How to survive the last week before winter break.

We all get a break from school in about 24 hours so this last week has been kinda rough.  The kids are rowdy and struggle to focus.  What can a teacher do to make this as painless as possible?

1. Keep them busy.  Idle time leads to mischief so keep things on hand for them to do, even if it is a puzzle sheet (introduce some new vocab) or coloring sheet (brain break).

2. Smile and laugh with them.  It helps everyone feel less stress.  Remember you are excited for the break and so are they.  Share this with them.  Ask them about their plans.  It's time to bond!

3. If all else fails, find a quiet movie to run.  I love Wall-E for a longer piece (connect to saving the planet discussions) or Simon's Cat on youtube if you need just a few minutes for them to calm down.  Sorry, no academic connections to the cat, but it is funny stuff.

Hold on tight, and Good Luck!

What am I getting myself into?

After 25 years of teaching, I sometimes wonder if I have anything to share with new educators.  Can my time in the classroom help anyone else?  I have definitely learned a lot and continue to grow every year.  What better way to share what I know... a new blog!

But who will read it?  And what exactly will I write about?  When will I find the time?  As for the last question, my husband always says we find the time for things that are a priority to us.  So, this needs to become a priority.

I have also been spending more time with Teachers Pay Teachers so if I find or design any resources I think will help people, I will share those here.

Right now this blog looks pretty plain, but hopefully it will begin to take on more of my personality.  Learning new things can be challenging, but my family has recently taken on this new motto: "Be brave enough to suck at something new."

So...I'm ready to be brave!