Ready or not, Here we go!!

Wow, I can't believe a new school year is here already! I feel like all I have done all summer is prepare for this school year and I forgot to find some me time. 👀 Oh well, it is what it is. I'm hopeful that all the organization and preparation will make for a less stressful school year. :)

Last year I typically stayed at school until around 7, even though school ended at 4:00. My daughter attended 6-8th grade at my middle school and it was a little too easy to work late each day as I tried to learn a new curriculum (social studies for the first time last year, and 3 different math classes, yikes!) This year I'll be teaching the same subjects so it should be easier. I am a bit of perfectionist, the problem is I try to take on too much and then I find myself overly stressed, tired or less than "perfect" because I run out of time.

Tomorrow my daughter starts high school. She will not be at my school and I will have to start dealing with transportation and other issues that most parents must deal with that I haven't had to. Also, tomorrow my daughter starts high school. I'll say it again. Tomorrow my daughter starts high school. 😭How did this happen? I am feeling guilty for putting so much of myself into my classroom and my students and not enough energy is left for her. Last week I found myself sitting on the bathroom floor with her, painting her toenails well past midnight. It was a nice moment and they aren't happening often enough.

So, this year's focus:

1. Organization. I hope to be so organized that I don't have to stay hours after school. I plan to have routines in place for myself and my students that will cut out lost time. I'm using checklists I've created and printed in my happy planner to try to keep myself focused. I may post some of them in the near future.

2.  Math Centers: I am pinning, purchasing, creating, and laminating center activities that can be used in small groups and will last for years. I hope this will help me in the long run. As I finish them I'm organizing them into concept/skill related scrapbook cases that I have labeled by unit. I found this amazing storage shelf at Michaels when I had a 50% off coupon. I'm also listing them in my teacher happy planner book so I remember what I have. So often, I'll purchase something and forget about the next year. I'll list each one used in each unit and check them off after they have been used. I can't believe how many task cards and centers I found at the end of last year that I made and forgot I had. Would have saved me a lot of time last year making new ones.

3. Spend More Time with My Family: My grade level administrator said this a couple of times at one of our many meetings last week. "I work to live, not live to work." It really stuck with me. My husband, my daughter and my fur babies need more of my time.

4. Find More "me time":  My dog Joey seems to have "me time" figured out. I'm going to make a point to find more time for myself this school year :)

What will you do different this school year? 

And finally, in honor of a new year and new beginnings, everything at Bailey's Corner is on sale until the end of the month!