chairs, yoga balls, wobbly stools, etc.).  

Something like this maybe:

or this:

There would be a wall of cabinets.  

Maybe something similar to this:

 Or cabinets with doors...or a combination of both.

 

And one corner would be turned into a class library, complete with oodles of books, and different types of cushions and chairs to sit on.

Similar to this:

I would also have a bathroom in my classroom (yay for no classwide restroom breaks!).  

I'd also love to be able to paint the walls.  I'd probably do a chalkboard wall or something.  Who knows.

Anyway, what does your dream classroom look like?

Back to School Linky...already?

So I'm linking up with The Teaching Thief for her Back to School Essentials Linky.  Essentially, what do you buy every summer to replenish what you used every year?

So, I really don't buy that much...but here is what I replenish

1. Pencils...always pencils.

2. Scratch paper...

My mom works in a real estate office.  She collects their used paper for me so I can use it as scratch paper.  So my kiddos are used to doing math work on the back of house listings...haha.

3. Pens...

These pens to be exact...

I will say that the ONLY thing my supervising teacher (from when I student taught) did for me was teach me not to use a red pen when grading things.  But I also don't like black, so I use other colors.

That's it...that's all I buy.  Sad, I know.

Link up...what do you buy every summer?

Top Ten Linky Party

So Hailey over at The Third Grade Nest has decided to start a monthly linky party.  I'm a little late, but I wanted to join for the first one anyway.  So, without further ado, here are my Top Ten TV Shows:

So, it was actually kind of hard to figure out my Top Ten shows...and they are definitely in no particular order.

I even own all of them on DVD...except for HTGAWM and SYTYCD.  The first because it's too new, and the second because as much as I like it, I don't know that I would rewatch it (if you can even get it on DVD).

Anyway, think about linking up, cause I would love to know your favorite TV shows as well!

Currently - July 2015

It's that time again...time for another Currently post with

So, here we go...

Listening: Center Stage is probably one of my favorite movies.  I was thinking about it earlier and decided to turn it on while I caught up on my blogs.

Loving: Officially, not counting weekends (or today), I have 12 days left of summer.  While that normally bums me out, I'm trying to remain positive.  12 is more than 10!

Thinking: We were going to reorganize the office, turn our middle room into a home gym, and paint our bedroom this summer.  And I was going to work on my tan and organize everything I brought home with me.  None of that has happened.  Oops!

Wanting: I would love to just sit at home and do nothing all summer and get paid.  Does anyone know of a way to do that?!

Needing: I still have 2 camps left this summer.  One I've taught before, so I just need to go through my stuff and get in the right mindset for it.  The other is brand new, and I literally picked it up last week.  The original instructor backed out, so I'm filling in.  I have no idea about this one!  Ahh!

All Star: I am a Master Procrastinator.  That's all that matters.  :-P

Also, if you ask anyone but my wife, I am really good at organizing things.  I like things to look a certain way, and be color-coded and just...sigh.  It's the way my brain works.

Can't wait to see what y'all are currently doing!

Hospitality Events

So...May is always the busiest month in a school, and then Hospitality goes and adds more to it.  So, just wanted to share some Hospitality events from the month of May...

So, first, we have 2 teachers who are pregnant (well, now only one because the teacher on the right had her baby the day after the last day of school...talk about good timing!).  The grade level of the pregnant teacher hosts the baby shower, and Hospitality provides the food for the shower.  Because we were running out of time, we combined the baby showers into one, and doubled our budget for food.  Yay!  :-P

Every other month we have a Birthday Club event.  We celebrate the birthdays of the staff for those two months.  Usually a grade level hosts it, and we have the event in one of their classrooms.  However, due to time, we combined BC with a faculty meeting, and just had it in the library.  Hospitality pays for the food for the event, and the hosting grade level gets to pick the menu.  Our fourth grade team hosted the event, and they picked strawberry shortcakes.  They were delicious!  Somehow I only got one photo though.

For our Second Annual Hello Summer Bash, we went to the house of one of our Pre-K teachers.  We did potluck and just hung out and had lots of fun.

We also texted this co-workers who didn't come to the party.  That's our music teacher, one of our 3rd grade teachers, and myself making a "where are you and why are you not here?!" face.

What kinds of things does your faculty do at the end of the year?

Teacher Appreciation Week

So...I know Teacher Appreciation Week has come and gone, but I did want to share a few things that Hospitality did this year for Teacher Appreciation Week.

These folders and construction paper packs were donated to the school from Office Depot.  Our AP asked if Hospitality would like to use them as giveaways, so, of course, we did.  :-)

One of our Pre-K teachers (who is on Hospitality Committee) decided to spend her hard-earned money to buy every teacher a carnation, and then have her Pre-K students deliver them throughout the day.  The only people at school who know she bought them are her, myself, and our music teacher.  She told everyone they came from Hospitality...isn't that nice of her?  I have the best people on my committee.

This was our biggest thing for TAW.  We stuffed goodie bags for every teacher and teacher assistant at my school.  One of our third grade teachers got her students to decorate the bags, and then I passed them out Wednesday morning.  Inside the bags were paper clips, binder clips, pencils, glue, sticky notes, pens...and I feel like something else, but I can't remember.  Haha.

Also, I just wanted to share this little plaque that my Teacher Assistant got me for TAW...

I just love it.

She knows me so well.

Currently June

It's that time again...

time to link up with Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade!

So here it is...

Listening: The wifey and I are rewatching Glee from the beginning.  We're currently in Season 2, on the episode where Sue's sister dies.  :-(

Loving: I have been trying to go to the beach for a while, but I have been crazy busy.  So I LOVE the fact that I finally got to go this past Saturday.

Thinking: I have a lot to do...ughh.

Wanting: Because I am the Resource ESE teacher, they are making me move.  :-(  I have to be out of my full-sized classroom and into an office-sized space.  I'm ok with the move (mostly), but I am stressing about getting moved out.  Anyone want to pack for me?

Needing: My first camp starts Monday...I just need one more day to pack up my room before getting ready for camp.

Summer Lovin: I think it's self-explanatory.  :-)

Can't wait to see what you all have going on Currently.  :-D

Things that I miss...

So, in case you were unaware, I left the classroom this school year to go back to my roots and become the 3-5 ESE teacher at my school.  I was excited, nervous, and ready.

Since we're down to the last 9 weeks, I thought I would take a moment to just reflect on this year.

I LOVE my job.  I love my position, I love the kiddos I work with, I love the teacher assistant for my hall and the other ESE teacher.  But there are some things I miss about being a classroom teacher.

1. Sometimes I feel very left out.  I don't have a set class...I pull kiddos throughout the day into my room for small groups.  I work with around 25 kiddos in 3 grade levels from 8 classes (we only have 9 classrooms in the 3-5 hallway).  So when flyers get sent home, I don't know about them (or sometimes, what is even on them).  I don't get included on emails about upcoming presentations.

For example, we recently had Wellness Night.  Students (and families) were invited back to the school at night to play different games and wellness activities.  Normally, this is our BIGGEST family fun night.  Not so much this year.  So I made a comment to someone on the committee who put it on about flyers and callouts (cause I didn't get either).  Apparently a few had been sent home...oops.  Definitely stuck my foot in my mouth there.  :-/

2. I don't really have a grade level.  I have one other ESE teacher (who is amazing) to run ideas by.  However, she is a 4th year teacher, and this is her first year in ESE.  I'm re-learning while she's learning.  Sometimes I just miss the feeling of other teachers who know exactly what I'm going through and can offer their insight.

3. I love that we as teachers have found ways to connect...TPT, blogging, Instagram, etc.  I just wish there were more resource ESE teachers out there.  I love reading what other teachers are doing...and it is VERY inspiring.  But I would love to see how other push-in/pull-out teachers are doing things.

4. Class picture day is coming up...enough said.

Now, even with all of that...I really do love my job.  In fact, I've already told my principal that if she wants me back (I'm annual contract), I would love to be ESE again.  I did tell her that there were things I missed about having my own room, and sometimes I think about going back.  But I'm not ready yet.

I do know, that as of right now (well, more like Monday, since I'm on spring break), I am going to try to show more of what my every day life is like.  It won't be the most interesting (I have a set curriculum for reading that is different from the gen ed curriculum).  But that's ok.  My kiddos and I have fun with it.  And who knows, maybe I can be the first voice (of many) that starts talking about resource teachers.  Maybe we can start that conversation.

What do you think?

April Currently

It's that time again...time for another Currently post!

Farley over at Oh Boy 4th Grade hosts these link-ups every month...and it is definitely my favorite one!

So, here goes:

Listening: We're re-watching Glee from the beginning.  Right now we're on the "Hello" episode (the one where we meet Jesse St. James).  I love this show.

Loving: Spring break isn't over yet...hallelujah.  Enough said.

Thinking: I planned for next week before we left for Spring Break (yay for me being productive for once).  But I still feel like I should be working on something, organizing something, or something!  I'm not sure.

Wanting: We went to the beach yesterday and got sunburned.  So we probably shouldn't go back, but I really want to.

Needing: I am wanting to grow my TPT store.  And to do that, I have to have products.  Funny, huh?  So, I NEED to be working on that...but I need to find the motivation and the idea for products.

Eggs-plain: My blogname is pretty self-explanatory.  I am a teacher who loves ALL things Disney.  So...don't have to explain that.

So, my first name is Ryan.  I am one of 4 boys, and all of us have 'R' names.  My name was chosen because my mom knew someone named Ryan when she was younger, and has always liked the name.

Anyway, enough about me.  I'd love to hear about some of you!

Donors Choose...

So, I just thought I would post this here to see if I could get a little bit more of a response.

I am trying to get another small group table for my classroom...so I created a donors choose project to get one.

Please, if you can, make a small donation to get us a small group table.  Or, share my info.

Thanks y'all!

Eye to Eye and Face to Face - Donors Choose

Tuesday Titles

I've noticed that I start a lot of my posts apologizing for not writing as frequently as I "should".  Well, today's the last day for that.  I don't know why we, as teachers, feel bad for being busy people.

I wish I was one of these bloggers who has it together and can post regularly and make amazing products for TPT and are great teachers/spouses/parents.  I truly don't know how they fit it all in.  I am in awe of these educators.  But I am not one...I know that.  So I'm going to stop apologizing for it.  I just gotta do me.  :-)

On that note, this week's Tuesday Title is a series, instead of just one title....How Do Dinosaurs (fill in the blank).

This book series has so many different titles...ranging from things like going to sleep, getting better, to counting and learning colors.

What I love about these books is that they teach social skills through REAL dinosaurs.  Yes, the dinosaurs have human parents/teachers/doctors/etc.  And yes, they are curling up in a bed.  But the dinos are real ones.  And in the front cover of every book it tells you what dinosaurs are in the book.

So, they are seeing that the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops are not the only dinosaurs out there!  Oh be still my heart!  (I love dinosaurs!)

So, the social skills aspect of the books...

the entire first half of each book gives bad examples for behavior.

(This is from How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?)

The second half of the book talks about how no, the dinosaurs don't do all that.  They do (blank) instead.  In this case, it would be take his medicine every day.

It's a great conversation starter for you and the kiddos about appropriate behavior.

Do you have a favorite How Do Dinosaurs book?  Have you used them in the classroom?

Please share!

Tuesday Titles 3

So, I had grand plans for Tuesday Titles to be every week.  And I was SO successful, for two whole weeks.  And then I fell off the grid.  *sigh*

But I'm back!  Here's my Tuesday Title for this week:

I read about this book online, so I asked for it for Christmas.  You know you're a teacher when your parents buy you books for the classroom for Christmas.

Anyway, the story is all about a little boy who "erupts".  Everyone is mad at him for erupting.  So his mom teaches him a trick to keep from erupting.  My 4th graders are having some issues with "erupting".  So we read the book, and then came up with our own strategies to keep us from erupting.

One of our 1st grade teachers even borrowed the book to read to her firsties.  It's great when multiple teachers are on the same bandwagon.

Any books you'd like to suggest?

Literacy Week 2015

If your school doesn't do Literacy Week, oh geez.

So, I really didn't take pictures of every event, but I did want to share what we did that week.

Monday was Crazy Sock Day.  I have these wonderful slipper socks with 3D cows on them.  They don't even fit into shoes because their awesomeness can't be contained.  I wish I had taken a picture of them.

Tuesday was Hat Day.  Of course, I wore Mickey ears...no picture again though.

Wednesday was Sunglasses Day...but I was home sick.  :-/

Thursday was Sports Day.  Our kids wear uniforms, so this was a day they could be out of uniform (but only if they wore sports jerseys).  I actually don't have anything, so our AP let me borrow one of her hubby's FSU baseball jerseys.  It was kind of funny to walk down the hallways.  I am not one for sports normally, so I don't really care about teams.  But it was funny to watch kids get upset that I was wearing the "wrong" team.

Friday was Book Character Day.

I was Bert from Mary Poppins.  Most of the kids had no clue who I was.  Haha.  So our music teacher decided that the last week of school, when she shows musicals, she's going to show Mary Poppins.  :-)

We also had a door decorating contest.  I haven't heard who won though.  Anyway, here's my door:

This is the second in an AMAZING series.  And *bragging moment* I drew all of those pieces myself.  No tracing here!

As usual, it was a great week!

What's been going on lately...

So, it's been awhile since I posted.  I did so well, two weeks in a row!  And then I got sidetracked again.  This blogging weekly thing is crazy!  ;-)

Anyway, so, since I haven't blogged lately, I just thought I'd share a few things that have happened the past month:

See that?  That's the cover to one of my lights.  It literally fell off for no reason.  Luckily, I was with my 5th graders (so I only had 4) and we were at the small group table.  It took them about a week to come fix it, too.

My school is a PBS school, so every month we have a Bucket Filler Celebration.  To be invited your class has to earn at least 25 bucket filler tickets throughout the month (BFTs can be given out by any teacher to any student for any positive behavior).  Once your class has been invited, then students with an A/B average in citizenship for the month (and no infraction forms) may go.  February's celebration was a Mardi Gras parade.  It was quite fun!

My 4th graders read the If You Give A...series.  You know, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and whatnot.  Anyway, after we read a few, the students each wrote their own.  They then typed them up, printed them, illustrated them, and then bound them.  My kids thought it was so cool when we bound them.  I might be super teacher (for this week at least!).

We also had literacy week, but I'm putting that in a separate post.

Thanks for sticking out this long post!

February Currently

Yup, it's that time again...time to link up with

for her monthly Currently linky party.

So, here goes:

Listening: We were watching TV, but I was paying more attention to that than what I should've been doing, so we turned on Pandora.  And when I started creating my Currently "sheet", it was playing Swagger Jagger by Cher Lloyd, and write now it's Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde.

Loving: Payday for both my wife and I was Friday.  I was so glad...January was rough.

Thinking: Normally, the first Friday of every month is happy hour for my school.  (Except we don't call it that...I got in trouble for calling it that...oops!)  So, we call it First Friday.  Anyway, most of us who usually go couldn't go this upcoming Friday, so we moved it to last Friday.  And we're allowed to leave about 20 minutes after the kids do on Fridays.  And so I did, which means I have no copies made for Monday...sigh.

Wanting: I have had the hardest time sleeping lately...which means I am super-exhausted almost every day.  It was much worse this weekend...so I would really love just one more day to sleep.

Needing: I have only planned ONE of my math groups and that's only for ONE day.  I have 6 reading groups (which are thankfully all planned for the week) and 3 math groups...but 2 of the groups are usually split within themselves between myself and my assistant.  I just can't seem to find the motivation to get planning.  Ahh!

Pageant Title: Boring...I know.  But I try really hard to be nice to everyone, even when we all know someone doesn't deserve it.

I'd love to hear from my y'all...please link up!

(Also...side note, in the time it took me to write all this...I'm not listening to Can't Hold Us by Macklemore...what can I say...I like lots of different music.)