TOP 10 THINGS TEACHERS DO OVER WINTER BREAK!

1. Turn off the alarm and sleep in!
2. Have a pajama day!  Those aren’t just for students you know.  You can even spend the day in pajamas without watching the Polar Express!
3. Remove the glitter still lingering from all the classroom Christmas crafts.  It’s kind of like Christmas tree needles.  Long after the projects are gone, you’re still finding glitter.
4. Find a place to store this year’s “Best Teacher” ornaments and coffee mugs!  You can never have too many, or can you?  Hmm…
5. Sit down and eat your lunch.  You can take as long as you’d like!
6. Read a book without thinking about what standards you can teach with it.
7. Shop the after Christmas sales and end up buying things for your classroom instead of a new outfit.
8. Spend some special time with your own children.  It’s easier to appreciate the time with them when there aren’t 20 other kiddos to think about!
9. Smile!  You know parents are now appreciating you more than ever!  After a few days of being home with their children, they are realizing you were right all along.
10. Try to convince yourself that you don’t enjoy sleeping in and having lazy days!

Then, realize that there is a part of you that misses your students’ warm hugs and smiling faces.  After all, who else could possibly work as hard as you and love them as much as you do?  With that realization, you are ready to get back to your classroom, but before you go to bed on that last day of Winter Break, you’ll note how many days of school there are until Spring Break.  Not because you’re counting down or anything!

                                                            Loving Our Learning

Kindergarten: It is Like No Other!

The Dictionary defines Kindergarten as:

"a class or school for young children...which is often the first year of formal education; a place where children learn things by playing."  

I have a BIG heart for Kindergarten, I have taught it for 10 years. And if you have taught a year in Kindergarten, I am here to say - you CAN DO just about anything! Seriously. There is just no other classroom like it. Ever hear of a child licking the bottom of his/her shoe? It will happen in Kindergarten. Ever hear of a child losing his/her underwear in the bathroom? It will happen in Kindergarten. Ever hear of a child falling out of his/her chair - who is just as surprised by it as the teacher is? It will happen in Kindergarten. Just imagine trying to herd 20 cats from one place to another. Just imagine trying to nail jello to a tree. No exaggeration, it is a workout. Pure exhaustion. No one gets a Kindergarten teacher like another Kindergarten teacher. And I am hear to say, it is truly a special place. Kindergarten teachers are some of the most bravest, greatest - most patient and big hearted people there are. Not to say all teachers out there are not, because they are too! But Kindergarten, well - it is like no other place on Earth.

In honor of the hundreds of thousands of Kindergarten teachers out there - these memes are just for them!

In regards to shoelaces:

In regards to snack time and birthdays:

In regards to teaching:

In regards to bedtime:

If you are a Kindergarten Teacher, please give a shout out and tell us where you are from and how long you have taught Kindergarten!

Gifts Only Teachers Will Love

We LOVE gifts! Giving gifts is the best (but getting them is not so bad either!)  We here at Planning in Paradise want to begin Teacher Appreciation Week with a little gift humor and then we will end the week with someone winning a gift!

Our teacher friends are by far the funniest people we know. And there are often times when we are sitting around telling stories, we are all crying and shaking our heads in disbelief. You know those stories...things only your teacher friends understand. These are the kinds of stories we can't even make up.
Here are a few of our most hilarious/overly thoughtful gift stories. We are absolutely sure these gifts were given with love and a sweet heart. We are also absolutely sure they made us crack up! We hope you enjoy our laughs and share some of yours.

Teacher Favorites
Ever mention your favorite food a time or two to you class?
Make sure you are ready for a cooler full!
That's just what came in... a styrofoam cooler filled with tater tots!
Great laugh but took that cooler full of tots right to the cafeteria to bake them!

Gift Mix Up
Bubble bath sets are always nice. This set was "Naughty or Nice" and each bottle was labeled with a blushing detail of how to use it. As your mind races... just check your email. A frantic parent emailed  explaining how the Bath & Body Works gift set had been confused with the one she bought for a bachelorette party. Pretty safe to say, we were both cracking up and completely embarrassed!

Dining In?
Over the years we all have been blessed with gift cards for restaurants
and coffee stores. This one may be a first...
A Chinese Take-Out Menu!

Treats
Snacks and treats always make great gifts. Our students can hardly take it. They are dancing and can't stand the excitement of handing you the gift. But do you know how hard it must be for them? To deliver a bag of skittles with only 4 left... or a half eaten granola bar... or even a cupcake with no frosting left on it (but you can totally tell that bad boy had frosting on it 5 minutes ago!)

No Returns
Watch out! *Pun coming...
Receiving a nice piece of jewelry is always touching. Opening a VERY nice watch then to read the hand written note that is included in the box. "Happy Birthday! I hope you like this watch. Don't show my mom but I wanted you to have it!"
Whoops... Where is your backpack?

There isn't a day that goes by without something completely hilarious happening in our classrooms. We have the best job in the world. We hope you share some of the funnies you have with us. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts over the years and even more thanks for all the laughs.

We are giving away Planning In Paradise "Sand Dollars" which is just what we affectionately call a $25 Dollar Gift Card to Teachers Pay Teachers. Enter below on the Rafflecopter, by following ONE or ALL of our TpT stores. The more you follow the more chances you have to win. Good Luck Teachers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So This Is What People Think Teachers Do All Day...

This blog started out being about something else entirely, but then I started to look for clip art and pictures to go with the blog. While searching for photographs, I had to switch topics. I could not help but write about - WHAT THE HECK DO PEOPLE THINK A REAL CLASSROOM IS LIKE?!?

Here is what my unscientific, kind of snarky, research revealed. This is what people think teachers do:

Copying from book to blackboard is a highly effective and satisfying teaching strategy. Clearly, this would be impressive if my principal came in my classroom for an evaluative walk-through. 

In fact, writing on the blackboard is not even necessary. Judging from these photos, just pointing at it is clearly effective and satisfying.

Forget writing or pointing. Teachers can just sit back and allow students to teach themselves by writing on the board! By the way, the 80’s called and asked for the blackboard/greenboard back since in this century every classroom has a Smartboard or at least a dry erase board!

If writing on the blackboard (or pointing to it) is too taxing, students will enjoy lectures directly from the textbook. Look at how engaged these learners are!

Forget about blackboards. The best lessons come from the fully stocked science labs in 2nd grade (as we all know, all second grade classrooms have a full science lab). The complex chemistry lessons are THE BEST.

And sometimes teachers can just look off in the distance and sit contently as students are engaged in learning. 

If a teacher is actually teaching the class, it might have less than 10 students. These students will all be engaged by lecture and eagerly raise their hands.

And maybe even applaud!

Clearly I am doing something wrong here because this is the drawing my daughter did in PreK. She explained to me she wanted to be a teacher just like her mommy! This is how I look at the end of the day.

That is right folks, the picture above was not from a clip art site. My real life daughter drew that gem when she was in PreK. Teaching is HARD! The struggle is real.

10 Hashtags Only a Teacher Would Understand

1.  #lunchbathroomphonecall #notallthree #hardchoices

I try, I really do. Most lunches are a frantic rush to throw a Lean Cuisine in the microwave, rush to the restroom, grab my lunch from the microwave, return a call at my desk, and scarf down my lunch which is hot like molten lava in some spots and and frozen solid in others. 

2. #bladderofsteel

Wait, there are jobs that you can go to the restroom whenever you need to? I hold it everyday from morning meeting until lunch. That is my superpower.

3.#neverthoughtIwouldhavetosaythat

The other day I found myself saying, “We don’t chew on tissues out of the trash can.” 

4. #theteacherlook

We have all perfected it and are not afraid to use it!

5. #Iknowifyoureallyhavetogotothebathroom #mysuperpower

We can all spot a faker a mile away. That is right students, we know if you really have to go. Somehow teachers just know.

6. #rockingmymacaroniandyarnnecklace

That moment at the grocery store when you realize you are still wearing the macaroni and yarn necklace proudly made by a student.

7. #whyyesthatispukeonmyshoes

Many of us had been there when a student does not quite make it to the bathroom. One year, when there was particularly violent stomach flu going around I considered buying Crocs or some kind of plastic shoes and painting a target on them. So. Much. Puke.

8. #dryerasefromfingertipstoelbow 

Can’t stop the momentum to find the eraser. The struggle is real.

9. #ifyoucanreadthisbuyateacheramargarita

If you can read this, thank a teacher.  Better yet, buy her a margarita! 

10. #wouldnotdoanythingelse #IneverknewIwouldlovethemsomuch #eachonelivesinmyheart

Just like the old Peace Corps commercials used to say, this is the toughest job you will ever love. I go home exhausted at the end of the day, but my heart is full. All of my students live in a special place in my heart!

Do you have a hashtag only a teacher would understand? If so, please leave it in a comment below!

Life Is Better When You Are Laughing

I truly believe that 

Life Is Better When You Are Laughing 

Anyone who knows me knows this is how I roll.  

Every day with me has laughter. 

The giggles from my students (and my teacher friends)

 is truly music to my ears.  

Summer is here and my daily laughter jam with my students will halt for a couple of months.  I will certainty miss the daily giggles and toothless smiles but I look forward to meeting 20 more new funny kids who will say the darndest things. 

Here are some highlights from my hilarious students.

Student on the playground:  Teacher I have to go to the clinic
Teacher:  Are you sick?
Student:  Well I was laughing a little bit and now my panties are a little wet.
Teacher:  Welcome to my world!  (I did send her to the clinic)

Student rushing out of the bathroom:  Teacher my panties are gone!!
Teacher:  What do you mean?
Student:  I just went potty and my panties aren’t there!
Teacher:  Did you put panties on this morning when you got dressed?
Student:  I don’t remember!!

Teacher sneezes loudly
Multiple students:  Bless you!!!
Teacher:  Thank you, I must be allergic to children
Students have a puzzled look, then giggle
Teacher sneezes weeks later
One student:  Are you still allergic to us?

Student:  Teacher your hair is getting white again but just on the top.
Teacher:  Thanks it’s hard for me to see the top of my head.

Student:  Teacher you see this part right here?  (pointing at his chest)
Teacher:  Yes, you mean your chest?
Student:  Yeah the chest, well yours looks like bacon.
Teacher:  Oh thanks for the complement.  Are you hungry?

Typing this just made me giggle!!

  Did you have any giggles this year?