Visions.

Today I am spending another day at home reading blogs, journaling, and singing along to music (Hillsong, Glee, Taylor Swift, Temper Trap) in the background. It may sound boring to you, but I am so grateful to have this time. I know it won't be before long that I will be complaining that I do not have time to rest. And now I do. So I'm soaking up every minute of it. It also seems that I am blogging a lot. But again, it won't be before long that I am wrapped up in busy-mode all over again. So what if I have a lot of time on my hands right now? This is the first of many summer vacations I as a teacher will get. Better make the most of it.

I have not seen what my classroom looks like, but I am a visual person. I would love to say that these visual dreams of my classroom are awesome and somewhat realistic. Ha, they probably are not.
The perfect rectangular desks with all four legs of even lengths. A big bright window or two that has great views of the other side of the school. A teacher desk of the perfect teacher desk size. A five-drawer file cabinet that does not make that annoying screeching sound when it gets opened. Plenty of storage. Carpet, carpet, carpet. Or if it's tile, there would be Furniture Footsies, or something of that nature, to silence moving desks/chairs. A large kidney-shaped table for reading groups. A large but not overwhelming bookcase for the classroom library. Built-in cubbies and hooks for students' textbooks, backpacks, and jackets.
I think these visions of my classroom utopia stop there. If I go any further, I'm pretty sure I'll be living in fantasy land. Truth is my classroom will probably not look like that. Or maybe it will. Either way, I am so excited that I can actually be thinking of where and how to place specific areas of my classroom in specific places. Hence, it makes me think about my classroom routines. It makes me think of all those books I read for my education courses and observations of classroom experiences that have influenced me to design this new classroom the way I see appropriate for my students. Wow, I'm so pumped!!!

I came across more memories from this past year from students. I love looking at this stuff. It makes me smile and reminds me why I love working with kids so much.

Third graders had to write kind words about each other for a guidance lesson.
What they wrote for Ms. Leung.

Before leaving for my alternate placement in K, one of my dear third graders wrote me a
sweet and most transparent letter.

Kindergartener wrote me a sweet note.