Then and Now

While everyone was getting ready for back to school, I, like many, was surfing around social media checking out all the latest in classroom decor.  Between the colors, labels, posters, designs, and more I got overwhelmed.  I have to be honest, I was looking for inspiration too.  After 15 years and getting ready for year 16, I wanted a change.  As I've said in prior posts and on IG, it's not what color scheme you have or how many fonts you have, or using the latest code for TpT...your kids will like the room because of YOU!  However, as much time as I (we) spend in the classroom on a day-to-day basis, I strongly feel that it has to be a place I want to enter everyday.  With those dreaded Monday mornings, I want to walk into my classroom (with Dunkin' in my hand) and smile, knowing this is a place that will make me happy and that will inspire me to be the best I can be.  Yes, the little things hanging up don't matter, but in the end: if my kids see me happy, that'll make a big difference in the classroom environment.  Over the summer, I was searching around on Instagram and Meg, from Meg's Crayons, along with another teacher, started using the hashtag: #firstyearclassrooms.  How fun was it to go back and see how many classrooms have evolved and changed!  I wanted to look back at my first year, but my pictures were in school....so I had to wait until I was able to get into my classroom.

Fast forward:  I'm including pictures from that first year.  It's funny to see how the small things like my classroom library (or lack thereof) in the beginning was so small has grown to way too many books!  Just like many, my classroom included hand me down posters, decor, and handmade calendar pieces, signs, etc.  But the most important thing I learned way back then and can still say proudly now: IT WAS MINE!  This was and is my classroom and I was happy to have it anyway with any design!

So, I present my then and now....

Take Away the Clutter...get a SHOE ORGANIZER!

I just wanted to share a quick tip as we all prepare to head back into the classrooms.  Each classroom is unique in design, decor, space, size, storage.  OBVIOUSLY, the kiddos make it EXTRA unique, but we'll talk about them at another time.

This post is specifically focusing on one hack in organizing a variety of things: a shoe organizer!

I'm linking to one so click on this: Amazon

It just so happened that just after I hung one up in one of my storage closets, one of my colleagues mentioned she ordered one as well!  The organizers can be used for so many things.  I plan on storing extra supplies like glue sticks, pencils, or as my co-worker is doing, headphones.  The best thing about the organizer is that it can be hung up either on the outside or inside of the closet, depending on how you want to use it.  I have it hanging in the inside so it isn't visible!!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun....and Then Comes Back to School!

If any of you have been around town and going to places like Target or Walmart, then you know, as soon as July 4 is over, that means one thing: BACK TO SCHOOL!  The outdoor patio section is quickly cleared away and replaced with all things school supplies: folders, pencils, glue sticks, and countless other necessities!  While most teachers still have a good amount of time left before they have to head back to the classroom, some spend their summer thinking about the new year and all that will to come.  

As we close out on July, we will have the new year on the brain and will begin the planning process.  No matter the years of experience or if you are just starting out for your first year, I feel there are some commonalities that we all think about to get ready for our new kiddos!  Most of this will probably be directed towards primary grades, but can be tweaked for intermediate teachers too.  

With the help of social media and sites like Instagram or Pinterest, we get bombarded with some amazing classroom designs, decor, set up, and more.  With those great inspirations comes an overwhelming feeling of having to get the classroom just like those that we see.  That is so far from what we should be doing!  Use those pictures you see as inspiration, but start with something small.  I have listed a few areas I feel are most important when getting ready for a new school year.  Don't worry about the theme of your classroom.  Your kiddos will love you whether or not you have the SuperHero theme, the buzzing bees, or pineapple themes we're seeing everywhere!  Your kids will thrive because YOU are their teacher and not what kind of desk tag they have on their desk.

1.  Build a classroom library.  Visit places like Goodwill, Salvation Army, garage sales, Half Price books, or check with your local library (They often have book sales and books are very reasonably priced) to find books for your students to read independently.  While you may not be sure of exact levels, you can find a variety of picture books, rhyming, chapter books, and more that the kids will enjoy.  When you're visiting the garage sales too, look for indoor recess games or puzzles.

2.  Shop SMART.  Teachers spend a lot of their own money on their room.  If you buy supplies or decor for your room, check out places like Dollar Tree or Target's "Bullseye Playground" aka the dollar spot.  They are putting out some great things for classrooms like baskets, certificates, portable dry erase boards, flashcards and more!  I always buy extra folders and will only get them at Walmart.  You can usually find them for $.15-.50.  Also, Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) is a great way to follow other teachers and see what they create for the classroom.  There are many great resources for a reasonable price or for free!  

3. Classroom Management...SOOOOO important!   If you are already hired, or a returning teacher, make sure you check with your school to see what type of behavior system is in place.  Become familiar with those expectations and see how it will fit into your room  You will need to start your management system on DAY 1!!!  Your students will need to know expectations, rules, and consequences from the beginning.  I recommend repeating these expectations and rules and practicing everyday for the first two weeks!  Your students need those guidelines in order to make a smooth transition into your classroom.  I will do a separate post all about Classroom Management at a later date...that is a whole post in itself.  

4.  Stay organized.  Get yourself a planner or binder and make lists!  Make lists of all you want to do or need to get or make.  This binder can keep any forms you will need for the year, hold your lesson plans, parent communication, etc.  

5.  Classroom Set up.  Visit the other classrooms to see how those teachers are arranging their rooms.  They are the best resources if you are stuck on where to put the furniture or how to arrange your kiddos.  Don't worry about the student desks.  More than likely, you'll rearrange them after the first few days because you'll see who can work near each other and who can't! 

6.  Class Procedures and Student Info.  Once you get going with your class lists and get started with your first day, you should make sure you know of any allergies and make sure any other staff members or lunch supervisors are aware too.  Make a list and copy it so you have it in multiple places (lesson plan binder, sub binder, by the class door, etc.) and know exactly where your students are going at the end of the day: bus riders, after school club, day care, walkers, etc.  Having that info directly from the parents will help ease any panic and stress and will have you leaving school knowing all of your kiddos are exactly where they are supposed to be!  

7.  Parent Contact.  One of the best ways to create a successful community is to have consistent contact with parents.  Give your kiddos time to adjust and get used to the new school year and send an email, a note or a quick call to the parents letting them know what type of transition their child has made and that you are confident it will be a great year!  This will open up the door to a strong relationship that is needed for those kids to be successful!  

Getting your room ready, thinking of all you need for the kids, and prepping for lessons can be so overwhelming and time consuming!  These are just the top things I'd recommend to think of as you get ready to head into the classroom.  Just remember to do a little at a time, try not to focus on too many things, and you'll get there!

Summer Teacher Haul (Part 1)

Happy Summer!

Alarm clock, OFF!  Don't have a clue as to what day it is...can go grocery shopping to Target in the middle of the day...this all must mean one thing: THIS IS A TEACHER ON SUMMER BREAK!!!!

Although I can say, waking up whenever I want and having the freedom is nice, that doesn't mean that school is not on the brain!  That's one of the MANY misconceptions people have about teachers.  While teachers may not be working IN the classroom, there is a lot taking place outside: some are going back to school for another degree, working at a second job, taking professional development, creating/developing curriculum, etc.

This teacher <RIGHT HERE>, while she enjoys summer, does think about the following year.  I do use this time to figure out what will need to change, what I want to do differently, and to find things that will keep me and my students motivated.  It is known that teachers spent quite a bit of their own money for their classroom.  I believe this to be true and here's why: for as much time as we spend in the classroom, it should be a place that WE WANT to be in, that we would like others to feel comfortable in, and to have our students feel happy about being there.  One way to achieve this, is to have items that are pleasant to look at, create functionality, or are engaging to use.

As we all know thanks to social media, there are many places out in our communities that take pride in advertising deals for back to school and thanks to TpT, teachers are able to acquire anything they need.

In just the past few weeks, I've gone to Target a couple  LOT of times. along with Dollar Tree, and Home Goods.  I'm sure there will be many more trips/summer hauls over the next month, so stay tuned!!!

I was so happy to find this paper cutter at Target!  It will come in so handy in the room.  There have been countless times that I have needed to cut note cards, construction papers, etc. and can't run down to the copy room to use the staff one.  

I have looked for these microfiber circles for so long.  Dollar Tree has a few packs left and I took them ALL!  My first graders will use these as erasers for their dry erase markers!  I found more clear dry erase pockets for worksheets or to hang posters or words on my focus walls.  The The stars came from Target and I have no idea what I'll use them for, but couldn't pass them up!  The small containers are great for extra crayons or playing cards.  I got a new smart board in my room during spring break and my old marker container doesn't work with the new board, so I found this pink one!  It has several compartments for markers and 2 strong magnets on the back!!!

I found these two stools from Home Goods and can't wait to add them to one of the small tables in my classroom.  Now if I can find a few more, I'll be set!

Come back for more hauls!  

Secret Partners

2 posts in one week!  This is a quick one...all about partner selection!  Some teachers have the students choose partners to work with in cooperative settings.  Some teachers have sticks with names or numbers and pull out two random sticks to match up students.  I'm sure there are many other ways that the boys and girls get matched up to be partners.  I've seen much cuter cards or tags made up for secret partners, but I wanted to show everyone that it doesn't have to always be cute or something to purchase...You can make these really quick and the kids will love it!  Plus, it's a great way to review math facts.  I would probably take a guess that since we are all creative teachers, we could find other things to put on the cards to match up students.  I chose math facts/vocabulary and it worked well.

Each student gets a card with either two addends, or a sum, a solid figure, the name of the figure, etc.  They look at their card and when they have figured out what their match would be (8+6 would match up with 14) then they stand up, hold their card in front of their body, and search for their partner, without making a sound!  For first graders, this was hard.  I can't say it was SILENT, but they were so good about finding their partner and did it quickly!

I started this now towards the end of the year, but that's ok!  As we all know, the end of the year means students (and teachers) are less likely to stay motivated and put forth effort in their work.  It's okay to do something new in order to keep everyone motivated!  Try it and let me know how it goes!  Congrats to those terrific teachers who are ending their school year this week!  We have about 7.5 days left!  

Mother's Day Tea

I meant to get this up earlier in the week but as usual...no time.  Why is that always the reason?!?!?

I hope all of the Moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!!!

Every year I try to find something cute, easy, but something that the moms of my kiddos will love!  I have been following Michelle from Fabulous in First for a long time and saw that she did a Mommy and Me Tea with her first graders.  My immediate thought...PERFECT!  I do love having parents come into the classroom any chance I can get.  I luck out with parent volunteers, but know that the working parents would like to come in whenever possible too!  As I looked through Michelle's products for this Mom event on TpT, I figured, why not!  How precious would that be?  

Here are some pics from our Mother's Day Tea!  The firsties made the book, sang two of the songs and read one poe, and made the flowers!  The songs were short but sweet and most importantly, SO ADORBS!!!!!! I hope all of the Moms/Grandmas who came loved every minute of it!  I loved it all!

Earth Day and Dollar Store Finds!

This past week we finished up our Earth Day project!  It looks time consuming, but it really is a fun and quick project to do with your kids!  I cut out circles for each student to use for their painting.  As I'm typing this new post up, I am thinking that I should have taken pictures of the step-by-step process of how each first grader made his/her marble Earths. I set out four cookie trays (to work with four students at a time) and sprayed a small amount of shaving cream onto each tray.  Then, I added some blue and green paint to each tray.  The kids used a paintbrush to swirl the colors together in the shaving cream.  We put a white circle cut-out on top of the colors and patted around to push the paint and shaving cream onto the paper.  After the painting was dried, I shook off the dried shaving cream and beautiful marbleized painting were uncovered!  I absolutely love how each one turned out and with such unique patterns!

Now, onto a teacher's dream!  If you're anything like me, you are about organization or know that organization is important when having many games, papers, and STUFF for your kiddos!  I have become obsessed more than ever with going to the dollar store!  Granted, you get what you pay for, but I have found some great things to add and hope that I can keep better track of everything in my classroom!  This weekend I was pleasantly surprised to see the re-stock of containers, buckets, and more!  I FINALLY found the small containers I've been looking for!  I have wanted these small containers for so long to add dice!  My firsties are like any other group of energetic lovies who enjoy tossing the dice up in the air and at times across the room when playing different games.  Hopefully, these containers will help keep the dice in one place!  In addition to this little cups, I also bought more boxes for card games and other buckets for indoor recess games and puzzles!  If you're a new teacher, student teacher, or a teacher needing a re-do, go check out your local Dollar Tree and pick up some of the colorful containers!