My Classroom

I have been working hard to get my classroom in order.  Last year I moved from 2nd grade to Pre-K and things just whent anywhere I could find a hole.  There were things that were already in the room that I had no idea I even had.  My "craft cabinet" was packed with paint, glitter, and anything else you can think of scattered on every shelf.  This year, I am making my room mine.  Let's face it, we teachers LIVE in our classroom most of the year.  So I have been organizing craft suplies, my library and every cabinet/shelf in the room.  I have purged many things.  Here are some pictures of my classroom.

Originally this shelf housed puzzles and books.  All of these items in these boxes wer in my "craft cabinet" shoved into every corner and spread out on all the shelves.  Nothing was together, there was absolutely no method to the madness.

I must confess:  This idea was not an original of mine....I have to say thank you to Caitlin from Kindergarten Smiles.

 

This is Caitlin's shelf.

Our "Family Room" I am going to try to use a cuter name than "the carpet" :o)

Yes, I have a desk. Sorry, I just can't get rid of my space.

I am going to use a word wall this year.  We will start with their names, color words, shape words, number words, etc.

I would love to tell you who made the word wall cards for me but it was a special order for a good reason.
If you see this and want the credit let me know ;-)
P.S. If "She" comments on my blog you will all hear me scream with excitement. :o)

My writing center is still not complete.  I may need a small shelf to store the items.
The cards on the wall are from the Moffatt Girls

Did you notice the big yellow barrel sitting there? Yea, I thought you did.  This is an emergency kit just in case there is an earthquake.  Since my classroom is the last one on the end it got selected to store it. JOY!

My library and student work display.

Student tables.

Small group table

My chair was a plain ole ugly wood chair last year.  I had to give it a face lift.
Yes. I painted it myself.  I'm working on a stool now to put by the sink.  I'll show you that in a couple of days.

The opening to the left leads to the classroom next door.  The door to the right is a closet.  It's full of second grade materials/decorations that I can't part with yet.  Just as soon as I do, I will get moved again. I did get rid of some things that I haven't used in 5 years.  I figured it was time.

I painted this chair for my students last year.  It is used as an incentive.
 If someone is being extra good they get to sit in it for the day.

Word work materials.  Another stolen idea.
I got this idea from Marsha at A Differentiated Kindergarten.



Student cubbies waiting for the kids' names to be added to them.

If you notice the brown cabinet to the left, that was my craft cabinet.  It still holds the paint but they are all on one shelf and organized by type and color.  It also has puzzles and I was lucky to house the Preschool diecuts and cutter that takes up a large portion of my cabinet.  (I think someone else should have to find some where to store that thing since I have to have that big yellow tub.  Don't you think so too?  No one asked us, did they? :-(  The red cabinet stores tons of Lakeshore learning games.

This is my clip chart.  

You can get one too from Teaching Oasis.  They have all sorts of themed items.  The labels that were on the blue tubs at the begining of this post came from there too.

And lastly, my poor little listening center. I am just not sure what to do with it.
If you have any ideas please comment.

 So that's my room.  90% done and ready for kids next Thursday.  Alright... Back to work for me.  I still haven't get my schedule the way I want it and I just got my class list so I have to get the kids' names on some things.

Inspiration & Target Finds

Don't you just love how we can all connect and get ideas from each other through blogs and Pinterest?  I find so many good ideas and inspiration from some really awesome teachers who I wold never even know existed if not for the web.  I was inspired by Caitlin at Kindergarten Smiles.

She posted pictures of her wonderfully organized shelves and I fell in love.

Her labels came from Mrs. Freshwaters Class but I am in the process of making me some Seuss themed labels.

So I finally made it to a Target after waiting very impatiently for a week. (There is no Target near me!) I not only got those wonderful boxes with the pretty blue lids but I quickly did a run through the dollar bins.  (Very quickly, we were on our way to the water park and my mom and the kids were in the van waiting.)  Here is what I found.

I was like "OMG SEUSS!!!!!" Why oh why did I not get more of those certificates? And those flash cards.....I fell in LOVE!  I also got these little caddys that had four small compartments that will be perfect for holding scissors and things at their tabes. I had been looking for some like that but eveything that I found was big.  I forgot to snap a picture before I ran them by the school today.

Ok friends... Let's pretend that this picture is not upside down.  I was SUPER excited to find these cards! How could they be more perfect? I alwasy see addition and subtraciton skill but not Pre-K skills.  I got two of each.  I'm thinking they can be used in centers. :)

Once again...we will pretend this is not upside down. :( I got these Avengers things for my kiddo.  I figured I would surprise him with the little paly pack and note book when we go on vacation.  I can see it now......

Hunter: "Are we almost there????????(whine)"

Mom: "No... here, I got you this in case you got bored in the car."

Hunter: "Thank you Mommy! I love the Hulk!"

I'm sure it will not be anything like that but a girl can dream, can't she?