Have more fun at school.

We spend an incredible amount of time at school. Why not resolve to make that time more fun? Here’s a list of ideas to get you started:

• Start a book and magazine exchange. Pick a spot in your staff room—it could be a shelf, a basket or a box. Label the designated spot Book and Magazine Exchange. Take a minute at home to look through your bookshelves and magazine pile. Grab a few books and magazines that you’re finished with and take them to school. Pop them in the box to get the exchange started. You might want to add a sign above the exchange area that tells how it works. For example, “Bring books and magazines that you are finished reading. Help yourself to some new reading material. Bring the books and magazines back when you are finished.”

  The book exchange jumpstarts interesting lunchtime conversation. It’s fun to hear what people think of different books. We’ve had books on tape and even a DVD or two circulate through the book exchange at my school.

• Packing lunch every day gets old. Try a staff potluck lunch every now and then. This year I inherited the job of organizing monthly potlucks at my school. Just for fun I casually posted this potluck list in September:

Staff Potluck Lunches

September Tofu Delight

October Everything Pumpkin

November Festival of Legumes

December Fun with Fruitcake

January Diet Fun—Celery & Water

February All Chocolate, all day

March Parsnips, Rutabagas & other mystifying root vegetables

April Spam—The meat that deserves respect

May Organ Meat Extravaganza

June Cocktails

Of course it didn’t take long for the questions to start! At our first staff meeting I unveiled the “real” potluck schedule. There was a collective sigh of relief! However, a few teachers were so attached to the “fake” list that it is still posted. The “real” list is below along with a sample sign up sheet to post a week or so before the potluck:

Staff Potluck Lunches
(Wednesdays)

Sept. 17 Sandwich Extravaganza

Oct. 15 Salad Bar

Nov. 12 Pasta Party

Dec. 10 Chili Round Up

Jan. 14 Soup Soiree

Feb. 11 Casserole Carnival

Mar. 18 Baked Potato Bonanza

Apr. 22 Brunch and Beyond

May 13 Burrito Fiesta

Sample sign up sheet:

Pasta Party—November 12^th

Please sign your name and write what you are bringing!

Cooked Pasta:

1.___________________ 2.____________________

3. __________________ 4.____________________

Sauce:

1. __________________ 2.____________________

3. __________________ 4.____________________

5. __________________ 6.____________________

Salads:

1. __________________ 2.____________________

3. __________________ 4.____________________

Other (Bread/Butter, Parmesan Cheese, etc.):

1. __________________ 2.____________________

3. __________________ 4.____________________

Desserts:

1. __________________ 2.____________________

3. __________________ 4.____________________

Clean Up (you don’t have to bring food!!!):

1. __________________ 2.____________________

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Discussion for:
Six Easy Resolutions for 2009 -page 1- Teachers.Net Gazette
Sue Gruber (January 2009 Gazette)

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