This will be fun!

Here it is... my last "day off" before school begins. Well, before it begins for teachers. And I use the word "begins" very loosely. I accomplished a lot of things over the summer: finished the Leadership Academy, began CGI Year III training, helped set up the book-room at school, and even got a head start setting up my classroom.

This week will see teachers in Professional Developments and staff meeting, meeting with colleagues to plan, starting/putting finishing touches on their classrooms, and meeting parents. Personally, I will be speaking at our staff meeting and helping head a PD, two things I have never done before. I am always terrified when I have to speak in front of adults. But I've been trying to take on the approach of one of my favorite actors; I look at everything as a new opportunity to have fun. In fact, when someone asks me to do something, I reply, "Sure. This will be fun." Some of it is sarcasm, but some of it is to remind me to have fun with the experience.

Today, I am trying to load everything in my car that I will need over the following week: my teacher tote (which still needs to be cleaned out), the items I brought home and cleaned over the weekend to write my new students' names on, and Febreeze and fabric softener to help get rid of the musty smell on my beanbag chairs. I'm sure I will think of a hundred new things to do before I actually go to sleep tonight (which will probably be somewhere around one or two in the morning.)

The highlight of my week is that I get to see my wonderful friends and colleagues, and meet a few new faces. I get to chat about my summer and hear about the exciting adventures of others. We are in this together. Everyone is nervous, stressed out, and excited about the upcoming school year. So for now, I am off to get things together. As for next week: This will be fun!