Tomorrow

Well, here I am.  On the verge.  Of preparing for the next school year.  I know, I know.  I. JUST. ENDED. A. SCHOOL. YEAR! AND summer training!  BUT!  I know that if I don't begin, August (and the first day of the new school year) will be here before I know it.  SO...I've decided to do a bit at a time so I can still maximize my summer and enjoy my children (who are outside with the neighborhood children running themselves silly in an impromptu game of whiffle ball in our backyard).  I'm watching through the window and listening to the cheers.  Major Leagues, here they come! 

I really do try not to work while they are with me.  I try to do stuff before they get up or after they go to bed or when they are playing with their friends.  It doesn't always happen, especially when I'm lesson planning or researching on the computer for something, but I TRY.  That way, my time with them is MY time with them.  Like tomorrow.  I know I said I'll start school stuff, but I'm going to take some time and take them to Infinito's Pizza for lunch with their friend (My kids LOVE it there!).  Then we're going for Rita's Water Ice.  I can do school stuff while they sleep.  Although, I can say, sometimes they actually want to help with what I'm doing, especially if they see the craft bin appear.  I don't mind, but I don't want anyone thinking I'm forcing child labor here. 

Anyhow, tomorrow's the day.  The day that begins my slow descent back into school-planning mode.  Two months before the first day (August 30 for students; teachers are in a few days prior).  I can say, however, that I have a head start.  By the end of the school year, I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done for the next school year. (I keep a running list on a tablet in my desk, so by the end of the year, my "To-Do" is already there.) I already have my room planned out.  I already know what I need to replace or get to enrich my classroom.  I'm not changing schools or grades next year, so I already know the curriculum. 

I do need to add some things in because our district went to a Learning Focused Schools model and we've been phasing in the subject models, one a year.  If you're not familiar with LFS, it's a compilation of Best Practices that uses Essential Questions (learning objectives), graphic organizers, vocabulary cards, student collaboration, summarization, etc.,  in every lesson for student enrichment and teaching.  My school has phased in the Language Arts and Math models.  This year we are supposed to add in the models for Science and Social Studies, which means I need to work on my unit overviews and vocabulary for those subjects.  Now it's just a matter of getting it all and organizing for the fall.

Which brings me back to tomorrow.  That's when it's all supposed to begin.  Bit by bit.  We'll see how long it takes me.