And then, I was a housewife

So, it's back to school time, and I don't have a school to go back to. After 8 years of teaching 4th-6th grade, I'm taking a "sabbatical" from the classroom to be more accessible to my own children. Working 70+ hours a week and 20 miles from home has made being a mom a challenge (some might call be obsessive). I know you teachers out there can relate.

I LOVE teaching, and I am lucky enough to get my teaching fix twice a week as a tutor with the AVID program in my former district. But without a classroom to set up, organize, and make ADORABLE, what do I do for my chaos fix?

What's a chaos fix? Well, it's when I get to find a solution to the dysfunction that has come to a boiling point around me. I have found that I crave this chaos so that I can find a way to make it organized, but the key is to make it super cute in the process. If there's a chance to make a project out of a mess or an organization challenge, I'll find it! I try to fix the issue while giving it "jazz hands" with what I have on hand in the house.

Let me be clear, I'm in no way a neat freak or completely organized.  Anyone who knows me will tell you that the best they can say about my order is that it's organized chaos. (Need those Science cut-ups from last month? No problem, I know exactly what pile of chaos it's in. ;) I'd really call myself more of a project freak. So, taking inspiration from Pinterest, blogs, and other teachers, I get my fix when and where I can in the most creative and thrifty way possible.

On this blog you'll see all sorts of things from classroom organization and lesson plans, to my home projects and crafty solutions. You can find my lesson plans and classroom solutions at my TPT store: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Heather-Van-Houten

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope to see you again!