Mental Floss: Launching an Inspired New School Year

SEPTEMBER? Time to say good-bye to summer! 

Time to shift our mental clocks a season.

Let the new 'quarter' begin!!! 

[You can get this freebie Subway Art download over at our EEE.]

Now! Time for a little *PEP RALLY* 

I honestly do feel that ALL change comes through teachers! 

Think about how you have met any goal in life...... 

chances are good that you've had a 'teacher' involved.

I own this bumper sticker. 

I believe this bumper sticker. 

I fancied up this bumper sticker.

I know you'll appreciate this bumper sticker. 

How many times have you watched this Ted Talk on YouTube? 

September first calls for another (re)visit. 

Seven and a half minutes of a reminder of why we do what we do!

"Every child deserves a champion!" ~~ Rita Pierson 

Maybe you need to pin this post for a reminder, for when the going gets tough. Those days come. The day you're sick, but it takes more work to write up sub-plans that to trudge on through. Been there. Done that. The day your students are responding to the full moon, just as your toughest, most challenging student goes bonkers. {Yes, that is a professional term that we all recognize.} The day your spouse is less than understanding of all of the hours you sink into your profession. 'Nuff said. 

I've included some of my favorite teacher quotes that I have adorned with some of my favorite photos..... or is it the other way around? Took the photo above in Sedona earlier this winter, just after making an AZ school visit! Went searching for the perfect quote! Think I found it!!! YOU. You are a compass. You activate magnets! {Note-to-self: When in doubt use magnets!} 

We all need bumpers stickers and buttons as talisman of our calling.

Swim. Keep swimming. Paddle. Keep paddling. Fake it till ya make it. 

Pithy is good when you're having a tough day. 

Here's an entire article on this very same theme: "Imagining the First Day of the Best Year Yet" the empty canvas!

Last month I took a poll on my FB page, asking teachers to respond with a prompt/a suggestion that they wish parents would say to their child the night before school starting. There are poingant responses and nitty-gritty ones too. They make me sigh. Here's the RoundUP of those thoughts.

I culled through my own blog and put DOZENS of my RoundUPs with literally THOUSANDS of photos into this encyclopedia. 

SCHOOL BUS AS ART PROJECT

As the buses begin to roll in earnest, it is fun to let the children capture their shapes and form. 
I have a RoundUP of arts and crafts in response to all things bus, over at my blog. 

Bringing the 'real' world into your classroom is always a goal. 
Creating more green space is a suitable way to reach that goal. 
Here's a RoundUP of 133 different 'trees' in the classroom! 



This summer I embarked on a lark. 
A lark embarkment if you will.
Twitter. The final frontier. 

I was bound and determined to help some educators make the leap. 
We have continued our leaping ever since! 
A TUESDAY TEACHER PRACTICE CHAT! 
WITH PRIZES! 

If you 'really' have no idea what Twitter is all about, 

show up at 8:30 EST and we as moderators and hostess' folk will help you navigate. 

At 9:00 the crowd arrives and our guest and it starts moving FAST! 

This week our #EduCelebrity is our own "Dr. Danny Brassell." 

That's the two of us out in Vegas last year! 

He is huggable! 

He is knowledgable! 

And he is an EXPERT! 

You can chat directly TO HIM! 

As if that's not exciting enough? 

We have guests committed for the coming six weeks! 

Look at this stellar line-up! 

Are you as thrilled as I am? 

The whole 'point' to Twitter, IMHO, is that your have immediate access to peers who can support your efforts, answer your questions and steer you in the right direction! Come practice a time or two so that you have it down pat, by the time Steve Spangler arrives! He has prizes and MORE! From the 'Ellen Show' to our humble PRACTICE Chat!!! 

I'll leave you with a few more upbeat quotes. 

This next one is very dear to my heart. 

It's from my MOM! 

And the image is of a collage I create that hangs on our FL entry-way wall! 

What ever your role with children. 

Be a champion. 

Be a children's champion! 

Have fun. 

They notice. They notice when you smile. 

They notice when you laugh. 

They notice when YOU are enjoying YOURself! 

Here's me. 

Having a good time! 

Pictures I took of pictures hanging in the hallway of the year's HIGHLIGHTS! 

I LUV me being a HIGHLIGHT!