Back to School

Well school has started! We actually started back to school last week. I meant to update sooner, but I forgot how busy the start of the year can be and how tired I get from working with kids all day. It was so hot that first and second day of school and the heat really made the kids tired. Nate started last week also and has been extremely busy with football after school. We are both starting to get back into the routine of things and are thankful to have our schedule back. I miss the routine in the summer, but it does take quite an adjustment!

I have quite a talkative group this year. When my students leave me at the end of the year, they are like third graders and when school starts I quickly forget how young second graders start out. The tasks that usually take just a little bit of time seem like they now take forever! I know every teacher feels this way. I look out over my classroom every day and miss my group from last year. This happens every year, but more so this year. I had such a great group of kids last year and miss them terribly! I know that after a month or so this new group will be whipped into shape. I hope so!

Nate is teaching 7th grade again this year. He is teaching two sections of math and three sections of science. He also has an advisory group this year and his class sizes are quite big. He is a wonderful teacher and I know he will do another great job this year. He is coaching 8th grade football this year with our good friend Rich. They moved up with their group this year. Darcie and I can't wait for the games. We have such a great time talking and watching our men and their coaching antics. Grace loves to cheer for the Bucs and I think Joy will this year too.

Life is hectic now, but we love what we do and we love the kids, so it's all worth it! I'm so thankful that I am married to a teacher because we both understand each others struggles and triumphs. We hope there are more triumphs than struggles this year.

This is my game and calendar area. My wonderful sister Jaime helps me set up my classroom every year. I don't know what I would do without her. She is a perfectionist and makes everything look beautiful and so organized. Thank you Jaime!

This is my classroom library and every year Jaime helps me organize and reorganize all of the books. A couple of years ago she helped me put all of the books in baskets by their genre. That was quite the task!

I try to pick a theme this year and I've picked fish. It all came from this cool treasure chest that I got when we went camping this summer. This is the other part of our calendar area.

I found this cool idea for a bulletin board in one of my books I bought this summer. I can't think of these things on my own. Hopefully this will help my students remember the classroom rules.

This is our lunch choice area. The kids come in and move their fish magnet to their choice. If there is a magnet left then their either absent or forgot.

Everything looks so nice and orderly in these pictures. My sister took this pictures before our Open House. I'm sure if you would step foot in my classroom today you would see how different it is just days after having little children in there, busy working and leaving their marks over everything. I know this will be a busy, but exciting year! Stay tuned for some funny stories!