Blog – Page 17

There’s Someone You Should Probably Meet

June 21, 2013 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 7 Comments

You know what’s funny about good intentions? They’re just intentions. They’re not actual, you know, things that necessarily happen. Like my good intentions for blogging my first year as a teacher.

School’s out now, and I’m headed into the summer before my second year, and wow, could things not be any different. Let’s just say this year was incredibly difficult — and not just because I came in fresh-faced and just a wee bit naive.

The biggest reason my intentions didn’t exactly come to fruition?

Meet Henry Ellis.

Yep. I did pretty much the worst thing you can do your first year of teaching: I got pregnant. And subsequently had a completely adorable baby.

Shortly after my “I swear this is what’s coming up next on the blog!” post, I found out we were expecting Henry. His due date? June 26th. Pretty convenient, exactly one week after the teacher workday marking the end of the year.

Unfortunately, my body doesn’t do pregnancy too well, and by the beginning of April I was going to the doctor twice a week (oh, the sub plans), and by mid-May, I was practically on death’s door because it was just too much to try and teach all day, commute, come home to my 3.5 year old, and oh yeah, carry that little stinker up there.

My last day of school ended up being May 28th, and that handsome guy was born June 1st. It’s been a tiring three weeks, for sure — he is the grand champion of nursing and gaining weight, which is good considering he was a preemie and lost over a pound by the time he left the hospital!

My plans for summer, and this blog, are pretty low-key. Get back in the groove of things, share some things I made this year (some freebies!!!), share my reflections on my summer reading-while-nursing professional development, and create a little for the fall.

Oh. And a blog redesign. Because quite frankly, I’m sick of looking at those shoes and there is a place better than second grade: my bed. For a nap. Because oh, Henry.

P.S. Since Google Reader is going kaput in a few short days, you can follow my blog with Bloglovin instead. I actually like it better than Google Reader now that I’m used to it.

It feels like a month…

September 9, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 6 Comments

It honestly feels like a month has passed since I went in for orientation, then work week, and then of course the much-anticipated first week of school! In reality, it’s only been two and a half weeks but ohmyword does it seem like longer!

I caught my son’s nasty sinus infection the first day of school and hardly have a voice — I’m hoping that changes by Monday morning! I’ve been laying low, trying to get as much sleep as possible, and trying to get into a groove with my class.

I now have 23 kiddos — seven girls and sixteen boys. Yes. I have more boys in my class than I had total students in my third grade class during student teaching! It has been a challenge to get a sense of their little personalities and what works for each of them, but I’m getting there!

I have some plans for this blog in the next few days (after I finish planning/starting assessments) and that involves rolling out the following posts (which are all in some form of ‘draft’ stage right now!):

classroom reveal
implementing the Daily 5 as a first-year teacher
reflections on a first first day of school
update on what we’re working on

I am spending some time tonight going through e-mails, catching up on blogs, and trying to figure out Scholastic Book Clubs. I’m eager to get my first red book box (you have no idea)! I hope everyone has had an amazing first few weeks of school and that you all haven’t succumbed to germs yet like I have — it’s no bueno!

Overwhelmed — but only a little!

August 23, 2012 by Sarah Plum(itallo) 5 Comments

I admit it. I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.

Not necessarily in a bad way… just in an overwhelmed kind of overwhelmed way. (I’m also really excited, fulfilled, and happy, so it is balanced out!)

After spending the first two days of the week in my room (and making some decent progress), I’ve spent the last two days in training and my brain is a bit fried. It is a lot of information to take in all at once, especially as my brain is already preoccupied with the “I’m never going to finish my room!” and “I really have a class?!” jitters.

So I do have a small request: the biggest piece to me feeling overwhelmed right now is the practical parts of the first few days of school — establishing procedures and routines. If you could be so kind as to leave one piece of advice to that end, I would very much appreciate it, and will share it with my friends that are also embarking on their first first day of school!

I’ll leave you with a sneak peek of my word wall, which my husband graciously helped me put up. I’m so excited to get some “starter” words up there, and to put my mobile word wall on the shelving below it!

Excuse the bad photo — the alarm was about to be put on and we were rushing out!

I will be back this weekend with several freebies and a new TPT product (hopefully… if I can keep my eyes open) that I’ve been meaning to upload for two weeks!