Classroom: Part 1 (many to come)

I am finally IN my classroom and have the keys! I am so excited right now! I am enjoying the "fun" part of picking out colors, borders, arranging the furniture, and decorating. It will not last long because soon I will be dumped with staff development, paperwork, and other misc. things that will need my immediate attention. Not to mention TEACHING. School starts August 27th!

I am falling more and more in love with my classroom everyday, and I have only been in it for 4 days! Not only do I want to create the perfect learning environment for my students, but I will spend more hours in this room than I will in my own home. This is what it looked like when I walked in the first time.

First thing I did was rip down the hideous green fabric in front of the shelves, and I hung my name outside my door. :) I sat in the room and just looked around and looked through things. There was a lot of stuff left for me: math games/supplies purchased by the school, and the gross stuff the teacher moving out didn't want to take. It is a dusty unorganized mess in the shelves, cabinets, and files. It is going to take a long time for me to organize. And as soon as that couch can get out of my room it is leaving!

My wonderful grandparents drove from Cleburne to Aledo to load up all of my classroom stuff in their truck and then we made the trek to Frisco. There was a pit stop at my apartment where we loaded even MORE stuff. I was shocked that everything fit. Tom Borton knows how to load a truck efficiently! My car and their backseat was also packed to the brim.

We finally got to the school and just unloaded everything. It feels so good for my things to finally have a home! It really didn't look like that much stuff once it was in the room. You think I have it bad.. I'm only a first year teacher!

I've spent about 16 hours in my room so far. Yesterday My mentor Judy came out to help me put up some bulletin boards. I refuse to use butcher paper for my bulletin boards! I have been accumulating bright colored sheets when they go on sale at Target the past year.

Here is Judy and our first board. She taught me how to pull the fabric so there are no creases or wrinkles. I love that this flat twin sheet ($4 @ IKEA) goes from ceiling to floor.

The Word Wall has to be one row of all 26 letters, and the background has to be dark. Vocabulary/spelling words go above the letters, and content words go below. Well I went out and bought a King and Queen Flat Sheets at Wal-mart. Gray goes with everything. Spent $28 for this gem to get on the wall.

I pretty much unpacked my boxes and moved my filing cabinets after Judy left. It took forever for me to come to a stopping point. There is so much to do!

Today I hit up the Teacher Tools Sale twice. Once before I went to my classroom and once after. Luckily I was given a $100 giftcard to Teacher Tools from my kindergarten student teaching class.My credit card needed a break... My friends Cassie and Caroline came out to help. It doesn't look like it but so much got done today! I organized my desk area, put my books in shleves after some serious clorox wiping happened, Caroline made me my Math board letters.

I can't put this board up because there is a wall in my room that is accordion style, and can open up to the next room. Once the wall is locked in place I will be putting this magnificent color combination together!

Cassie stapled my Writing traits posters to the wall and we got my letters up for the word wall. I needed multiple people in there to make sure we got everything evenly spaced and straight.

Then Cassie and I put up my fuschia board for my calendar, and my cursive alphabet

It is coming along great! I am constantly moving and the time flies when I am in my room. AC would be really nice to have... I am putting off organizing the back room as long as possible because it is such a chore and soooo hot. It will take me a few days to organize the back of the room!

Thanks for making it to the end of my first classroom post! Many many more to come!