Five Minutes Inside a Teacher's Head

7:35 - 7:40 a.m.

This post is inspired by the completely amazing and utterly true, "Five Minutes In a Mom's Head."I was immediately inspired to (shamelessly copy) write my version of "Five Minutes in a Teacher's Head."

For reference this is five minutes before kids are supposed to be in class, or what I call, "Go time."

7:35 a.m. - "What time is it?" Five minutes. I have GOT to go the bathroom. If I don't go now, I can't go until 11:37 which means I can't have anymore of the coffee. So, go now. For shame. I can't go now. I didn't copy the handwriting sheets. Aw, who needs handwriting any way? These kids aren't going to have to sign their own names. They'll probably be microchipped. They are the future.  I am never getting microchipped. I am the past.

I forgot to look up that video to stream about nanotechnology. 

Write that down. You will forget. Where's my coffee cup? Which coffee cup did I bring? I have got to get all the mugs out of my car. I am my parents. It has happened.

7:36 a.m. - What day is it? Oh, it's Wednesday. Gracious...only Wednesday? "On Wednesdays we wear pink." Where is that quote even from? It's a movie, me thinks. Probably pre-2006 which was the last time I really had a social life.  I haven't changed the date on that cute, rolla deck thingie that Gabe got me last year. I love that thing, but it is work. I have to flip the day, then flip the date, then flip the numbers, then flip the emoji thing, because....21st teacher! It makes me flip out.

Pun.

Giggle.

I am with it.

Coffee, forever.

7:37 a.m. - There are no sharpened pencils. Great. Now the kids are going to need to sharpen a bunch of pencils so they won't just come in and find a seat and get started which looks awful on checklists. Eureka! Pre sharpened pencils in the drawer from Open House! The nice kind that if you put them in the "Sharpened Cup" (Thanks, Pinterest) the kids will surely come away with lead poisoning. This means I must put them pretty sharpened pencil lead down. The kids never touch them if I do that, though. Kids LOVE a well sharpened pencil, but only if they can see it. Oh, well. Caution thrown to wind. They're fifth graders, surely they can avoid...ouch...seriously. Lead down. LEAD DOWN! I'm glad I saved these.  (Sly smile)


Okay, turn on the computers, tablet power strip, printer, Smart Board, heater, wax warmer, "Morning Welcome" playlist and finally...LAVA LAMP! I remember when all I had to do was turn on the over head. That smell of overheard projector was weirdness though.  It was what I imagine E.T. would smell like.

Wait, what? 

7:38 a.m. - WHY ARE THERE THINGS ON THE FLOOR! I picked up all the things before I left yesterday. Oh, right. My own actual kids have been here since 6:30.  Bless 'em.  "Baby, you have GOT to pick up those four pairs of scissors and all the paper you only cut the corners off of, sweet child. No, no, honey..you cannot have that on one of my student's desks. Yes, I know you have made them a desk constellation. That was sweet. Yes, I know they are at the door. Thanks for reminding me."

7:39 a.m. - This doorstop will be the end of me. I cannot get it to keep the door open. I NEED this door to stay open, so I...can...be....welcoming!

KICK. KICK. KICK.  KICK.  KICK.  KICK. KICK. KICK. KICK. 

(Pause)

KICK.KICK.KICK.KICK

Ah ha! I did it.

It's open.

7:40. "Go Time."

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...Break Ended

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...Break Ended"

A poem inspired by Clement Clarke Moore

Please note: We aren't going to talk about anything happening
like a bowl full of jelly.    

'Twas the night before Christmas....break ended and all through the classroom,  

not a creature had visited, at least not a mouse. 

The broom had been placed in the corner with care, in hopes that a magical elf to clean up all that red glitter would soon be there.

Alas. 

The children were all snuggled up in their beds 

while visions of prefix and suffixes danced in their heads. 

Because, of course they did. 

And me in pajamas with computer in my lap

Wishing I had settled in for one last long winter's nap.

When in my e mail there arose such a clatter. 

Teachers lesson planning on their break  was clearly the matter. 

When what to my surprise should rightly appear

Three Google Calendar alerts with reminders for the new year. 

Now planning! Now grading!

That pencil sharpener that died before break that still needed fixin'

We start space tomorrow. Classifying comets.

How many days until Cupid?

This break is a goner.

It's back to brain blitzin'.

To the front of the room. 

Walk quietly in the halls.

Take the pre-Christmas work down from the walls

Put this away, Put that away 

Sanitize all! 

My eyes--how they twinkle! I am rested! 

 How merry!

I must get there early tomorrow. Coffees to prep - how many?

(Eight - Like the reindeer)
My mouth drawn up like a bow
The year is fresh, white as the snow.

With a wink of the eye, and nothing to dread, 

we''ll spring to the car with the teacher bag, the other teacher bag, the two coffees, the thank you notes, the graded papers, the book we read for professional development, the children that belong to us in real life, and the very best of intentions ...

as we drive out of sight.

Saying ,"Happy first day back, Teachers and Students! And to all a good night!"

.....after I get all this stuff ready for tomorrow. 

Classroom Sneaky Peek and A Classroom Ode Written in Two Minutes

Well, what can I say except I have the classroom of my dreams, and in my dreams, waves are in the sky.

I mean it! There are certain things I have always wanted to do with my room, but for lack of time, lack of Coca-Cola, fire codes (pesky things), and an overwhelming amount of other to-do’s, they just never got done, but I thought of them. 

This year’s classroom is intentionally a bit more matooor, as I felt like my fifth graders would probably appreciate a slightly more matooor looook, so that is what I was going for and I am pretty sure that involves polka dots in some way, right?

I settled early on a turquoise and orange theme, because you know that Frank Sinatra was right, “orange is the happiest color,” and then I just knew I  wanted “WAVES IN ALL THE PLACES!”  So I, of course, hung waves from the ceiling. 

Immediately.

I benefited from having a lot of time to work in my room, because I put my children at THE SPORTS CAMP (Whoo....) and my in-laws are Rock Stars (...there it is), and I love ‘em. Truth is, that as a creative and crazy person, I ENJOY putting my room together every year. It is fun for me because I can fiddle and fuss and get totally obsessive as I move things from here – to there – back to here – it’s crooked – to final resting place. It is not so fun for my kids. They are somehow uninterested in my large collection of borders and tape. Hmm. 

Thank you, Ryan Gosling cross stitch for just…being there. 

One of my favorite things I did for the room this year was this border treatment on my bulletin board that cost me 5 whole bucks at The Dollar Tree and about 120 individually placed staples.  I want to touch this border. Is that weird? Of course, it isn't.  It is also "Caution Orange, "for what I am sure will be "LOOK OUT! LEARNING!"

This surprisingly relieves stress. These are napkins I stapled for 20 minutes. It was better than yoga and took almost as much flexibility. No lie. 

I also made this little behavior chart as a take off of the Color Clip Chart systems I have seen to coincide with our school wide PBS policy. Listen, ya’ll. I didn’t want to make one more thing, so I duct taped some flip flops to a board and called it “awesome.” I actually love it. It makes me smile.  It took me no time, and now I have plenty of left feet to get me through the day should I blow out my own flip-flop while inspiring America's youth. #FloridaProblems.

I take a strange comfort in knowing all these colors exist in flip-flop.

My reading nook is my favorite, friends. I cannot take how much I want to read in it. The book shelves were a generous loan from the bestest handy man ever, the rug I got off my new teacher pal, and the baskets came in too small, but we made it work. I even snuck in a clock down low, because I like when students go, “Wha….” Going through my picture books as I unpacked was like having a great conversation with old pals. The feels.  I did another post on my five fav picture books on WaveMakerOne, so I won’t reiterate it here, but goodness. Feel free to imagine me with hot tea and a pillow, because I got comfortable, then realized I had a job to do, then I got another book. 

These are my books. These are my friends.

The major classroom set up is done, so now I go into “the labeling haze” where the smell of Sharpie is strong and the slightest mistake means I. Start. All. The.Way. Over, so prayers appreciated because cursive is hard, am I right?

I have to end with saying that I am absolutely stoked – surf speak - about the school I am teaching at this year. I have been moved by all of the great people I get to work with, and watching the school be repurposed and reimagined in this cool new way (story here) that just makes me say “Wow, you're right that is an airplane wing! Well, I'll be.” I have gone home every day totally exhausted, happy, inspired, and excited to return the next day. My own children are going to be there, and I am happy for them. 

I have seen the ah-mazing things going on as their classrooms are prepared and plans are being made. From me as a Momma, "Thank You," to my pals and colleagues for teaching my children. I am so, so excited for them, and I am so, so praying for you (wink). 

In all sincerity, I wish happy classroom setup to all my friends and colleagues out there working your glue guns and ironing your curtains. Yes, Ashley. I’m talking to you, girl.    

Please enjoy a classroom blessing from me to you written in the key of 7, as in I wrote it at 7 o'clock in exactly two minutes so you know it's going to be matoooore. 

                                                                  A Classroom Ode

Written in Two Minutes in the Key of 7

May your sticky tack stick for all the days you wish it to

And you actually remember that you should get your vaccine for flu

The days be shortened when too long, or lengthened by minutes few

When you have much left and still more to do

May no one that you know try to taste his or her glue - blech

The pencils be sharpened and numero 2

Your day be brightened by young smiles and skies of blue

May you actually fall asleep when the day is through

Ever more

Mrs. Walker

It's Going To Be Perfectly Okay

"It's Going To Be Perfectly Okay"

Well, it is that time of year again.

The time for teachers to shield their eyes in the Wal-Mart because the "Back to School" supplies are out and taunting us. The time for us to "ignore" the fliers that come with the paper, because we wouldn't price match. Not now. Not yet.

"Come closer, teacher lady!" the glue beacons. "You neeeeed me. We should stick together."

"No...I...I can't. I have 17 days of summer left," I stammer weakly. "I have to go. Hold up. Did that say, Buy Two, Get One Free? Well, that...I can't just not look at that. I need three, really. Just take my money!"

This post is dedicated to all my people out there who have been obsessing on Pinterest about classroom organization, Googling the LAFS (that was almost funny, Florida), making all sorts of nicely labeled folders, and basically are already in full This-Year-Is-Going-to-be-The-Best-School-Year-Eva mode. I know it isn't just me.

I joke with people that I only need three weeks off, and then I am ready to head back to the grind, but it is usually true. This year is different for me though because I am transitioning grade levels for the first time in a long while (Am I smarter than a 5th grader? Hmm. Pondering), moving schools which means moving classrooms and really seeing all my "curriculum materials" and facing my addiction, while experimenting with new curriculum models. So, I needed some summer this year to start putting this all together. You know, to figure out a way to make it "perfect?"

I tell you no lie, I was sitting and obsessing...I mean...critically thinking...about the upcoming year after I had totally psyched myself out on Pinterest, and thought, we teachers do this every summer.

We get plans.

We are going to paint things.

We are going to organize things.

We are going to have the whole YEAR planned out before we ever start school.

We are going to take over the world. 

It's going to be PERFECT!

...and then it gets real.

 It says "Manic" here. It's why I chose it.

Actual children walk in the door and the plans get blown to smithereens! Kaboom! As in, "Someone please get me The Kaboom, someone totally threw up on the interactive Open House display board that tracks it's own data!"

or

That pom-pom thing you made out of tissue paper over the summer to match your new "theme." It's not fire code compliant, so that adorable ball of straight up delicacy has got to come down. What? No!

or

Someone didn't put their name on their paper. No problem, I will just use that cute "No Name" board, I...almost...made. Oh, bother. I will just put it on the board and write "No Name." That'll work, I guess.

or

Well, I am sure you have your own. The point is that we are all going to be okay even if it is no longer "the perfect classroom."  You see, I am reformed perfectionist, but I am only reformed to an extent. What I mean is, I have seen that when things don't work out perfectly, they usually still work out. The world doesn't end. The students aren't scarred for life.  The Smart Board is still fully there on the wall! It is black and smoking a bit, but it is there. Everything is okay, even if it isn't perfect.

But that does not mean I have not spent a few more hours then I'd like to admit trying to research "perfect" teaching, "perfect" classroom organization that like, never gets messed up,  and that "perfect" strategy for helping to mold some "perfect" comprehension, because, hello....testing.

I was doing all of this today and I arrived at the salient conclusion, that while all of these are food for thought and will help me get close to my goals as an educator, expecting perfection means that I am really getting in my own way. I get caught up in perfection, and I forget to be flexible, and have fun. That is just silly because I can still do the splits and everything.

It also does not mean I do not like a solid, 8 page lesson plan, detailed curriculum notes, and a closet full of glitter, just in case I need it. I do want those things. They make me feel ready. They make me feel professional. I take this job seriously, and I have the anxiety to prove it.


So this year I am going to go into this really believing there is no perfect classroom, but there are fun, engaging, loud at times, but completely serious about learning, celebratory, safe, and completely creative ones, and that is my real goal.

 Are those curtains, like...ironed? That floor is glistening. This isn't even real.

Reenter the "Back to School" display.

Listen, Wal-Mart shopping is going to be inevitable and I ask for prayer, because it is Wal-Mart, but I saw this Reading Nook online and it was nicely color coded, with modern labels on the baskets and with GENRES and everything. I just know I can get all the stuff I need to make that Reading Nook. That one that was so homey and lovely to read in, and also brain-based, because including the brain here is pretty important. I can do that.

I'll put it all together to make a beautiful, organized, super-cool for super-learning space.  VICTORY WILL BE MINE!

Then I will add that really important piece that the picture online didn't show yet.

Children.

Yeah, and then...it will be just...perfect.