Sound familiar?
Aug 20th, 2009 by lapazfarm
Lets see. I want science supplies over here and math manipulatives over there. No, maybe over there. A little to the left. That’s good. And that stack of books? Move them again, please. I know it’s the fourth time, but please humor me. Oh, and that table, it needs to come out from the wall a bit so we can all fit around it, and the computer needs to be against that wall with the plug. The art supplies all need to come out of that closet and move into the dining room. Yes, the dining room. Trust me on this, ok?…
Ahhh..a new school year about to begin. You know what that means. Rearranging furniture! Why is it that after all these years, some part of me still thinks that if I arrange everything just so that the next school year will run ever so much more smoothly than the last? When down deep inside I know the only things that really need to be re-arranged are my priorities? In truth, moving from a relaxed summer into full-on learning mode isn’t all that drastic. It’s simply a matter of managing our time and energy a bit differently. More time and energy exploring new ideas, less time and energy frittered away on mindless pursuits.
But year after year it is always the same. Move the furniture. Re-arrange shelves. Empty boxes of one thing and fill them with something else. Make everything just right, shiny and new. Streamlined and efficient.
Why?
Could it be that all of this external re-arranging is simply a reflection of the internal re-arranging that is going on inside my head and heart as I prepare for a new year of learning adventures with my kids? Does dusting off the mental cobwebs lead to dusting off the map cabinet? Does re-ordering priorities go hand in hand with ordering books? Does deep thinking lead to heavy lifting?
Well, around here it sure seems to happen that way.
How about you? Moving any furniture lately?
I’ve been wrestling with internal furniture. I’ve been really down trying to make ‘it fit’. I’ve just officially acknowledged it won’t fit, handled over control totally to my ds14 of his education and feel SO much happier:)and so does he:)
Oh yea! Just finished organizing the school room for the new year. Which led me to organizing my whole house! Hmmm, I guess you could say that some good came out of it. =P
“Why is it that after all these years, some part of me still thinks that if I arrange everything just so that the next school year will run ever so much more smoothly than the last?”
I remember when I was younger and every school year, I would start it out with brand new pencils, brand new notebooks, a brand new backpack, and THIS YEAR I was going to get straight A’s. LOL Every year.
I started organizing our education room (probably to avoid completely planning our math year!). This is a room where our supplies are kept, not a school room. Well, everything is out in the hallway and I’m painting it now!!! How does this happen?!
This is Renee from a Baker’s Dozen. We’re planning to start the Marine Biology course mid-September. Any suggestions for buying a microscope? There are a million models and types out there…
Yes, that does indeed sound familiar!
Who let you into my mind, Theresa?
Hi Renee!
My advice would be to go to Home Science Tools and look through what they offer, and get the best one you can afford. We have one similar to this one and it works just great for us. We also have a dissecting scope (aka stereo scope), which is awesome for looking at stuff that doesn’t go easily onto a slide (bugs, small critters, etc).
We reorganize every year, cleaning every nook and cranny, sorting and shelving. So I’d have to agree with your thoughts — I believe this “nesting” is related to the internal preparations for a new school year. This year we went all out though, and painted the room before reorganizing and rearranging. There is something nice about a fresh clean bright space to work in, with everything “at fingertips”. And there is something for my minds benefit from the order of it all at the beginning.
Thanks for sharing !
It is too hot to move furniture!!
Yes. It sounds familiar. I cleaned and straightened, then stared at the clean and straightened room and thought… I need to get my priorities straight now.
“Does deep thinking lead to heavy lifting?” Great line and great post!
I agree with you, our prorioties need to be right and the arrangement of furniture should take a back seat. But, I always feel more efficient in a tidy and organized environment! We were given a dining room table that we are using as a school table this year, and heavy lifting did happen
Have a great start of the new school year!
I seem to think there is a direct correlation between the physcial and mental. Whenever I am stuck mentally, I reorganize/declutter something, even if it is just a junk drawer. Somehow, the act of organizing something physically clears the obstruction in my mind, and I can move ahead.
Maybe it is also an unconsious way to try to keep it new and different for the kdis, likened to the anticipation others have of new classroom/ teacher each fall. Who know, as long as it works!
Totally familiar and totally legitimate. I just said to a friend last week, “I’m decluttering my house so that I can declutter my mind.”
Probably it also reflects the fact that you’re in a different house about every year.
Oooh ha ha hee heee..you are soooo funny!
Hey Mom.
I’ve been doing lots of organizing too. I have a dry-erase wall calender, a planner, new school supplies, and lots of plans, including one I think you would find interesting.
I am doing a 101 in 1001 challenge, where I have to complete 101 preset tasks or goals in 1001 days. I am also starting a blog to catalog my progress and adventures along the way, as well as to comment on current events and to review books and movies. You should go check it out. It’s at http://www.openthebox.weebly.com. Also, you should link to it on your blog. Maybe some of your readers will read my blog too!
Anyway, I love you bunches. I’ll talk to you soon.
-Emily
yep. I think the two go hand in hand for some…especially for those of tend to practice Montessori.
Yep, mega tidying of the “school room” has been happening here. I’ve suddenly realised how my two children have started to blossom and grow up, how many of the younger books are no longer used and how we have all moved on in our learning. Exciting times.
I think you’ve got it just right. And it’s good to know that I’m not the only one still in search of the “perfect” arrangement.
I still have no idea where we will do things in the new house. Violet says we should do everything in different rooms: languages in the alcove, geography/history in the breakfast nook, etc. I just want to sleep in and watch lots of movies for a while!
My girls decided they want to sleep in the same bedroom, so there’s been LOTS of furniture moving around! I turned the other bedroom into a playroom/schoolroom. We have a lot more stuff handy than we were able to fit in the corner of the dining room. I brought up the kid-sized craft table from the basement. There’s been a lot more drawing and gluing going on. We created a cozy book corner with a beanbag and floor pillows – the perfect spot to curl up and listen to our poetry playlist or have those deep discussions about worldview.
Theresa,
I think it is time for us to meet.
I’ve followed your blog for years and recently met Superboy er I mean Sam with my own three scouts enroute to the boyscout camp this past summer.
I know you live just up the road but I’m busily
in the middle of my own furniture moving
( read: lots of deep thinking) in pursuit of the ultimate
learning atmosphere…
So, let me know when is good for you and I will put down the credenza for a bit and take a break so us girls can meet one another over tea/ or ocean kayaking whichever meets our fancy that day!
Susan Bogue wife to Roy Bogue (scout leader)
mom to Jonathan & David Bogue (fellow scouts and late night facebook friends of Sam’s)
and Marissa & Maleah Bogue ecclectic “SUNschoolers” following their own delight directed learning in the great (now) virtual company of MariHaloJen and Lapaz Learning…
Awesome!!! I keep hearing about the amazing Susan B and have been meaning for us to get together!LOL! I’ll email you and we can set up a time!