Why I Took A Year Off From Blogging

Can you believe it has been a 

(school) year since we've last said hello?  

To be honest, I have no idea where the time went.  My blog absence didn't begin as an intentional decision.  I was overwhelmed by work, family, and other responsibilities that made blogging something I just didn't have time for.  I kept meaning to do it, but as my daily to do lists got longer and longer, blogging kept getting moved down the list. When I look back at the last few posts I did write, you can sort of see it was coming.

At one point, I realized I hadn't blogged in a couple of months.  That was when I did make a conscious decision to take the school year off.  It was not an easy decision.  I like blogging.  I really, really like blogging!  I like sharing ideas, having a place to express myself, and the interaction with you all through comments. I share, but I also learn so much from you.  However, when blogging became something I no longer looked forward to, I knew it was time to take a break.

It had been, for me, a difficult couple of years at work with some changes that had me feeling somewhat uninspired.  I found myself with fewer and fewer ideas on what I wanted to blog about.  If I wasn't energized and excited about what I was doing, how could I possibly come here and share?  I knew that I needed to refocus and find a new way to look at things.  It was all about "reframing" the situation.  Happily, I can write that I am in a totally different mindset now. I want to write a post about reframing and recharging your teaching.  I think we all hit that slump at one time or another, and I was able to find some strategies that really helped turn things around.

So, do I regret taking the year off from blogging?  I can 100% say it was the best thing I could have done!  It really gave me a chance to recharge.  So, what did I do with all that time?  Lots!

I found time for all those school related things I would usually struggle to fit in. . .

I went to several out of district workshops that made my literacy loving heart sing!  I was able to listen and learn from Donalyn Miller, Harvey "Smokey" Daniels, Debbie Miller, Douglas Fisher, Kyleene Beers, and Bob Probst. Tell me that isn't an amazing year of PD! Being able to learn from these literacy leaders has recharged my teaching and definitely made me refine my methods.  It has also given me so many ideas for blog  posts.  There is so much I want to share with you from these workshops!

I finally got to read some of the books in the giant pile I've been meaning to get to.  Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller was a really good one, but I've been on a big Jennifer Serravallo kick.  I love her books. If you are a literacy teacher, she is a must read.  In particular, her latest book, The Reading Strategies Book, is one that should be on every reading teacher's desk. I'm planning to post reviews of the books I've read this past year.  Most were fantastic like the two below, but there were a couple of duds.

 

I worked on cleaning up and reorganizing my classroom.  This included taking the time to purge all those files I haven't opened in forever and reorganizing my closets and drawers that seemed to be filled with things I've sort of just thrown in there. I took a true tough love approach and got rid of anything I knew I haven't used and probably wouldn't.  One of the biggest projects I took on was reevaluating my classroom library.  I have a HUGE class library. After attending the Donalyn Miller workshop, I was inspired to make some big changes. I have a couple of blog posts planned about this with all the details and rational, but I can tell you I ended up purging 271 books and then completely reorganizing it all.  The pic below is from my Instagram that I posted as we were in progress. By the way, Instagram is without a doubt my favorite social media! I must be a visual learner :-)

There was also time to have a life outside of school. I found time to join a gym and workout.  I had time to spend with friends and family.  I read many (GASP!!) non-teaching related books. I went to movies, I slept, I cooked, I went to concerts, fairs, and festivals. I watched TV,  I had a life!  And, it wasn't that blogging took that much time.  I mean, it does take time.  If you blog, you know it can be time consuming.  But not blogging gave me nights  and weekends free to do more without the guilt of thinking I should be blogging.

The one area I had hoped to work on this past year was my presence on Teachers Pay Teachers. Yeah, that didn't happen.  I still have just one or two lonely, simple freebies hanging out on my TpT page.  I had lots of ideas and projects in mind, but never got around to it.  It is still a goal for me.  Being able to share products and ideas that work for me and I hope will help others is something I still really want to do.  I just have to realize this is going to be a slow moving goal.  I still have a lot to learn about creating products and how TpT works.  I have July and August to do some learning and creating, so I'm hoping to have at least a couple of things ready to go for September. But, I'm not
going to be pressuring myself to do it all.  It will happen as it happens.

One thing this year off did help me realize is just how much I missed blogging. Even though I'm glad I took the year off, I'm excited to get back to it.  Also, I have to give a huge thanks to those of you that continued to pop in during the year despite not seeing new content. To be honest, I was shocked anyone was still checking in on my little blog!

Moving forward, I have a better balance now with work, life, and blogging. I don't have a blogging schedule planned.  I just have things I want to share on occasion.  It might be twice a week, it might be once a week.  I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that I am  happy to be back to blogging! 

Teacher Guilt



Not me, but I'm sure that's what I looked like to my friend.

Yesterday, I sent the wrong boy to recess detention. 

We were late for lunch, I was irritated that he hadn't done his work, and I was frazzled by the ton of work sitting on my desk that needed to get done. He was so confused when I sent him, but I ignored his confusion and sent him off to another classroom to work through recess.   At the end of the day he came up to me and quietly asked why he had to go to recess detention.  We had a quick, stern conversation as we were headed out the door. Stern on my part. Quiet on his. It wasn't until after school yesterday that I really had time to think about it and realize I had sent the wrong boy.

This friend is the nicest little boy who was too polite to ask or argue why at the time.  I kept thinking about how confused he was about the whole thing.  I know it was a mistake, but I truly felt horrible about it.  I just kept thinking that I know I ruined this kid's day. More importantly, I knew I had lost a little of his trust.  Can I tell you it was all I could think about all night?

So, how to try and make this right?  The first thing I did this morning was sincerely apologize in front of the entire class.  I explained that I had mixed him up with another student.  I told him he had done nothing to earn recess detention, he was 100% right, I was 100% wrong, and I was sincerely sorry for the mix-up.  The obvious relief on my friend's face was amazing.  It showed me just how much this had bothered him and just how much my apology meant to him. He was very gracious and told me it was okay, he understood.  I still feel terrible about the entire thing, but I'm happy I was able to make amends. While I couldn't take it back, I also gave him a token to the treasure chest in the Principal's office and a homework pass. His smile became even a little bigger.

So, why post about this?  I'm sure some of you may think I made a big deal out of something small.  Perhaps, but it really bothered me.  I don't run a "the-teacher-is-always-right" kind of classroom.  I really try to approach teaching as a partnership between my friends and me.  When my friends trust in me to treat them fairly and respect their ideas, I get it back from them tenfold.  When they feel our classroom is a safe place emotionally, they are more willing to take risks in learning and it builds a strong, supportive classroom community.

It was also important for me to apologize to my friend in front of the entire class, not just in private.  It let him off the hook with the class, and it let the class know that I respected him (them!) enough to apologize when I was wrong. So, tonight I'm finally able to shake off some of the teacher guilt I've had for the past 24 hours.

Lesson learned:  Even after 15 years of teaching, I will still make mistakes!

So, you ever have one of those days?

We Do It Because We Are Teachers

Today, I went to my local teacher store.  Even after my many trips to Walmart, Target, and Staples, there were some things I still needed for my classroom.  Just a few things like three rolls of colorful fadeless paper for three bulletin boards, desk name tags, several different borders matched to several different subjects, sticky tags for labeling the 25 shoe boxes waiting in my car trunk, cut-outs for my bulletin boards, letters that I need to pop out, and. . .  well, lots more!  Let's just say it wasn't a cheap trip.  These were all the things my seriously cut school budget money just couldn't buy.  That money was spent on frivolous things like pencils, paper, tape, file folders, and other much needed items.  So, that leaves me to buy "the rest."

Well, it leaves me and the crowded store full of other teachers with overflowing baskets and carts to buy "the rest."  It leaves us and the thousands of teachers in each and every state to buy "the rest."  And, how do we buy the rest?  With our own hard-earned money.  Money that, here in New Jersey, people seem to think we teachers are overpaid with.  Money that doesn't buy groceries for my family, money that doesn't pay my electric bill, money that doesn't go in my 403b account that I have to have because my state has ceased paying their mandatory contributions to our teachers' pension fund.  It is with my hard-earned money that I choose to purchase school supplies for my classroom each and every year.

And despite how it may sound, I do not buy these things begrudgingly.  In fact, I do it with a smile on my face.  Why?  I know that these supplies will help to create a warm and welcoming environment for my friends.  I know that these supplies will help me organize and execute the learning plans I develop for my friends.  I know that these supplies will be available to my friends who are in need.  So, I don't buy them grudgingly.  I buy them happily, knowing they will be used well and assist in the learning that happens in my classroom.

I was prompted to write this when two things happened while I was shopping today.  This was the first time my mother had ever come with me on one of these back-to-school teacher shopping trips.  She looked around the crowded store in awe at all the teachers buying bags and bags of supplies.  It was with total amazement that she looked at me and said, "You really buy all this and pay for it with your money every year?"  Yes, mom.  I DO!  WE ALL DO!

As we were leaving, there were two teachers in front of us, each with full bags in both hands.  One was holding the door for the other as they both struggled to squeeze through.  As one balanced her bags, she looked at the other and said, "Well, there goes our first paycheck!"  And you know what?  We all laughed a resigned, knowing laugh.  YES, there goes a huge hunk of our first paycheck.

But, we do it anyway.  We spend our money to purchase those items that our ever decreasing school budgets can't buy.  We do it for the greater good.  We do it for our little classroom friends. We do it because learning is our priority.  We do it because we are teachers, and teachers actually do the stuff others just like to legislate.

I'm Jealous. . .

In my district, teachers aren't allowed in their classrooms until August 22nd.  That's a maybe.  That's an only-if-the-custodians-have-finished-the-floors maybe.  We officially report to school on Thursday, September 1st.  We have workshops and meetings all day Thursday and Friday.  School is closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  Kids start Tuesday, September 6th. 

I NEED TO GET IN MY CLASSROOM! 

My trunk is full of goodies I have accumulated over the summer.  My living room couch is a pile of Staples bags (Staples is my new BFF ya know!) and my head is full of ideas.  I have plans to totally rearrange my room and reorganize all my supplies.

I am jealous of all you teachers that have been able to get in your classrooms and set everything up.  However, as I surf the web, you have given me some great ideas.  Thanks!

I guess I should stop wishing my summer away.  I need to take a moment, head to the beach, and stick my toes in the sand while I still can.  Of course, I will be reading about assessment in the reading workshop while there. 

You can take the teacher out of school, but you can't take the teacher out of the girl!

Or something like that!

The Best Laid Plans

If you read my last post from the 13th, you would have read that I had plans to blog at least twice a week over the summer.  Okay, so today is the 23rd and no posts until now.  So, what happened?

~CURRICULUM WRITING~

I have been doing some science and social studies curriculum writing for my district.  It has taken more of my time than I had anticipated.  Probably because the district needs it done about two weeks sooner than they had originally requested.  The good news is I'm almost done.  I'm hoping my next post is a reflection on one of the professional books I read recently about reading workshop.  There are about 4 good books I wanted to get in over the summer.  I'm on the second one now.  I'm not sure if I will get to them all.  I would like some non-school related time this summer.  Between the curriculum writing and the professional reading, I feel like the school year hasn't ended. 

I was thinking about some other posts I want to do as well.  I have been putting a lot of thought in about how I want to set up my classroom this year.  Sadly, I can't get in to my room until the last week of August, so there won't be any picture posts about that until then.  I know I am going to be jealous of you teachers out there who are able to get in your rooms earlier.  Then again, maybe I will be able to pick up some good ideas from you all!

I'm Back! And, Boy Do I Have Plans!

Okay, it's not back to school time for me yet, but it is back to blog time!  I haven't kept up with this blog at all, but that's about to change.  If anything, I think this will be a great place for me to have a record of teaching ideas, thoughts, and resources.  I'm happy to share them, but for now this is more for me.  If anyone does stop by, I hope that you will find something to help out or spark an idea that will be helpful to you.

This year, I have plans to rearrange my classroom.  I did a post showing my classroom set-up from September 2010.  I am in the same classroom, but there are going to be some changes to my teaching that will are prompting me to change the flow and organization of my room.  I'm also considering doing away with my teacher's desk, but so far I just can't bring myself to do it!  We'll see what happens when I go in at the end of August to set-up my room.  That's when I will be able to post actual pictures of my room and how I organize. 

I have also been doing a lot of professional reading so far this summer on Reader's Workshop.  I have done components of it in the past, but I am planning to jump in 100% this year.  I am going to do some posts on the books I have been reading.  There is a lot of great information out there!

So, that's where it stands.  I am hoping to post twice a week over the summer.  That's my goal.  Maybe more, but no less.  Once school starts, I am sure I will post more as I will have more to say! :-)

Teaching it "Old School"

The power went out in my building today.  
It was a dark day. 
And, it totally didn't help that it was raining all day. 
The skies were gray, and little sunlight was filtering in.
The kids had lunch in the darkened cafeteria. 
Then, it was time for math class.

Let's just say no power = no technology.

I hadn't realized just how much I have come to depend on my Promethean board. So, in the "old school" spirit, I dragged the chart stand from the back of the room, grabbed my scented Mr. Sketch markers*, and rolled with it.

Turns out I can still kick it "old school!"  The lesson went on, the kids participated (probably more from the novelty of how we were using and then flipping through reams of chart paper like crazy) and they learned.  Even though they are up at the Promethean board all the time, they were loving coming up to the chart stand and using a good, old Mr. Sketch.  It was a good, dark day!

That is if you don't count my now magic marker multi-colored hands.  It must be one of those "you know you're a teacher when" things.
Q:  Are you a teacher?
A:  Yup!  And, I have the multi-colored hands to prove it!

*By the way, how much do you love Mr. Sketch scented markers?  They are my favorite!  The color is true, they last a long time, and they smell good.  Seriously, forget the kids, I have to stop myself from sniffing them in class!  If you don't have them, go get some!  And, as for the multi-colored hands?  Mr. Sketch washes right off.
(Just my personal opinion.  The Mr. Sketch people don't even know I exist!)