And so it begins

Each year I get stressed out about this time thinking of how to organize my classroom. It's always fun in a way, but overwhelming in so many others. I also changed rooms this year, so I have to come up with a totally new setup that I can function with. Step up for me now - I have windows!!! Trust me, it's the little things like natural light that make me happy. :) I've been up there some each day this week trying to get it together bit by bit...I'm a little slower this year for some reason. Maybe it's due to this person baking inside of me!! But don't worry, my dad did come up and move all the big furniture and stuff for me, but I'm sure he was thinking I was crazy. I'd ask him to move something, then to move it somewhere else, and sometimes back to the spot where it was before. Aren't Daddies great? ;) Cody is going to help me also hang some of the high stuff since he instructed me not to climb on any chairs.

It's always so exciting this time of year to think about what kids I'm going to get and how the year is going to be better than last year - I think it just gets easier each year. My first year I was scared to death!! Those poor kids were my little lab rats. I tried out so many different things to see what worked best for them and me, but somehow in the end they all made it through. Next week I actually get another really cool experience in that I was asked to teach a session at the new teacher academy. I'm teaching a session on routines and management. I'm really excited to do this with a group of brand new teachers - there's just something so neat about that stage. You're so excited and scared all at once and ready to get in there and start your thing, but soon realize just how overwhelming that can be. I think it will be a really great experience for me to see teachers at that stage again...it was only four years ago that I was there myself!

I've posted some pictures to show why I'm always really stressed at first. The cleaning crew always just shoves up furniture and whatever else to one side so they can clean. Each year I walk in and feel like it's never going to come together, but it always does. :)