Hanging On

Slowly but surely, I'm putting things up on the walls in my classroom. I have an aide on loan from the office/library since neither of those places are finished and they have an excess of student with nothing to do. Last week it took him three days to put paper up on two bulletin boards, but I am thankful that I have him to help out. Wrestling with paper, staplers, and boarder might have been easier with my help, but last week my preps were used up meeting with colleagues. Today I didn't have any meetings, and we made much progress sprucing up my classroom. It almost looks welcoming. I feel happier. My smiley faces are up!

I'm still working on putting things in my desk--other than those three pens and white board markers. I have some sticky notepads now. Has anyone seen my thumbtacks? Today, I finally decided to staple the calendar to the wall. That gives me three more weeks until I have to flip to the next month, right?

Where does the time go during my preps? I'm trying to figure it out. I'm not getting any papers sorted, and I haven't done any of my planning at my desk. Last week, I met with various colleagues during my preps--and a few of them I felt like I was acting as a mentor although I have floundered in setting up some new practices in my own classroom this year. Ironic, aye? I'm complex like that. I can help you figure out something for your classroom, but I'll still be stumped about some things in my own. Guess I'm not such an old teacher after all. Also, in these early parts of the year, much time is spent setting up attendance and grade book programs, managing student paperwork, finalizing course expectation sheets--getting ducks in a row. Of course, in our madness of opening a new building, we are a few days behind deadlines on everything.

Oh! Is it me, or am I simply slower at doing everything? Don't I usually type up lesson plans in about 30 minutes? It took me 3 hours last weekend! It seems I'm also out of mental shape.

It's coming together, though. I'm feeling a little more peaceful. That's good. I need smooth sailing in my classroom this year. Please, please, please.