4 Things Working Well for Me So Far This School Year

We just wrapped up week five of the 2025-26 school year, meaning we're halfway through the first quarter. Progress Reports just went home, and we're really starting to settle into the pace and rigor of the curriculum. Eighth grade is hard, and it takes a little bit for some students to get in step with the quicker pace and more rigorous expectations; those first progress reports were definitely a wake-up call for some of them!

At this point in the school year, I like to reflect on what's working and what isn't. This is a good time to reassess procedures and even expectations, especially if things are not working. I've been fortunate so far in that really only one thing hasn't been working, but it's in the process of being corrected. Step one was implemented this past week, and step two will be phased in this coming week.

What I really want to focus on are the things that are working well for me so far this year. I decided to share the four procedures that are making the most impact in my daily teaching life. These are the top 4 things I'm doing in my 8th grade ELA classroom that are helping to prevent headaches (for me) before they even start.

1. Pencil Parking Lot

No one is more surprised than me that this is actually working, but let me tell you how grateful I am that it is. It has been an absolute game changer for me. Last year, the "I-don't-have-a-pencil" issue was such a headache! Here's how it works: I taped off a section of my dry erase board with black electrical tape -- a pencil parking lot, if you will. Inside this area, I placed six adhesive pencil holders. At the beginning of the year, I filled each holder with a full-sized wooden pencil. Students are able to borrow a pencil from the parking lot as needed, so long as they return it before they leave. I do not replace the pencils if they all disappear in a day, but I will pick up pencils left behind on the floor or that are swept up by the custodians at the end of the day and use those to fill any empty parking spaces. I also will replace any that have been sharpened all the way down and refill with brand new pencils at the start of a new month if needed. I fully expected to have an empty "parking lot" at the end of the first month, but most days at least half of the parking spots still have a pencil. It's still early in the year, so this could be a false sense of success, but I'm cautiously hopeful.

2. Writing Folders

This is the one system that has held over in its entirety from my first year of teaching, but it works so well for me that I have to share it. As in, I have changed absolutely nothing about this system (other than the brand of the folders I use and the storage container). At the start of the year, each student receives a hanging file folder; I have the tabs with their names already attached, but they're able to decorate their folder in other ways if they want to.  I order from Amazon for the best price. The folders are stored in a pair of crates; I've found that they're much sturdier than other storage methods and also cheaper. Mine came from Walmart. My students do all of their writing in class, and all of their writing materials - outline, rough draft, etc. - are kept in these folders so that I can go and pull things for grading, conferencing, review, etc. The folders do not leave my room other than brief trips to ISS. At the end of the year, their folder is essentially a portfolio of all their writing from the year.

3. L-Shaped Desk Arrangements

This is also not a new thing for me, but I'm including it because it really is what works best for my classroom. What I like about this desk arrangement is that I can position myself directly next to any individual student no matter where they are sitting. It also means each desk faces the smart board. This layout still promotes group and partner work, while also creating a bit more division between groups, which is what one particular class needs. Note: I do have one central desk pod because of space constraints, two sets of two desks each, and a straight-line trio in a tighter space. I also have a table at the back of the room that can sit two students (I have one large class that needs the table, and a few students in other classes that need separation).

4. ParentSquare Calendar

If you have any dealings with a school, then you'll know that Remind is no more. It's been replaced with ParentSquare, and let me tell you -- I am impressed with this program so far. My favorite feature by far is the class calendar. I can put quiz and test dates, project due dates, etc. on this calendar, and it will automatically send a reminder to parents the day before. Total game changer for me because I don't always remember to send out those reminders (even though students are reminded on the daily, ha). I can also keep better track of who's reading the regular posts, which is super helpful.

Two Weeks of Teacher Outfits to Copy Heading into Fall

Another two weeks of school is in the books, and that means it's time for another real outfit roundup. This is a bi-weekly post in which I share the looks I wore in real life, my thoughts about each, and links to shop the same or similar items.

This roundup spans the final week of August and first week of September, including Labor Day Weekend. All of the outfits I'm sharing, however, will be from the work week. I did not document my looks from the weekend, but you can see a recap of what we did on my Instagram.

As we move into September, you'll notice my outfits start to shift more to fall. It'll be a subtle shift as it won't be cold enough for layers here for awhile yet. My color combos will start to welcome in the warmer tones of autumn, and I like to play with textures that mimic fall fabrics without adding suffocating bulk to my outfits. You'll also see a shift in my footwear, from sandals to flats and other closed-in options.

Most of this outfit roundup features older pieces from my closet. Three of the outfits are exact (or near-exact) replicas of outfits from last school year. All this to say that while I do love to shop, my goal has always been to have a functional closet filled with pieces that I love to wear. For the last few years, I've been essentially redesigning my closet to fit where I am at currently, and I think I've finally achieved that.

On to the outfits!

Sizing info: I'm 5'2" and weigh about 140 lbs. I usually wear size 6 or s/m in clothes and size 7 in shoes.

Blouse | Skirt (similar) | Shoes (similar)

I really enjoyed this outfit. It feels very different from what I usually share and does not give off teacher vibes (in my opinion at least). Still, I was quite comfortable all day long in this, although I am always mindful of my proximity to the dry erase board when wearing white.

My skirt is that one from Target that went viral back in the spring. It's holding up quite well, though it does wrinkle more easily than I remember (even fresh out of the dryer) and does not iron well. It's no longer available, but this is a classic style that never goes out of style.

I'd been wanting to pair this tie-front top with this skirt, and I really love the end result. I did layer it over a navy blue camisole to make it school appropriate, although I've never worn it just by itself. The material is very thin and feels way more revealing than I'm comfortable with. I kept my shoes simple - navy blue flats.

Shirt (similar) | Vest (similar, similar) | Skirt | Shoes (similar, similar)

This is by far my favorite outfit from the past two weeks. There's just something so satisfying about it. Everything in it is old, though the exact skirt is still available. I've found really close dupes for everything else.

I'm so ready to embrace fall, but our weather just isn't there yet, so I tried to mimic the changing of the seasons with the colors of this outfit -- warm yellow-gold, deep red-burgundy, and denim blue. I feel like I should have been walking through a field of sunflowers or at a pumpkin patch in this look.

Blouse (similar) | Jeans | Belt | Shoes (similar)

I enjoyed this outfit, as well. These jeans are still one of my favorite additions to my closet last year. I love the jacquard texture and solid, contrasting pockets. It makes them so interesting. They're still fully available and also come in two other washes.

I decided to do a little bit of pattern/texture play with this outfit and paired it with this adorable blue, floral blouse. It has so many interesting details - embroidery, puffed sleeves, Peter Pan collar. Unfortunately, this pretty blue is no longer available, but there are three other colors in this exact style. I'm also linking to a similar style that has several more colors to choose from.

I decided to keep my accessories light to match the blouse and let the jeans be the star of the outfit.

Shirt (similar) | Skirt (similar) | Shoes (similar) | Earrings

This is another outfit created mostly from pieces I've had for awhile. I love dalmatian print as an alternative to polka dots. I've had this skirt for years. It's still available in some sizes but probably not for long.

My graphic tee is of the Eiffel Tower and has Bonjour Paris embroidered in a nice, bright red. So naturally I chose red shoes and earrings. My red Mary Janes are finally sold out, but I linked to a kind of similar pair. Truthfully, I've not seen anything like these ones. I prefer this woven look to mesh.

Shirt (similar, similar, similar) | Pants (similar) | Shoes (similar, similar)

This is a repeat outfit from last school year. These linen pants were really popular in the spring and early summer; I was seeing them everywhere for awhile. I was hoping Old Navy would restock them for fall since this color is perfect for the season, but so far they haven't. They're still available in a few sizes, so I'm linking them as well as a similar pair (the color isn't quite right, though).

My shirt says Pasta Lover's Club and is long gone. I'm pretty sure I got it on clearance if we're being honest. I found three fun alternatives that keep the same vibe for you. The first one is the closest in color while the second has the exact same phrase.

Dress | Shoes (similar, similar)

Once the calendar swaps to September, I am officially in "fall mode." This dress is a great transition piece for when the weather still feels like summer. It's very lightweight and not lined so perfect for 90-degree days. The width of the sleeves can be adjusted to be more sleeveless if you'd like, but I just left them as caps.

The waist was a little odd for me, though not enough for me to return it. I had to adjust it every time I stood to keep it from being poofy right in the middle. I don't really know how to explain it. Sizing up might have helped, but then the v-neck would have been way too low.

Shirt (similar) | Skirt | Belt | Sandals (similar)

This is probably my favorite skirt to style. It's just so much fun and so versatile. In fact, I wear it so much, I've had to stitch up the seams in two different places from where it's gotten caught on things and pulled loose, and I will continue to do so until the day it's no longer possible...then I'll order a replacement. I just can't imagine my closet without this skirt in it!

I paired it this go 'round with a grammar tee. This particular one came from Temu and is good quality. It's incredibly soft, and the design isn't one of those crunchy ones. I know that some of you don't do Temu, so I found the exact same style on Amazon, though I can't speak to the quality of the shirt.

Shirt (similar, similar) | Vest (similar, similar) | Pants (similar, similar) | Shoes (similar, similar)

This is another outfit repeated from last school year, although the vest is a new addition...one that I'm not sure I like. In theory, this outfit should have worked. It's an outfit formula that I've used many times with success, but I don't know. This time the outfit feels bulky on top.

Anyway, this is my bluebird graphic tee that you guys absolutely love. Sadly, it is long gone, as is the equally-as-popular option I had been linking to in its place. But I did find a really pretty bluebird graphic tee on Amazon, and I'm also linking to a very similar but different color floral shop tee.

My pants are the blue version of the popular red striped linen pants from earlier in the post. They're also mostly sold out, but I haven't lost hope that Old Navy will restock them.

Shirt (similar) | Pants (similar) | Shoes (similar)

This is another old outfit, but it's still a favorite of mine. My exact cargoes are still available (and very affordable). They're one of the best things I've gotten off Temu, and I highly recommend them. Even my students like them, and that's saying something! I really like that the pockets on the legs aren't bulky, which make them much more wearable for me. They also have a stretchy, pull-on waistband instead of a button and zipper for maximum comfort.

My shirt is no longer available from the seller I bought it from, which is a shame because this shirt is one of the softest I own. It is very oversized, though, so whenever I wear it I usually tie it up in some way. This go 'round I tie it in the back and tucked the tail up (my students started doing this last year and thought I was copying them LOL).

Fall Reading List: 20 Books to Add to Your TBR

It's time for another seasonal reading list. I've really enjoyed curating these, even if my actual reading doesn't always reflect the books that made the lists.

So far this year, I've read 13 of the titles featured in my winter, spring, and summer book lists. There are two books from my winter list that I started but did not finish, The Stroke of Winter and The Vine Witch (I just couldn't get into them), and I am currently about a quarter of the way through Love and Ruin. From my spring list, I read the first few chapters of Hurt Me, but I didn't like the main male character so stopped. I took a bit of a detour from my summer list to tackle some other books recently added to my TBR; I've started Manslaughter Park from that list. I've also been reading some library holds as they become available.

I haven't made a fall reading list since 2022 (you can see it here), although that particular post was much different than this one will be. The 2022 list was comprised of books I had already read and would recommend for fall reading, whereas this post is entirely made up of books I have not read but would like to read.

For me, Fall is September through November. I don't read much in the way of spooky or scary books, but I do love a good mystery and books with suspense, and y'all know I also can't resist a good fantasy. You'll definitely find those types of books on this list as well as historical fiction and even some sci-fi. Of course, as always, I am also including my One Woman Book Club picks.

How to Buy a Planet

Author: D.A. Holdsworth

My September book club pick is not a genre I read very often, but I did enjoy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (both the book and the movie), and this gives me those same vibes. In a last-ditch effort to save the planet, the leaders of Earth have sold it. The new owners promise a debt-free future, but Toby and his roommates learn the truth: Earth is on the chopping block.

The Wicked Deep

Author: Shea Ernshaw

My October book club pick is billed as a mix of Practical Magic and the Salem witch trials. Two-hundred years ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for practicing witchcraft in the town of Sparrow. Now every summer, the sisters return by stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls and lure boys to their deaths in the harbor. This year there's a new boy in town who doesn't know what's going, and Penny may be the only one who can save him.

Under a Gilded Moon

Author: Joy Jordan-Lake

My November book club pick is a historical fiction book about the construction of the Biltmore House. Kerry MacGregor's family's land is among the last pieces needed to complete the estate, but that's not all that threatens to change Kerry's fate. Outsiders are descending on the area, including a Sicilian fugitive, a story-chasing reporter, a scandal-tainted debutante, and a resentment-stoking conservationist.

The Housewarming

Author: Kristin Offiler

Five years after their friend Zoe's disappearance tore them apart, Callie, Meg, Tess, and Lindsey agree to return to where she was last seen, Block Island. Their goal is to come together, memorialize Zoe, and put the past to rest. But a true-crime podcaster who made a name for herself off the mystery is also back, this time with a book proposal claiming to expose the four friends.

Murder on Black Swan Lake

Author: Andrea Penrose

The Earl of Wrexford find himself the chief suspect in the murder of Reverend Josiah Holworthy after the clergyman publicly condemned the Earl for debauchery and Wrexford struck back. Charlotte Sloane finds herself in the middle of the investigation when the Earl discovers it was she who drew the satirical cartoon that skewered  both himself and the clergyman, not her husband, A.J. Quill. Now, Wrexford wants Charlotte to use her sources to unveil Holworthy's clandestine involvement in questionable scientific practices and find his real killer.

Not What She Seems

Author: Yasmine Angoe

When she was 22, Jacinda "Jac" Brodie was blamed for the death of her father, the local chief of police. So, she left with no intentions of going back, but when her granddad winds up in the hospital, Jac rushes home. Her hometown is much changed thanks to a wealthy newcomer, Faye Arden, but Jac is convinced that it's all a little too-good-to-be-true and is determined to find the sinister truth.

The Night of Many Endings

Author: Melissa Payne

When a winter storm buries the town of Silver Ridge, a group of lonely people take shelter at the library with Nora, the librarian. They'll learn more about each other and themselves, and Nora, in particular, will have to question her brother's disappearance in ways she's never imagined.

Layla

Author: Colleen Hoover

Leeds and Layla's relationship is rocked when Layla is unexpectedly attacked. Although she's recovered physically, mentally and emotionally she has not. In an effort to get their relationship back on track, Leeds takes Layla to the bed and breakfast where they first met, but Layla's behavior takes a turn for the worst. While there, Leeds meets Willow and agrees to help her find answers, but it soon becomes clear he can't help both Layla and Willow.

All Our Darkest Secrets

Author: Martyn Ford

James is a DEA agent about to make the biggest bust of his career when his wife does something terrible. So now James must choose whether to report it or help her. He believes he's smart enough to get away with murder, but James's worst enemy knows what they've done and won't hesitate to use that knowledge against him.

The Witches of BlackBrook

Author: Tish Thawer

Three sisters manage to escape the Salem witch trials when the eldest casts a spell. Their souls are sent forward in time where, centuries later, they are reunited in the present day. One is a healer, one a teacher, and one a deceiver. Their reunion will either return their full powers or end their souls' journey forever.

Rule #1: You Can't Date the Coach's Daughter

Author: Anne-Marie Meyer

Destiny is the football coach's daughter, and she has a problem. Her dad has forbidden his players from dating her, but she's fallen hard for the quarterback. When Tyson asks her to tutor him, Destiny can't turn him down, and the more they work together, the deeper they fall.

Girls of Brackenhill

Author: Kate Moretti

When Hannah Maloney returns to her family's Catskills castle, she's compelled to investigate her sister's unsolved disappearance. Strange things keep happening in the castle, and Hannah uncovers disturbing details about her past. By the time she realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it's too late.

The Winter Sisters

Author: Tim Westover

A doctor moves to a mountain town in Georgia where the locals prefer to get their cures from a trio of supposed witches, but when a rabid panther starts causing problems science and magic come together to save the town.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Author: Kim Michele Richardson

Cussy Mary is a packhorse librarian on a quest to bring books to the Appalachian community of Troublesome Creek. Cussy's not just a librarian, though; she's also the last of her kind with skin colored a pale blue. That brings with it a deep-seated prejudice and suspicion.

Love Letters to a Serial Killer

>Author: Tasha Coryell

Hannah has joined a true crime forum dedicated to solving the murders of four women in Atlanta. When a handsome lawyer is arrested for the murders, Hannah begins writing him letters. When William begins writing her back, Hannah's interest in the case turns into obsession. After she loses her job, Hannah goes to Georgia for the trial. When a fifth woman is found murdered, the jury finds William not guilty, and Hannah is his first call.

We Don't Talk About Carol

Author: Kristen L. Berry

After her grandmother's death, Sydney finds a hidden photograph of an aunt she didn't know existed. Carol was one of six black girls to go missing in North Carolina in the 1960s, and Sydney is determined to find the truth. Unfortunately, Sydney has been down this road before. When she worked as a crime beat reporter, she became obsessed with the case of a missing girl, and that obsession led to a psychotic break. Will this current investigation lead to the same conclusion?

Of Monsters and Mainframes

Author: Barbara Truelove

This book is definitely far off the beaten path of what I typically read, but it sounds like such an interesting read. It stars Dracula -- yes, the vampire -- and Demeter, a sentient spaceship that shuttles humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri. When Demeter's passengers start dying at the hands of Dracula, the ship puts together her own team of monsters: a werewolf, an engineer built from the dead, a pharaoh with otherworldly powers, a grudge-holding vampire, and a fleet of spider drones.

Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon

Author: Annie Mare

This is another off-the-wall choice for me. Tressa Fay has made a name for herself as a hairstylist and social media star, but her life behind the scenes isn't as exciting as she'd hoped. When she gets a wrong-number text from a flirty stranger, Tressa Fay suggests they meet, but Meryl never shows. Tressa Fay brushes it off, but then Meryl's sister and friend show up at her salon claiming there's no way Meryl could have texted Tessa Fray because she's been missing for a month. As Tessa Fray and her friends investigate, they discover a temporal paradox, but nothing they do keeps Meryl from disappearing.

What Kind of Paradise

Author: Janelle Brown

Jane grew up in an isolated and primitive cabin in Montana with her father. All she knows is that they once lived in the Bay Area and that her mother died in a car crash. Now a teenager, Jane discovers that she's an accomplice to a horrific crime and flees to San Francisco to search out answers about her past and mother's death.

The Ghostwriter

Author: Julie Clark

In the summer of 1975, two siblings are found dead in their home. Their brother, Vincent, was never able to shake the whispers and accusations that he was the murderer. Decades later, he's a successful horror writer. Meanwhile, ghostwriter Olivia is hiding the fact that she is Vincent's only daughter. On the brink of financial ruin, Olivia is asked to ghostwrite her father's last book, except this isn't another horror story -- it's the story of what really happened the night his siblings died.