98 Days left? OH MY!!!

Good Morning

I've been doing some reflecting this morning.  You know the kind of reflecting you do at the end of the year, but I'm talking about my school year, not my personal year.(that is another story)

I know we have 98 days left of school and school is far from over, but as I turned out the lights yesterday, I felt like it was the last day of school. I have this sense of urgency to start over in January. So I think I will!
I have been thinking about really shaking it up! I want my kids to come back excited about what we are going to do. I want to start all those cool ideas that I had in August that I couldn't get to ! I want to be able to teach on my schedule, not the timeline I have to teach on .(At our school we are told when to teach each subject matter) I want to start 'theme-ing' my lessons more. I want to start focusing on the CCSS in my room this year (even though it starts next year). I want to make better small group lessons.  I want to make a perfect lesson plan template that allows for all small groups, materials,a to do list and of course standards, objectives, activities and and easy to follow format.I want to introduce new procedures, because frankly some of my procedures aren't the best with a few of the kids this year...I have a few tough nuts!
I also want to schedule my blogging...this summer I was so into it ! I blogged, I posted Monday Made its, and Friday Finds, and Currently..OMG Farley I forgot to do December's CURRENTLY...where have I been???
My intern graduated and got a job right away...yeah Christina!!!
I am feeling like I am way behind since she left...hmmm ...this makes me wish I could have a personal assistant or a permanent intern to co-teach with!

OK back to reflecting...my life is good. My son and I are happy people with great friends and family that surround and support us. My school community is just as wonderful! I feel safe here, having that said, my heart goes out to those wonderful loving, kind and much appreciated teachers at Sandy Hooks. It could have been any of us. Hug your kids and your class, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year y'all!

Finding My Groove...

It is a rainy afternoon, so I sit and decide what can I do? I have already looked at every body's blogs to get some ideas, but that just frustrated me!

 I really need to make a plan for how I want my classroom to feel and look this year. I have been in this game since "1990-something" and want to really start this year out with a huge WOW factor.

I was relieved to not have to change classrooms this year, but secretly part of me wanted to so I could purge. So I did the next best thing, I cleaned out all the nooks and crannies of my classroom...seriously cleaned!!! I gave away and threw out over 10+ years worth of "stuff you keep just-in-case". (I see you rolling your eyes!!) You know what I'm talking about, stickers, buttons, laminated rulers, opened packages of index cards (5 left in the pack),paper coins, left over craft items that you didn't use from that one project...you get the idea! Well I am now the proud owner of over 20 plastic bins, containers and baskets to be filled up all over again! [NO!! I won't be doing that again! ]
In the middle of the purge-fest I got a little worried, "What if...?", but then realized  half of that 'stuff' came to be, because I couldn't find it in the first place and went out and bought more! NO MORE!!!

Therefore this blog that I have decided to start, hopefully will keep me on track and organized! Plus if I want to post pictures of my WOW classroom, it has to look especially inviting! Perfect..WOW and wonderful. (you should see my neighbor that just moved in, now SHE has a perfect classroom!)

My theme is always "Bees" , I am the "QUEEN BEE" the sign in my room says so!

If you have any cute, Bee themed ideas and/or printables and would like to share, please do!
Once I get started and can print things off I will post my 'Bee-utiful' creations to share!