iPad training: Going Paperless in the Classroom

Bye, Domino

There he is, my ferocious, loving, funny cat, Domino, laying on my laptop. I love that guy. He'd try to get my breakfast cereal every morning, sneaking his little paws towards my bowl. He'd roll around the table purring on top of my book (I know, cats shouldn't be on the table, but he was). Then he'd get so excited, he'd jump up and grab my head in his paws and bite my hair, all while purring madly.

We came home yesterday to find him barely alive. He died soon after. We don't know why or how. Just suddenly gone. While the kids are awake, I'm brave and smiling. "God must have needed Domino right away," I say. Joplin had a terrible tornado this weekend, and many people died. Maybe God did need a cat with a good sense of humor. I hope so.

But down here on earth, with my kids tucked into bed, I'm missing my black and white buddy. Rest in peace, kitty.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow! November 25th already. The first real break of the school year. So much has happened this year since August. We've read and learned new things in our classroom. Friendships have formed and dissolved. We lost one of our classmates to a terrible accident.

On this Thanksgiving morning, I am so grateful for so many things in my life - at home and at school. I'm grateful for my children and all that I learn from them every single day. I'm grateful for each of my students at school - all of you add a richness to our team by just being you. I hope everyone is enjoying a restful, fun Thanksgiving break, and that you come back ready to take on the world.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Ms. Hagen

Sunrise

What is it about the sunrise that inspires poetry? I sit most mornings sipping a hot mug of coffee and watch the sun come up. It is a moment I love each morning. Today the sun is nestled in a deep blanket of clouds that are casting a purple hue across the sky. The sun is still hidden behind the trees, but soon will come bursting out lighting up the whole sky. It's quite a way to start your day if you've never tried it. Everyday I get a reminder that a fresh start is here. No matter what mistakes I feel I made yesterday, or what happened, today is another chance to go out in the world and shine a little light on others. I guess teaching is the same for me. A new school year is another chance to grow and learn, to help students be more than they were the day before. My own personal sunrise.

Happy Tuesday!

Ms. Hagen

I'm back at school!

So, today was the first day back for teachers. We spent the morning in a whole faculty meeting, had lunch and spent the afternoon in a team meeting - mostly planning our first day together. It was good to think about the new school year and what I want to achieve as a teacher, but the most exciting part is yet to come - you guys! I love to see everyone again and to take on the challenge again of making us all grow as readers and writers. Tomorrow morning is all mine, so that's what I'm doing, putting some polishing touches on portfolios, Writer's Notebook stuff, independent reading, and some other classroom goodies. Then in the afternoon it's off to a district language arts meeting.

Don't forget to stop by and say hi Wednesday at schedule pick-up! I'm very excited to see you all!

Happy Last Couple of Days Off For You!
Ms. Hagen

The party was a success!

Today was the big party. I have to admit that I was a bit worried. Yes, I teach classrooms full of middle school students and don't find that scary (mostly!); however, I was a bit intimidated by all these little kids. I imagined them all swinging from ceiling fans, drawing with markers on the walls, and tackling the dogs. I was so wrong! They were awesome!!! They played pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, Pokemon Bingo, and made Pokemon masks. Then we ate lunch - hot dogs, chips and grapes. They played a bit, and then we had cake and ice cream. Suddenly parents were arriving, and we hadn't even opened presents! They all said they had fun, and my son thought it was "awesome," so I'll take that as success.

Happy Saturday!

Ms. Hagen

Wrapping it up

So, this is it, for me. The last day of summer vacation before I start meetings and official school preparations on Monday. I met yesterday with Mr. Scholten and Mrs. Townsend about some integrated projects we want to do with the computers - even though Mrs. Townsend won't be with us in the library :(. I've also been writing about our Writer's Notebook, independent reading, projects. All that good stuff. I'm excited to start reading and writing with you again.

The only part that I'm trying to work out is how NOT to make our school year feel hectic, rushed and stressful. Yes, there is more to do, but how can we all feel less overwhelmed? How can we enjoy the processes of reading, writing and thinking without the stress of time, grades, and getting it all done? Everything I've learned this summer reminds me that our brains learn best when we're happy, not when we're upset, stressed or downright angry.

Well, I don't have any answers for all that right now, so I'll keep working on it. I'm sure while I'm doing laundry, vacuuming, and all that today, my brain will be busy. That's how it usually goes.

Enjoy today. Relax. Have fun. Smile as much as you can.

Happy Friday!
Ms. Hagen