Monday, September 3, 2012

School Has Started

If you are a teacher or a parent (or you know a teacher or a parent) then you know how crazy the first of the school year is. I know everyone thinks that teachers work 7:30-3:30 and then take off for lazy afternoons, but that just isn't true. We have everything that we did last year to get our kids into the swing of things to do all over again. Notebooks must be set up, gradebooks must be set up, classrooms must be set up, and we have to set the students up for a successful year! If you have kids, you know how hard it can be to get 2 or 3 organized. Now, imagine doing that for a class of 25!

I feel very fortunate to be teaching at the school I am teaching at, but it is a big change from most other schools (keep in mind, I had only taught high school before this). As a small charter school we spend a lot of time with our students making sure they do all of the things that students are just expected to do on their own at other schools. I actually think it is a good thing. We don't just throw them into middle school and say "good luck!" We spend a lot of extra time showing the 7th graders what to do to be successful. I'm happy to do it, but that means a lot of extra work for me and a lot of time at school after Hayden is asleep.

That also means less time for things like blogging and making soap :( Luckily, the students catch on quick and we are all getting into the swing of our new year, so I'm finding more time for the rest of my life! I have resumed my decluttering. My soap room is clean again. I have even managed to find time to write a blog post. I have some soapy plans for the week. And, I'm not at school when Hayden is asleep.

So, forgive my recent absence. We are rockin' along in our new school year and I will be around more often now!