Inhaling Dust
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at 
9:41 am ()
Who here likes inhaling dust? Just what I thought - no one. Then why do teachers let the dust and crap build up in their rooms? I’m sorry, but I just don’t get that. There is no way having all of your stuff covered in dust can be enjoyable to either the teacher or the students. 
Me and my mom have been working in my classroom this week. There is so much junk in that room. Dust is only the beginning of it. There are books in there from the 60’s. Come on people, if you want to get kids reading, showing them an old black and white picture book with blurry pictures from the 60’s is not the way to go about it. There are also about four old sets of reading series materials: the student books, teachers’ manual, practice books, etc. If the teacher isn’t using them anymore, why keep them?? I stacked them up in the hallway for the janitor to do something with. Some of the books are ones I had when I was in first grade myself. They’re like over 20 years old people!!
I have a big pile of stuff to get rid of: old rugs, a dollhouse, some blocks from the 60’s - 70’s, old Legos, tons of very outdated teacher resource books, and the list goes on. It’s just overwhelming how much junk is in that room. It’s also amazing how a little bit of colorful border and bulletin board paper can really liven up a room.
I am grateful that there is also a lot of good stuff in the room. When I taught in Lexington three years ago, I walked into a completely empty room. I had no materials at all really except for the reading series and some Social Studies books. I am lucky that I am going to be teaching in an awesome school, with awesome teachers, and “stuff.” ‘Tis better to have junk than nothing at all? Then again, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure? Whatever the case may be, my room is going to be the rockin’-est room in the school. 
(I will have to edit this post later (hopefully) and post pictures of the progress!)
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Filed in: Education, Work ()
16 Comments so far
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Sarah scribbled this note on July 2nd, 2008: 
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I’m so excited for you, Ashley! You’re going to be a teacher!
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oh oh oh oh. I can’t wait to see pics of your classroom!!1 Your enthusiasm makes me wish i was a kid again, and you my teacher!
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Hehe. So exciting. <3 I’m so happy for you.
Can’t wait to see the pictures!
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Oooh. My mom was very active in my elementary school, so I remember coming in early to help the teachers set up the classrooms. Always my favorite thing to do. I liked setting up the bulletin boards with calendars and stuff, haha. Heck, I would still do that stuff. School decorations are so cute!
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hehhee sounds like the room really needed little cleaning
. Good luck with teaching, I’m sure it’ll be great -
Sounds like a big spring cleaning task is waiting for you to get done with. It’s just interesting how old stuff can show up in classrooms - in my college, my friends stumbled upon this shelf in some hidden corner of the library which contains encyclopedias printed in 1970s. Wow.
I couldn’t wait to see how your cleaned up classroom looks like
good luck! -
I hope that the cleaning’s going great and that you’re not inhaling too much dust
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I saw your website on Despair’s randomizer thing, and I immediately fell in love with your layout and had to tell you!
And I have so much respect for you doing the job that you do. We need more good teachers out there, seriously… they give our children the building blocks that they need in order to succeed.
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Haha. I can already tell by your determination, excitement, and happiness… you’re gonna make a great teacher!
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Sounds like you had a big job to handle but in the long run, paid off, lol.
I’ve recently decided to switch my major in school. Majoring in education and teaching, focusing on art of course but still. I have to admit, part of it was due to the way you’ve made it sound about teaching in general. So, I’m majoring in art education for middle/high school. Maybe one day I’ll head off to teach at a college someday eh?
*bets that that colourful border placed up on the bulletin board was rainbow… >> *
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Hey Ms. Ashley! I got to my journal and found you there again. The only friend that ever posts.
You guys are truly raisin’ the dust! Fantastic!
BTW, you may want to conder editing your profile too — no longer the ‘. . . computer lab teacher . . .’. Big congrats!
Luv and hugs,
Lan
(AKA Lenard - Ashley’s father-in-law) -
I am so excited for you. Need any help that I can give you? Post the pics, when you have the time. I would love to see them.
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I’d LOVE to see your progress!
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That’s funny about all the old “junk” in your classroom! I can believe it though. My Mom is a teacher and I’ve seen how stuff can just pile up over the years…or decades. lol.
PS ~ Glad you finally got your BE! I think I remember seeing that Today’s Special Value actually.
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Ohh… this sounds like lots of fun
I’d luvv to see pictures and all! -
But doesn’t it feel good when it’s all finished? And looking clean before the beginning of the school year which should be soon for you, I’m guessing?
Lan scribbled this note on July 4th, 2008: 
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