Moving, cleaning, throwing out, then setting up!

Good morning bloggers!

I apologize for my absence the past couple of weeks.  After Zach and I returned from TN, it was time to get back into my classroom.  My school is having summer school, so the rooms have the AC on right now.  I wanted to take advantage of that!  Beginning last week, Zach and I would get to school by 9, he would volunteer in one of the ESL summer school rooms, and I would slave away in my room.  In case I forgot to mention, I am going back into the classroom after being a Math Coach for 2 years.  (stimulus monies ran out to continue the position).  I taught fifth grade for the previous 20 years, and fourth for my beginning 4 years.  Here, on my 25th year of teaching, I have decided to go to 2nd grade.  I had the option to return to my old classroom, or take a 2nd grade class.  I don't know about where you live, but the attitudes of students and their lack of respect just kills me!  The 5th graders lately have been atrocious.  (I teach at a  school where about 70% get free or reduced lunch.  We just got school wide Title I, so I am hoping this helps the students and their families! )

Okay, I jaywalked.  I didn't feel like I needed the added stress of the students in fifth grade, so I opted to make a new change into 2nd grade.  Everyone tells me I will love it.  While a math coach, I was able to work in many classes/grade levels.  I loved the younger kids!  They love it when you come in to do a lesson, are always enthusiastic (most of them), and that is what I wanted!

Now, to what I have been doing all summer.....We had a teacher retire from 2nd grade, and I will take her position.  She left me all, and I mean ALL her stuff.  Before school was out, she had her kids move all her 'stuff' into the lockers, above the lockers, (and anywhere else she could find) into my new room.  It had been an RTI classroom, so it didn't have alot of stuff to move.  To make a long story short somewhat short, she pretty much just walked out of the building the last day of school.  When she moved her stuff to my room, she moved EVERYTHING!  She didn't weed out the OLD stuff from the 80s, she just had her kids move it all.  However, she was nice enough to give me all her files, resource books she had purchased, visual things she had purchased to go with China, Egypt, Indians, etc.  The problem was this.....Not only did I have to move ALL my stuff to a new room, I have had to go through ALL her stuff before I can even BEGIN to unpack/setup my stuff.

The week after school, I (and I mean I) moved all my stuff into my new room.  Granted, it was only across the hall, but I had alot of crap materials/resources to move.  Oh, and that week after school there was NO AC!  I may have blogged about that.  It was brutal!  I did have some help moving the big pieces of furniture.

So last week and this week, I have been weeding through all the stuff that teacher left me.   I am still not finished.  I work a bit on her stuff, then try to work a bit on my stuff, but it seems like it is taking me FOREVER!!!  I have thrown out a bunch of stuff, and kept some things.  I am grateful she left me her 'stuff', I just wish it could have been cleaned out a bit.  I know the custodians have LOVED me!

I am now able to see the floor in my room in some spots.  I have been so busy, that I have not taken any pics.  If I remember, I will do that today.  I did get my pictures and such up yesterday, so it looks a little more 'me-like' .  It still looks like there is ALOT to do, but I have the next 3 weeks when my son is at a summer camp. No AC after next week tho....  With our 100 degree temps during the day, I can't stay and work for long!

Okay, wow, that was long-winded!  A couple of more things.....The whole Penn State scandal has really upset my husband.  He is from PA, always loved PSU, and JoePa was a huge idol in his life!  He got his first tattoo Tuesday to show his support for JoePa.

He said it hurt like hell and he would have gotten it smaller had he known!  heh  Also, my son got his haircut.  He wanted a mohawk, but of course, I said NO!  The hair cutter lady made him one with gel!

Last but not least, Zach tested for his Blue Belt in Tae Kwon Do last night, and got it!

Alright....it is time for me to get a shower, take Zach to Summer Blast (camp), then head to school to do more cleaning/weeding/settingup!

Have a great day!