• Blog,  Books,  Reviews,  Self Care

    My March 2018 Book Reviews

    I read two pretty good books this month and one dud.  I was very excited that it was my turn to pick a book for book club and it was pretty well liked!  And we never agree! The Identicals by Elin Hildebrand I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. In the past, I was a huge fan of Hildebrand’s work. She writes books that are fun, light, and entertaining. After reading many of her books, I started to get bored with them. But, I keep reading them. After reading The Rumor last year, I started falling in love with her work. The Identicals was an entertaining story of…

  • Blog,  Blogging,  Self Care

    5 Ways to Bring in Extra Cash

    As a teacher, we’re not known for being in a profession where we’re making a ton of money. But like everyone I have bills to pay and want to still live a life I can enjoy. Because of this, I am always looking for ways to pick up some extra money. I have compiled a list of all the things I do or have done to bring in some extra spending cash. None of these are going to make you instantly rich, but if you put a little time into them, you can earn some side cash. 1. Start a Blog If I can start a blog, then anyone with…

  • Blog,  Self Care

    Tips to Protect Yourself this Cold & Flu Season

    As a teacher, I am constantly worried about getting sick.  You would think that with eighth-grade students who range from thirteen to fifteen, that they would be conscious of their germs.  But, they’re not! The flu is going around HARD this year and so far, I’ve been lucky not to catch.  I’m just hoping that I won’t catch it at all. If you are in the same boat as me, here are some tips I’ve found for keeping yourself healthy this cold and flu season. Clean, a lot! Over the summer there is always a time when Lysol wipes go on sale on Amazon.  I buy a few boxes and…

  • Blog,  Self Care

    8 Ways to Start the New Year Off Right

    Every year I make resolutions, and I can not name a time where I followed through with them.  But, I think we are all starting with the same intention.  Every year we want to make an effort to fix something about ourselves.  Or, to change something about ourselves that we think should be better.  This year make some changes that you can keep.  Here are some suggestions to start the new year off right. Declutter We all have this problem, especially for teachers.  I have dozens and dozens of worksheets that were left in a filing cabinet from a teacher I replaced that I haven’t even looked at.  Yet, I…

  • Blog,  Organization,  Self Care

    Tips for Time Management

    There’s never enough time! I feel like any teacher can relate to the problem that there’s not enough time in the day to get everything done that we need to.  This is not just a “teacher problem” but probably something a lot of people struggle with. Right now I am coming up to first-term progress reports for my students on IEPs, and I know just how time-consuming it will be to write progress notes for every goal for each student.  On top of that, the rest of the world does not stop; I am still expected to be co-teaching, providing accommodations, modifying assignments, modifying their tests and quizzes, and continuing…

  • Blog,  Self Care

    Tips for a Successful Monday

    If you are anything like me, you hate Mondays.  After having a relaxing weekend filled with family and friends, you have to get up early again and start a new week.  Here are a few tips to help you get your week started right, and have a successful Monday. Prepare on Friday When you leave on Friday, do not leave yourself heaping piles of paperwork and a messy desk.  Before you leave, do your weekly cleaning.  Before I leave for the day on Friday I make sure my room is ready for the following week.  I start by cleaning all of my desks.  It is cold season and with a…