Me, spilling out all my thoughts, inner and outer, on just about anything! Lots of poetry, short stories from past experiences, anecdotes about teaching elementary school, music, relationships....garage sale type thing...Something For Everyone!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Purging and Cleansing!

I'm doing the opposite of everyone else...I'm fall cleaning. Actually, I'm purging and cleansing! It feels great and is very cathartic for me.

As I'm not returning to school this year, I decided to downsize all my teaching materials both at home and at school. As anyone who knows a teacher can tell you, we hang on to an awful lot and can't bear to throw away anything we, or anyone else might possibly ever use! At one point, I had 24 boxes of files, books etc. in my attic....and you should see what's at school!

I decided to start at school last week. I coined the phrase, "pitching from the source" because I finally realized that it made no sense to cart it home and up to the attic where I would just have to cull it at some point anyway. Years of dust came sailing out from those old hall cupboards! I gave away 14 plastic tubs of books for kids to read, seasonal decorations, story tapes, bulletin board borders, binders, art supplies, resource books, and over twenty resource activity books teachers use to photocopy work.

The two new Gr. 2 teachers in our school were happy to stock their empty shelves with all this and not have to shell out the money. And I felt glad that I could pass them on as a legacy of the years I put them to good use in my classroom. After all, I remember someone doing that for me. Full circle, just as it should be.

I am now starting my attic and will be carting a few more loads over to the school soon. But this morning, as the teachers are calling out their class lists, I shall be relaxing in a cafe, with eight retirees, for the traditional first day back, "To Hell With The Bell Coffee"!


Mother of Invention, wishing everyone's year gets off to a great start, no matter what you're doing!

10 Comments:

Blogger Old Lady said...

Having fun already! Do you feel like you are plaing hookey?

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Richard said...

I can't bear to throw away old books and writings. I am glad you were able to recycle them and I hope the new techers make good use of them.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Barbara said...

It's a good feeling to clean out old things. In your case, it's great that you can pass on your discards to someone who can use them. You sound like the "teacher emeritus" that everyone will seek out for advice! Enjoy drinking that leisurely coffee.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Barbara said...

It's a good feeling to clean out old things. In your case, it's great that you can pass on your discards to someone who can use them. You sound like the "teacher emeritus" that everyone will seek out for advice! Enjoy drinking that leisurely coffee.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Barbara said...

It's a good feeling to clean out old things. In your case, it's great that you can pass on your discards to someone who can use them. You sound like the "teacher emeritus" that everyone will seek out for advice! Enjoy drinking that leisurely coffee.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Old Lady: No, I didn't feel guilty or "Hookyish" at all! I felt relief, although I did have a "teacher" dream last night..guess it's just built in forever!

Richard: Yes, it would break my heart to pitch books...even old wrecked up books..I have given many away to kids in my room who didn't have many books. They thought I was giving them gold!

Barbara: It still surprises me when younger teachers ask me for advice etc. Somehow I think I'm not old enough to be doing that!! But it is neat that they do.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

 
Blogger Diana said...

I know what you mean about educators not throwing away things. I keep trying but my husband keeps thwarting me. Sadly, he seems to find an eventual use for it all, years down the road.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Diana: Yeah, my husband's still got notes from school up in the attic and tons of professional mags still in plastic wrap! What does your husband teach?

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

 
Blogger brooksba said...

I love back to school time and all the fun supplies for school. I think it is one of the things I miss the most about childhood - school shopping! Boxes upon boxes sit around full of old textbooks and notebooks that I can't bear to toss. How nice that you are sharing with the new teachers, giving them somewhere to start and helping their pocketbooks along the way!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

 
Blogger Mother of Invention said...

Brooksba: Me too! That was such an exciting time in my life. I loved school! Life in its simplicity! And it was good to see my old stuff put to good use. You always feel a little ownership with that kind of thing. Kind of like Friendship Cake idea!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

 

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