my ears are still ringing...

Project completed

 So a week or two ago I was in the local teaching supply store and came across these great grouping pencils. They allow you to put your students in groups three different ways.

You put your student's name on the pencils and can also use them for calling students randomly. I have used the random method of student calling for years, using Popsicle sticks with student names on them. Most of the teachers I've subbed for have a similar method for ensuring that each student gets a chance (eliminates playing favorites and calling only on the strong students).  At any rate - I saw them and thought... COOL!! I LIKE IT! Then I looked at the price tag and didn't like it so much. While not extraordinarily expensive, I am on a budget and have already spent too much getting my classroom set up - but let's be honest - how much is REALLY to much? lol  Back to the story - so I decided I could make these for a fraction of the cost. I bought a box of Popsicle sticks at Wally World for like 3.50. I used liquid watercolors I had for years, plastic baggies for coloring them in, sharpies and voila!

Basic supplies -- total cost - about 3.75

 Here they are in their baggies, soaking up some color! I did six colors. Since I will have a class of 23, that allows for six groups of 4 or less.

Time to Dry! This is after the first batch - I ended up doing the whole box so I got 50 of each color.

Now it's time to add numbers and shapes - I only used 4 numbers, so I can use those when I want to do larger groups. I did use six different shapes though, the tricky part was ensuring that the shapes didn't conflict with the color or number groups!

The student names went on the back and TA DAH! Home made grouping sticks at a fraction of the cost (about 1/5 the cost - go me!)

I have had an exciting week. I had my orientation. Then spent yesterday in the classroom finishing up. Today was our staff meeting, followed by a potluck at the principals house. After that I headed back to school for some lesson planning. LadyBug came along and helped out by doing some cleaning, organizing and putting some of the name plates on desks. It's starting to look good! Wanna see? Oh you know you do. Even if you don't - I'm posting pictures!

First some before shots. And actually, these "before" shots actually came AFTER about a week of cleaning, organizing, decluttering, rearranging, painting, and stripping bulletin boards. Before that it was a REAL mess. The storage closet behind the bulletin board was filled to overflowing with junk! There was about 3x more teacher furniture than I could ever possibly need or want, and junk and trash everywhere. Ugh. A lot of work went into getting it to where it is in these "before" shots.

Plain and boring, but clean!

But now -- much more welcoming!

This is the library corner. The bulletin board has logic/brain teasers/rebuses on it. Students can work on solving them when they have finished their work. When all the puzzles posted have been solved, I will replace them with new ones - either everyday or several times a week, depends on if they solve them quickly or not! The girls were getting rid of some fuzzy friends on garage sale day and I appropriated them for my classroom. I love the monkey hugging the Chronicles of Narnia set!

Here is my prayer table/corner. Yes. We have prayer in school. It's a Catholic school so we get the pleasure of expressing our faith and learning at the same time. This area is not quite done. I need a table covering (green for ordinary time) and plan to put some silk plants and other pretty items on the table. I also am going to have the students make clouds to go on the board describing the things they give thanks to the Lord for.

This is the main white board with the 6+1 traits posted above it, as well as the small bulletin board next to it. This is right next to the main door and will be where all my parent info goes, but for right now, it has a copy of the dress code (I hope to ward of any detentions by enforcing this early!) Yes, their dress code is A LOT! My girls read it and about had a coronary. LadyBug immediately hugged me and thanked me for not every subjecting her to something like that.... hmmm... it's not too late is it?

And the main bulletin board. I went with a tropical theme. I didn't get a picture of them, but my bathroom passes are a surfboard for the boys and a Hawaiian hibiscus print for the girls. On this board we are going to have fish with each students name on them made out of a collage of things that they enjoy or are known for. I am going to put this in a school grouping with the caption "School is in"

I tried to get a close up of the posters above the board, my favorite is the one that looks like a shark. It is really a huge school of fish in the shape of a shark and has the quote "The sum of us is greater than all our parts" by Maya Angelou.

I also have some other posters that I didn't take pictures of, above the doors, and above the other whiteboard. all in all I'm pleased with how my class is looking. BTW - notice that spiffy desk chair in the picture with the main bulletin board? That is a wonderfully comfortable, just perfect for me chair that was a gift from my friend and manager Carlos at SuperCuts. I think of him every time I sit down! And always, with a smile.

Question of the day:

Do you try to make things you've seen elsewhere, for less? 

So much for July...

I can't believe it's already August! And not just August, but the 9th of August. Holy cow how on earth did that happen? Did someone skip us forward a month while I wasn't looking? It certainly feels that way!

I've had the best intentions to blog regularly, check and update my facebook and reply to emails. You know what they say about the road to hell being paved with good intentions though. I think my road is paved, landscaped, lighted and I'm now adding bike lanes and hand rails. Eventually, I will put in a moving sidewalk, to make the journey faster...

July was a crazy, hectic, fun, sweet, eventful month. Did I mention that it flew past? We had 3 birthdays (mine - now 42) Ducky and Coralora's they are now officially adults (yikes) oh and my MIL who turned 73 I think. We also celebrated my parents 45th anniversary (well they celebrated, I called and wished them happy anniversary, that was the extent of my participation -- ). Made a trip to Silver to visit the folks and my sister and finally got to see my gorgeous new nephew!!!! What a cutie!

July also saw my final days at SuperCuts. I miss my manager and buddy Carlos already. I've spent a lot of time in my new classroom, going through supplies, taking stuff in, cleaning and organizing. I'm SOOO excited! I can't wait to actually start. The 17th is the first day of school. I start with orientation and staff meetings etc. this week. Finally a real job! Fulltime, full pay, full of responsibility, work and hopefully personal satisfaction!

Oh - I forgot to mention that Ladybug is now officially driving. That happened in July as well. She attended Driver's Ed School, got her permit and has been driving me insane, and everywhere else with her constant demands to be allowed to drive every time we get in the car. Don't get me wrong. I know she needs the practice. I know she's a pretty good driver. I know she has to have 50 hours behind the wheel to get her license. But there are times when I just want to get to where I am going without having to give advice, watch for errors or pray for my safety and the safety of the others on the road. *sigh* It's official. My baby is no longer a baby.

And here I was thinking that July went by fast...

Alright Question of the day:

There are two kinds of people: those that side seat drive and those that don't. Which are you?

Finally!

It's hard to believe, but today I have some regular house-hold chores and work this evening. Nothing else.

It seems like my whole week, no - my whole month just opened up for me.

Why? Because finally, after 2 years of looking, I am done looking for a job. No more resumes, cover letters, emails, checking job boards. I'm done.

What brought on this feeling of finality?

I GOT A TEACHING JOB!!!

Woot!

It's a 5th grade position at a Catholic School. I will be the only 5th grade teacher. They have one class per grade. The principal and the two assistants were fantastic and I loved the school! The interview went SOOOO well. I was hoping against hope that they thought so too. Evidently they did because they offered me the position at the interview - even though they still had interviews scheduled for later. Then after the other interviews they called me and offered again officially. I'm so STOKED. You don't know how relieved I am to finally have a REAL job. It means so much for us. It means that buying a house is no longer a dream - it's a time line. It means regular shopping for needed clothes for me and the girls. It means new bedding and bath stuff for the house. New furniture. All of this is eventually, but it's all stuff that has been attached to "when I get a job...".

Know what else it means? That the boxes and boxes of curriculum and trade books and misc. educational items that I've been lugging around for the last 10 years are finally, FINALLY, going to be out of my storage shed, my garage and my house! That right there is enough to get any sane person totally revved up!

Friday after the interview I called hubby to tell him the news - he said it was the best Father's Day gift I could have given him.

All week end I've been wandering around just smiling randomly. I keep thinking - I want to do this in my classroom... I need to get this out of storage... I can use this for that.... etc., etc.. Then I stop and think "I HAVE  A JOB!" It's awesome.

I was really starting to doubt myself. I thought maybe I wasn't meant to be a teacher after all. I always thought it was my calling, but maybe I was wrong I thought. At the interview though I could see they appreciated all my gifts and talents. It was redeeming. I think God has been trying to guide me this direction all along, and I have been resisting. As usual I think I know what's best for me, when the truth is getting out of the way is what's best for me! LOL

OK - I have a LOT of cleaning and organizing to do. (I have to clean the garage first so I have someplace to bring out my teaching stuff and go through it - it's a vicious cycle - )

I hope to be back on xanga more, now that I don't have to spend all my free time looking for jobs.

Whew. You can't imagine the relief and excitement I feel. It's AWESOME.

I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!

What's new Mr. Magoo?