Friday, June 8, 2012

Brain Overload

It is only the first week of Summer. How did my brain get so full already? It could be I have a lot going on. Yesterday I went and picked up Chris from his backpacking trip. He took me to get my hair done and then we did a few wedding things. We're in the home stretch with wedding plans. We need to get all the little details set. Like music. I have no idea what I want to walk into and what I want us to walk out to. Any suggestions? I don't really want to do the traditional here comes the bride. But I do think I want some kind of instrumental music.
Then Wednesday I went to a workshop so I didn't give myself much of a break before I started thinking about next year. I am wanting to do some long range planning. I want to look at which math standards I want to teach during the different months. I also am planning some author/book studies for each month. Once I get some of this settled, I think I can start making some units to go along with them.
So far these are the authors I'm thinking of:
  • Laura Numeroff to start the school year off
  •  Bill Peet - My fiance loved his books when he was a kids so I'm working on a collection of those.
  • Kevin Henkes
  • Eric Carle
  • Mo Willems 
  • Splat the Cat books
  • SkippyJon Jones
That's as far as I've gotten. Do you have any suggestions for author/book studies we could do?
So my brain is on overload trying to process all this information. I'm hoping if I start dumping it out and organizing some things it will get better. I got a ton of ideas from this workshop I went to earlier in the week. I'm thinking of doing a workshop Wednesday post each week and share an idea or two that I learn. I'm going to another workshop on Tuesday that I think is about differentiated instruction. Or I might just stick to my subject areas I was posting before the end of school got crazy.
I love blogging for so many reasons. One of the reasons I love it is it keeps me excited about my job. It gives me access to people who are excited about their job. It makes me feel a lot less dorky that I'm already thinking about what I want to do next year and the summer has barely started. Sometimes, I feel like the only person who is still excited about school. I feel like I'm surrounded by negativity. I thought maybe I was just needing a break from some people that I work with but then at this workshop I was at last week, I was sitting with people from another school and it was the same thing. It is so refreshing to read blogs and make friends with people who are not afraid to try something new or work a little harder so their kids succeed. Anyway, this post is all over the place. I would love to hear what you're thinking. What do you do when your brain is on overload? I'm working on dumping mine out slowly and hopefully will have some freebies when I get finished. I'm working on a table now to help organize some long range planning.
Last but not least, I haven't heard from anyone about a bloggy get together during July in the Gatlinburg area. I would love to meet some new friends or maybe see some old friends. Leave me some love if you are interested.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Kerri,
    As far as book studies/author studies...I love to do Tomie Depaola in November. Legend of the Indian Paintbrush and Legend of the Bluebonnet are Big Hits with my students. We also do a Stellaluna book study in October.

    Happy Summer and almost wedding!!

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  2. Reagan, Tomie Depaola is perfect. Thanks for the suggestion. I just added it to my long range planning.

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  3. My kids LOVE David Shannon books!
    http://mrssheltonskinders.blogspot.com/

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  4. Lots to think about isn't there? Not to mention getting married. Your plate sounds full. Sorry you've had to endure some negativity. There's really no room for that kind of thing in the classroom is there?
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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  5. Happy summer and soon to be wedding! I know how you feel brain overloaded. I don't have a pending wedding and feel brain-fried.

    Elizabeth

    Fun in Room 4B

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  6. I love using literature to teach math & science. This summer I will be posting a lot of lessons on my blog so stop on by! My school year does not end until June 21, so once we are done I will get on it. I do have a couple things posted already. Stop by and see me sometime!

    http://kathismath.blogspot.com

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