A school is not just a building. It is a community within a community. A finely tuned machine. A home away from home. A place of nurturing and growth.  A nursery of learning. I could go on and on, but you get the point. Schools are not just teachers and kids, although kids are definitely the heartbeat!  Schools involve custodians, cooks, bus drivers, special service providers, counselors, volunteers, administrators, substitutes, parents, and many others dedicated to helping children.

Take one out of the equation and you are unbalanced. The ride can get rough. Someone else has to pick up the slack.  It is easy to get wrapped up in your own little world and forget about the teacher down the hall or the person who cleans your room after you turn off the lights. It is easy to take for granted the cookies sitting in the teacher's workroom or the encouraging email that you received. That is until they are gone. Then you feel their absence. Some more keenly than others.

If you've worked in a district that had cutbacks you are familiar with extra duties. Emptying your trash, cleaning your boards, wiping down cafeteria tables.  Or, taking your Friday night to take tickets at a game or pass out programs at a musical event.  And the entire time you were probably thinking about all the things you could and needed to be doing to get your room ready instead of helping in some other area.

Do we take time to consider what responsibilities others have? I know that I can get impatient when some things are not done when I think they should be done, or an email is not responded to as quickly as I would like. I have to take a step back and realize that there are more pressing issues or other responsibilities that take precedence over mine.  This is a good time to have a humbling reality check. A good time to ask myself if I am appreciating those people that work in my world. Am I respecting their duties? Do I think mine are more important?

Truth is, no one person is more important than another. We are all needed to keep things running smoothly.  Teamwork.  It takes every one of us to pull off this thing called 'school'.


Don't forget reading resources at Chocolate 4 Teachers!  Fiction and nonfiction resources are available at great prices.  Save yourself some time and money!

Complete Mystery Unit!

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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I'm going to jump in the deep end on this one, but it is something that I am very passionate about... history. The recent events in the news sadden me. Should we be attempting to erase history or should we be embracing it to learn from our past? It startled me that so many people didn't even know why the statues were there or what was symbolized. I'll bet that many couldn't even tell me where or why the Civil War started. I know for certain that a particular group didn't know who Robert E. Lee was. How do I know? I wrote a response on the FB page of Fox News (to comments clearly indicating that the writers didn't know their history) and a person replied with a 'that's right go ahead and tear the statues down', it won't change history. The person's comment continued which told me that they didn't even know who Robert E. Lee was or what he did or why he was remembered. Naturally, I replied with a history lesson.

How can people have comments and opinions when they don't even know what they are commenting on or have opinions about?  Easy. They follow the crowd. They don't need to understand or know. They just follow.  They fall into the "this is a just cause" trap and buy into the lie without really understanding what it is all about.  People get hurt or killed and property gets destroyed in the process, but history was not changed or erased.

Our job is to teach history. Teach the facts. Period. It is not our job (as the media seems to believe) to think for our students or sway them. Present the facts. All of the facts. Not just the ones that suit our beliefs, but even the ones that make us stop and question our own opinions.

History isn't pretty. But, it is real. It happened. Burning books, destroying buildings, changing names, and pulling down statues won't change it. We can't make it go away. We can't rewrite history books so that they say what we want them to say. We can learn from our past. We can weigh the information and make informed decisions. We can choose to be educated, rather than ignorant.

Rather than be indignant over a statue or name of a park, we could be doing something about slavery today.  Slavery didn't die in 1865. The detestable practice continues today. It isn't confined to a race. Or a place. It happens in your state. In your country. In our world. Slavery is just as horrific today as it was over 150 years ago. Brothers are still lured by the shiny coin to sell out brothers. Until we get to the heart of the matter and understand the disease, we cannot hope to find a cure.

Before judging or joining a protest, learn the facts. Study history. Know what happened and why. Then, find a way that you can make a difference. Differences are not made through violence or riots or demonstrations. A difference starts in your heart. And your mind.

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

What if I oversleep? What will I wear? What will I have for lunch? Will my friends be there?  Sound familiar? Thought I was talking about a child? Nope. Teachers have anxiety too.

 I used to practice getting up on time. For. Two. Weeks. I set two alarms, one by the bed and one in the bathroom. Just to be sure.  I laid out my clothing. Set my breakfast, ready to eat, in the fridge.  Even went as far as laying my toothbrush by the sink. A little overboard? Maybe, but the thought of oversleeping and being late terrified me. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much the first few weeks of school.

Over the years, I dropped the get-up-get-ready drills and simply let the alarm clock do it's thing.  I also perfected my organizational skills and got clothes and food ready in advance. I continued having cooking marathons. Preparing meals over the end-of-summer to be ready for the back-to-school fatigue.  I knew that I would be tired in the evenings and need to have some meals ready to go.

Preparation. That's the key to relieving anxiety.  There is nothing worse than trying to get something ready while the clock is ticking. Like those surprise, "Mom, I need my uniform washed before we leave for school" statements (yeah, some of those are still going to occur).  Or, coming home to discover that your husband has invited a friend over? Life is full of surprises. You can't avoid everything or, for that matter, be prepared for everything, but you can be prepared for the normal day-to-day occurrences.

So... here are a few tips from an over the top organizer!

1. Check out these recipes on my Pinterest board- Meal Ideas!   I've tried the No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars, Mexican Stuffed Shells, super easy peach cobbler, my variation of Poor Man's Stew, some of the chicken recipes (baked garlic brown sugar),  and the 1 pound ground meat with 1 packet of dry French onion soup mix (no name on pin!). They are delicious- Kim tested, husband approved!  Since, I've made them over the summer, they are easier and quicker for me to prepare now.





2.  Try organizing your kitchen. I know that with kids (or husbands) it isn't easy. It is also time-consuming, but in the long-run it pays off.  My pantry is organized by type (vegetable, fruit, cereal, etc). All of the breakfast items are in one easy to see and access location. All can labels are facing out so I can read them. I keep a magnetic shopping list on fridge. I try to keep all recipe staples on hand.


3. Try to keep some mix-&-match outfits in your closet. I like the kind that are wash & wear (hate to iron!!!). I also like the tops (or bottoms) that will go with more than one other item. That way, if I put on something that doesn't fit anymore :( or needs repair, I can easily swap it out for something else. I've updated my Teacher's Life board to include meals, organization tips, and teaching ideas (anything that fell into the make-it-easier-during-the-school-year category).







4. Find a place to post your schedules, as well as, your own. Post them in a high traffic area with important dates highlighted. I carry my planner everywhere! I have all of our dates marked in it with some reminders posted a day or two in advance. May sound crazy, but it beats having to explain to the dentist why you didn't show up for your appointment.

5. Accept that things will not be perfect. Do what you do with your heart and then leave it there. You may burn supper (I do frequently) or a lesson plan may fail and that is ok. Life goes on. Find your mix and let it work for you.  Make sure that you save some time for yourself. You can't be your best when you are running on empty!

Now, let's set those alarms and make this the best year ever!

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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 As a teacher, I footed the bill for classroom supplies. I supplied markers, crayons, glue, pencils, pens, paper,  highlighters, and just about anything else that I thought was necessary for teaching my kids. No, I'm not wealthy. Not even close, but I decided what I needed and figured it into my budget.   If I couldn't afford it, I didn't buy it. If I didn't have it, I found a way to teach without it. My original back-to-school supply list consisted of:  pencils, one black or blue pen, paper, and 3-ring binder. The list eventually dwindled to pencil and paper.  I never specified brand. I never specified an amount over one. When parents asked about the type of binder that I wanted, my reply was any type that would allow their child to keep track of assignments (back in the good 'ole days when we actually wrote on paper).  I suggested one binder for all of their core classes and use dividers to keep the classes separate, rather than buy a different binder for each class. Buying numerous binders was an unnecessary expense. I could almost tell you word-for-word the conversations that I've had with parents over the years because on Open House night I spoke to the parents of over 150 kids. The words are burned in my memory.  I tried to be aware of the expense for parents. I picked up supplies throughout the school year at close-outs, sales,  yard sales, and discount stores. I was always on the look-out for supplies.

So this week, when I joined in a back-to-school shopping experience, my eyes were opened at how... well,...  crazy things have become. I had a list for a kindergartener. The list was long. The list was specific by amount and name brand.  Expensive name brands. Not just one or two of things. Quantities of three, four, twelve! I was told that the list was long and the quantities high so that parents who purchased supplies would also provide extras for students who didn't bring supplies.

I realize that teachers cannot supply every article for every student. I don't expect them to. I don't think anyone does. Teachers spend $100s or $1000s of their own each year on their classroom.  There has to be a way to provide what is needed without breaking the teacher's or the parent's bank.

For starters make the list reasonable. Don't use a suggested list or list that another teacher uses. Think through your plans and determine what your students will need. Not things on a wish list, but things that your kids will really use in the school year.  Secondly, keep the list size minimal.  A long list is not only expensive, but it is also overwhelming.   Specifying large quantities of items and specific name brands puts undo pressure on parents.  Store brands are often just as good as expensive name brands.  Thirdly, find out what supplies your school will supply. For example our school supplied basic colors of dry erase markers. If I wanted purple or pink that would be at my own expense.  Next, ask your parent organization if they are providing any supplies. Some parent organizations will supply basics like pencils, paper, or glue.  Quantities may be limited, but they may be available. Prepare a letter for parents explaining what is needed in the classroom and how it will be used. Even though I taught in a school district that had many students from low socio-economic backgrounds there was always someone willing to help out. They may have offered 100 pencils or 10 boxes of tissues. But I was grateful for each thing offered. Reach out to your community. Corporations may donate pens or pencils with their logo on them.  Manufacturers  may donate a product that they produce, like markers.  And, lastly, dig through your left-over supplies (if there are any) and see what can be recycled for this year.  Parents you can help by offering gently used supplies that are no longer in use at home. Play Dough that your kids are tired of, old crayons, slightly used erasers. Even though items are used, they can still be useful. School supplies don't have to be brand-new.

Going back-to-school shouldn't be a wildly expensive event. There are cost-effective ways to supply the classroom without burdening either the teacher or the parent.  And you might run out of something before the year ends. Been there, done that!  Partnering with parents before school starts with a well-defined list can help get your school year off to a good start.



Cost friendly, effective thorough resources - Which can be purchased using a school purchase order for an individual or a school.

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers