So we just got back from Maine

Ice Cream!

Miss Rumphius was here!

It was great fun, with a side trip to Canada.  I've recently finished some reading.  Both for myself and with the little one.  Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey, How to Twist a Dragon's Tale by Cressia Cowell, The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto, The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov and we've been reading Penderwicks books with her so we can all enjoy the third one together.

Hope your summer is going well!

Summer. Flying By.

Haven't been posting, but I'm trying to not do too much and simultaneously get stuff done.  I know.  I'm forcing myself to read something fun so I don't spend all of my time obsessing about the new job.  I'm also playing with the seven-year old, swimming lots and saying yes to nearly every treat request.  Ah, summer.

But I'm still staying in contact with my library predecessor and she's answering lots of questions.  I need to remember to be that incredibly cool if I ever transition to another position.  We spent a day earlier this week going over stuff and she had to teach me how to tackle the damnable laminating machine.  Someone had tangled it up nicely and I now have an intimate knowledge of how to dismantle, untangle, and generally keep up that thing.  I also learned where most everything is and have even begun straightening (and a slight bit of weeding) just do I can kinda get a feel for what all is there.

She made me a great two-page school library opening checklist document.  That thing is the bomb.  I just hope I can juggle it all and look like I know what I'm doing, even though I really don't.

Still haven't met the new principal (but I've heard good things).  I also haven't met more than two or three teachers.  But I've gotten to know the custodial staff and they've been great.  I think they like me because  they know I was an ESOL teacher and they're all English Language Learners.  Dimitri is in charge and he's like this wise Yoda character for me.  I was talking to my predecessor about something and mentioned what they had said about it in my graduate program.  "There is college and it is good," he said.  "Then there is the real world and it is also good."  He squinted.  "They are not the same."

Best Read of the Summer

Or at least the last one, now that school is starting back. This one had everything: humor, suspense, design, and ideas for organization. It's one of those great "what-if" reads that gets the wheels turning and gives you new ideas for everything from bookshelves to photography. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be ready for the Allen wrench.

Harris and Me

This weeks Booking Through Thursday question asks what book evokes the idea of "summer" for you the most and for me it's undoubtedly Gary Paulsen's hysterical and touching romp, Harris and Me. There's a newer cover but I like this Wendell Minor version myself.

An 11-year-old boy, an obvious stand-in for a young Paulsen if you've read any of his vivid and compelling (and horror-filled) autobiography, spends the summer with some rural relatives and in particular the 9-year-old Harris who opens the relationship with the question, "We heard your parents was puke drunks, is that right?" Well, yes, but the rest of the summer is too much fun for anyone to worry much about "real life."

It's an episodic book, in the style of Twain and recounts the narrator's and Harris's encounters with the wildlife (animal and human) in the country. It's funny but definitely for those around twelve and up due to some language. It's unfortunate that Paulsen is only known as a children's book writer, because this should have crossover appeal with adults in the same way Richard Peck's Grandma Dowdel books do (A Long Way to Chicago, A Year Down Yonder, A Season of Gifts). My own daddy grew up on a farm in Tennessee and just about peed his pants reading this, so that's high praise indeed.

Still Here!

It's just that I'm taking three graduate classes this summer. They're basically the same amount of work as a regular semester-long graduate class, except without the semester-long part. Ouch. I was feeling all jaunty about it being off for the summer and all, but no. It's pretty much all grad work all the time for me now.

At least in one of the classes, Survey of Children's Literature, I get to read many kid's books. Of course the problem with that one is that the professor wants us to read books we've never read before and they have to be off of her list of books to choose from. So I'm ending up with a severely limited range of choices since I've read more than a few children's books.

Oh, hey! I'll be at the Georgia Library Media Association (GLMA) Summer Institute conference next week if there are any other peach state media specialists out there.

And finally, I blogged about the library without a media center for their blog as well and in the comments heard about another new school that isn't planning on a library for their students. Am I the only one disturbed by this trend?

(image cc flickr)

Exhale

Last day with students was yesterday. I think the weather in our county changed do to the 14,000 teachers exhaling all at the same time.

Still tons to do on these "post-planning" days, but boy is it ever easier without those pesky children running around.

I'm kidding! I'm actually lucking out since I don't have to move classrooms for one of the first times ever. That's always nice. Although, I gotta say that I don't have that much sympathy for those that do. Being a resource teacher I haven't even had my own classroom for about half the time. I've taught in hallways, in empty cafeterias, and even outside. I've had to share rooms with up to four other teachers. I had one room on the other side of a gymnasium with balls being slammed against the wall. (That's the one where I mostly opted to teach outside on the fire escape.)

The other problem is teachers are just plain pack rats. I am to some extent, but man oh man have I been enjoying purging my files. I'd already gone more to overheads rather than copies, but now with the ceiling-mounted projectors, there's little need even for those. So I dumped a ton of paper into the recycle bin this week. It's my goal to make as few copies as possible next year. The other thing that helps is that I've had the students keep their own composition notebooks for the last two years. Keeps all their work and writing neatly in one spot with no copies. Nice to bring to conferences as well.

Here's to a great summer for you all!

(image cc flickr)

What are YOU doing over summer break?

Bet you can't guess what I'm up to.

School's Out!

Well, one more day with kids and two "planning" days, but we're basically done. I will only blog sporadically at best until August, but here's a bunch of links to keep you reading and thinking.

How to get a bunch of free stuff.

What your boss wants from you.

How to find the perfect parking spot at that big event this summer.

Confessions of a Verizon sales rep, so you don't get ripped off.

Search Google like an expert.

Simple productivity. Focus on the essentials.

Making Gmail into the perfect GTD system. I love this. Google's Gmail set up like this, Google Calendar and a bunch of blank 3x5 notecards are now my complete GTD system. Who knew changing your life would be so easy?

Lazy productivity. There's a T-shirt that says "I'm organized because I'm too lazy to look for stuff." That's why I needed GTD. If anyone says, "I'm too lazy to get organized," say back, "I'm too lazy not to be."

Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan. Forward this one. Inspiring!

Idaho Legislature Declares English... Us ELL teachers get this one. Sheesh.

Have a great summer! I'll be reading Harvey's Strategies That Work again for my teaching chops. Post any comments about that or anything else below. And don't just be a teacher, be a teacher ninja!

Tighten Up!

Here's the link to Moannin' Michelle Malone's website. This is music you need for summer vacation.