Swirling

My mind is nearly numb from this process of starting over. I once owned SO much "stuff" for teaching grades 1-5.  Nearly every payday for 10 years I headed to the teacher store to shop for goodies. I owned my own class sets of novels, manipulatives of all shapes and sizes, bulletin board/decor supplies, etc. I was stocked! After 5 years home with my kids and unsure if I'd get back in the classroom, I gave a bunch away. The materials I kept remain in storage in the last state I lived in when our plans for a moving van fell through (no one to drive!) at the last minute and now I am overwhelmed with the blankness of being a new teacher again- not new with no experience but new with no supplies.

Technology is also so much more pervasive than it was so there are so many wonderful blogs and websites FULL of ideas and materials. I don't even know where to begin most days. *sigh*

I started with the most basic of teacher needs, though, and bought myself an awesome lesson planner by Erin Condren and I am so excited to start filling it in. I have really missed teaching and the more tidbits my new principal gives me about my class, the more excited I become. One thing I did find out was that my class of 27 third graders are coming from two second grade classes.  She's requested another third grade teacher but doesn't anticipate it'll be filled in time. So that means my kids are becoming a class twice the size that they are used to.  I

My First Favorite Idea

I do want to start off practicing sharing ideas while journaling my own processes so here is the first idea I will share from my early searches.  I LOVE how two great ideas were combined to create an amazing classroom management system.  I am so excited to try out my fave management idea that I've found so far.  I think my 3rd graders are going to love it! I know I would have when I was in school, and it's such an improvement on the behavior card pocket chart.  Leave it to Rick Morris to make anything better and the clip chart is a fantastic way to move to the positive side of discipline.  I used so much of his stuff the first time around that it's almost funny that I start off with him again. 

As good as the clip chart is and as good as the Super Improver wall idea is, Stephanie from 3rd Grade Thoughts did a great job combining the two for what I believe will be a very effective system.  I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning

So, here I go, off on the adventure of a lifetime ... for the second time.  In a few short weeks I will be standing in front of a MY class of 3rd graders as essentially a first year teacher. 

Ok, let's go back a few years and explain this whole thing. I graduated college in 1992 and was hired that fall to teach ... you got it! ... 3rd grade! After ten years teaching in that district, and covering grades 1-5, I left to care for my children, all four (at the time) of whom had been recently adopted from foster care.

Shoot forward 11 years and here we are. Four of my children are grown and two are still at home (yep, you got it, there are six now) and I am ready to return to full-time teaching.  Having a large employment gap made things a bit challenging when competing in today's economy but it all worked out as I believe it was meant to.

I was actually hired into the first district I'd applied to out of college so many years ago and I'm thrilled to have my chance now.  I will be teaching on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home of the Oglala Lakota, in South Dakota and I can't wait.  I'll be the first to admit that I spent a little extra time and attention when teaching the Plains Indians part of my fifth grade Native Americans unit! Now I get to incorporate that culture into my WHOLE CLASSROOM!!

Having began my career in 3rd grade, I find it rather fitting that I shall re-begin my career in that grade as well. For now, I am scouring the internet for the latest, greatest teaching ideas!

Inspire me, fellow bloggers!