Currently August

I've been back to work teaching summer school for the past three weeks, and I can attest to the back that my top item on my back to school list is coffee and caffeine.  I only have my kiddos for two hours a day, but I come home exhausted.  I wonder if we can do nap time in fourth grade? I so need to work on my teaching stamina! Until it comes back, coffee, coffee, and more coffee.


Okay moving onto my real school must haves, other than coffee...
Every year I purchase a new planner.  Usually this is a desktop calendar where I write everything down. I know I can do the same on my phone, but it just doesn't work for me.  Last year, my desk was so tiny, that I didn't have space for my planner, of any kind, or my lesson plan binder to be laid out on it.  I'm not going to lie, I felt so uncomfortable not being able to easily glance at my lesson plans, or having the ability to jot down a meeting in my calendar after reading an email, or not having the stack of papers I needed for the day.  My desk is really command central.  I'm never sitting down during the day, but the clunky desktop computer that is attached to my Smartboard is there and so it makes to sense to put  the resources I need for the day in an easily accessible there too.  So thankful I will actually have space for these things this year.  :)
Secondly, I always purchase extra school supplies during the summer, for myself and my kiddos.  This year, I'm revamping how I store/handle the kiddos supplies because having them keep them in their desks doesn't work.  Somehow one kid ends up with ALL the glue sticks in the glass, and five of them eat every pencil in the place.  I think I'm boldly taking the step to mostly communal supplies, with the exception of crayons and dry erase markers. 

Lastly, organizational goodies are SO important.  Personally, labels, plastic crates, shoe boxes, and other plastic box/lid combinations keep me sane.  I love grabbing a container knowing all the manipulatives/materials I need are inside.  Last year, I moved schools/grades less than a week before school started and I never felt organized and it drove me bonkers. So I've spent a lot of time this summer, just planning out how I'm going to organize my room and collecting the necessary materials to make it all happen. :) 

Before I hit publish, and link up,  I want to thank dear, sweet Farly for hosting! :) 

I also want to thank you for your sweet, sweet comments and emails after my post last night.  The migraine is gone, woohoo! My migraines are almost always brought on by stress, so I just need to do a better job of relaxing during this super crazy time! :)

Have a great weekend, friends!