To the Newbies

I have been the new teacher in the school and/or grade level 5 times in my career.  I know how it feels to be the new teacher starting out meeting new people, getting a room set up, getting a feel for the climate of a school, learning a whole new curriculum (or helping to design one), and all the anxiety that comes with being new.  I know that every August there is a whole new crop of new teachers starting out, and I thought I'd take a minute to give some of my lesson-learned tips and advice. 

YOUR NEW CLASSROOM
1) Take pictures and measurements of your new room.  Do a rough drawing of how you'd like your room to look- in other words, make a plan.  This will save you valuable time later. 
2) Take it one area at a time when setting up the walls of your room.  Make sure you designate one wall as a "focus wall".  If anyone walks into the room, this will give them a snapshot of all curricular areas that you are working on.  Think visiting administrators, parents, etc...
3) It's your very own classroom.  Do anything you want with it!!  Look around online. (Pinterest is a great place to start.)  There are TONS of different examples of how rooms are arranged. You'll be spending 8+ hours in your room, so you better like it!

YOUR NEW SCHOOL
1)  Observe all that you can, and get a feel for your new building and everyone in it.  See who the go-to teachers are for help/resources/advice/etc.  Be aware that it's a building full of different personalitites, and you need to feel everyone out (just as they are surely trying to figure you out).  Be yourself, but hold back some comments or opinions until you know who to say what to.  Basically- learn when to keep your mouth shut quiet.  Again, this is solely based on my experiences.
2)  Ask to check out the classrooms of those around you.  Ask them questions about school and non-school related things.  You will be in the trenches teaching with these people for months.  It helps when you have friends at work.
3)  Make friends with the custodians, assistants, and the secretaries.  They are the hearts of the inner-workings of the school.  If they don't like you, your life at school can be MUCH more difficult.  (Also, some of my closest friendships have been with the members of the support staff at schools!)

YOUR NEW SCHOOL YEAR
1) Remember to breathe.  Expect it to be hard- Don't expect to create all the extravagant lesson plans that you created in undergrad classes.  (I remember having to create thematic units for every methods class with incredible differentiation, multiple ingelligences, etc for EVERY subject.)  You will burn out if you set that expectation for yourself.  Aim for 3 good "undergrad lessons" a week.    The first year's goals are survival and learning.
2)  Discipline is not a bad word- in fact, it's KEY.  Without classroom management, you're year won't ever get off the ground.  I suggest going lighter on the academics at first, while nailing down your classroom management.  DO NOT worry about the kids liking you.  They don't need a FRIEND; they need a TEACHER.  You can always be strict in the beginning and pull back later, but you can't be lax on them in the beginning and expect to pull in the reins later.  It won't work.
3) YOU set the seating arrangement.  They DO NOT pick where to sit, starting from the first day.  (Oh!  If you use desk name tags, don't stick them onto the desk until the third day.  By, then you'll know who for sure is in your class and you won't have to make new tags or throw unused ones away.)
4) SET HIGH EXPECTATIONS, and they will strive to reach them.  I've always had high expectations for my students (kinder-6th grade), and they've always strived to please.  I don't give them the option to not meet my  expectations... that's why it's called an expectation!
5) Lastly, I'm going to give you my key mantra for teaching- Fake it until you make it!  If you don't feel confident, then act like you think a confident, veteran teacher would.  Eventually, you will embody what you are pretending.

Good luck, and congratualtions on a wonderful adventure.  Please remember, that while you are focusing on Common Core, parents, collegues, students, curriculum, testing, etc... The child comes first.  When times get rough, never lose sight of what's important and why you became a teacher.  :)

This is for You!

Being a mom is a tough job, and its a position that's filled with self-doubt. Am I being the best I can be? Am I giving enough attention to the kids? Maybe I shouldn't have yelled ay them like that. Geez, my friend seems like super-mom and so much better than me. These are all thoughts that have crossed my mind at one point.  I'm here to let you know that there are some days that just won't run smoothly. As much as you try, you won't get the meal on the table in time. You had every intention of making those cute cupcakes for birthday treats, but store-bought will have to be just as good.  There are some days that as ling as everyone is still in one piece by bedtime, then you've accomplished enough.  My mom friends, please know that you do a great job! Don't let that doubt sneak in- your kids are doing great, and you are, too.

To any dads reading this- please spontaneously tell your kids' mom how well she's doing (and not just on mothers day please). She needs to hear it, and needs the reassurance of a job well done. Know a new mom- maybe your daughter, niece, or friend with children? Tell her she's doing a great job. Out of the blue motherhood compliments make a mom's heart swell.  All mom's need that pat on the back some days!

This is Only a Test

Let's face it, life is not always sunshine and roses. There are messy and gritty days mixed in with the sunny ones. Sometimes, there are the times where it seems that day after day it just seems to be one thing after another. If find that I have certain triggers that just get me angry, time after time. Maybe its work stressors, hubby stressors, or even the kids. But, it seems to be the same things over and over. It's so difficult to break out of that anger cycle when it comes st you every day. Eventually, I turn to asking God, "what's the deal here? I can't take much more of this! Help me out please!"

It's important to remember the quote in this picture. God isn't sitting back or abandoning me. He's there, hoping that I've learned enough to pass this certain test.  I'll be honest, my temper has ALWAYS gotten me into trouble. It's one thing I struggle with the most.  God doesn't want me to struggle, so he keeps giving me learning opportunities to work on my anger and temper. I will continue to be presented with these tests until I pass. God is the teacher and He's in control of my tests. 

When I look at these situations as tests, then I get a determined feeling. I try even harder to control my temper, stick to my willpower, increase my patience, bite my tongue, and not procrastinate.  I've always been a bit of an overacheiver at school, and I want to ace these tests.  So, next time someone pissed me off/ the cupcake is calling me/ the girls aren't listening/ I feel like putting off a project, I'll remember how much I want to get an A on this test. How about you* do you notice that you're being tested?

The Next MasterChef!

Top Chef, MasterChef, Hells Kitchen, Chopped- I love them all!  I love to watch the cooking shows and learn all kids of new things. They inspire me to try different things, and be creative in the kitchen. There is nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment that comes with a new, experimental creation in the kitchen.  Sometimes, I love cooking with my girls because I get to explain to them while I'm working- just like they do on tv. I get to imagine that I'm the next best contestant on any of the above shows. Silly? Yes. Childish? Sure. Fun? Absolutely!!

My father-in-law likes to think he's the farmer of Lombard, and he has a mini- orchard in his backyard. He has a bunch of peaches and gave tons to us. I decided to try making a pie. Something I've never done before ever! First thing I noticed is that peaches SUCK to peel and cut. Talk about a sticky mess!! After researching online, I got started assembling my pie. The pictures were from today's pie-making adventure. Overall, not nearly as scary as I thought it would be, and I'm very proud of myself for my first beautiful pie. MasterChef, here I come!!

**Update**

Good morning!!! Remember last week when I vowed not to step foot on the scale? I haven't stepped on the scale for the whole week. Honestly, it wasn't so hard for a majority of the time because I was on vacation. But, after eating out for each meal for nearly a week, I was definitely feeling it in my body! I would typically hop on the scale after returning home to.... confirm my weight gain, i guess. When I think about it, I'm not sure why I weigh myself when I get home from vacation. Anyway, the point if this post is that I DID NOT weigh myself. I went to the gym for a 2-hour workout instead. I don't think exercising has ever felt sooooo good!!  How about you? Have you been joining me in my no-scale challenge?? How's it going?

August Ab Challenge!!

Happy Friday!!!

Last week, I shared with you all one of my favorite websites- The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  Well, they posted their August Challenge, and it looks like a good one.  If you want to see it on their website and get some great how-to videos for some of the challenge moves, go here.  Or, I've posted their challenge picture below.

Please show some love on their website and check them out on Facebook, too!!!

See What You're Made Of...

Want to see what your marriage or relationship is made of? Then, go on vacation. Vacations are great times to spend with your significant other, getting to know each other even better, connecting, and making memories for a lifetime.  With everyone's busy work and social schedules, its hard to spend some quality time together, and vacation allows you that 24/7 access.

Have you ever noticed that the stages of vacation mirror those of a relationship? In the beginning, its all fun and excitement. The sights are new and its fun nit knowing what's going to happen each day. The adventure of vacation is truly what its all about. Until you hit about day 3... It's wonderful you get to bond and connect, but now you'd give anything for just 5 or 10 minutes to yourself. You find yourself trying to steal these minutes wherever you can "I'll get some ice for us." Or "Let me go down to the front desk and ask." From spending extra time in the bathroom alone to hitting the treadmill in the hotel fitness room, you want that alone time.

Then comes days 4 and 5, and the novelty of being together that much is wearing off a little bit.  Those rose colored glasses are starting to fade to seeing reality.  Those quirky things that they did before maybe are now becoming irritating things, and you're finding it harder to keep your comments to yourself.  (and, vice versa of course!) Isn't this just the way it is in relationships??  That whole "love is blind" adage is absolutely true.  Nothing like a good vacation to bring those things to light.

Finally, during those last days of vacation, arguments might come for frequently (along with sarcasm and some snarky comments), but they don't last forever.  In fact, you find that you can argue and annoy each other, yet put those feelings aside in order to have fun or still snap those lovely, smiley vacation pictures for the frames at home.  You have no spent so much time together, you know exactly which buttons to push in order to get certain reactions.  You are dying for the comfort and familiarity of home.  You want your own bed; your own shower; and, if you eat one more meal at a restaurant you feel like they're going to have to roll you out the door.  Again, this mirrors real marriages and relationships, in so many ways. 

I'm sure you can guess how our vacation went.  Overall, it was wonderful and so much fun.  I'm not going to lie though, we had our moments on those final days.  The important thing is that we pulled through, and made memories to last a lifetime. I set out in the beginning of this blog, with the goal of being funny but honest about those important things in my life.  I'm sure there are some people out there that can relate.  :)