New school year concerns

Yes, it is only July 26th and school does not begin for another month, but we recently received in the mail our assignments for the school year. At my school, you are never quite sure what grade you will be teaching from year to year. It all depends on enrollment.

That being said, I am now one of the 7th and 8th grade Language Arts teachers. I'm hesitant with the position, not because I don't think I can handle the kids or the curriculum, but because it's BIG job. These kids need to be ready for high school when they leave me! The kids that I have in my classes are great kids. I have known them all for as long as I have been there (or since they started coming to the school). They are smart, sweet, outgoing...TEENAGERS! This is the scary part...LOTS OF DRAMA!

I am coming from the sweetest, most timid group of 5th graders to loud, outgoing, drama producing teenagers. My kids last year were so well behaved, maybe one or two behavior problems here and there, but these problems had simple solutions. I know, I am probably getting myself worked up over nothing. The students I am going to have this year will probably be great. I just hope I can live up to the standards that I need to in order to give them the skills and strategies they need to be successful in high school. SCARY!

I have been constantly thinking about how I am going to make my classroom middle school friendly, not too babyish, and cool. How I am going to change the way I do things like DOL (daily oral language), Writing class, homework standards, and expectations p

eriod. It's going to be a learning experience not only for the students, but also for me. So wish me luck as I embark on a new year with new memories and students!

Fun to be had and updates to be made...

The heat wave seems as though it moved out of CT for now, but boy was it crazy hot! Temperatures reached highs of 100+ and many days it was too hot to stay outside too long. One way to keep cool...a pool! Lulu enjoys the pool a bit more than Riley, but it keeps them cool when the temperatures rise out of control!
With fun, comes work as well. We have made some changes to the house recently, starting with finally painting the dogs' room. I have had the paint for about a year, but finally got around to painting. I love the color and am so glad that I finally did this!
Also, Richie and I are working on the main bathroom. We painted to shades of turquoise and broke the colors up with a band of light glass tile (my favorite) with a dark expresso molding. We also updated the countertop with a pre-cut granite top and white sink from Home Depot, as well as a new rope embellished brushed nickel faucet. We are nearing the end of the project and will update with new pictures once it is decorated and complete!

Lulu swimming in the hot tub

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! We headed over to my parents' house to have some leftovers from our picnic on Sunday. Here are some pictures of the day:

Riley "We're going to Gamma's!"

In the car...

Shana and I

Szalonna from the Hungarian Deli!