Rearranging

I noticed a pattern today.

Whenever I have a rough day (or rough streak of days) with the kids, I do this thing I like to call "updating the room". It's not really updating. What it is, is searching for a solution; it's an easy-way-out. Tearing down bulletin boards or moving furniture around may sound like a lot of work, but in my mind it seems easier than sitting down and trying to sort out the cause to the effect then figuring out how to fix it.

Today was one of those days that I feel like crawling under my desk and having a little time out for myself. The kids were a bit restless, I was cranky; my crankies made them more restless, and the restlessness made me cranky. See the pattern? I wish I could see the pattern for the behaviors as easily. There were meltdowns, there was blurting, blurting, blurting, scuttle-butting, pencil-throwing, name-calling, you-name-it. At around 11:00 I started eyeing my calendar board. Maybe it would be fun to change it? How about my Reader's Workshop board? Should I tear down my CAFE board and put up a board about character traits? Should I create a writing board someplace different?

I was so caught up in the excitement of change that I almost missed the big A-ha. This is what I do when the day has been rough. It's my SMO. Somewhere deep inside I must think the answer lies in layout.

What a silly notion. I resisted changing anything.

Then I came home and obsessively created lessons. Crazy life. I wonder what that means?