I’m so sorry for mentioning the “B” phrase so close to the end of the school year. It’s hardly fair, is it? But I do have a reason!

I’m wondering what items are already on your shopping list for fall. For example, do you buy new nametags each year? New markers? New letter cutouts? New bulletin board border? New shoes? You know me, I’m a curious bird! And who knows, maybe I’m contemplating summer giveaways for my teaching buddies!

All ears,

Diane

PS: I thought about it, so you will too—no new cars, please!

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Is “eight eyes” the right term for someone who wears glasses and readers? Ah, heck, maybe I should just stick with “blind as a bat!”

Vision is on my mind because I saw the eye doc yesterday. The news was great—no new specs needed! As I waited for my appointment, I struck up a conversation with Colette (an exuberant fourth grader who was wearing the cutest glasses ever) and her mom. Colette began wearing glasses as a four-year-old. We had a few good laughs about how to keep a four-year-old in glasses! Then we marveled over the fact that all three of us began wearing glasses because of input from our teachers: Colette was in preschool, her mom was in first grade, and I was in third grade. I tell you what, teachers are just darn amazing—don’t you agree?

This picture is of me in fifth grade. What a kook! I truly thought I was something!

Thanks for ALL the many things you do!

Diane

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I’m sitting at my desk, eating a salad, and wondering why a purchased salad always tastes so much better than one I bring from home. Come to think of it, almost everything I cook tastes better when someone else makes it! Hmmmm, I think I might be onto something—maybe there’s a cooking class in my future!

Every spring or summer I get the itch to try something new. Last year, I enrolled in a container gardening class. The class was fun, and when I completed it I had two container gardens to tend to. I liked that a lot! The year before, I showed up at a local hardware store where I learned the steps to build a patio using stone pavers. That project was a ton of work (pun intended!) but I now have a cute little patio with quite a bit of character (if you get my drift).

I haven’t made up my mind about what to try this summer. A friend of mine recently signed up for beginner golfing lessons. I almost did too; however, the fact that I don’t have golf clubs seemed problematic.

How about you? Is there something you want to try this summer?

Summer’s almost here!

Diane

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What’s my favorite day of spring? That would be The Education Center’s Employee Appreciation Day! Each spring, the company sets aside a special day for its employees. It’s always loads of fun. We eat (and then we eat some more), there’s a prize drawing with several winning employees, and everyone gets to go home a few hours early. How grand is that? It’s so nice to feel appreciated! I thought you might enjoy seeing a few photos from our special event. After all, we consider you an important part of The Mailbox family too! And on the same theme of feeling appreciated, remember that today is the final day to post a shout-out to a fellow colleague (see the blog post “Teachers Helping Teachers“). We’ll notify the winner of the two $20 gift certificates on Friday, May 21. Happy viewing! Diane Update: Congratulations to Bette Vaughan, winner of our drawing!	Breakfast at our warehouse! A great lunch All our prizes!

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I’ve got a sticky question for you—very sticky indeed! It has to do with glue. Yesterday I was chatting with a colleague about the symbols we often include in directions for our younger learners. You know the ones: a pencil for “Write,” a crayon for “Color,” and so on. That’s when we realized the quandary of whether to show a glue stick or a glue bottle.

There seem to be clear pros and cons for each type of glue. The liquid stuff can be messy and definitely takes longer to dry, while the solid stuff is less messy and dries much more quickly. But when it comes to cost, it seems like liquid glue wins hands down.

So my sticky question for you is this: where do you weigh in on glue?

Sticking around for your replies!

Diane

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Thank goodness for bingo moments! I had one this morning with the help of a TV reporter. I was racking my brain to remember that “thing” I was supposed to remember to bring to work. I was completely clueless until the reporter mentioned a dead battery. Bingo! That was it! I needed new batteries for my mouse. Isn’t the brain amazing?

Speaking of remembering—make sure you take a moment to appreciate a teaching colleague by leaving a comment on the post “Teachers Helping Teachers.” In addition to sharing warm fuzzies, you’ll be entered in a drawing for two $20 certificates for The Mailbox Books—that’s one for you and one for your teaching colleague.  The last day to enter is May 20!

Life is good!

Diane

PS: Just to clarify, the batteries were for my computer mouse.

Congratulations to Bette Vaughan, winner of our drawing!

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Wow! Do you feel as though May is flying by at warp speed? I sure do. And I’m not the one who’s looking at wrapping up a school year and closing out a classroom in the next few weeks.

This leads me to ask, “How do you do it?” In all my years of teaching, I never once succeeded at getting my classroom readied for summer while I was finishing up the school year. I had colleagues who did. On that last day they would say their goodbyes to their kiddos, complete their last smidgen of paperwork, and then happily sail into summer. Not me! No way. I didn’t set sail for at least two or three days!

Is it too early to be thinking about end-of-the-year tasks? Or are some of you already forming a plan for an easy and breezy exit into summer?

Happily,

Diane

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I tend to remember the oddest things. One day after school, I was in a pharmacy picking up some glycerin for a class project. I guess I aroused the suspicion of the pharmacist because he asked me how I was going to use the product. When I told him it was for a project I was working on with my kids, he asked me how many kids I had. Now remember—he had no idea that I was a teacher. Without skipping a beat I replied, “Twenty-seven.” I can’t even begin to describe the look of shock on this guy’s face! It was absolutely hysterical. I clarified that my “kids” were my students before I left the store and fell into my car in a fit of laughter.

The thing is, I did think of my students as my kids. Of course I knew they weren’t really my kids, but I cared for them as if they were. You know what I mean, don’t you?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Diane

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I’m back! And just like I promised, I’ve cooked up a little giveaway for Teacher Appreciation Week. I think it’s pretty cool! Trust me, my first giveaway proposal was to send three of us on a tropical getaway. (That would be you, a teaching colleague of yours, and little ol’ me. ) As you can imagine, that proposal was received with thunderous laughter. But what the heck, I’m all about asking!

Honestly, this giveaway is just the frosting on the cake. The real purpose of this blog post is to offer a creative way for you to give a heartfelt shout-out to a teaching colleague. When you think back over the past school year, who was it that continually inspired you to do your best? Which teaching colleague listened to your concerns and your successes? Who was it that helped you better understand the way in which kids learn or added to your insight about the ins and outs of classroom management?

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I invite you to leave a comment appreciating one of your teaching colleagues! Who knows—maybe one of your colleagues will give you a shout-out too. And to show our appreciation, we’ll award one lucky commenter two $20 gift certificates for The Mailbox —that’s one for the winner to use and one for her to give to her Teacher of the Year. All commenters on this post through May 20 will be entered in the drawing.

Thank you for all you do! Happy commenting!

Diane

Congratulations to Bette Vaughan, winner of our drawing!

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I can think of many things that make May marvelous, can’t you? But this morning I have one very special occasion on my mind. Hmmmm, I wonder what it is.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! That’s right, y’all—this is your week! So here’s my tip for you. Set aside time and let yourself be appreciated. You deserve it! In my book, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being recognized for your knowledge, your dedication, your endurance, your patience, your king-size heart, and so much more!

Have a great day! And check back here tomorrow. I’m cookin’ up a little giveaway for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Sending happy thoughts your way!

Diane

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