Holy cow, it's August already!!

Man, this summer has just flown by. Maybe it's because I was out of the country for a while. Then out of the state for a while. Then just out of my mind for a while. (ongoing, of course)

Yeah, me and the new misses (and the rest of my family) just got back from a 2 week vacation to Disney World yesterday. While technically not a honeymoon, we treated it as such, and broke away from the family unit pretty often. Personally, I LOVE Disney World. It really ignites the little kid that lives in my heart. I can't look at Mickey Mouse without a giant grin breaking out on my face.

And I love the rides! Though nowadays, I'd be hard pressed to answer which I love more -- the rides themselves, or the photos that are snapped midway through them.

One of my absolute favorite rides -- the Tower of Terror -- snaps a picture of the elevator occupants on one of the final drops. My brother and I must have ridden that thing a dozen times, each time coming up with some new shtick for the photo. Jazz hands. Playing dead. Fist bumping. Taking off my shoe and smelling it.

Yeah, I pity the poor soul who actually PURCHASED one of those pictures for framing at home.

And now I'm back home again, with *GASP* only two weeks of freedom left before reporting back for the new school year!

I plan on getting a jump on those remaining two weeks tomorrow, starting with sleeping in till noon.

Always lesson planning

Lest anyone think that my summer time table has made me a useless bum of a layabout, I would like to, in my defense, offer up some small proof that educating our nation's youth IS still a top priority on my mind.

Here are a few cases in point, wherein I am mentally planning lessons already for next year.

Capacity -- As I float casually in my condo's swimming pool, I ponder how the pool itself is a container, holding gallons (or, if you prefer, Liters) of water. How can I get the kids to remember that a swimming pool would not best be measured in cups or pints?

Elapsed Time -- This is a simple morning bell ringer. Mister Teacher goes to bed at 1:30 and gets up at 12:15. How long did he sleep? Bonus: How long will Mister Teacher be out of bed until his nap at 2:20?

Multiplication -- Going to Happy Hour with friends and enjoying a few adult beverages is not ALL about having a good time. There is preparation going on there as well. Especially if each new drink that I order has the same number of ice cubes in it or costs the same amount of money. Upper grade teachers, you can use this example to have your kids calculate a tip for the server.

Making predictions -- A great example is "What time will the mailman come today?" And "How many bills vs magazines do I think will be in today's mail?"


So you see, it's not ALL play over summer vacation. We're keeping our minds fresh and the ideas flowing. Just like those adult beverages.

9 things to do over the summer

Today is officially the first day of summer vacation! Sure, we had Saturday and Sunday off, but today is the first WORK day that is not a WORK day...

Pretty much all I've done today is visit the doctor to get my twisted knee x-rayed, and played Facebook poker. But here is a handy little list of things to do if you get bored over the next few months.

1) Alphabetize something -- your comic book collection, your DVDs, your credit cards, whatever. Sing the ABC song at the top of your lungs as you do it. Bonus: Leave the windows open.

2) Try out for a reality show. When is So You Want to Be a Superhero coming back on again, anyway??

3) Try out an unusual job. If you live here in the states, hire yourself out as a rickshaw driver or a mountain guide. If you live in another country, seek employment as a naked cowboy.

4) Walk a mile in another man's shoes. I would recommend a man whose foot size is very close to your own.

5) Improve your artistic skills. Start by perfecting the circle, then replicate Guernica.

6) Prepare for the next school year. You can do this by laying out the pair of socks you plan to wear on the first day of school. Consider yourself prepared.

7) Travel. I hear Butte, Montana is lovely this time of year.

8) Every time you receive change at a restaurant, ask if they would like to donate a dollar to the ITF, or Individual Teacher Fund.

9) Get married. Well, at least that's something that I plan on doing this summer. Might not work for everyone with such short notice.

Even MORE summer plans!

This week's Mr. Teacher column on education.com is the final chapter of what I am calling the "summer vacation trilogy." I've done a column on what my kids are doing over summer break. I've done a column on what I myself am doing over summer break. This week, it's my column about what other teachers are doing over summer break. (Unfortunately, my editor wouldn't let me stretch the series on with what some zoo animals are doing over summer break, what the Diet Coke delivery guys do over summer break, or what Kiefer Sutherland does over summer break.)

Thank you very much to everyone who participated and let me know what their plans were for the next few months.

Also, a very special thanks to Happychyck, who posted a very generous review of my book, Learn Me Good, over on her site last week. If you still don't believe ME when I say it's a pretty good book, take HER word for it!

Summer lovin' (will) have me a bla-hast

This week's Mr. Teacher column on education.com continues the theme from last week, all about summer vacation plans. Last week, it was my kids' plans; this week, I talk about some of MY plans.

Thank you for those of you who have e-mailed me with YOUR plans for this summer vacation. I'm looking forward to turning those into next week's column. For those of you who haven't written to me, it's not too late! Write to me at learnmegood2@yahoo.com and let me know what you're doing this summer -- especially if you're doing something really wild!

And be sure to come back here tomorrow for this week's Carnival of Education!

Is it summer yet??

Tomorrow is the last day of school!!! WOOHOO!!!

Therefore, this week's Mr. Teacher column on education.com is a look forward by my students at their summer vacation. I had them write down some of their plans and expectations for the next couple of months, and I pulled some of the best comments and quotes.

Next week's column will be all about MY plans for summer vacation.

The week after that? Well, that's kind of up to you! I'm hoping to write a column that incorporates OTHER teachers' plans for June, July and August. So if you'd like to participate -- and I really hope you all will -- please send me an e-mail at learnmegood2@yahoo.com and let me know where you'll be, what you'll be doing, and who you'll be doing it with.

I'm hoping to hear from all of you!