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?

That back to school time...

Well, it's that's time again...time for back to school.

I went by my room today, but I only had 2 hours to work.  My carpet had been replaced, which means all of my furniture was just kinda of sitting in my room all haphazardly.  It also means my filing cabinets, which had been tucked into a tiny space, were sitting in the middle of my room.  So I really didn't get much done.

Here's what I walked into this morning...

The blue bulletin board is in the hallway.  We got an email from our principal over the summer saying nothing could be hung up in the hallway unless it was on a cork strip or bulletin board.  I immediately emailed our secretary and she put in a work order to get me a bulletin board.  I'm the only one in the hallway...I'm special like that.  :-)

I spent the rest of my time unloading that big brown box (supplies ordered with school money...yay!) and moving ALL of the ESE curriculum from the old ESE room into my room.  I should've taken a picture of that.

I also brought home all of the books in my classroom library.  I'm reading "Reading in the Wild" and it's making me rethink some things.  It also doesn't hurt that so many teachers I follow on blogger and Instagram were reorganizing their libraries.  I've always had my library set up by AR level.  I was very big on "read and test on your level!"  But I can see now how that limits our kids.  So I have one basket of non-fiction texts (I need to grow my non-fiction) and then the rest are separated by author/character.  I do have 2 fiction baskets that are my books that don't go with anything else.

My dog is very cute...but not very helpful.  And it probably didn't help that I was watching National Treasure at the same time.

I have a training the next 3 days...but as soon as I can, I'm going to get in and finish my room.  Can't wait to show it off!

Back to School Goals

I was so prepared to be posting all the time this summer.  I thought to myself "you'll have so much time!  You'll be a blogging fool!".  Not so much I guess.  I taught two summer camps already (with a third on the way).  So I have been SO terribly lazy this summer.  I really haven't even planned anything for next year.  *Ahh!*

Anyway, I've been thinking about some things to blog about, and I think I might try to get some posts scheduled tomorrow for the next few days.  Fingers crossed that this actually works.

So right now, I'm linking up with 

for 2014-2015 Back to School Goals

  

Personal: I know that as a teacher I will have to bring stuff home.  But I usually bring things home EVERY night and work on school stuff over the weekends.  I would like to seriously cut that down...like a scheduled 3 or 4 nights a week with no work stuff.

Organization: I don't have a teacher desk.  I don't have the space and I don't really like them.  I love not having one...but I am so disorganized without it.  I throw stuff on my small group table, and then from there to the floor.  I am making it a goal to clean that area before I go home every day.

Planning: I planned this year on Thursdays...it allowed me to spend Friday afternoon getting everything ready for the next week.  Most teachers leave early on Fridays - which means easy access to the copiers!  Also, I started using Planbook.com around Spring Break and LOVE it!  It's completely customizable and completely online.  I use the iPad app and can see my lesson plans at all times.  It does have a (small) cost...but it's $12 for the year. YEAR!  Plus, my teammate and I both got it, and were able to share our lessons!  Talk about making life easier.

Professional: I have always worked with low students.  But now that I am back in ESE, I want to make sure my students are making as much growth as possible in both reading and math.

Students: All students are good at something.  It is my goal this year to prove it to my kids.  I think that by being the teacher, they will see that "yes, I do understand something.  I can teach it and share my knowledge."  I personally think this will just help them in life.

Motto: This has been a kind of motto for some of the teachers at my school this year.  2012-2013 we walked in to a school that was in disarray and needed help.  This past year was better than that year.  Next year will be better.  We just have to keep reminding ourselves.

I can't wait to read your goals for this upcoming year!