Teaching Ideas...

Why is it that the best ideas come when I'm supposed to be sleeping and then I can't sleep because though I was drifting off just moments before, now I'm wide awake and any hope of sleeping has to be abandoned until I get the bug out of my head.

I am looking forward to being a substitute for a little while once I move to Kansas because right now I'm in a creative drive.  I've been watching a lot of videos (mainly at TeacherTipster.com) and I am whole-heartedly impressed.  Many of the ideas are things I've done naturally in my classroom, small things that you don't think about doing, but really and truly make a huge difference in your classroom management and productivity.

I keep thinking to myself, why don't I make some videos for intermediate teachers, he does an excellent job with ideas he has for the primary level (K-3 for any of my non-teacher friends) and spends a little bit of time apologizing to the intermediate teachers.  A lot of his ideas can be adapted and easily used in upper grade-levels though.  Honestly, I don't know how people that teach those little guys can do it.  I thoroughly enjoy teaching the older kids, they have a lot of fun personality.

I've created a list (short as it may be) of topics I'd like to cover in possible videos -- the problem is -- personality-wise I'm not sure I'm cut out for it.  Also discipline-wise being cut out for it is not exactly a guarantee.  I was supposed to blog -- and well...yeah.

SOOOO...I need to think on this a bit more, but I have my first 12 videos thought up, I just need to generalize my ideas a tad, and really put some focus on getting a likable personality on camera...maybe?   Maybe this will be tougher than initially anticipated.

So, it's been three weeks since I left my hubby in Kansas, and to say the least I miss him.  I'm a mess -- literally.  I can't seem to get my classroom in order and I'm striving to have piles of things on my desk, instead -- it's just a cluttered sadness.

My students though make me feel happy most days.  Today we completed our drug free door decor...and I'm proud of the hodge-podge that was created.  We smushed a bunch of ideas together and came up with "Drugs darken our world... Be the light, be drug-free."  Each student wrote WHY they are choosing to be drug free on a star.  Here are a few of my faves:

-- "I want to be drug-free because I want to go to Duke University and be a Blue Devil." ~ Danaiziah

-- "I am staying drug-free so my career of a surgeon won't be ruined." ~ Luis

-- "I am going to be drug-free so I can go to colige and get my education." ~ David

BUT...my all time favorite reason ever...and three of my boys wrote similar to this but:

-- "I am staying drug free because I have a goal to play football for the San Francisco 49ers so I can get Mrs. Harriger tickets so she can watch me play." ~ Jason

Love my class -- how blessed am I to be their teacher!!