Getting Ready for School

The school year approaches quickly, and so planning, calendars, and also Day 1.  Although some ambitious souls have started already!

Each  year I like to sit down and plan the school year on paper - before we begin.  Each year I do an online search for a blank “school year” calendar.  And have the same problem.  They are hard to find. Well a good-current- blank- one is for sure.  Excitedly, this year I found a great one for 2012-2013 and turns out a good web site in general. 2012-2013 School Year Calendar

So far in looking over this site, I've found a great deal of good information as well as great printables.  (Don't think that is an official word yet, but I'm using it.)  One of my favorites is this one, Logical Fallacy Poster and for us this is perfect timing as Taylor this year has a great book called the The Fallacy Detective, it teaches them to spot and understand errors in reasoning.  Fun.  Valuable.  And necessary.

Perhaps you have also had similar experience as I have had with my boys in remembering liquid measurements.  This sheet helps them visualize it.  Pints in a Gallon Sheet

Here you will find a list of free study charts and worksheets.  More Printables!

This is a great resource, and solves many of the same challenges I have had in teaching.  We are excited to  soon begin our year of learning!

Broken

From afar come greetings to you.  Ah, broken--no not an emotional breakdown, not a loss of heart; actually literally broken.  My (new) phone.. broken, my new, new phone.. broken; computer..broken, tablet --which an aside here, they don’t work well, we tried to use it as a holdover, but it worked terribly!  Then one morning the car wouldn’t go, but so very thankful, just for a day.  Basically communication in general-nul.  All at the same time!  Imagine- having to only communicate face to face.  Haha.  Well if I do have any friends left now I will know they are real ‘cause they will forgive me for my poor communication as my ‘devices’ were incapacitated. Sweet Frustration.

And here, I begin to think.  The way that you might when these things happen.  Putting general thoughts of frustration and annoyance aside.  What could be a more perfect time to evaluate how I spend my time?  How much time spent on electronic devices,  especially on the computer.  The internet is so unique. . . what other time in all of history could you have so much information at your fingertips?  I really like information, love learning new things, so enjoy finding out all the “whys” and “whats.”  And all that POwer at my fingertips I can control the ....haha jk.  But I can control my time and my actions.  My choices.  So I evaluate this.  How much time could I spend?  Hours?  Sure. Maybe easily.  But I’m not going to.  Besides reading on the screen makes my eyes go fuzzy.  As this next school year quickly approaches and time becomes more valuable (if that’s possible) I’m going to create a new goal.  To this: my personal time on the computer, including, email, FB, checking out recipes, etc.  will be 5-7 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening.  This I think is reasonable for me.  Do-able as well. Certain days perhaps a bit different when doing particular orders online, but those are not often or daily.

Time is valuable.  Perhaps I would not have thought to assess this, if things did not -break.   When things do break, it’s good to take a break.  In using time intentionally, it always leads to a few great things.  More focus on time with my kids.  Time outside.  Time spent with my husband.  All the  things that I will Never look back to say, “Wow, I spent too much time _________.”