All About Kimberly

Sailing Along the Life of Single Parenthood

Tag Archives: back to school

How I’ve Spent My Morning

Labeling, labeling and more labeling.  I never did get all of Cameron’s school supplies labeled.  And her backpack has already broke so we had to buy a new one only THREE weeks into the school year (this is not a good sign).  I also had several items I’ve bought for my classroom that were still siting around the house and since I was labeling anyways, I thought might as well.  They all now have my name and room number on them.  :)  I don’t use my Dymo label maker very often, but when I do it seems I get obsessed and go through and label everything in the house. I just bought some Color labels and that was really fun. Cameron even printed out the numbers one through twenty-five and put them on our Cheetah chain (I have taken pictures….I’ll post today). 

Labeling school supplies always make me think of my first days of school.  While kids are moaning and groaning around here now when school starts back, I was always excited and ready to go – even in high school, I missed everyone and would be ready to go back. Plus going back, also meant it was football season, and I loved football season.  We didn’t have a handy dandy labeler back then, and at one point in time there were four of us going to school at the same time.  This was a lot of stuff to have to label.  How convenient it would have been.  I remember sitting around and labeling all of my stuff and then my younger sibling stuff.  It was never ending  I wish I had owned my labeler back then.

1st Week of School – Accomplished

We have completed our first week of school. WHEW!!  I was beginning to think it would never arrive.  While I actually enjoyed the school year more before Texas passed a law mandating that we can’t start school until the 4th Monday of August, I do like having a long weekend after the first week of school each year as we always get off the Monday of Labor Day. This makes it nice on the students too. I remember not so many years ago that we always started to school on Thursdays and this week I got to thinking about that, and think that it might just be a good idea.  When you start on a Thursday, you get a chance for students and teachers to familiarize themselves with schedules and each other.  Teachers are able to tell and begin showing students what will be expected of them as far as classroom behavior/methods, and there’s time for the administrative stuff – textbook assignments, first day packets, etc.  Then you take a weekend off and come back ready for full blown class. As many students (and probably teachers too) get accustomed to sleeping in during the summer, it would also help with not being so exhausted after going from sleeping in and then waking up 5 mornings in a row!

Sorry for my Extended Absence

Starting back to school has been a much bigger headache that I was expecting.  I’ve not had time to breathe lately it seems.  No more vacations in August that’ s for sure.  This has been way too much work to recover from vacation and go back to school.

Today was the first day though so things will slowly begin to level out now.  I’m excited to start a new year and to see all my students again this year.  While I would have gladly taken another week or two of vacation, it was nice to see everyone and be back in the swing of things…I’ll try my best to check in a couple times daily now and get back into the swing of things.

Vacation Over – Next Focus…School

Today is all about unpacking and getting into back to school mode.  Since I’m a teacher and have two girls in school, back to school requires organization, and one way I love to do that is with labels. I use labels for names on school supplies, file folders, CDs, envelopes…basically everything I can label. I have different places throughout the room for each class to deposit homework – that gets labeled.  The girls both have the same school supplies? We label them so they’ll know whose is whose.  Yes, this time a year I do a lot of labeling with my Dymo label printer. It saves this organizationally challenged mom and teacher big time in August and September when there is so much going on at one time. I also label the file cabinets in my room so that I know what’s in each drawer. If a student gives me something to hold for them for the day?  I label it.  In fact, I think I’ve labeled so much that I’m creating labeling students. My label maker (along with the electric hole punch and stapler) are favorites among my students. It’s amazing how when you combine basic ideas (hole punch, stapling, and labels) with technology, you can even create organized teenagers as they enjoy playing with the gadgets.


Back to School withHannah Montana

We are big Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus fans (yes, we will be watching the 3D Concert tonight), and accidentally came across a super promotion today. You can get a wake up call from Hannah Montana! thanks to a joining of Disney and WalMart!!  I love these at Disney World when you can get Disney character wake up calls. I actually always schedule those for after I’ll be up so that Cameron can answer the phone and hear it.  I can just imagine her face when she hears Hannah Montana on the other end.

You can schedule a wake up for school call or a reminder about school activities such as dance, softball, girl scouts or band, or even a back to school shopping reminder.

Would you like to have a Hannah Montana Wake Up Call? Or schedule one for a special little girl in your life?  If so, head over and set up your request. I have requested one for Cameron on the first day of school and one for Becka on the Friday we are going school clothes shopping. She will totally freak out I’m sure over this, but I couldn’t resist.