Sometimes, everyone is right.

 I have a friend in ministry who told me at the start of my teaching career "I hope you take this the right way. It takes someone a little off-center to be a successful middle school teacher and I think you'll be very successful." All the early childhood and elementary educators gasped while I chuckled and thanked him. I do strive to be successful and so have been searching for ways to streamline my classroom procedures, upgrade my decor, and engage my students with the material.

I teach at a great Lutheran school in a small FL city. I went there myself. Some things are very different and some are very much the same. I suppose the same could be about me.

I've spent a ton of time on Pinterest this summer and there are a few things everyone else seems to be doing and I'm not. Two of those things include ordering things on Vistaprint and placing lamps on their counters. Now, my classroom is undergoing an Extrem(ely Cheap) Makeover so I can't imagine placing a lamp on my counter currently. It wouldn't make my room look cuter or cozier, it would make it look even more mismatched.

In an upcoming blog post, I'll share before and after pictures of my portable. I like my portable and I like the teacher who had it before me, but I'm definitely putting my own stamp on it.

As for my Vistaprint order, the whole point of this blog post, I ordered the free 250 business cards as an exit slip and a free self-inking stamp.  The exit slip says to write a test question and its answer on the card.  I left the back blank for more space.  After I read them, the students will already have a stack of questions their parents, friends or self can study.  The stamp will reduce my irritation. My initials are J.A.W. and at least once a year a parent will read them as "JEW." Last year, I signed my students' assignment books for the 1st quarter daily and as needed (by IEP, 504, or low homework participation) for the remainder of the year. I plan on signing them daily the whole year by using my handy dandy stamp that says,"Miss J-W saw this. Please initial when you do."

I'm pretty sure now that I've placed a Vistaprint order, I will see zillions more ways I can use it. We shall see.