Take Eight...Completed!

Eight days already completed of my first year at Southside Charter High School!  In summary, so far...fun, family, happy, fast, two preps.  Yes!

Changes for Me

• Seven classes a day + advisory:  For the first time in my entire teaching career, I only plan for two classes.  Sweet!  These will...eventually...be the best  I have ever taught!  
• I have larger classes this year...but such good kids! Should say here...kids are kids.  I have taught many...and when they walk in (no matter where I am)...they appear the same...males/females...short/tall...too skinny/healthy!...of different races...different faces...loud/quiet.  Always the mix...which makes them kids.  :)
• I am assisting the Key Club sponsor.  I have much to learn, as this is  a new club for me.  I do miss Beta...and I might...maybe?...ask to "assist" the Beta sponsor...maybe?  Giving this one some time...thinking...
• Leaders in and out of my class...listening, sharing, laughing...several times already.

Sad Days

On the second day of school the assistant principal and the resource officer arrived at my door and said I had a phone call in the office. 

Never a good sign.  Yet such a sign of tremendous support.

My daughter had called to inform me that she and a brother-in-law had found Granny Barbara's soul absent from her body.  A double whammy there:  accepting the loss of my mother-in-law and wanting to reach out to The Girl who had too many images swirling in her mind.

Thus, on the second day of school, I left my new babies in very capable hands to head to the family home and face the beginning of a new normal. 

I would miss another day for her service, resulting in my feeling like I was behind at school...especially in learning names for all these new faces.  Getting there!  Much compassion shared by all. 

Day Eight Goals Achieved (Somewhat)

• Learning certain kids' names on day one.  Yes, you know/have those kids!  
• Learning who could sit together all year and remain on task...and those who should have already been moved!  Bless them...they just have so much to say!  Especially off-topic comments!  Nothing inappropriate...but bird walkers they can be!
• Norms established...notebook tabs created, Writer Notebook expectations covered and practiced three times, writing sample submitted, writing jargon shared, technology used (Google classroom, Remind, blogs...take two needed, as the site was blocked...but no more!), four vocab practiced (respect, collaborating, analyzing, facilitating, elaborating), lots of smiles given and received. Going to be good!
• Room layout attempted...and Rearrange 2 completed yesterday...now have soooo much more room!
• Sticking with pre-designed lesson plans...modifying and changing some as I go.  My mind's full of popcorn right now of ideas and plans and activities...to achieve that end-in-mind goal.
• Students are checking out books!  Love it!  This I want to continue!  Bought two more at the Dollar Tree this week.  Good place to find some young adult books...yes, for $1!
• I have a great Advisory Group...am planning to take my first pan of Gillmore Brownies to them on Monday.  They seem excited about this.  Of course!
• Found this note in my teacher mailbox...made my heart happy.

Hope your year more than meets your positive expectations!  Good luck...and blessings!

That Excitement!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...when I begin to look forward to attending professional development, meeting and greeting with peers, and returning to school and the built-in routines.  Yes, the excitement has returned!

Good thing...as, beginning tomorrow, I have five straight days of in-service; then, the following week, Open House and school starts on August 14.

What a busy summer I have spent making and creating for my new classroom!  Fun!  Pics...coming soon!

But...what did I not complete?

1. While I did read 12 books (so far) this summer, I had planned to read nearly double that number.
2. I am reading four...yes, four...professional books concurrently, with two set aside, which may explain why none are finished!  Need to focus and complete...Joy Write by Ralph Fletcher, The Unstoppable Writing Teacher by Colleen Cruz, Workshopping the Canon by Mary Styslinger, and We Got This by Cornelius Minor.  Sitting on the side...Atomic Habits and All Learning is Social and Emotional...Yes, I need to focus!
3. I signed up for Book Love...and have read only one of the four books in its entirety, although I have started them all. (Again...focus!)  I will complete two; one I may set aside for now.  I am pulled into the pages of Reading with Patrick, Michelle Kuo's memior of her time spent here in Arkansas with Teach for America.  Interesting.
4. My lesson plans are not drawn up in detail; this, I had envisioned completing, and, now that my classroom sets ready, I do intend to focus on this next step.  Excited!  I only have two preps.  Never have I had so few.  Wow.

Yet...what I did complete?

1. I moved many of my young adults books and created an in-class library.  While I love books, those books simply sitting on my shelves at home would be so much better put to use with my new groups of students.  As I shifted from shelf to shelf, I did note gaps in book genres.  Need to work on that.  Oh, to have the $$$ to buy and build an even healthier student library!
2. I painted...and painted...bookcases, tables, boxes, a podium...as I attempted to color-coordinate my room.  I do so like my new classroom...and its huge window!  Awesome!
3. The brain is more rested and rejuvenated and ready.  :)  Well, the brain is busy...so much to plot and plan!  
4. I am back to waking up earlier...and the brain kicks in immediately with mental to-do lists...and sleep takes a hike!  Just that time of the year!  I like it.
5. I did order Katherine Howe's new book The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, a sequel...or would it be a prequel?...to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, a very favorite book on mine.
6. Number five makes me laugh, for it sounds as if I only acquired one book this summer!  Gentle reminder:  I am a book addict.  No hope of recovery.  Two more are in the mail right now...Gordon Korman's Restart and Brene Browns' Daring Greatly.  No hope of recovery.  :)
7. Praying already for these students I have yet to meet.  May we each be better for journeying through CAFE 114 together through 2019-2020.  

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Here's hoping your summer as been slow...and productive...and full of many wonderful reads!