Thinking school or summer break?
Posted by Debra Liverman on 31 Jul 2008 | Posted in: Holiday and Seasonal, Inspiration and Motivation, Life After School
It’s that funny time of the year where signs of back to school are everywhere, but summer is clearly still in full swing. Here at The MAILBOX we definitely have back-to-school on our minds. All of our August/September magazine issues have mailed, our newest books are already in your local teacher stores, and we are adding new features at The MAILBOX Companion to help you start the school year. However, when I was still teaching, my elementary school was on a year-round schedule, which means I would have been almost a month into the school year already! So it got me wondering: What’s on your mind as we head into August? Have you started preparing for back to school or are you still enjoying the last bit of summer break?
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This is my 14th year teaching, but my first year teaching first grade. So I started going into my classroom to get it physically set up way back in July (had to wait until they had “done” the floors). I spent a day or two a week moving furniture, hanging items on the wall, and organizing files. I knew that at least half of our “workdays” would be eaten up by meetings and workshops, and I knew that I wanted time to meet with the other two first grade teachers in order to go over curriculum. For the first time in my career, I felt READY on the first day of school. Boy, was that nice!!!!!
I have almost finished everything. I have been planning some final touches for our Open house, as well as some things to make the classroom comfortable for my new Pre-K class. I love the mailbox ideas. My son is in the same building and will be starting the toddler curriculum program. I can’t wait for that, he’ll really enjoy it.
I have been teaching for 27 years and still get excited about the beginning of the school year! When August 1st comes I shift into school mode. This year I went through my collection of Aug./Sept. Mailbox Magazines and wrote down ideas I want to use in a notebook organized by subject. I included the year of the magazine with the page number and a brief note about the activity. I’ve been in two days this week with my student teacher and our room is set up. Next week we’ll start on lesson planning and my Mailbox notebook will come into play.
For the past three weeks, I have been just dying to get back into the classroom. I have so many new ideas from Mailbox and elsewhere to try. I am also making a point of reorganizing myself this year and sticking with it. I hate clutter!
As I look at the calendar, though, I am a bit sad that summer is already nearing its end. It goes by so quickly, but is definitely worth it.
I am still on summer mode. Seeing August on the calendar makes me think I should start getting back into things. I am excited to meet my new class. I also know September is a bit rough. Here in southern California it is still very hot in September. They are adorable at 8 a.m. and they are done mentally by 1 p.m. I am trying to find more fun afternoon activities that look like I am teaching to my new principal but the kids see as play. I’ve been teaching for 18 years and still get nervous when we get a new principal.
I’ve been in my room and unpacked the umpteen boxes (I stayed in the same grade, but had to switch rooms) and am excited about the year. I love teaching (It’s a career and hobby to me), but am not looking forward to leaving my toddler. I have had a ball with him this summer, and he changes, does and says new things every week. I could stay home with him every day. I also enjoy spending more time with my 13 and 11 year old. However, they have friends and activities that don’t require as much of me.
I absolutely love my summers. I get a chance to catch up on my travels, my reading, and my personal kids. However, as we get into August, I am chomping at the bit to get back to my classroom. I teach middle school and I miss my kids. While I live in a small community and see several of them from time to time, I love to see them and see how they have changed and grown over the summer. This week my partner teacher and I have plans to paint our room. I can’t wait to see the kids’ reactions on the first day of school.
Without a doubt, school, I enjoy summer but I enjoy getting back to my classroom. I am always looking for a better way to do what I did last year. I have fourth graders which I have to say is the best age in the world! I love to watch them mature throughout the year. I love to decorate my classroom with a theme each year and to reconnect with the great people that I work with in my building.
I drove by my school today to see how the construction and remodeling are coming along. I am excited to going into a new classroom with everything remodeled from floor to ceiling, but I am concerned about the 87 boxes I packed at the end of school that are stored in a tractor trailer. I numbered each box and made of list of everything in each one. The move gave me a reason to clean out a lot of things I have not used in recent years. I have taught for 32 years and I still get excited when the first of August arrives. I was at Wal-Mart by 7:30 am on Friday to get school supplies.
I would just like to say that I really enjoy your website. It has helped me out so much. I work with preschoolers it is so much fun watching them grow everyday by what I teach them. I just started working with the preschoolers and this magazine and website has really helped me out alot. I worked with 3 year olds before. Thanks so much for all your hard work in keeping this magazine and website up and running I enjoy it so much.
I have been thinking about planning for September since June. I also teach at an all year round school but we are given three to five weeks vacation and get to take it at our own choosing. I have been using the Mailbox magazine for about fourteen years and still find a lot of new and refreshing ideas that I use in my classroom. I teach Kindergarten and have been teaching for twenty-seven years. I really like the new homepage. I have been thinking about the new school year since June.
Thanks for changing K-1 back to separate issues.
I was thinking about canceling my subscription (after too many years to count). Now I will continue my subscription until I retire. I would’ve missed the planning pages. I think the new homepage is great!
Tennith, There are many websites out there to help you. Good luck with your new career. Ask specific questions and we’ll be glad to help you here.
I am a pre-k teacher in Florida and we are definitely thinking about back to school and all the work that goes into it. We start in 2 weeks. I like the new homepage and found it easier to use. Thanks mailbox for all the ideas. I like to see back to school ideas in the Aug./Sept issue instead of summer stuff.
Went on line and found the new set up to be much more informative and alot easier to find ideas from back issues. I loved it. Thanks for all you do.
I honestly have been thinking about the new school year since June. While I have done some things to prepare for this year, I have been trying to wait, so that I am not bored in August. As soon as August hits, I plan to be in my classroom re-organizing and planning for another great school year! As usual, the Mailbox magazines and books will be a major part of that.
I am definitely thinking about school! During the school year I teach pre-k and in the summer I teach special ed summer school, grades K-2. Summer school just ended and now I have to prep everything for my pre-k kids!
Mailbox is such a great resource, especially the online extras and planning pages. I do a weekly newsletter and always use the templates Mailbox provides. I have received many positive comments from parents about the appearance of these newsletters and how helpful they are. I couldn’t do it without Mailbox!
I am at a year round school with a week between ending and beginning. So I am try to do both. This year I will have a practicum student so I am both nervous and excited.
I teach ELL ( English language learners) in first grade and am looking for picture sorts of all kinds - rhymes, vowels, etc. Hearing the vowels in Spanish vs. English is tricky at times especially with all our variety of sounds. Pictures rather than words encourages the students to try to do exactly that.
I appreciate the variety of materials offered by Mailbox. It covers so many areas.
I am currently a kindergarten reading aide, but am almost a certified teacher. This January I will start my student teaching. Needless to say I am very ready to go back to work. The Mailbox magazines have given me so many neat ideas. I can hardly wait to have my own classroom.
I am preparing for back to school!! I’m a first year teacher and there are days I can’t sleep because I am so excited. If anyone out there have an ideas for me to get through my first year I would greatly appreciate it! I love the Mailbox books and the website is awesome. Thanks for creating a blog for teachers!!
I teach at a year round school where the traditional summer break is non-existent. However, we get three weeks off every nine weeks (called ‘track out’), and one of the four track outs is during the summer. It sounds like a lot but it is great to have those breaks, even when they appear to be when everyone else is ‘on’. These track outs give me a chance to take a break from the kids and, if needed, revamp things. I wouldn’t want it any other way!
This summer, I took 3 trips. One was to a conference, where I purchased a “few” teacher books. Now I’m ready to start planning for the first week of school. While I enjoy traveling in June and July, I start to get bored by August. I like the thought of a clean slate in September. I’m thinking of how to change my routine, how to place the desks and other furniture in my classroom, and how to connect with my new students.
I’m already starting my back-to-school planning. I really enjoy going to Walmart and Target to check out the supplies. You have to love the 25 cent crayons. I head to the teacher store, too to pick up a few books. I really like your books. Do the same people who do Mailbox do the books, too?