As of this afternoon, this is what my classroom looks like. It is not finished, but it's okay. I am feeling really good about the way things have come together this year. I will finish up my room on Tuesday when we are done with the meetings we have scheduled.
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August 2014
August 29, 2014
August 26, 2014
Tuesday in Second Grade
I have been fully engaged in setting up my classroom for the past few days. I am happy to report that I am making progress. Not as much progress as I would like, but progress none the less.
When I decided to give my classroom a theme for this year I needed to incorporate the use of the word "STAR" because our second grade team currently uses what we call a "STAR" binder, Students Taking Academic Responsibility. Rockstar worked for me. Then I needed to set about revising all of my binder materials. Since I am not particularly computer savy, it was a struggle. But now I believe that I am on a roll!
I printed some really cool binder covers using a free printable from Teachers Pay Teachers. I personalized the covers and today my friend Robin inserted them into the binder covers. Now I need to complete the inside of the binders!
I rewrote the rules to match my theme and I believe I may be ready to rock and roll!
Unfortunately I did not stop to take pictures in the room today. We were busy sorting books in an attempt to organize the classroom library. Tomorrow is another day.
My goal is to be done with most of the work by the time I leave school tomorrow afternoon. I have jury duty scheduled for Thursday and I need to rest before we head back for our inservice on Monday! I am feeling really good about getting my classroom together. I love the new layout, the bulletin boards are looking good and the library is really coming together. All is okay, today, in Second Grade.
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August 25, 2014
Dinner on Monday
Tonight we traveled into Philadelphia to share a meal with Jason at one of his favorite restaurants. Mema came along for the ride. It was great fun. After enjoying a wonderful meal at Rex 1516 on South Street, we walked over to Jason's new apartment so that Mark and Mema could see our wonderful paint job.
Jason and I have another date this weekend to paint the trim in his bedroom. I just can't wait to see what he does with his new place. It is an apartment full of possibility!
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August 24, 2014
August 22, 2014
This Week In Second Grade
This was an incredibly busy week. We flew home from Texas on Tuesday and on Wednesday, I was back in school. Fortunately I have another full week to pull my room together before the kiddos arrive!
This year we are going to be "Rock Stars" in second grade. Star is an acronym for "students taking academic responsibility" and rock, well just because. Actually, I have a jar that I fill with polished river rocks that I use as a reward system. They fill the jar with enough rocks and they earn a class reward. So, for this year, "Rock Stars" seems to be the way to go.
The outside bulletin board is ready. Actually, it will not be finished until after the students arrive. They have back stage passes to create and their photos will be on the stars. The "capturing student success board" is ready, unless my class list changes, again.
There is even a jukebox. Although I am not sure the students will understand the connection.
The rest of the room is coming together, but I am still deciding about how to make the best use of my boards and the space I have. Next week is another week. I am hoping to finish everything before Friday, but we will see how it goes!
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Throw Back Thursday - August 21, 2012
This photo was taken on one of our last adventures during the summer I lived in Washington with Mark. It was an interesting day. We took the ferry to Lopez Island. The bike shop picked us up at the ferry. We rented a couple of bikes for the day, aware of the time we needed to be back at the ferry for our ride home. Unfortunately, we read the ferry schedule wrong and no one realized that until we were stuck at the ferry dock for what would have been 4 hours.
So, we did something that I have never done before, we hitchhiked. There is not much car traffic on Lopez Island. All seemed futile until a couple of good samaritans picked us up and delivered us to the downtown area. We are talking a small downtown. One restaurant, one bakery and one gift shop. Not really bustling.
As they dropped us off at the restaurant, The Love Dog Cafe, one of the women kindly shared her cell phone number with us and told us to give her a call and she would drive us back to the ferry. So kind!
We sat down to dinner, or lunch, and thought, "what can we do to repay their kindness?" Across the street was a bakery. So Mark hightailed it out of the restaurant and across the street. Unfortunately, the bakery was closed. Mark sensed that there was someone inside so away he knocked. Relentlessly. Finally someone inside sensed his presence and let him know that they were closed. Mark explained our situation to the person behind the door and it convinced her to open the door. She graciouly offered Mark the opportunity to purchase some goodies for our kind samaritans.
Once we were done and it was getting close to the time for the ferry we gave our new friend a call. She arrived very quickly and had her husband, who grew up on the island, along for the ride. They gave us a little tour, some colorful history and showed us parts of the island that we hadn't explored. We arrived at the dock just in time to catch the ferry to San Juan Island.
It was a wonderful adventure and one that we couldn't have planned if we had wanted to!
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August 21, 2014
Supernova Update 2
Supernova block 3, just before I sent it off to Julie. I must admit, it just wasn't speaking to me. It certainly did not turn out the way I wanted it to. But, when I put it together with 2 of Julie's blocks, I felt better about it.
When I arrived home from Dallas the other day, Julie's August block was waiting for me.
I just love it! I think what I love most about this block is that she focused entirely on the warm colors in our palette. I have tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to include a bit of the warm tones in my cooler blocks and I am not sure that it is working so well. Next block I will focus on the cooler palette only.
Together the blocks look delicious. Just like a sorbet buffet!
This is going to be one fantastic quilt!
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August 18, 2014
Family Time
Mark and I arrived home from Paris to a home cooked meal that was absolutely delicious. Fresh sweet corn from Illinois, fresh asparagus, Chuck's famous ceasar salad, and Jake's grilled flat iron steak.
Dinner was followed by a rousing game of Apples to Apples and bread pudding fresh from Hole in the Wall our new favorite little restaurant in Paris. Susan and Jake hung around for the first few rounds of Apples to Apples then it was just Karen, Mark and I. Guess who won?
Yup, it was Mark. Can't you tell by the smug look at his face? We had good fun and I loved learning a new game. Hanging with family, playing games, it was the perfect way to spend our last evening in Texas.
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August 16, 2014
Celebrating Susan and Jake
"Ultimately there comes a time when a decision must be made. Ultimately two people who love each other must ask themselves how much they hope for as their love grows and deepens, and how much risk they are willing to take. It is indeed a fearful gamble. Because it is the nature of love to create, a marriage itself is something which has to be created. To marry is the biggest risk in human relations that a person can take. If we commit ourselves to one person for life this is not, as many people think, a rejection of freedom; rather it demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom, and the risk of love which is permanent; into that love which is not possession, but participation. It takes a lifetime to learn another person. When love is not possession, but participation, then it is part of that co-creation which is our human calling."
Wishing Susan and Jake a lifetime of love!
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August 15, 2014
Enjoying “Real” Mexican Food
Mark was really happy that we were able to enjoy an authentic Mexican meal upon our arrival in Texas. Chuck introduced us to his favorite little restaurant here in Arlington. We had a wonderful meal and enjoyed "real" Mexican coke! Because "Mexican" coke is made with real sugar and not high fructose sweetners, it was absolutely delicious!
Mark and I both decided to follow Chuck's lead and order the chicken enchiladas with the sour cream sauce for our meal. Everything was delicious!
Tomorrow we celebrate our niece's wedding but I am hoping we get to squeeze in another visit to Bigote's before we fly home!
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