Resolutions

Seeing how we're over a week into 2017, I guess I should get around to posting my goals.  By sharing them, I'm more likely to be accountable for them.

I've been making steady progress with this goal.  Last month I finished (finally) There's Nothing Worse Than Witches and started The Hammer of Thor.  I've been trying to read a few chapters each night and type up notes about the novel as I go.  I'm currently on chapter 22 (of around 60), so we're counting this as a win.  As I {previously shared}, I've got the goal of at least one book per month.

With report card comments due soon, this one has been a tad more difficult to follow. 

I didn't stay past 5 any day this week and didn't really bring any work home for the weekend, which are both steps in the right direction.  I'm trying to preserve my morning times as quiet, productive moments. 

On the bright side, I was selected to attend an educator's conference in Anaheim at the end of March.  I'll be going with three other teachers from my school as well as my principal. I've heard of the guest speakers, but haven't read their books yet.  I'm hopeful we'll get free copies at the conference.  

Yes, I am easily bribed with free books.  Fingers crossed!

I {previously shared} my resignation letter for Jamberry.  We're going through our closets and donating what no longer fits, we don't wear, or is no longer reflective of who we are.  Tonight we're going through our mugs (we have a lot) and donating ones that aren't sentimental or reflective of us as a couple.

I'm also applying this to friendships or relationships with people. I tend to over-invest in people, then are hurt when they don't reciprocate.  I'm investing less in these toxic relationships (because some I have to keep professionally). I'm keeping my boundaries (they aren't a bad thing) and letting go of things (and relationships) that don't bring me joy.

Our wedding was expensive.  We took every possible avenue to cut expenses and use coupons (more on that later), but it was still an expensive day. 

We've also had some unexpected expenses lately (new tires), planned expenses (water softener, couch repair, bedroom set, security door), and an impulse buy (new TV, but for more than half off because of gift cards and Black Friday sales).

Unfortunately, as a teacher, I don't make a lot.  (Yes, I know my job is rewarding and I'm in it for the outcome, but cliches aside, I work really hard and it'd be nice to be compensated more for my time).

However, we're taking lots of steps towards financial freedom. We've paid off our couch repair, new TV, the surprise tires he needed, and our new water softener.  I paid off my car this week and have two payments left on our second security door.  We're paying off all our credit card debt within the next few months and eating out less to not only be healthier, but because it's cheaper.  

We're using Ibotta, cartwheel, and coupons as often as possible. We've limited our spending to food, gifts for others, and bills.  We had a financial check in with a consultant, fund our savings each month, and have set realistic financial goals together as a couple. 

We've mapped out our big expenses for the year (new mattress, new tires for me, home warranty, wedding & baby shower gifts) and luckily, they're pretty spread out.  We are both also working overtime because we'd like to take a Disneyland trip in the upcoming months, but don't want to acquire new debt to do so.

We're using our upcoming tax return to fund our savings and tackle home improvement projects, which will only add value to our home for when we eventually sell and move.

It's difficult at times to say no to the pretty things at Marshall's, but I know in the long term, a mattress is more important.  

But still...

#adulting.

It's really easy to focus on the negatives.  Teaching is hard.  My students, as lovely as they are, can be exhausting at times because of their behavior choices and fluctuating hormones (which they can't always control).  People (and pets) get sick and that's scary.  I am legitimately terrified by the new cabinet and President.  2016 was particularly brutal with the number of deaths (both personal and public icons).

However, focusing on the negatives and complaining doesn't really do any good.  Yes, I understand the need to vent.  However, I'm putting into place the idea of venting about a particular issue to just 1-2 people, then letting it go.  

More importantly, I picked up a grateful journal and am writing in it each night.  (Found at Marshall's for a few bucks.)

We also started a jar for 2017. Every time something awesome happens, we add it to the jar.  

To be fair, I am way more into this then B is, but it'll be nice to look at on New Year's Eve.

I don't like the word diet and I don't like saying I'll completely cut something out of my life.  Instead, we're focusing on healthy habits.  Coincidentally, I'm also participating in Biggest Loser at work, so that money pot is a financial incentive.  B is totally on board with healthy habits, which makes a huge difference because I have support at home and at school. 

We're cooking more at home and eating earlier in the evening.  I'm taking Waffles on her morning walks, but we've also added in evening walks which benefits everyone.  He is really excited about a yoga DVD set, so we're trying to incorporate those work outs a few times per week. We're working on portion sizes and I've cut down on soda consumption. Instead of viewing soda as an every day drink, I'm limiting myself to 12 ounces per day and as a reward instead of a frequent drink.  We're adding healthy snacks to the fridge as go-to items and I'm adding a dash of lemonade to my water in the morning for flavor.  

We've also got cheat meals planned and enjoy them.  Last night we went to Olive Garden, but didn't eat all of our meals.  I had two bowls of soup, salad, and a small bit of my pasta.  The rest was taken home and split into 2 smaller meals.  

One of the best healthy habits tips I read was to ask for a to go box when you order food at a restaurant.  Before you start eating, box up half of it for a later meal.  Automatic portion control!

My last goal is an all-encompassing one.  At the end of the day, my family matters. My husband matters. My overall health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) matters.  My pets matter. My friends matter.

My job is important, but it doesn't define me.  There will always be more work that can be done. There won't always be more time to enjoy being a newlywed. There won't always be time to enjoy my (future) children when they're little.  (Not a pregnancy announcement, kids are still in the distant future, not on the horizon.)

I'm vowing to spend more time on the big, important things.

What are your new year's resolutions?

Resolutions

It's naturally that time to start thinking about resolutions, both professionally and personally.

In 2015, I resolve to:

-Find more time to be crafty.  I enjoy craft projects and DIY projects. I'm excited to redo our bathroom cabinets and rip out the carpet to replace it with tile.  (On a side note, no one should ever put carpet in the bathroom.  Silly choice, previous home owners!).  I can't wait to paint, but that's a long weekend project.  So I will fill my time with smaller projects, like this one.  I had a great time making this wreath over the weekend:

I can't wait to make more!  (On a side note, I needed 60 feet of burlap...not the 30 that pinterest suggested!)  It's for a friend, so I'm going to add her last name initial and a large chevron burlap bow. I'm excited for how it'll look once it's done.

-Go line dancing more.  I like the gym, but I'd rather go dancing with my girl friends.  It makes me happy, it's the same distance to the gym as it is to the saloon, so I might as well go there too.

-Take more time for adventures.  Go watch B's softball games.  Go for more walks around the neighborhood.  Try new restaurants.  When coworkers ask about my weekend, I want to have more stories to share.  Granted, there will be the occasional lazy weekend of binge watching Netflix, but that shouldn't be all the time.

-Read more.  It's taken me a few months to get through The House of Hades, which is a great read, but I'd like to carve more me time.

-Continue to develop products for my students, which will then be posted on TpT. 

-Give myself permission to leave work on time.  I get there early because that's when I function best, so I need to be okay with leaving after the parking lot is clear.  I will never have everything done for my classroom.  I will work on prioritizing what must be done and just be okay with a never ending task list.

-Finish those last 5 credit hours to bump up to my next pay scale.  Look into a second masters program.

-Stop comparing myself to other teachers.  The great thing about moving to my new school is I have so many teachers to learn from.  I am more than willing to try new things and have great ideas to emulate and make my own.  I just need to be more patient with myself and allow myself time to try new things. I have to give the new ideas time to see if they're effective.  I have to be open to constructive feedback, but shrug off criticism when it's rooted in anything other than a genuine desire to help me improve.

-Stop justifying my educational decisions to others (with the exception of my admin).  I'm not the type of teacher who is going to wing it. I'm not going to apologize for being meticulously prepared for things. I'm not going to apologize for veering off the lesson plan for teachable moments.  I'll do what's best for my students and the rest will just fall into place.


What are your resolutions?

Easing back into the school year

I return to work, for real, on Monday.  However, that didn't stop me from from going into work for a few hours this morning.  I had a bunch of copies to make and had to rearrange my room to fit the map.  A coworker and myself are going in tomorrow morning to crank out two weeks of math plans and finish getting ready for Monday. 

I've gotten some slack from other teachers for going in early.  Yes, I'm aware it's one of my last days for winter break.  However, I'm not willing to fight for copiers on Monday morning. I don't want to walk into work frazzled, especially since I'll have crosswalk duty.  I'm not being a martyr, I just know what I need for my sanity.  For me, that means I spend a little bit of my free time making sure Monday will run smoothly.  I want to spend my prep getting ready for Tuesday's lessons and leave shortly after the kids do.  More importantly, I want to feel relaxed and prepared because that will translate into my students feeling calm and welcomed back.

However, I did have this beast to tackle earlier in the week:

My pile is above, hers is below.  #teacherproblems

I had a teacher date with one of my best friends.  We went out to lunch, built a grading fortress, and tackled our work.  This, sadly, is a norm for weekends.  If you see a teacher, hug them.  Let them know they're appreciated.  There is no way this would ever get graded in a timely manner if I only worked during my contract hours!  It's a good thing I love my job, even the grading parts.

Teacher Resolutions

With the new year upon us, resolutions are a must.  While I've made my personal ones, I think it's important to reflect on my teaching practice and make some resolutions.

One: Positivity
Instead of focusing on the five or six squirrely students who are off task (as long as they aren't harming themselves or others), I will be more positive and reward/acknowledge those who are on task.  I will make more of an effort to call these parents and share that their student had a great day.  It won't happen daily, but I can try to call 2-3 parents a week.

Two: Rearrange & Reinforce Expectations
They're getting new seats.  Small group reading (both AM and  PM) are getting assigned seats, as is my new science group, everyone is getting new seats.  I feel like Oprah, new seats for everyone!  In small groups,  we will start again with no centers and re-learn one per day with very clear expectations.  They'll have more must-do's and I'll make a pride board for outstanding work.

Let's be honest here, I'm really excited about making a clothesline to show off work, come up with a cute title and paint polka dots on mini-clothes pins.  Pictures to come!

Three: Life-Work Balance
This is what I struggle with the most...that whole work-life balance.  I'm lucky to have a very understanding boyfriend who also works long hours & balances work/school but I can't keep working these 12+ hour days once we start a family.  I understand that there will be long days, but they shouldn't be every day.  I shouldn't feel guilty for leaving at 3 pm when I got there at 6 am.  I should ignore other's comments about "oh, must be nice to leave early!" when it's at least an hour after my  contract time (meaning I stopped getting paid over an hour ago).   It shouldn't feel like a "special" day when I'm gone by 3:30.  We're an early start school, which means my contracted day is 7:10-2:11.  In all honesty, there would be nothing wrong with leaving and being home by 3 pm most days of the week, but there are lots of judgmental eyes at work if you do this.  Luckily, none are from my amazing team :)

As long as I've done what I need to for my team and I'm fully prepped for the next day, that will just be good enough.

Four: TpT (Teachers Pay Teachers)
I will aim to post one new product a week and spend no more than one hour a day revising products I've made for my classroom.  I've still got a few dozen novel guides to revise (add in suggested answers, homework questions, etc) but there have to be time limits. 2 TV episodes & I'm calling it a day :)

Five: Try New Strategies & Be Okay with Mistakes
I like to learn new things and I like to try new strategies.  They don't always work great the first time and I need to continue to be okay with that.  Sometimes, it's my fault for not being clear enough in my instructions.  I need to make sure I'm continually modeling exactly what I expect from them instead of just assuming they get it becaue I've got the higher reading groups.

Six: Mentor
I'm currently mentoring one new third grade teacher at my school, a new fifth grade teacher at a neighboring school and a pre-teacher from my Alma Mater (ASU!). I love it, I get excited when the strategies I've shared are working in their classrooms.  I want to make sure I don't slack on this and take the time (prep) to go observe the teacher at my school to give meaningful, timely feedback.

I'm still in denial that I have to go back next week, but I'm determined to put more fun and joy into my job.  Happy teacher = happy classroom.

What are your resolutions?

New Year's Resolutions, Classroom Style

Like I don't know, 95% of America, I've made my new years resolutions to start next week.  However, I started thinking about my classroom and resolutions that we could make there.

We talk a lot about goal setting and academic growth.  We will have a behavior assembly first thing in January because some of their choices are not appropriate and attitudes are escalating quickly.  I expect the hormonal shift around testing time (March) but I'm pretty sure this group came in sassy and with attitudes.  It's been a long, uphill battle to get the talking under control this year.


They're also getting new seats and assigned seats for all subjects, not just my homeroom.  That means their desks will have 4 names on it: whole group, small group AM, small group PM and science.  That way there's more accountability and less theft (fingers crossed).

So I think I need something like this:

I'll have them fill out their own reflective sheets and we'll make our own chart.  This image is from a primary classroom but I think the idea can be adapted for fifth.

We'll hit the ground running in 2014, testing is coming up and we've got to prepare them for success in middle school!