Summer School Happenings!

Hey Friends! Happy 2/3s of the way through July!! Can you even?!? As always, time is flying.

I have to say, I've had such a great summer. Busy, but great. I had crazy big expectations for the blog this summer, but, as you can see, I haven't really gotten around to posting much.

I'm cool with it.

In the past, I'd be stressing because how little I was blogging, but taking a break has been feeling soooo good! I hoping a relaxing summer will be just what I need to reload and recharge for the upcoming school year.

Anyway, I do have a few things to share.

Summer school this year has been AWESOME! I just love, love, love my students. And, I'll be working with a student teacher this fall (EEK!! I'm so nervous! It's my first time having a student teacher and I'd love some advice!!). She attends the university right in my school's town and is here all summer. So, she's been volunteering her time this year at summer school. I'm so loving having her. She is smart and funny and so, so, so eager to be a teacher. It's been great having her around.

As always, I start every year with a fun ice-breaker. My favorite first-day-of-school activity has got to be Find Somebody Who... You can grab this for FREE in my store. We used it on the first day and it was such a fun way to get kids up and meeting each other.

I'd mentioned before that we are trying out a commercial writing program this summer. We've been instructed to follow the program as closely as possible so we can get a feel for how it works, which is why I haven't been posting my lesson plans like I did last year and the year before (I'm pretty much just following the teacher's manual!).

But, like all programs, this one lacks the vibe that makes kids excited to write, so of course, my fellow teachers and I (who are the experts in all things teaching and engagement!) need to put our spin on the daily activities, handouts, and anchor posters.

And that I can share with you!

As you know, Writing from Lists is pretty much my jam and is easily the BEST way to motivate your writers. The unit I'm teaching this summer is all about memoir writing and I created this list for students to use to brainstorm some of the important people, places, things, and events that have created memorable experiences. You can pick it up for FREE in my store.

Okay... that's about all I've got in me today. Getting ready to take my own four kiddos over to my parents for an afternoon of swimming. 

I hope you are all enjoying break. I know that some of you are gearing up to head back soon, but here in NJ, we've got until the first week of September... ahh!!

Talk soon!