2015- 2016 Classroom Reveal

WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD

Here it is! What you have been waiting to set your eyes on! My classroom!!!!! I have absolutely fallen in LOVE with this classroom! I have definitely had the extra time to put it all together and purge stuff I didn’t need. I have put my heart and soul in this room and it is my favorite room yet!

This is all the way around my room from behind my desk! I love being able to see my kids no matter where I am in the room! I have my desks in groups right now but I am more of rows person. I will see how this set up goes in the beginning. Now for some up close shots! 

This is my "front door".  My wreath usually goes outside my door but I forgot to move it for the picture! The board to the left is who I know who is our of the room. In the blue pocket chart the students will have magnetic tickets that they hang on the boards when they leave the room. Makes it easy for me to double check if there is a drill. I love my Reminder board! I use it to put up handouts or write when something is due! My circle pan is for specials. The students place it outside the classroom and move it depending on what special we are in. That way if I'm not in the room and they don't know where to go it's east for them to peek.

This is where my students will hang their jackets and backpacks. I also have bins for homework, absent notes, tardy slips and notes for me. It keeps down on the disruption in the morning.

Reading Table! I moved this table/area around so many times to get it right! I hope that it will work here! Cross your fingers. I have 2 boards above this space, one for math and one for writing. I like to have spaces for anchor charts for each subject.

My personal space! I love having a desk! I know that some people are against desks but I like to have my own space to step back and plan.  I have a fridge back there and a new Keurig on the way!

I decided to put the word wall on my whiteboard. I used glitter tape to make the boxes! I will hang the words magnetically and the kids can use them when they need them.

I let my kids get their supplies when they need them, as long as I'm not teaching! They are all stored here so they can grab something quickly and get back to work. This year I move it right by my desk because when it was further away they liked to play! 

I love my Smartboard! I have to many games that have been funded through Donors Choose!  I use Brag Tags with my kiddos! They hang beneath the Smartboard.

 CALENDAR! I'm really excited about adding calendar back! I have my hand signals there too because I don't like to be interrupted for little questions, a quick hand signal and I know exactly what a kid needs! I have Character trait cards to add for my kiddos, I'm teaching 1 a week and I'm excited! We have other basic additions to out calendar, number of the day, and counting. At the top of the calendar I hang our special classes cards. We are constantly changing because we have 7 special classes, and being year round means we don't always stay the same! So confusing at times! I also have a note from my new principal!

Books, books, books! I love BOOKS! My yellow chair has been passed down for a long time and I'm lucky to have it! The star on top of my bookself was given to me baby my mentor teacher when I finished student teaching and her mentor teacher gave it to her! I'm still waiting to pass it on!

This is my reading area. I hang my current anchor charts on the "Now Playing" board. As we progress I move them over to reruns and classics. This way if I have to retouch on a topic it is within reach and I don't have to dig for an anchor chart or remake one. In the drawers are all my math manipulatives. The colored tubs hold my centers and whatever the students will need in their centers for that week.

 I LOVE MY SITSPOTS! I ordered way more than what I needed but then I can tell the kids to find a different spot and it's easier than having them try and figure out where to go! I ordered the stars because well, this is Hollywood!

 SUPER IMPROVERS! I'm starting to do way more Whole Brain Teaching this year! I have always done a little, but this year I'm making big steps towards big changes. These are out class rules and their improver levels. They will have their 10 frames and goals on their desks so they are constantly reminded of what they are working for.

This is my library! All of my reading buddies I had donated from Donors Choose. The mini carpets are from IKEA. In the pocket chart I place the center cards for the week. I hang their spelling words on the clipboards for the week. I'm a big fan of differentiated instruction so not every group has the words. On the red pocket charts I place tickets with all the students log-in information for different technology. To the left is my wireless listening center! I was able to purchase this through a grant! 

This is my mini table! I use my laptop and projector here. I love my little black rug from IKEA because I can take my shoes off for a minute and rest my feet! I also keep all of my flies for the week here!

New to my room this year is my Photo Booth! When the kids accomplish a goal I will make them a sign and take their picture. At the end of the year I will make them all personal books with their accomplishments. I will also take their pictures on holidays other important days! This is my library. All my reading buddies were donated through Donors Choose. I hang my center rotations on the blue pocket charts. In the red charts I hang tickets that have all my students passwords on the back I hang their spelling words for the week on the clipboard above their groups because I am a HUGE fav of differentiated instruction!  

I love hanging student work and this is where it will go! I have 4 awesome computers for the kids and 1 iPad. Technology is my friend!  

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY! 

Thanks for stopping my my classroom reveal! I'm super happy with the way that it has turned out and I hope you enjoyed your tour!!! If you have an questions please leave a comments or email me!

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His First Day of Pre-K

If you follow my Facebook posts you know that I have been spending the last few days talking to Layton about moving classrooms. He is now old enough to head to Pre-K and he is NOT at all excited. Needless to say, he is my brother to a T when it comes to change. He does not do well, AT ALL! We have talked and talked and he has tried to convince me that he is going to school naked, so they will send him home. He told me that I don’t have to go to work, he doesn’t want any more toys, and therefore I can stay with him at school all day. This has went on for a few days now, constantly…

Well, today was the day. I planned on waking up at regular school time.I was going to get ready and drop him on at the same time I always do. Well my sleepy tiny human was NOT getting up. So I let him sleep a little longer, hoping it would put him in a great mood when he woke up. I knew I had to have him there by 8, so he could have breakfast with his friends.

I got him up, praying this would go my way. He didn’t say much, just asked if I would stay at school with him. He got ready, we joked and laughed. I took him outside to take his picture. I had to hold myself together and was glad that I kept my sunglasses on. I knew if he saw one tear, I would loose and he would win. I had to bite my tongue and bare it! When we walked out his favorite neighbor was there to wish him good luck! He was so excited! He took his picture, ran with the dog and jumped in the car.

The ride was silent. He played his iPad, ate the rest of his cereal bar and I could tell he was contemplating what was about it happen. I tried to talk to him and keep myself together. (I cry at the drop of a hat) Turned on our favorite song, but that 6-minute ride felt like 2.

As soon as we pulled in the parking lot he takes a deep breath and says in a crackling tiny voice, “Mommy, you are staying with me all day, right?” I took a deep breath and told him I couldn’t stay and I had to go to work. That’s when my heart sank and he lost it. The tears were flowing; he refused to get out of his seat, kicking as hard as he could while death gripping his seat. Again, I took a deep breath, kept my sunglasses on and pried him out.

Once inside, I couldn’t even type the passcode in correctly as my mind was going a mile a minute. I was trying so hard to calm him down and talk to him. He continued to cry and throw his body trying to get to his old classroom.

**In a way I don’t blame him for wanting to go to his old room. He had been with that teacher for a year. She is wonderful! She was the best with him and he loved her dearly! I knew he was always taken care of in that room when she was there.**

The walk to his new class is a long one, all the way down the hall, the last door on the left. The longest walk EVER!!! When we walked in his friends were so excited to see him. One of his best friends is in his new class and he was so excited to read books with Layton. I noticed another friend that he played with every morning when I dropped him off early. The girl that screams and yells of excitement when Layton walks through the door was there. “IT’S LAYTON!!!” she screams as she keeps singing and twirling around the room!

I took him to his cubby, placed his new Spiderman backpack inside. Took out his blanket and Mickey for naptime. The whole time he has me in a chokehold death grip, crying alligator tears. I told him he was fine and that we can do something special after school. I hand him off to his teacher and rush out the door. The walk back to the office seemed like it was longer than the one to the classroom.

When I get to the office I pull myself together, type in the passcode, sign him in and walk to the monitors. I watch for a couple minutes. He’s not crying, he is sitting in front of his cubby with Mickey. At least he’s not crying, he’s not running, he’s just pouting. I can leave.

I get to the car and loose my mind! How in the world did I just drop off my 6lbs 8oz baby for his first day of Pre-K? What is happening? I blinked and now this! This weekend he was getting his own food and doing all these “big boy” things. I was so proud of him, but so sad at the same time. Why do the have to grow so fast?

When I pulled myself together, I thought to myself. At least I didn’t miss his first day. As a teacher, all the Teacher Moms’ were posting last night they were so sad they were missing the first day. Being a teacher definitely has its perks but if you have your own kids, there are also the cons. I don’t know how I would have made it through the day today if I had to go to work. It would have been done, but I would have been hard. I’m so glad I didn’t miss this, even though it was stressful. Thankfully, I won’t miss the next 6 first days either because next year he will be with me for the first day. We get to go to school together and I’m so excited!

For now though, I’m so proud of the boy that he has grown into. He is definitely one of a kind. He has the personality to light up a room. He’s got the attitude of his mother and the whit of his father. He is a lover to the core and will do anything to help. He is my best friend and he lights up my day with that contagious laugh. He is so curious and so smart. I’m so lucky that I get to be his “So, Mom” and “Hey, Mom” forever. I would never change anything about him, ever. He is mine forever and I’m so proud!

Now to clean my house until 3:00 when I can pick him up and we can go for ice cream! I can’t wait to hear about his day, cuddle him and laugh the rest of the night…

We can then hopefully sleep peacefully and try for no tears tomorrow. =)

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Best Back to School Tip!

Here is my best back to school tip! Personally I like the saying, "teach them as if they know nothing." I think this is very true in every single grade! You have to explain every, single, little procedure, rule and consequence over and over, time and time again, for days and weeks on end. I know that it sounds like to much work and so crazy but it pays off in the end. The more you "over explain" it, the more they will understand and be able to better follow your directions! Trust me this is a major key to a successful school year.

Another thing is that you have to stick to your word. If you set a rule and a consequence, FOLLOW IT! If something is failing, take the time to reexplain it and try again. If it's just not working for your class (we all have those moments) think of another way to get the product that you are trying to produce.

My final tip is beg, borrow, steal and ask TONS of questions (especially if you are new). I am heading to a new school and a new grade level this year and I'm already picking everyones' brains! I'm so excited about my new journey but I also hope that it's smooth sailing!

Hopefully you find these tip helpful!

Have a great time heading back to school and GOOD LUCK! =)

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