Oh no... the last week of summer!!



I can't believe that the last week of summer is actually here.  I had so much fun this summer on the mommy circuit that I'm not sure if I am really ready to go back to school this year.  (This is a big deal for me, because I am always ready to go back.)



I have a lot to look forward to this year.  This will be my 6th year teaching 8th grade English in a title 1 school.  This year we get a larger BLOCK for ELA!!!  I actually get each of my students for 1 1/2 hours a day.  I couldn't be more happy about this.  This will allow me the time to actually try out a lot of the things I have been wanting to try in the classroom. It is also one of the reasons that I have decided to start this blog.  I am really looking forward to putting this year on "paper."  We will see how this all goes. 

I did go to my classroom today.  My son and I spent several hours in my classroom, hanging curtains, moving filing cabinets and bookshelves.  There is still a lot to be done, but at least I got a good start. (This is pretty much how it looked before I got going.)



I also get to work with two new teachers.  I can't wait to get to know each of them better.

Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year.  It's going to be great!





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Engaging Halloween Lessons for a Secondary Reading Classroom

Image
There are so many fun activities that you can do with your students for Halloween and still teach your required curriculum.  Below you will find several activities to use whether you are teaching fiction, nonfiction, or poetry in your classroom. Teaching Fiction Middle school students love a good scary story.  Halloween is a great time to pull out all your old favorites, The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, etc. A few lesser known scary stories that I love to read in my classroom are "The Coughing Dog" and "The White Dress."  Both of the stories are very short, easy to read and highly engaging. The White Dress "The White Dress" tells the story of a girl that needs a dress for an upcoming school dance, but she can't afford one.  While at a funeral, she notices a beautiful dress on a girl in a casket.  She decides to steal the dress and wear it to the dance.  Turns out the dress is cursed and one thing leads to another... The sto...
Read more

Get To Know Your Students - Fast!

Image
The beginning of the year can be stressful.  You have so much to do, get your room ready, plan lessons, and build a community in your classroom.  The last one can be daunting, especially if you teach middle school.  You can't wait to meet your students and get to know them.  But, getting to know 150 new to you students takes a long time! Here are six activities you can do in your classroom the first week of school! Create Name Plates - The very first thing I want to do with my students is learn their names.  I do this by having them create a name plate to post in front of them.  I have them take a sheet of white paper, and fold it into three parts (to make a triangle).  Then, I have them write their name really big in the center of one of the boxes.  On each edge of the box I have them write 2 things that interest them, their favorite book, their favorite sports team, and their favorite movie.  (There are endless favorites you c...
Read more

Welcome to Tales from Room 801!

Image
Welcome to Tales from Room 801.   I am really excited to start a blog.  I have lots of ideas of things I would like to include here, but you know how busy everything gets once the school year starts! A little about me... I have been teaching 7th and/or 8th grade English for 6 years.  I love to read.  I think learning to love reading is one of the most important things in life, especially in school. I have been married to the most amazing, hilarious, and brilliant husband for 8 years.  We have a full of life, intelligent, and crazy 3 year-old son.  We also have a dog and two cats.  We have a very full house. I'm not sure how often I will be able to post, but I would like to post some of the awesome things that are going on in my classroom.  Let me know if there is something that interests you and I will try to work it in. Until then... Welcome to tales from Room 801!
Read more