If you are a true teacher at heart you know that the #teacherbrain never shuts off! It's truly a problem and the closer to we get to the start of a new school year the crazier our #teacerbrain gets! It's the time when we need a notebook next to the bed, for the middle of the night and something to write with in the shower, because that's of course where we think up our best ideas!
Every summer I give myself a few weeks to recoup from the previous school year. I usually say I will do absolutely nothing during the month of June. I spend a lot of time with my Tiny Human in the pool and doing fun things! I try my hardest to not think about school and the things that have to get done before the next year starts.
Starting the July I'm off running. You can find me waking up early to be the first in line at the Target Dollar Spot. I'm making never-ending to do lists that will never get finished when I want them done. I'm printing, cutting, laminating, the list goes on and on... I'm searching Amazing for amazing steals for the next year. Hoping and crossing my fingers that the laminating pouches will drop in price before I run out again. Teachers Pay Teachers is my first search in the morning. I make my coffee and sit down with my computer making sure I'm not missing a sale or anything I can convince myself to buy.
I thought that I would share just a few things that I keep at home during the summer. This makes my life so much easier! By keeping things at home I'm not completely rushing in August to get everything ready last minute. I know that there are so people that think I'm CRAZY for working at home during the summer but it's just how I operate. This summer is a little different because I'm going from General Education to Special Education. I'm busy making hands on activities and creating a BRAND NEW CLASSROOM THEME. **Oh jeez, what was I thinking?!?!**
Anyway, I'll start by saying I use my HP Instant Ink a lot during the summer! I go over my page limit every month! So, my favorite thing to use year round is my HP Instant Ink printer. I love it because it sends me ink before I run out! That's probably why I always go over my page limit, I don't have to run to the store to get ink!
That leads to cardstock. I try to stick with the Astrobrghts Cardstock. I spent a couple of hours earlier in the year picking out the PERFECT combination for my room this year. I made sure to purchase all the colors and 5 reams of plain white.
Once everything is printed a cut it all out with my AMAZING new paper cutter! I don't know why I never bought one before. This thing saves my life! I use my scotch scissors to help me cut the smaller things and the corner rounder to get those perfect edges. ** I'm a little OCD**
Once everything is cut it's time to laminate. I have the Scotch Thermal Laminator and watch for the Scotch pouches to go on sale. Now, with that being said I do NOT laminate everything on my laminator. I take a lot to school and do it on the school machine. It really just depends on what I'm using it for. *Here's a hint. I use glue sticks to glue the paper to the laminate pouch before running it through the laminator. It just helps keep it in place.
Last but not least I'm making a TON of file folder activities for my kids. I had to by the PERFECT combination for my classroom. I also make sure to have velcro dots on hand to help make sure that all my activities are completed.
Now here's the real deal... usually when I'm prepping I'm sitting on my couch watching reality TV after the Tiny Human is fast asleep. Let me tell you that an hour or 2 a night really adds up. When he is a awake and busy I'm working on my computer on my Welcome Packet, supply list, easy simple things. I try to knock out one a day every other day.
Does everything get done before the first day or school? NOOOOO! I try my hardest though. Summer is about reenergizing and spending quality time with my Tiny Human, friends, and family. It's a time where I can think about nothing of importance. It's when I give my brain a well needed break. If I don't feel like working on school stuff, well I don't. It's not going to hurt. What's going to hurt is being burnt out before the school year even starts.
I hope that you are enjoying your summer and making the most of it, but if you are working on next school year, I hope that I have left you with some easy things to help your summer. Below I have left some links that will help make your summer prep easy.
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