Apparently, Summer Is Over #TeacherProblems

Apparently, summer is over. I mean, it is over for me. As I type this, I am procrastinating going to bed, knowing in a few short hours my alarm will be waking me up for my first day back to school for the 16th straight year.

In remembrance of this summer–which ended much too soon–I made some funny memes so at least we can laugh about having to go back to the long hours of endless paperwork and lesson planning. Hope this helps ease you back into your school year!

I am simply not ready! 

(But I never am. Maybe a year off might help me get caught up on summer projects.)

I know I should be happy I have a job. Getting fresh paint (and new carpet this year, too) may have caused me extra work, but I am truly thankful for my job and the wonderful people who work on it all summer.

Sadly, it takes me a long time to get it back in order.

I wish this were the case. :(

Seriously, how do our feet get out of shape so quickly in the summer?

Let's add HOARD ALL the school supplies, too!

Admit it, you've felt this way a time or two.

I hope you all DO have a great year!

Five Ways to Use Memes to Connect With Students

Students love funny memes. Here are five ways you can bring that humor into your classroom (and school) to connect with students:

1. Class Rules, Expectations, and/or Procedures: Instead of your traditional class rules poster, use memes to deliver your message with humor. Better yet, have students create what they think proper rules and regulations should be. In memes, of course. You or your students can use a website like http://memegenerator.net/. You can also download full-quality already-made prints HERE.

2. Ice-breaker or "Get-to-Know-You" Activity: Memes are perfect for getting to know your students better. Break the ice with a "What I Do" meme or funny eCard. For a full lesson with printables and digital templates you can share, click here.

3. Promote (and Reinforce) Your Curriculum: Generate excitement with memes or use them to spark discussions. Posted around your room, they are sure to catch your students' attention. You can find hundreds of images on Pinterest.com with a search in your subject area. Or create them yourself.

4. Creative Activity: Students will practice both creative and critical-thinking skills while creating a meme related to the unit you are studying. It seems very simple, but coming up with appropriate wording to convey the right tone is definitely a higher-order skill. Then students have to make sure they use the right meme correctly. Without even realizing it, they will be making connections with the material while having fun. To read a more detailed post about making memes a class assignment, read more here.

5. Freshmen Orientation (or Open House): One of my colleagues came up with the brilliant idea to have our current students create memes for next year's incoming freshmen for orientation. The meme content varied, covering advice, warnings, and plain old high school humor. The eighth graders and their parents perused the memes during their orientation in March. The images always seem to generate questions they may not have asked otherwise. You could also use this for an open house discussion-starter. Graduating seniors can also leave legacy memes with words of wisdom for future seniors.

However you use memes in your classroom or school, one thing is certain: your students will love it!

You can find high-quality teacher meme prints for your classroom (or to place in presentations) here: Classroom Memes Posters for Classroom or Presentations

Try my End of the Year Advice Memes - Students create "advice memes" for your future students.

Enjoy!

The following images are from our most recent freshmen orientation, created by students:

Test Time #TeacherProblems

Hey kids...it's called READING. Pick up a book and try it sometime. :)

Do these images look (or sound) familiar?


There's nothing worse than a student who never pays attention in class, doesn't read the book, doesn't take notes or study for the test, then complains that the test is too hard or they didn't have time to study or it's the teacher's fault they fail.

This goes out to all those teachers who've had to deal with unmotivated and irresponsible students. I feel your pain!

Elementary vs. High School Teachers: Who has the tougher job?

When it comes to teaching, it's hard to compare jobs with other teachers because each level is unique. And it's probably not fair to make assumptions that one teacher has it easier than the other. But...we teachers tend to do this all the time.

So, I thought I'd take a humorous approach to the comparisons between elementary teachers and high school teachers. (Middle school teachers - you seem to have a happy balance between the two. Besides, dealing with all the hormones with that age group...you deserve a gold medal!)

So, here's the battle between Elementary and High School teachers...

Round 1: Bulletin Boards

Score:

Elementary - 1

High School - 0

Round 2: Classroom Preparation

Score:

Elementary - 2

High School - 0

Round 3: Grading

Score:

Elementary - 2

High School - 1

Round 4: Student Relations

Score:

Elementary - 2

High School - 2

Moral of the story?

IT ALL EVENS OUT EVENTUALLY...

No matter what age group you teach, I think we can all agree that teachers have pretty tough jobs at times. Have a great school year, my teacher friends!