What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?

This quote has been attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, one of my personal heroes, but I have often heard it quoted (or rather misquoted) by others.   Today I was at school for a little while attending a birthday breakfast for our principal . Yeah, we like her enough to have a breakfast in her honor on a Thursday morning at 7:30 am in the middle of summer break!!  Whenever I am in our building it is inevitable that the memories of the past year, and dreams of the upcoming year begin to creep in. Whether it is the fists week of break or I am staring down the barrel of the final 3 weeks before summer ends, it is always the same feelings and emotions that come flooding back.

As I was driving home I started thinking about what I wanted to accomplish this school year with my students...and this quote came to mind.

I would not so much use this quote for myself, to think of all the things I would attempt but rather use it as a jumping off point for my students.  This could be a writing prompt, a hook in for goal setting, and ever a piece to get them to reflect on the choices they make on a daily basis.

I am think we are raising a generation of kids who don't know HOW to be risk takers. I see my students often trying to take the easy way out rather than seeking out and taking risks with their ideas. I am hoping to remedy that this year and I hope this quote will be a good jumping off point.

Thoughts???

Writer's Block, Summer and School Supplies.

I think I have writer's block!! I honestly have not had the energy or the ideas to blog about this summer. However, I know I should be blogging but don;t want to blog just to blog. Get my drift? A lot of the bloggers I follow are very active in both blogging and in TpT. I am neither. I need some motivation!!! ASAP!

I am also in denial tat summer is coming to an end for me in 3 short weeks. Don't get me wrong..I am excited to get back into my classroom and prepare for the upcoming year. I am so excited about my next class of 5th graders. I have done a little PD this summer and I have been reading everyone else's blogs. I have jumped into building a PLN on Twitter and I am ready t go back. I will miss my late nights, freedom to do what I want, hours on the computer, and even more hours with my nose in a book. I have watched 2 entire seasons of series on Netflix (House of Cards and Orange is the New Black...both are very edgy, but I love edgy). I have done some traveling (DC, Virginia and the Outer Banks of NC), spent some quality time with my 12 (almost 13) year old son and also my husband (while my son was away). I have taken m first class (in a long time) at the gym and wasted hours of time I can't account for (and don;t care too).  But I know that all good things must come to an end so.....

I am putting myself on a plan to prepare for back to school starting today, AND I am going to start shopping for supplies for my room. As far as I know we are getting $275 to spend and I am usually half way done spending it by this time. But i am struggling with a theme for my classroom. I re-read a few of the Harry Potter books this summer an I think I may want to tackle doing a Harry Potter theme. Not sure how my 5th graders would like it...I was going to add a tagline/theme to it "Welcome to the Magic of 5th Grade." Would live some feedback from anyone who had done a HP theme in their classroom..there is some stuff on Pinterest, but not a ton. I have some ideas but would love to hear what you all think of it....

So my bloggy friends...I leave you with a video clip from K Mart...about schools supplies (gotta find a way to use this one the first day of school!!). Cracks me up every time I see it...enjoy these last few days of summer. I know I will!!