And so it begins again....

I went back to school one day in July, and another day the week before we were supposed to be back.  Here's what the classroom looked like that day in July when I walked in.  The student's lockers are in the classroom and I was getting new lockers this year, which are on the back wall still in the process of being installed.  

This school opened in 1957, and I don't think they have thrown out any science related article since. Once I became the science teacher, everything was put in my room.  I have thrown away (or recycled) tons of stuff since I have been there, and still have more to go, but things are much less cluttered than they were before.  I love my bright blue trim in the classroom, the large amount of space, and the fact that I can open my windows (and the fact that I even have windows, since I spent one year without!).  By the time the students arrived the classroom was in pretty good shape and ready for the start of school.  This year will be much easier since much of the lesson creation has already been done, and I know all the students except my fifth graders, and I knew several of them already.    The drive didn't get any shorter, and the pay didn't get any better, but having a second year at a school is always easier.  I assume the third year is easier still, but I've yet to reach that point with a school!  This is the third school and my sixth year of teaching.  I have a good group of seventh graders for my homeroom class, and truly, all the students are a great group of kids.  While I love, love, love my summers off, I am looking forward to a great year of teaching.