L, M, N, O, P….rocrastination

So here I am–Wednesday, August 19th 2009.  I have been saying since Monday that I really need to start getting organized for school, which inevitably, started out as a shopping trip to Staples!  I always say that I’m just going to pick up ‘few things’, but the sad reality is that I have this thing about school supplies–I love them! Is that weird?  I think it is! Good thing I became a teacher! Needless to say, I was in Staples for an extra hour longer than I expected  and I came home just a little, ok, a lot poorer than I expected!  Left to my own devices, I could do some damage there–and I do!   To be honest, I really didn’t buy that much! I swear! I was actually assessing each item in my mind and asking myself : do I really need this?  Of course they give us some supplies at school, but there are just certain things we don’t get, that I want and that I actually use!  

So how do teachers such as myself prep for back to school you ask?  Well, they slowly start to consider what they need to do,  start making a million to do lists (so they can at least feel like they’re being productive) and then they procrastinate just a bit more–perhaps by taking photos of the things they’ve purchased, only to blog about how they’re not ready for school!!!   I think I probably spend more time making to do lists, than I do actually doing what needs to get done!

So here goes–my back to school, but still holding onto to what’s left of summer blog post :  Enjoy the photos, this is how I’ve spent the last few hours!

I guess it would be most appropriate to start with this shot–the classic teacher shot: the pencil, the red apple and the stacked books .  I thought it was pretty clever, anyways!

 While in Vieux Québec this summer, we shopped a bit in the Quartier Petit Champlain–I love all the little boutiques! We went into this one little shop and I saw this adorable sign and as a French teacher, just had to buy it! I’ll definitely put it up somewhere in my classroom, but unfortunately, some kids are little hoodlums and feel the need to destroy that which is not theris.  I actually now have to put important things away when supply teachers are in to avoid the inevitable: stolen or defaced property.  Seriously, did the cartoon cat in my common french expressions poster really need genitals?  Arg…. haha!

 Alright, so onto things that I actually need to be “productive”.  Here are a few of Mrs. Symes’ (sorry, Madame’s) necessities.

1.  While somewhat of a procrastinator, I will boast that I’m pretty organized.  I have this thing about neat binders (last year being exempt from that rule!)  I always try to put things in order and often in page protectors so that my master copies don’t get destroyed and so that I know they are the original.  If it’s in plastic, then it won’t accidentally get tossed while I’m trying to recycle all the extras that didn’t get used!  So I purchased a couple of new binders–D-Ring only or rounded like this kind.  Trust me, it’s worth the extra money.  Yes, I love playing with Depth of Field and love my Bokeh!!

2.  Black Sharpies (fine point):  Maybe another example of my OCD coming to light, who knows, but I am quite picky about pens–I’ll admit it, probably about 20min of my time at Staples was in the pen aisle, just trying to decide which ones would be best!  It’s so sad, I know, but I’m so  picky about what I write with!  All I came home with were a box of sharpies and the red pens below.   Most of the time, I prefer to write with these Sharpies (which last much longer, in my opinion, than the new Sharpie pens).  I always take my notes and write in my daybook with them.  It just looks neater to me.

3.  Marking Essentials–a happy faced stamp and a red gel pen:  You would be suprised at how even in grade 9 and 10, students love those happy faces! I initally purchased this with my grade 8′s and used it not only for marking but with an incentive card as well.  They seriously love stamps and stickers–of course, candy always wins out, but a smiley face doesn’t hurt!

The red pen issue: Honestly, I have absolutely no quams whatsoever about marking student work in red pen! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard (or read) that teachers should not mark in red because it is “too harsh” and will hurt the child’s self esteem! Give me a break!!! This is what we’re doing to help our kids be successful–sugar coating everything and avoiding any kind of criticism, albeit constructive, that may hurt their feelings?  It’s not like I’m writing things like this on their work :

LOL..Andrew bought this for me one year as a stocking stuffer…there are soooo many times I’ve wanted to use it, but that would be bad…but hilarious and in a lot of cases true!   Seriously though,  I think as long as you are constructive in your feedback and that feeback is meaningful (the goal being to improve the next time) then marking in red should be fine.  Plus, it stands out the best, so they can see it…now the trick is actually getting them to read it!

So next on the necessities are scissors and glue sticks.  I definitely don’t use go through these items the way that elemtary school teachers probably do, but sometimes, a good old cutting and pasting activity is in order.  (They do this very well on the computer, but seem to be at a loss when they have find actually cut and paste!) Highschool students never seem to have glue.  I guess it’s not that necessary for them.  So, I keep a bunch on hand just in case and scissors too.  It’s funny to me because I see hoards of parents and students scouring the aisles for school supplies at Walmart and Staples, and I know their parents are dropping big bucks, so where then does all this stuff go?  Why does it take some kids all year to get something like say, a binder for their course??  Why do some kids NEVER have a pencil!?  That is one thing, that while I’ve accepted as the way some kids are, still drives me absolutely crazy! Some kids don’t even bring a pencil to the exam!?  I’m really not keen on giving away pencils, pens and paper to the kids who constantly come to class un-prepared and I think they get that, because they never ask me!

 Here are a few other things: Bright, colourful Post it’s (with lines to write neatly on!) because I am constantly writing myself little notes and reminders to do this or that, a desk sized calendar that will be right in front of me and accessible all the time (with lots of room to write things down) and a calculator–for calculating percentages etc.  I actually bought 3 of them because this year, I could never find one when I needed it (which is often, if you know anything about my math skills, or lack thereof!) One big one for my desk, a smaller one for my pencil case that comes home with me, and then a tiny magnetic one for the classroom, because sometimes I need it there as well!

Hmmm….what else do I need??  Not too sure, but that’s what I bought for now!  I’ll be teaching grade 9 and 10 French again this year as well as some religion (much to my disappointment!).  Grade 9 Religion is pretty light and fluffy, but the grade 10 immersion program is ridiculously boring and dry!  I want to bang my head against the wall!! LOL…at least it’s all prepped from last year!  I much prefer teaching

This bad boy got me through University and then some! I think I’ll actually bring it to school with me and leave it at my workspace for reference this year, instead of it collecting dust on a shelf at home!  I found this little book too, which is great for doing bell work or review with the kids at the beginning of class  (keeps them focused while I get organized!)

I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this somewhat pointless post–it kept me busy for a while.  Now maybe I can starting “thinking” about what I need to do for back to school, which is August 31st this year! Crazy how fast this summer went!!  The Dog Days of Summer are almost over…well for some of us anyways!

You didn’t think I’d leave Madison out of this post did you? This is where you could find our dog any time of the day (except during her 12pm walk and any meal time)–asleep on the floor in the closet.  Yes, she likes enclosed spaces, so she always heads for a closet.  She’s a nut haha! 

Too much time on my hands, you say?  Well maybe,  but I know that in less than 2 weeks (Monday actually, when I go into the school to start getting ready) I won’t have all this spare time on my hands, so I am going to squeeze out every last ounce of freedom/boredom that I can. 

I figure it doesn’t matter anyways, since I am clearly the

 Alright, so my mom bought this for me, but nobody has to know

Cheers,

Amy xo…soon to be Madame Symes again (LOL..how -un French does that sound!)