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Teaching Sam and Scout

Teaching, Motherhood, and Life In-Between

My Colorful and Comfortable High School English Classroom

FYI: This post isn’t sponsored, but I did receive free wrapping paper from Spoonflower in exchange for sharing photos of my finished project. Links are not affiliate, and all opinions are my own. 🙂

Last spring, I started following a couple of great English teachers on Instagram, which led me to a couple more, and a couple more after that, and before I knew it, my feed was covered in beautiful photos of well-dressed teachers, inspirational quotes, awesome lesson ideas, and amazing classrooms full of flexible seating arrangements. It seems kind-of trite, but all these new Instagram friends really did give me a new energy and excitement about teaching that I hadn’t had in a while… They have motivated me to read more, try new things, and take some risks in my classes.  (I was even inspired to share more of my own ideas on my Instagram, which has been fun and rewarding.)

I finished last school year determined to make this one one of the very best, and the first item on my agenda was a (mini) classroom re-decoration… While I got some fun new yellow chairs a few years ago and have made some minor layout changes along the way, my classroom “theme” was originally chosen because I had leftover decorations from Sam’s first birthday party the year before I started here (he’s SEVEN now), and – though I’m a little embarrassed to admit this – I haven’t so much as bothered to take my bulletin boards down from year to year since. My room has always been “cute” and organized, but it definitely needed a refresher.

It’s worth saying that I don’t think classroom decoration is the most important thing – not by a long shot. In the last six years, I’ve switched from part-time to full-time, learned two new preps, taught several online classes, had a baby, taken a pre-doctoral class at a local college, had a child start school, taken out new administrative responsibilities at my current position, etc. etc. etc. There have been good excuses for not prioritizing my classroom, but I was finally in a place where decorating and re-designing felt fun and energizing to me, instead of exhausting, so I went with it…

Originally inspired by this post by Amanda from Building Book Love, I immediately contacted Spoonflower to see if they’d be willing to send me some of their beautiful book wrapping paper to use on my bulletin boards, and when they said yes (!!!), I got to work planning everything else around the colors and style of that paper… I spent my summer researching flexible seating arrangements, browsing Craigslist, and making pleas on Facebook for free furniture (true story… and, it worked).

I wanted my classroom to be organized and calm, but still colorful and fun. (A lot of the “inspiration” rooms I found were very neutral, which I felt like just wouldn’t work in my 1970s-era building without the capital or energy to paint/install flooring/etc.) I also knew I wanted to incorporate a sofa in my classroom where students could sit to read, listen to lectures, etc. and at least one other comfy seating option (there’s a great post about the benefits of flexible seating here), but I still wanted/needed all of my yellow chairs and my big tables for group work etc. And, finally, I decided that my students would appreciate a place that didn’t feel quite so “school-ish,” so I tried to stay away from too many kitschy teacher/classroom things and went for a space that more closely resembled my own house or – at the very least – an imaginary college dorm I’d decorate if I could today.

My vision all along was that my classroom would be a refuge for the teenagers that come in it every day. That it would be a place where they WANT to hang out, and where they feel at home… What I never imagined though, was how much of a comfort this space would become to ME and how therapeutic the re-decorating process would be for me when I returned to school in August – just eight days after losing my brother-in-law and still very, very sad…

At the risk of turning a classroom tour blog post into something sad, I have to tell you that decorating this classroom became a welcome distraction during that first week back. I wandered Walmart and TJ Maxx looking for just the right accessories and lights; and, in the quiet afternoons, my mom and sister would sneak in from the back door and help hang paper on my boards, laminate posters, and straighten tables. It gave all of us something to do that didn’t feel as heavy as everything else did then. In so many ways, it was a labor of love.

The final result has been exactly what I’d hoped it would be. The room feels vibrant and happy (and, really, who doesn’t need a happy-feeling space in their life these days?!?!) My students ADORE my new seating area and decoration. (At Back-to-School Night, one girl told me it was “totally lit,” which I’m pretty sure is NOT a reference to my content area. 😉 ) They love sitting on the couch for independent work time (no, they really don’t argue about it and seem to do a pretty good job sharing with very little regulation from me), and it really does make things like class discussions/ Socratic Seminars feel more intimate. They hang out in here during their breaks; and, in general, the whole vibe of the classroom feels more light and casual. I realize that might not be the ideal feeling for everyone, but it’s just perfect here…

Of course, all that said, it’s still just an ordinary old (VERY old) classroom. My walls are cinderblock, my lights are fluorescent, and my floors never really look clean. There are cords everywhere and my book shelves are mis-matched. The air conditioning only works 40% of the time, and there is a mouse trap in one corner of the room. (I try not to think about that very much.)

When I first saw the photos my sweet friend Trent took for me (coming up, I promise), I was disappointed that my room didn’t magically transform into something straight out of a magazine/Pinterest… But, ultimately, I decided that they were still worth sharing because they are REAL. This is a REAL classroom, of a REAL teacher who still needs to be able to seat all 29 students at any given time, had a VERY limited budget (I spent about $150 total – sources are at the bottom of the post), and did NOT spend weeks and weeks over the summer working at school (once I had everything I “needed,” the whole design took about 2 work days – with some help).

My classroom is not perfect. It is not even “finished,” but I’m proud of it. I hope you enjoy and feel inspired to make your own “home away from home” comfortable and cute no matter what you have to work with!

So, welcome!

Isn’t that the truth?!?!

XO,

E

Inspiration:

@buildingbooklove / @writeonwithmissg / @engagingstation / @doccopteaching

Sources:

Book Wrapping Paper / Bulletin Board Paper – Spoonflower, Antique Books Gift Wrap by Magenta Rose Designs (I needed 8 rolls!)
Tables & Yellow Chairs (old) – NextGen Furniture
Sofa & Rug – free from Facebook friends
Slipcover – Amazon
Lamps, Coffee Table, Blue Chair, Pillow – Walmart
Faux Plants, Wall Tapestry, Letterboard – HomeGoods
Author Quote Posters – Teachers Pay Teachers, Write on with Miss G

*All photos by Trent Currin Photography

The Perfect School Bag for Teacher-Moms

If you’ve been in the blog world for any amount of time, chances are you’ve heard of Lily Jade – the amazing leather diaper bag company. I’ve been drooling over them for a while but, honestly, felt like my “day” had passed; after all, my “baby” is over 2 now…

Then this spring, just as the school year was wrapping up, I realized that the straps on my old Target teacher bag were hanging on by a thread and decided it was time to upgrade to something a little nicer (I guess after ten years at this it’s fair to say I’m in it for the long haul). I started searching the internet and asking around about the best bags and kept landing at Lily Jade. (I know, I know, they make diaper bags… Stick with me here!)

Long story short, once I got over the fact that it is *called* a diaper bag, I realized that LJ bags totally fit all the criteria I’d made for my “perfect school bag” and then some. Even better, when I emailed them and shared my idea to use this as a school bag for lugging my computer + books + allthepapers to and from work every day, they offered to send me one to try out!!!! I chose the Rosie in Camel and Jade and, y’all, I’m in love. It is PERFECT.

(P.S. That’s my disclosure. I got this bag for free from Lily Jade. To say I was giddy would be an extreme understatement; but, I promise you, the below comments are my honest opinion/review – I didn’t get paid to write this and none of the links are affiliate or anything like that. Scout’s honor. #seewhatIdidthere? #scoutshonor )

So, what exactly makes a bag the PERFECT SCHOOL BAG FOR TEACHER-MOMS?

I was hoping you’d ask!!!

(1) Size — not too big (this teacher refuses to be the rolling suitcase/crate type. I’m sorry. I just can’t) and not too small (on any given day, I’m carrying at least my laptop, a binder, my planner, and a stack of papers that I probably won’t grade). When it comes to bags, size matters.

All of the above fits – comfortably – inside.

(2) Pockets — on the outside, there are two big zipper pockets (one on the front and one on the back) that work well for extra notebooks, books, or chargers; and, on the inside, there’s an open pocket that fits my phone and wallet perfectly (so I don’t have to carry a purse too) and a smaller zipper pocket that’s just right for pens, paper clips, highlighters, post-its, etc.

(3) Easy to carry — probably one of my favorite features of this bag (and all of Lily Jade’s bags as far as I can tell) is that it easily converts from shoulder bag to cross body/messenger bag to backpack. Most days, I stick with a simple over-the-shoulder carry, but I love having the hands free options – especially the backpack – for the days when I’m also carrying a kid, coffee, and 17 thousand student-journals (it’s hard work avoiding the rolling crate scenario mentioned above).

(4) Beautiful — this may not be essential to everyone, but I carry this thing to and from work five days a week and – often – to at least one coffee shop or library on the weekend… I want it to look good. My Lily Jade bag is GORGEOUS. I’m not even kidding, I literally gasped when I opened it. The leather is super high quality (so soft), the camel color is perfectly neutral (gotta match my outfits) and the interior jade color is perfect. There are even tons of little details – like the gold hardware and that adorable beaded tassel – that just finish off its elegantly simple look. I feel about 10x more sophisticated and professional with this thing on my shoulder. #truth

(5) Versatile — honestly, when I ordered this bag, I intended to just take the little diaper bag insert out and shove it in the back of my closet or something; BUT, I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it is to leave it packed up with all the things I need for a day out with my kids (read: diapers, wipes, snacks, sunscreen, toys, books) and then to simply take my school stuff out and put it in on the weekends or over the summer. The insert is fully removable, washable (key!!!), has twelve pockets (12!!), and comes with a matching changing pad. I like it so much, in fact, that lately I’ve kept it packed in my car on its own so I have all the essentials for my “mom life” on hand and can easily do a switch-a-roo with a moment’s notice when I need to. I LOVE that I can get more “bang for my buck*” out of this beautiful bag by using it in both of my important jobs – teaching and momming – and it makes that transition super streamlined (and stylish).

*A quick note about the $$… This bag isn’t cheap and, trust me, I know we teachers don’t exactly make the big bucks. I realize that a purchase like this isn’t for everyone, and I totally get that. THAT SAID, if – for whatever reason – you are willing/able to splurge, this bag is absolutely worth it!!! The quality is SO obvious – it’s durable but not heavy, feels amazing, and wears wonderfully (so far – I’ve been using mine daily since about April and it still looks brand new). I’m not sure I’ve ever really believed this before, but this bag is proof to me that “you get what you pay for.” (It would also make an AWESOME gift for a recent grad/ new teacher or just a well-loved teacher-mom in your life. She will feel SO spoiled!!!)

So there you go… The perfect bag for teachers, moms, and teacher-moms.

If you’re ready to treat yourself, you can pre-order the Rosie in Camel & Jade, like I have, at a discounted price now and it will be shipped some time in July — in plenty of time for a new school year!!! There are also lots of other great styles and colors – I like the Madeline myself, and the canvas Meggan is bigger AND cheaper than mine – available at www.lily-jade.com.

I’m, of course, happy to answer any questions about my bag if you have them AND, if you already own a Lily Jade bag, I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments!

In addition, please tell me: what’s the criteria for a perfect school bag in your book?!?

Have a great week friends!

E

Thanks to my sweet (and talented) friend Trent for all the photos in this post!! If you need a southwest Virginia photographer, make sure to check out Trent Currin Photography!

The Housekeeping Habit I’ve Adopted at School

Clorox Banner

It only took me four years of parenting, two kids, and countless stressful mornings, but I finally got myself in the habit last school year of picking up the house, cleaning the kitchen, and wiping down the counters every.single.night before bed. This is super popular advice for moms, but I always ignored it because I was just so darn tired by the time I got the kids to bed and I figured, “What’s the point? We are just going to mess everything up again tomorrow.” BUT, as it turns out, waking up to a clean and tidy house DOES make a big difference. It’s true, things don’t stay neat for long, but my whole day just starts off better when I can drink my coffee in a kitchen sans dishes in the sink and relax (even if it’s just for five minutes) in the living room without tripping over race cars and board books before getting ready for work every morning. Now that I’m in the habit, it’s become kind-of a ritual for me to listen to a podcast and “wind down” every evening while I go through the motions of picking up stray socks and loading the dishwasher. I almost NEVER skip a night (and, when I do, boy do I notice in the morning).

Once I realized how much this habit helped me at home, I decided to try it out in my classroom too and have been pleasantly surprised to find that it has a similar effect there. While there aren’t dishes to do or toys to put away, after housing hoards of teenagers every day, my classroom can be pretty dirty (and stinky) come 3PM. So, last year, I began taking the last 15 minutes of my day – right after the final bell – to put books and stray materials away, and wipe each of my six large tables down with a Clorox® Disinfecting Wipe. Not only does this help cut down on germs and the spread of cold/flu in my classroom, it also makes the morning SO much nicer knowing the room is clean and ready for learning. 😉  Seriously though,  I think my students appreciate it too – we are in an old, yucky building and most classrooms are – frankly – kind-of gross. They take pride in the room and – I like to think – even work better because the space is clean and organized. Finally, just like at home, I’ve come to look forward to these quiet moments after the kids leave and made a habit out of reflecting on the day and mentally preparing myself to go home to my own two wild ones as I wipe. I do a lot to help make my classroom look good and run effectively, but this has been one of the very BEST (and easiest) strategies.

Wanted

This year, to help off-set my personal out-of-pocket costs, I’ve created this cute little image to post on my class website in the late fall and display on my active board at Back-to-School night in September. Feel free to save it and use it yourself if you want! Most parents are already in the habit of donating a box of tissues every year, and you’d be surprised how many don’t think twice about grabbing a canister of wipes too! Likewise, I often ask for them as Christmas or Teacher Appreciation gifts and am easily stocked for the year. I like using Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes specifically (and I really do use them in my classroom) because they eliminate the need for a grubby rag (that I’d have to take home to launder – and we all know laundry isn’t my strength) and make clean-up fast and easy. On the days when I need to leave right after class, I just hand out six wipes and have the kids run them over their own tables before they are dismissed. I also love the way they make my tables sparkle, and the lemony scent makes it feel clean and fresh even after a full day of adolescent boys! Along with binders and pens, I definitely consider Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes to be one of my most important “school supplies.”

Clorox Close-up

Speaking of school supplies, I LOVE what Clorox is doing this back-to-school season: They’ve partnered with DonorsChoose.org (an awesome charity website that helps teachers get the funds they need for various classroom projects and supplies) to give back $100,000 and additional donations with their Clorox for Schools program:   For every $5 you spend on Clorox, Hidden Valley and Glad Products, you’ll receive $1 (up to $5) that you can either redeem as a donation to DonorsChoose.org or as money off on future purchases.

  • Buy it. Buy any Clorox®, Glad® or Hidden Valley Ranch® product.
  • Snap it. Snap a pic of your receipt.
  • Upload. Upload your receipt to earn a donation or cash back.

Between 7/12/16 and 9/30/16, purchase any qualifying Clorox, Glad or Hidden Valley product(s). Then, choose to participate in the Offer or the Donation program.  If you choose to participate in the Offer, your Offer will be fulfilled 10/31/16.  If you choose to participate in the Donation,Clorox will donate $1 for every $5 spent to DonorsChoose.org (up to $100,000 in donations).  For all details, including a list of qualifying products, see the Program Terms www.cloroxforschools.com. For details about DonorsChoose.org, visit DonorsChoose.org. I LOVE a company that supports schools and teachers (and bonus points for disinfecting dirty classrooms)!

Happy Back-to-School!

E

Class Procedures Bingo – Free Printable

Well, tomorrow’s the big day! My classroom is looking pretty, my syllabi are ready to go (almost), and I’m anxious for my room to be full of bubbling teenagers once again in the morning (I’m already planning my nap for the afternoon too)!

Our first day of school has abbreviated classes because there is an assembly and extended “homeroom” time for distributing paperwork, etc.  Each block ends up being only about 45 minutes (instead of the usual 90), and nine years of experience have taught me that at least 15 of that needs to be devoted to letting kids squeal over seeing each other, fill me in on their summer, etc. Although I know there’s a lot of talk about “jumping right in,” I find that it’s better to take things easy on the first day and jump in on the second and third. So, for the last few years, I’ve stuck with a simple ice breaker on the first day (like two truths and a lie, Twitterature, or six-word memoirs) followed by a rousing rendition of “course syllabus and procedures” using my meme Powerpoint.

This year, for a fun twist, I’m adding a Class Procedures BINGO game to the mix.

Bingo Cards

I actually got the idea for this from our staff-inservice day – one of the assistant principals organized it, and I noticed it kept us slightly more engaged and excited about the mundane information being shared. Basically, I’ve created several different cards with terms that I’m likely to say while going over the syllabus and above Powerpoint: “respect,” “policy,” “late-work,” “credit,” “Sam and Nora,” and my trademark – “hilarious,” to name a few. I will hand out the cards to students as they come in and instruct them to circle or mark off the word on their card if they hear me say it, and yell “BINGO” (of course) when they get five in a row. Then, I’ve got a box full of random school supplies (composition notebooks, pencils, post-its, etc.) to give as prizes to the winners.

It could be a disaster… But it could be really fun!

In case you want to take your chances and try it too, I’m including a link to my actual Bingo cards as a Word document below. I went ahead and took out the words personal to me and left blanks there so you can add your own kids’/dogs’/principal’s names, college, etc. This document has 9 different cards, which means that two or three kids in each class will have the same one. I’m OK with that, but you can easily copy/paste the template and make more variations too if you want.

Click here to access and download: Back to School Bingo Boards

Bingo Banner

If you try it – or have done something like this before – I’d love to hear how it goes!

In the meantime, I’ll see you Thursday with an update on the first day and – super important – what I wore. 😉

Have a great day!

E

P.S. Don’t forget to share my FREE Maternity Leave eCourse (and Checklist) for Teachers with your pregnant teacher-friends (or on your Facebook/Pinterest/etc.) I LOVE being able to share free resources with you, and your support in this little project means SO much to me!!!

http://www.samandscout.com/maternity-leave-101

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7 Tips to Make Grading Easier

Grading papers is the bane of my existence. Of course, as an English teacher, it is also a huge part of my existence. I get a lot of comments/emails from fellow teachers saying that they too hate this necessary part of the job and asking if I have any tips. I wrote a post a while back called “3 Tips for Surviving the Teacher Workload and Staying Sane“, but today I thought I’d address the issue of grading specifically. Before I get to it though, let it be clear that I’m 100% preaching to myself here.  I’ll be the first to admit that I often take WAY too long to return papers and am scrambling at the end of the nine weeks to get everything done.  Even after almost nine years of teaching, finding a good system for grading is still a work in progress for me. I don’t do all of these things all the time, but I think if I did I’d be a lot better off. So…

Grading Papers

  1. Schedule it.

    Set a certain time in your day (or week if that works better for you) to grade. Stick to this the way you would any other appointment. The amount of time will vary based on your style – I tend to “get in a groove” and be able to crank out a lot at one time, while other people find that 30 minutes or so a day is perfect. Either way, pencil grading into your planner and make it a priority.

  2. Set the scene.

    This seems kind-of silly, but I really do find that a clean work space – ideally with a candle lit (if I’m at home) and a hot cup of coffee – makes a big difference in my productivity. As I’ve gotten older, I also need complete silence to work so a quiet room or noise canceling headphones are a must for me. Figure out what environment is best for you and then do your best to create that environment when it’s time to grade.

  3. Use good pens.

    Another tiny detail, but it really does help! As is the trend with most teachers I know these days, I try to avoid red, but I love to grade with bright colors – sometimes just switching to a new color gives me the boost I need to get through another five essays or so!  I use these for grading (and these for everything else).

  4. Use a timer.

    I’ve mentioned it before here, but I really like using the Pomodoro system to help keep me productive and on track during the time I’ve set aside to grade. Pomodoro is basically just a 25 minute tomato timer with a 5 minute break in-between work sessions. Forcing myself to focus on one thing – in this case, grading – for 25 minutes is usually just the right amount of time. I’m able to get a good bit done without getting totally burned out. (There are a million Pomodoro apps, but I use this one.) Of course, you could set a timer for any amount of time that works for you (an hour? 15 minutes?), but the key is to be focused for a set amount of time. I usually try to get in a couple of Pomodoros in a day, but even one is better than none.

    As a slight variation on this tip, sometimes I will physically bundle my papers (with a paper clip or binder clip) into groups of five or ten and challenge/force myself to get one bundle done before I leave for the day or something like that. This is especially good for really big essays or projects that will take a while to grade.

  5. Keep your papers neat.

    First, make sure that you have a system for collecting papers and that your students know you expect work to be turned in neatly. I’m crazy about papers not being crumbled up, no torn edges on looseleaf, and all pages being lined up before stapling. The kids think I’m a nut, but a big pile of sloppily-stapled papers of varying sizes and shapes is even less enticing (if there is such a thing). I also like to alphabetize my papers before I start grading so that I know about how many I have left based on what letter I’m grading AND so that entering grades into the grade book is quick and efficient. This obviously has its flaws, but I alternate where I start in the alphabet to help.

  6. Reward yourself.

    I have a friend that gives herself one M&M after every essay. Hilarious, right? I’d never be able to do that, but I do appreciate a good reward. One of the things I like about the Pomodoro, for example, is the five minute break. It feels like a treat to spend five minutes reading blogs, sending a text, or talking a walk outside after I’ve worked for my allotted time. Another idea is to reward yourself with a “night off” to indulge in a book for fun, a bubble bath, and an early bedtime after an especially productive day of grading. The possibilities are endless.

*Bonus* IF ALL ELSE FAILS: Give yourself an ultimatum.

I’m what Gretchen Rubin calls an Obliger, which means I’m more likely to stick to a goal if other people are depending on me, so I’ve been known to say something like “if I don’t have those essays returned to you by Monday, you don’t have to write the next one” or “I’ll have your paper graded by Thursday or everyone gets 10 bonus points.” This is, obviously, risky, but so far I’ve always met my goal and not had to follow through. A safer bet would be to only “let” yourself watch the Bachelor (let’s say) IF you grade five projects this afternoon – but that wouldn’t be as effective for me. (I like to live on the edge.)

So, there you have it. What tips/tricks work for you when it comes to grading? Please share!

Hope you’re having a great day!

E

P.S. THANK YOU for your sweet words on yesterday’s post. It seems my confession that life is anything but “together” right now has struck a chord with many of you. You guys have encouraged me so much and made me realize that I’m a.) not alone and b.) doing just fine! I hope you get that same message every time you are here. 🙂