Get Past the Sunday Blues

Sunday Blues

Okay, it’s Sunday again, and if you are like me, you are beginning to feel that push. You know the one where you start getting ready for Monday. You are rushing to eat Sunday dinner so you can start grading papers and posting grades. And, if you are honest, Sunday has become a regular school day for you. It is not only sad. It is depressing. As teachers, we tend to be workaholics. Well, to survive this profession, you almost have to be. But, there is hope.

I read an article today by Christi Wilson on avoiding teacher burnout. It is located at www.educationworld.com. It listed some great strategies on how to deal with the stresses of teaching. One of the strategies she suggested was to leave schoolwork at school over the weekend. Wilson suggests doing all you need to do on Friday BEFORE you leave for the weekend. If that isn’t possible, use some of the plans from you substitute folder. Wow! Sounds awesome. After reading this article, I made a pledge to do just that and stop working on schoolwork on my Sunday.

Here are somethings that I suggest:

Hire Help: Okay…okay. I know you don’t make a lot of money. However, I have found over the years that I am so much more effective when I don’t have to waste valuable time do mundane tasks like grading simple multiple choice papers. I hired an assistant who helps with grading my papers and organizing me classroom. The angels began to sing the first day that I did this, and they have continued to sing. This frees up more of my time for my family and other activities like Teachers Pay Teachers.

 

Give Up a Few Moments of Sleep: It has been proven that most of us do our best work during the earliest part of the day. So, why not get a few minutes earlier and complete those activities that you couldn’t finish earlier.

It also helps to start prepping for school early in the year. I mean like in the summer. I like to create substitute teacher folders, bell ringers, and etc. during the summer.

Be Realistic: Let reality set in. Stop dragging those same papers home and back to school. I know a teacher who gets to school early. She stays late. She lugs a bag full of papers in each day and the same bag of papers back home again each day. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about her because I have been guilty of the same type of behavior. However, there comes a point when reality has to set in. There is only so much that we can accomplish in a day.

So, now finish grading those papers. And, promise yourself that this is the last Sunday that you drag all those papers home.

Surviving the Days before the Holiday

Surviving the Days before the Holidays

Part 1

Yep. It’s that time of the year. It is almost Thanksgiving, and some of you may or may not have had a Fall Break. (My school does not have one. Bummer!) Whether you have had a break are not, chances are good that you are plum wore out at this point. As teachers, we tend to let school become our center focus. We put our own families and lives on the backburner. We have too many things to do, too many papers to file out, and not enough time in the day. And, some of us sell products on TpT. Some of us have a second job. So, what can you do?  This is my first installment of teacher survival tips.

Just Walk Away

So, they want you to be the PTO secretary or they need you to help run the school newspaper on top of everything else you have to do. And, you hate to say “no”. Teachers are often guilty of trying to do too much. After teaching for 8 hours, we often come home and continue to work. Instead of spending this time with our families, we spend it doing lesson plans and grading papers. However, if we are to survive…if we are to be successful at our jobs and at being a “person” outside of work, we are going to have to learn how to just say “no”. That’s it. Just say “no” and walk away. Don’t feel guilty. Don’t wonder who they found to replace you. Don’t worry, and don’t wonder. You deserve to have some time to yourself.

I once had a principal who told me that he and his wife made it a rule to never bring work home. They don’t bring papers home. They don’t talk about unruly students. They don’t discuss school work at all. Their time at home is designated for time for their family.

Sounds it possible doesn’t it? But, it is doable. You just have to make a conscious effort to leave work at work.

Go to bed on time

Next, go to bed. That’s right. Go to bed, and go on time. A lack of sleep can make you feel both physically and mental exhausted. It can lower your immune system and lead to colds and other illnesses. Remember most people need 7-8 hours of sleep each night in order to perform at their best. So, no, those quick catnaps you take on the couch of 2-4 hours doesn’t count. Put those papers down, and go to sleep.

Teaching is a demanding job. In order to stay on top of your game, you have to take time for yourself. Stop taking piles of papers home. Stop taking on extra work. Go to bed on time.

Things to Plan for Your Classroom Now That Summer Is Here

 

Now That Summer Is Here

Now that summer is here, you may have decided to chunk your school books in the corner and relax. To be honest, I don’t blame you. No matter how much we love school, we all get tired. Now, take a deep breath and allow yourself to think about the upcoming school year. What are some things that you can do now that won’t make you even more exhausted, but that will help you make a smooth transition from summer break back to full school mode.

Word Walls

You can go ahead and begin designing your word wall for the upcoming year. Word walls are a great way to help increase your child’s vocabulary and help him or her become a better reader. Pick out words that you know you will use for the upcoming year. You can either design your own word wall or order one from places like Teachers Pay Teachers.

Back to School Activities

Plan your activities for the first day of school or if you’re feeling especially refreshed your first few weeks of school.  You can design fun games to help you get to know your students and help your students get to know you. Some simple games that you can use are Bingo and Scoot. Now is also a great time to create interest inventory quizzes and pre-tests for your subject area. You can even plan fun, age-appropriate craftivities for your students. All students no matter what age love to create things.

Rules and Regulations

No one wants to think about discipline especially in the summer. However, now is a great time to formulate your classroom rules. You may not know who your students are at this point, but you can create generic behavior charts. You can design homework check list sheets, create posters that display your classroom rules, and create behavior contracts.

Become Familiar with Objectives

Who has time during the school year to learn state objectives or standards? If you are like me, you may find yourself crunched for time. So, if you know the grade you will be teaching in the upcoming year, now is a great time to read over those state objectives or standards. Don’t spend all day every day reading them. Simply devote five or ten minutes per day looking over the objectives and familiarizing yourself with them.

Plan Activities

Once you have familiarized yourself with the standards, you can begin to plan activities. I am not suggesting that you do full-blown lesson plans. I am recommending that you take this time to think of the thematic units you want to teach or some ways to make learning those tedious objectives fun.

Schedule Me Time

Summer is definitely “Me Time”. Make sure that this is not the only time you get to spend with your family and yourself. Decide on the days or hours that will be reserved just for you during the school year. It doesn’t matter if it is the weekends, after 5:00 P.M. or Wednesday nights. Just carve out some time for yourself that is school work free. Once you have chosen your “Me Time”, do your best to keep it sacred.

Make the most your summer. Enjoy your time off. And, take advantage of your time away from your busy classroom. Do simple things that can help make your upcoming school year run more smoothly.

Creating Student Authors

Creating Student Authors in Your Classroom

As the school year draws to a close, I am pleased to say “I did it again”. What did I do? Simple. I inspired my students to write and love it. I am a writer. I have published several books on Amazon, and my students know this. I have talked about writing, and my love writing. I had my students write, but I didn’t turn it into a chore. And, guess what? This year, I have 4 girls who have started working on their own books. I have 2 that are actively working on writing poems. Hooray! Last year, I also turned several of my students into writers.

So, don’t give up hope. You can get your students to write and to love it. How? Model writing. Let your students see you writing. Talk about how much fun it is. Start a classroom blog. Work on a book together as a class. Praise what they write. Offer a little advice on their writing. I never criticize what they have written. I offer pointers, and let them go from there. Of course, if they are writing an essay for class, I grade it. But, if they are writing things on their own, I don’t grade. I only encourage.

Another important thing that I do with my students is introduce them to new vocabulary words. I use word walls. I play vocabulary games and vocabulary drills. I use the new vocabulary words often in class. I substitute common words for the new vocabulary words. I give away extra points to the students I catch using the new vocabulary words. These words eventually began to show up in their everyday conversations and in their writing.

To get my students excited about writing, I provide them with opportunities to have their work published. I send some of their best work to the local newspaper for publication. I submit their papers to writing contests. I even provide them with the submission pages and guidelines for teen magazines.

So, as I close this year out, I want to shout “Hooray!” My students are writing and loving it.

You can check out some of my writing journals at my Tpt store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/2cute-Classrooms

Why Homework is Important

 

Why Homework is Important

The debate over homework has raged on for years. Some parents and educators alike have argued the uselessness of assigning students homework. Some people have argued that homework is time-consuming, and that it doesn’t truly reflect the ability of the student because many of them cheat on their homework. Despite the protests from students and some parents, homework does have several pluses.

Reinforce stills

Athletes practice. Musicians practice and entertainers do too. So, why won’t a student? Homework is one of the best ways for a teacher to reinforce skills that have been covered during the regular school day. As the students complete their homework assignment, they are practicing a skill that he learned during the day. Homework also allows the teacher to see if the students have mastered the skills or objectives that were covered. As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Time management

Doing homework teaches the students time management skills. The students learn how to divide their time between studying, doing homework, and pursuing their other interests. Time management is a skill that students will need in the future as they enter the workforce or simply juggle the responsibilities of home and family.
Monitor comprehension

A teacher can determine if a lesson was successful by assigning and checking homework. By checking the students’ homework, a teacher can identify the skills that have been mastered and which skills need to be re-taught.

Discipline

Homework teaches the students discipline. The students must discipline themselves to complete their homework assignments instead of giving in to the temptation to do other more enjoyable activities like playing video games, watching television, talking on the phone, or playing outside.

Independent learners

As the students complete their homework assignments, they become independent learners. The teacher puts the students in charge of their own educational destiny by assigning homework. Because homework is completed outside of the school setting, it puts the students in a position of responsibility. The teacher is no longer the only one responsible for the learning process. Each student becomes a key player in their own educational process.

Self-motivation

Parents can control if their young children complete their homework assignments, but older students are harder to persuade. So, by choosing to complete a homework assignment, the students are not only getting the extra practice needed to reinforce a skill or concept, but they are learning how to motivate themselves.  With each assignment the students complete, they become more self-reliant and self-motivated. These traits help to prepare them for other challenges like going to college or holding down a job.

Homework is an essential part of the learning process. It is a great way for teachers to reinforce the skills that have been covered earlier in the day. It provides the student with extra practice.  Homework can also be uses a tool for evaluating students’ progress. It gives the teacher a chance to see which students need help, and it also helps the teacher identify areas that need to be re-taught. Students become independent learners and active participants in their education by choosing to complete their homework assignments.

Most Memorable Tragic Couples in Literature

 

Most Memorable Tragic Couples in Literature

There are some couples whose very names are synonymous with love and with tragedy. Their pain seems to leap from the very pages of literature and into our hearts forever. The following are a few of the most tragic couples in literature.

*Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet are the most unforgettable tragic couple in literature. The star-crossed lovers from William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” defied their parents and society to be together. In fact, they are so in love that they would rather die than be apart. Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” also give one of the most memorable lines in literature:

"O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I'll no longer be a Capulet."
-William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”, 2.2

Sadly, despite their love and their careful planning, the two lovers are never united in life. The two kill themselves, and in doing so, unit their families.

*Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw

Emily Bronte’s gothic story, “Wuthering Heights”, introduces the reader to another tragic couple-Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. These ill-fated lovers were doomed from the start. Heathcliff was the orphaned child Mr. Earnshaw found while in Liverpool. Mr. Earnshaw brings Heathcliff home to live with his family. All of the family members despise this dark, strange child except Mr. Earnshaw and his young daughter, Catherine. Catherine and Heathcliff develop a love for each other so deep that they actually feel like they are one person. Catherine states:

"It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire."
- Emily Bronte, “Wuthering Heights”, Ch. 9

Catherine Earnshaw marries another man to secure her legacy and to try to protect Heathcliff. Heathcliff, however, earns his own money and extracts revenge on the whole Earnshaw family. It is only after their deaths that the two lovers are happily reunited.

*Father Ralph de Bricassart and Meghan Clearys

“The Thornbirds” is an epic tale of the Cleary family. They battle the rough Australian Outback to survive. “The Thornbirds” is also the unforgettable tale of love and passion between Maggie Clearys and Father Ralph de Bricassart. They two are forbidden to love because of Ralph’s vows to the church, but that doesn’t stop them. Despite his vow of celibacy, Father de Bricassart does give in to carnal desire and has an affair with his Maggie. This affair produces their only son, Dane. Ralph returns to the church and tries to forget Meghan. It is only after great tragedy strikes does he realize all he has scarified for the church.

“There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain… Or so says the legend.”

-Colleen McCullough, “The Thornbirds”

Literature has produced some of the most unforgettable tragic love affairs. The couples listed

 above are only a few of greatest star-crossed lovers of all times

Teachers and At-Risk Students

 

Teachers and At-Risk Students

The sad reality is that in each school there are students who are at-risk of dropping out or falling between the cracks. It is also a fact that we, teachers, play in their negative experiences at school. We also influence their decision to either drop out of school or hang in there until the end. Are you wondering how?

Think about your low achievers or those students who “can’t get it”. Now, think about the way you treat them. Do you call on them as much as you do your smarter students? Do you give them as many opportunities as you do other students?

Unless you are one those exceptional teachers, your answers are probably not the ones that they should be. Let’s face it. Whether we intend to or not, sometimes we overlook our most vulnerable students.

What are somethings that you can do to help? First, change your behavior.

Ø  Call on these students more.

Ø  Allow these students more time to answer questions when you do call on them.

Ø  Often more praise

Ø  Provide them with feedback as soon as possible

Ø  Provide the students with more hands-on activities

 

 

Teaching Healthy Eating Posters

This is an activity the P.E. teacher had the kids doing to teach healthy living. The students were required to design posters that features three healthy meals that included the correct calorie count for both men and women. I thought it was so cute! It is also a great way to get the kids (and myself) thinking about healthy eating choices.

Summer Writing Activity

As summer is fast approaching, it is fun to incorporate some summer related activities. I created a writing activity using a watermelon. I gave my students a picture of a watermelon. The students colored the picture and then listed words that described summer. Once they completed the prewriting stage, I had them write an essay about summer. Since my students are in upper elementary, they really enjoyed getting to color and cutting and pasting. This activity can be modified to fit both older and younger students alike.

 

Year at a Glance 1

 

Goodness, time has flown by. However, there is what we have been up to this year.

We all know that anchor charts help our students remember key information. Here are some that I created to help the students remember verb tense.

Another set of anchor charts in my room. I keep these are reuse the each year. I only put them on display after we have covered a unit.

Thank God for TpT. I found this wonderful mobi

le about the water cycle. The students liked coloring and cut these out. I hungthem from the ceiling.

 

 I also found this on TpT. This was a one sheet illustration that I turned into a mobile that I also hung from the ceiling.

 Experts say that your room should be colorful. Well, I may have gone overboard. I like to have a lot of anchor charts in my room. I have a mix of Language Arts and Social Studies material hanging up.

 I love this board. During Social Studies, we were studying the different countries. I gave each student one of the countries we had studied, and they had to tell about the countries traditional food, clothing, education, and add illustrations.