How We Spent Our Summer Vacation

brought to you by Lori

And now some summer-time math brought to you by an English teacher (who should not, in general, attempt math):
3 Subject Areas
+
3 Types of Writing
+
11 Days of Instruction
+
1.2 million Tiny Pieces for Grammar Manipulatives 
[I don't know how the .2 got there. I'm not a math teacher, but that's what it felt like when I cut them out one by one. Perhaps I'm using a bit of hyperbole, but if ever a situation called for hyperbole...cutting out class sets of manipulatives for 3 separate lessons for 7 different teachers would be that situation.]
/
2 teachers
=
RIDICULOUSNESS. That's what it equals. 

This was a summer unlike any other where I worked way more and way harder than I have ever had to in the past. Luckily, my good friend Suz is just a crazy as I am, so we help lighten the load for one another. It's so easy to say this now, being on the other side of it, but summer acceleration went really well, and I hope to share giant success stories with you once our scores come rolling in. For now, as we begin to say farewell to the last days of summer, enjoy some pictures of the ridiculousness that ensued mere weeks ago. 

Suzanne is pouting because we had been working for HOURS. I think I left her house after midnight that evening. I mean...of course we took a break to go have dinner and go to Dollar Tree. But still...I'm telling you...HOURS.
We cut some manipulatives at school, but I ended up taking the bulk home with me. Ignore the toys. This is real life, folks. And I promise that I do clean my house, but these two really short people mess it up. All. The. Time.

Speaking of my short people, they do come in handy. My oldest helped me unroll some manipulatives. By the way...this looks absolutely atrocious. But the lesson was SO worth it!

No one likes working during the summer, so after the lessons had been prepped, Suzanne and I organized them neatly so that all teachers had to do was walk in my office in the morning, pick up their materials, and teach. 
What do you see? That's right...who is that? Oh...it's just 2 Curly Haired Crazies planning for the following week's summer acceleration lessons. I'm surprised there aren't tumbleweeds blowing by in the thousand degree heat. 


And that is how we spent our summer vacation. We hope yours has been wonderful! Use the last remaining days to rest, recharge, and (of course) replenish your hoard of school supplies. 

Ready or not...here they come!