Getting Close!!

Can't believe it's getting closer....SCHOOL! I'll be readier than ever now that my classroom has been thoroughly clutter busted. Well, I'll be in for awhile on Friday to put on some finishing touches. Will be ready for 19...or 18??...8th graders and 24 (!!) 7th graders. The room will be
crowded with more middle school bodies...at least not like sardines in a can yet!

Have started thinking about what I'll have the kids do that first important day....community building, setting the tone for what kind of year THEY would like to have and how THEY can achieve that. We'll have plenty of time to hit the books, study, work, etc. Those first few days
are really important for establishing the most important things about being an 8th grader.

Well, I'll be ready! It's my 15th year at St. John's (Holy Cow!) and my 34th in Catholic education (Holy Herd!!). But, I wouldn't be doing anything else!! :-) SJB is my home away from home.

Ok, time for a nap....

Homework Rocks!

Ok, don't get all worked up! I know most 8th graders abhor homework...go ahead, look up the word "abhor", but maybe you don't need to! Anyway...I was a student last week and took a GREAT class at the John Muir Teacher Academy at Verona High School. The class was "Google Tools for Educators". I learned SO much neat stuff!! The project I did was to design a lesson that would incorporate some Google Tools and would follow the guidelines of the Ide@s Scholars program. After I implement the lesson in September with my 8th graders and "tweak" whatever's necessary, I will resubmit the lesson to the Ide@s organization (through UW-Madison) and they will upload it to their website...cool!!

So, homework is only fun when it's interesting to the student...will keep that in mind when we start the school year on September 1st!