Excuses Aside, Count Your Blessings

Blogger has been acting up for a while, but now I can't log in on my preferred browser at all. I feel so.. unsecure. I'm using a different browser to create this post.

Excuses aside, it is high time I blogged an update. As you may know, I teach. School started August 9th around here. We'll be in session until June 2nd. I started decorating my classroom with a Alice in Wonderland theme, but I overdid the cards a bit since I had plenty of them. I've since added to this more movie stuff.

After I went back to work, I had to get back into routine. It took a good month to really begin waking up early and sleeping at night. I struggled with that over the summer when I could sleep in until my back hurt or my bladder made me get up and my sense of duty reminded me of chores to do. I wasn't sleeping well and I wasn't tired when I should have been.

Now it is at the end of a second month of work. It has been an interesting year so far, but I can say it's been more fun, less stressful, and we are making it work. Every year is different. Every mix of students is different. Their challenges are different. My team changes. I'm working with more adults on consultive basis than ever before. 

I don't want to go on and on about work, though. Life is made up of all kinds of moments. It's easy to talk about the ones that stress us out. We often forget in the mess made of broken down vehicles, money woes, kids misbehaving, drama for drama's sake, to count our blessings.

1. I am healthy. - I have to be able to lift students from the floor to their wheelchairs. I walk all around the school and help in P.E. with my students. My mental health is tested every day. My brain is asked to make a million decisions, and since I'm the Mistress of Well-Intentioned Indecision, sometimes I hesitate a little too long on them. But I'm learning. I have to be social for 7 hours a day, so I have to make quiet time for myself during the week. My social health is boosted every Monday when I go to Trivia and act like an adult. It gives perspective, too. Others there have other trials.

2. My family is healthy. - Despite life's little trials, we are all okay. We will get up and go back to school or work the next day and the day after and take for granted the daily grind.

3. We are safe in a house that provides adequate shelter. - Many people do not have a house that keeps out the cold and rain or cools them in the heat. I can garden in the spring and summer. I have pets.

4. I have a job. - It may rankle at times, or cause me stress, but it pays the bills and makes me get up every day and puts a smile on my face at least once.

5. I am loved. - I get hugs, kisses, and appreciation and even a listening ear every day. I can come home and relax, unwind, and even rant. My friends may be mostly online, but if I need them, I can send a message and they will respond. My family is nearby and I can visit when I need to. I can help them and they help me.

The list of blessings could go on and on. These are the big ones. Try to think of the good things when life gets you down. Sometimes it's hard, I know. But try.

How Setting Up My Classroom Is Like Writing

It's back to school time! I've been frantically trying to set up my classroom. I've moved furniture, put up posters and borders, and sorted items into areas in the room. I haven't located what I did with the batteries, but I'm sure they will turn up.

I found a pedometer and put it on halfway through my day. I logged 2 miles in my classroom. It says 4,598 steps. I came home tired. It didn't feel like I worked that hard, but I guess 4 miles of walking will do that.

The next day I put on the pedometer as I walked to my car. When I walked out of school hours later it said 5 miles.

But besides the exercise of the back to school frantic rush, there was this one revelation...

I've realized I set up my classroom the same way I write a book. 

First, the outline.  I make a floor plan of my room and decide where all the students will go and where all the academic parts will take place. I make a schedule and decide which groups go where and when.

Next, the rough draft. I pull out all of the things pertaining to that area, making it very cluttered. Every toy, device, paper, file, or writing utensil as needed are right there in the right place. But they aren't all used at the same time.

Then, I have to edit these areas like I edit stories. Is this really necessary right now? Can I put it someplace else? I have taken out the things I'm going to use first and left them in the areas in an organized way while putting everything else in the closet. I can rotate toys and books and vocational work tasks later. I don't need a shelf of them hanging around looking slightly messy.

Then it's time to work on the cover art. In my room, I decorate with posters, bulletin board borders, and pictures. I make it look fun and cool and presentable as best I can.

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/why-teaching-is-the-best-job-in-the-world/

Now, to spend my last free weekend of summer NOT worrying about school!