How I spent my summer vacation

My husband and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary in St. Lucia in June!  I’m embarrassed to say my inspiration for choosing that locale was, ahem, The Bachelor (next trip: Iceland! JK).  However, the island was every bit as spectacular as it appeared when Jake and Vienna gushed on and on about it. We climbed mountains, explored rainforests, went out on motorboats with the locals, swam, hiked, ziplined through the rainforest, toured the volcano, and soaked in the sulphur springs. Yes, that’s a lot. We did get a couples massage and try relaxing on the beach afterward for like, an hour, before we acknowledged that we’re just not the resort type and rode our rented bikes over to check out some historical ruins.

This summer, I also spent a tremendous amount of time reading, writing, and working on my website. This was both relaxing and incredibly productive. I switched to a new layout for the website which I love because it’s so incredibly easy to update. I added more than two dozen new pages of free teacher resources!  And…I’ve started on book #2! I’ll share more details about it in the coming months as I prepare for publication in spring 2011.

And now? I’m gearing up for the fall…I’ve been helping teachers in South Florida arrange and organize their classrooms, and will be doing the same thing in the NY tri-state area closer to Labor Day. If you’re in either of those locations and would like some help setting up your classroom, routines and procedures, or behavior management system, let me know and I’ll try to fit in a trip to your school!

I’m finalizing dates for both Las Vegas and San Francisco, so if you’re interested in having a classroom consultation or attending a workshop in either of those cities during the 2010-2011 school year, please email me so I can provide you with the details!

And maybe most exciting of all (for those of you who don’t live in any of those places and are thinking, crap, why doesn’t she ever come here?): I’ve also spent the summer creating classroom management on-demand webinars!  The first web seminar series I’m finishing up is based on my most-requested workshop topic, behavior management:

• arranging your classroom to facilitate your procedures and routines
• establishing clear expectations and modeling/reinforcing them
• redirecting students without losing momentum in your lessons
• providing meaningful feedback and rewards
• addressing the needs of your most challenging kids through individualized behavior plans

You’ll be able to register for the webinars at a low cost and watch them on your computer any time. It’s like having your own personal workshop in which I’m speaking directly to you, but better, because you can enjoy quality professional development in your faded pajamas while you scarf down a gigantic bag of Cheetos. I’ll also be integrating some support options so you can ask questions via email, instant messaging, or video chat (Cheetos-dust-covered clothing allowed).

So, yes, many exciting things are happening right now! I’ve got a few weeks left before I start my work as an instructional coach in NYC schools, and I’m using the time to collect lots of resources for my teachers, which of course I’ll share online with you all, too. I’ve enjoyed reading–via Facebook, Twitter, and your blogs–about all the fun you guys have had this summer…looking forward to many more interesting and fun happenings during the school year!  ENJOY IT!