Getting Ready for the New Year!

As I am thinking about setting up my classroom (we can start on Monday but I am holding off until Tuesday), I am avidly searching the web for other cute classroom ideas.  I found an awesome site (through Pinterest, of course) that has a bunch of links to classroom pictures.


 I like my room (except for the fact that one wall is yellow, one wall is green, the shelves are peach, the rug is blue, and I think one more color that I can't remember right now.)  I have a big room with lots of light (even a skylight!) and a kid's bathroom (essential).  I have to house two teacher desks (one assistant's desk and one teacher desk) but I am considering using my desk as the projector table.

Front right corner

Back right corner

Looking in from the doorway

window and playground door from the sink

Circle time-last year I covered the chalkboard with whiteboard cling.  Looks much better-I can't stand that putty colored chalkboard!!

Back wall-This is actually a dividing wall with my friend next door but we never open it.  It is all made of metal.  When I went into school last week, they had removed that plastic burlap covering above and below the chalkboard (putty colored again!!!).  I gave away that horseshoe table-takes up a ton of room but they are nice to have reading groups at.

I took the above pictures a few years ago when I went in to set up.  It actually looks worse right now with everything all stacked up in the middle.  I don't think anyone understands (except other teachers) how much work this is every year to first put everything away and then set it all up again at the end of the summer!!

It is exciting to think of doing some new things in the room.

I love polka dots and we start off with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom so I have some polka dot bulletin boards and I bought more polka dot borders.  I got a polka dot pencil holder, too.'

My file cabinet is in the closet- I hardly ever use it.  I am trying to store more things digitally.  I just need to get more organized- folders and such.

I am going to switch some of my MP3 players to ipods/old iphones. (oooooo!  right?  The kids will probably wonder why they can't watch youtube videos-that's what my granddaughter does and she isn't even two yet!).  I need to set them up with the cover pictures of the books I have on mp3.  I read about it somewhere....I may need to google that!  I saw it on Jessica Stanford's site, too (scroll down and look at her ipods).

I am also considering using some shelves as dividers and making the rug area more separate.  Not sure until I go in and push things around.  I am exhausted just thinking about it.

I have bunches of things to print out and laminate.

I have a huge team this year: five teachers, two special ed teachers, two and a half reg ed assistants, two special ed assistants, and I think a one on one for special ed (but I haven't heard yet).  So I need to coordinate a bunch of schedules.

So I guess I should get busy!!!