When I woke up last night and looked out the window, I realized that it was full moon (at least as far as I could see). It was beautiful! It was clear and crisp. The moon was the only thing I saw on the sky.
Work has been the only thing that I have seen the last five weeks. It has felt like new students are coming daily. Data charts need constant updating, students need to be tested, lesson plans need to be changed, and then there are those meetings that need to organized. Writing agendas, updating teachers, meeting with new students, finding translators, talking and advising students on how school works in America.
We started our classroom blog! I might fall asleep before writing my Slice of Life posts each week, but at least I have been writing with my students. We are working on how to write comments right now. In a few weeks we will transition to one student at a time writing the post for the rest of us to comment. We are making progress! It might be slow, but it is progress!
After a four day weekend, I feel like I can breath again. Yes, I still have work to do before students come on Wednesday (PD day is happening on Tuesday), but I feel like my head is now above the water! I am back to schedule going to gym. I am caught up on sleep. I am rested. I am ready to spread some JOY! I am ready to write and comment! It is amazing what a difference four days can make!
I can feel your rest and rejuvenation in your words! I am jealous, but so happy for you that you have experienced this renewal.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Sweet Writing Life
Thank you Jennifer! It is great to wake up not tired!
DeleteI noticed the full moon when my dog got me up at 4:00 this morning. it was beautiful. I gave myself a long weekend and went to the beach for a conference and slept very well in a strange bed. I came back refreshed, too.
ReplyDeleteIf there was a beach close by, I would have been there too!
DeleteIt is amazing what an extra day or two can do to help clear your mind. And Jaana, it seems like the start of school has been a whirlwind for you. How wonderful that you have the students writing, and then commenting-good practice for their language, right? Hope the PD refreshes too, & you have a great rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteOur PD sure was interesting; new safety and lockdown training. We even had to practice how to barricade a door!
DeleteSomehow, at least for me, those long weekends always seemed to come when I most needed them. So glad you are refreshed and rarin' to go. I really like what you are doing with your students. You are right that students need to be taught how to respond. They certainly have a great role model in you.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely was refreshing! Now the classroom blogging really begins!
DeleteIt's amazing how restorative a four day weekend can be. Lucky kids, too - you are giving them such rich and varied ex[experiences.
ReplyDeleteTara, it has been busy and I have missed reading blogs and tweets! But we are pressing on in the classroom!
DeleteYou sound so happy after a nice long break. Your class room assignment sounds so interesting. Your smile is contagious.
ReplyDeletePamela, so good to hear from you! Getting enough sleep helps me smile more!
DeleteSounds like you had a much deserved break! In my former district, we had a fall break, but not in my current one. I MISS it! I want to get my students up and running on their blogs (I still need to create accounts for my 5th graders - my 6th graders have them, but we need to do more work on them). SO much to do, so little time! ;-) The mantra of a teacher... Excited for you and your students!
ReplyDeleteI was so excited that one of my students posted his first comment today! It will be worth celebrating tomorrow!
DeleteWhat a difference a day makes? Try four of them! I can hear the much needed rest in your voice. May that lift in spirit last.
ReplyDeleteAmen! Perhaps that is the reason that I made a sign for me in the classroom: JOY lives here!
DeleteIt is good to read your words. I have missed you.
ReplyDeleteTerje, I have missed reading your words as well!
DeleteSounds like that was just what you needed! Glad the year has started out well. Blogging with your students will be so rewarding and real for them.
ReplyDeleteBeverley, those four days were needed! New energy today!
DeleteSo glad you're back. I missed you too! Blogging is so much fun with students. We are about to get our blogs. Practicing and preparing! So glad you got some time to relax! :)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I have missed Tuesday and Thursday blogging as well.
DeleteWe've had a flood of new students this fall as well, which has made things crazier than usual, especially when coupled with my band life taking up more than its usual share of my out-of-school time. So glad you are getting your classroom blog going early this year! Are you using the same one you've used in the past? Send me the link so my students can visit when we get going! We're doing the Global Read Aloud right now, but will blog some as part of that, and then really get going when that's over in late fall. :-)
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