August CURRENTLY for Back to School

I am linking up with Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade! for her monthly Currently Linky Party. With it being August this one is dedicated to Back to School. Five days till teachers start, and twelve days until students start. I am ready, but not ready at the same time. lol

Listening - The Sounds of Summer

When I was writing this, I heard the ice cream truck, kids playing in the street, and the TV with day time shows. The sounds of summer that are slowly drifting away!

Loving - DEALS

I have gotten a lot of B2S deals from Office Max, Office Depot, and Dollar Tree! Protractors, rulers, tape dispensers, composition books, notebooks, paper, 20% off entire order!! Makes for a happy teacher, wallet, and husband! I haven't gotten many clothes deals unfortunately, and I am definitely missing TN tax free weekend that are this weekend!

Thinking - So much to do!

My room is thankfully 95% done! There were some teachers that were still moving this week! I really need to work on planning, but not as excited as much to do that as the decorating and organizing!

Wanting - Husband

My husband left yesterday for a six day trip to Minnesota for a Historical Brass Symposium. I had dinner and games with friends yesterday and tonight, but it's lonely during the days! He graduated in May with his Master's in Trumpet Performance and has a Bachelor's in Music Education. He has been trying so hard to find a job and has become very disheartened the closer we get to the end of summer. His professor called and told him about an Assistant Director position in IN and he had already recommended him to the director. It's an emergency position because they started school TODAY! I really hope they call him for an interview...but someone decided to leave their phone in Iowa last night on the way to Minnesota! Talk about nerve-wracking!

Needing - Work on course-work

I have got to get more done on my internet class! So that is tomorrow's plans!

Favorites for B2S - Teacher Binder, Organized, and Favorites

I created my own teacher binder last year, but perfected it this year. So excited to begin using which leads into being organized! I am trying to start the year right so hopefully I will continue it throughout the year! With B2S comes meetings and long days when you need a pick-me-up. I keep some of my favorites in my desk at all times...Hershey's Kisses, popcorn, Tyenol, Diet Coke, etc. Instead of Diet Coke I am going to bring ICE or Vitamin Water drinks to try to cut back on the coke!

What are some of your favorites for Back to School? Since Currently came out today, I am going to do Tune into Technology tomorrow! QR Codes!

My GOALS for Back 2 School

Well first off, I am SOOO excited about my new blog design!!!! I absolutely love it, and can't thank Christi at Designs by Christi and Mrs. Fultz Classroom for creating an awesome design AND budget friendly. I wasn't planning on getting one for awhile, but the premade one I had found was causing me some difficulty when I wanted to add something. If you are thinking about redoing your blog, definitely check her out!

It is always good to reflect and think about your goals, but especially at the beginning of a new school year. I am linking up with I {HEART} Recess for her monthyl Goals Linky Party. I am going to print this one off and put it in my teacher binder to keep it fresh in my mind when I start slacking off!

Personal

Leave school by 5:30 and "keep going" - I originally had 5:00 but faculty meetings don't even get out till 5:30 this year! But 5:30 is better than my 6:00-7:00 last year. So I want to use my time wisely when at school and leave earlier, but I also want to "keep going" when I get home. If I come home and sit down on the couch and open the computer/iPad/TV, I never get anything done! My husband does the cooking, but I need to be more proactive in keeping the house picked up and would like to do at home workouts rouitinly. I got Zumba on Wii for Christmas and haven't used it yet! Once I can do that for awhile I would like to get a gym membership. I hope that if I get a routine established, I'll keep it!

Organization

Keep up with grading and missing work - I got in a habit of leaving it till the weekend, and when I had TWO aide's last semester they helped a lot. I printed out a blank grade report to record grades before typing in the computer. I didn't think I would like it, but it's nice to quickly add them into the computer. Missing grades was a nightmare last year! I need to keep up with it with the bin, put names on papers when absent, and empty it at least twice a week. I printed missing grade reports for students, and emailed them to parents as well. Communication is the key.

Planning

Plan AHEAd and RTI - I will have afternoon planning for half the year, and then morning planning the second half. So that will be an adjustment. With my grade level partner being gone for 12 weeks as well, a lot of the planning will be left up to me. RTI planning is sometimes the hardest and most forgotten, when it should really be very purposefully. I have a Tier 3 class that meets everyday, and a Tier 2 class that meets once a week after school. A lot of times it was on the go. I really need help in being able to re-teach the fundamentals of math.

Professional

My husband is gone this week and my classroom is 95% done so now is the time for me to get some of my internet classes knocked out! I slacked off when I was out of town for three weeks. I am taking a free online course from Stanford about How to Learn Math (wow! wouldn't this help with RTI planning?!) and have a one year membership to Teaching Blog Traffic School  to help work on my blog. The class is based on completition and I have until the end of September to complete everything. So with no distractions, now would be the perfect time for me to get some work done! But I also need to keep up with it during the year!

Students

Make meaning of math and math discourse - Laura helped me focus on this last year, but it was no where near the level it needs to be. My students should have meaningful math discouse with each other and I need to model the correct ways to do this often and remind them of the expectations.

Motto

Your never fully dressed without a smile - This is from one of my favorite Broadways. I chose it to overall help me and my students be a better person, student, teacher, etc. I want to build a classroom community that is safe to question and learn.

What are some of your goals for this school year?