Getting Ready for Our Family Trip!

Bonjour Everyone!

I have lost a bit of steam because I am worried that I will get back from vacation with my husband's family and have nothing left to do except sit and wait 3 weeks for teacher in-service to start. Though, I don't think that will happen because no matter how many hours I spend getting stuff done, there is always more I think of to do, and the list doesn't seem to be getting shorter!

I did complete a craft today though! I found on Teachers Discovery a great hall pass in French (they have Spanish and German too!) but it was a little generic and so I wanted to make my own! I went to Hobby Lobby, spent about 10 bucks and made 2 hall passes (one boys and one girls!) You can see the step by step on the ideas page.
I could have done way way better with the owl stencils, and I will explain in a later post about owls and their purpose in my classroom, but I think they are cute! :) The top says "Permission pour le couloir RM ____" (permission for the hall RM____) and the bottoms say "filles" (girls) and "garcons" (boys) -- I definitely wish I had better handwriting too.

It is likely that I won't post again until I get back from vacation, but you never know what inspiration might hit me tomorrow!!! 

Au revoir!

In the Beginning

Hello!

As a "first year" teacher, I have been spending a lot of time surfing the internet looking for ideas on anything from organization to fun activities. I actually started mid - year last year, as a substitute until I completed my degree. (Hired in November, graduated in December). Man was that ROUGH! I felt like I spent the whole year just struggling to catch up. The students were behind, I was behind, and I really didn't know what to do. I taught, and the kids liked me, but I didn't feel like the most important thing was happening in my classroom: LEARNING. I spent all my time trying to stay organized, get organized, come up with ideas. Forget any of the things I had been taught - backwards planning, interventions... I didn't have time to breathe!

So, I made it through the school year, reminding  myself that this summer I would have time to sit and plan and organize! I have relaxed all summer, regaining my strength, and yesterday I decided to sit and start getting ready for back to school. We have 4 weeks until Go Time. And I know that sounds like plenty of time, but man can you soak up a whole day searching on the internet and making a binder (that's what I did yesterday). I also like to work while watching Netflix. I put on a show and then get to work.

I guess the point is, since I started out so rocky, I figured I would document my next year, from 1 month to go, until the end. That beautiful last day of school. :) I will blog about my experiences, and also post my ideas with pictures. Please don't turn away because you don't teach my subject or my grade level. I will tell you right now, the first 2 things I am about to post under Ideas and Freebies, are ideas I got from Elementary teachers. I teach Middle School French. But often times all ideas are in some ways able to be manipulated (games, binders and organization ideas, classroom management).

If you enjoy anything you see, let me know! Comment, post on Facebook, pin it. The more I get from you, the more encouraged I'll be to keep going! If you have questions, comments, concerns, ideas to share with me, just let me know!!! If there is anything I learned at my PLC institute this summer, its that collaboration is key!