Almost a New Year

A new year is almost upon us.  It is the time of year I try to assess what we have done up to this point and where will we be going.  We will continue working with my Little's that still need help with their alphabet and sounds, and also stretching those who are ready for making words from all those sounds that they have learned and have been practicing in the beginning of the school year.  I enjoy watching them really begin to understand that letters make sounds and if you put sounds together then they can make words. 

 

 

Above you will see one of my past Little's writing the word "Egg"

"Penguin"

 

When we come back to school from our winter break, we will begin to restructure our routines by adding in to our center time work baskets.  These baskets will be geared to number sense work and also literacy activities.  There will be lots of beginning sound work, letter matching, and even CVC work.  Usually, the Little's are given free rein over their center choices in the morning, with only having 1 teacher directed activity each day.  Now, although each activity will be a fun game, it will be geared more towards what we are learning.  There will still be many open child centered centers, where they will be able to play and explore in their own way, but there will be at least 2 or 3 work baskets that they will have to rotate through. 

 

This week we will be going into school to sort through all of those unorganized areas that I have accumulated since the beginning of the year.  I have to regretfully say that I am an unorganized mess!!  If it wasn't for my very organized co-teacher, I would be left with a hopeless mess that I would have to spend a lot of my after school hours managing instead of working on my lesson plans, curriculum guide, and creating the wonderful centers that are expected in an early childhood room!!  So, into school I go tomorrow.  I will take some before and after pics so I can post, and if anyone has any idea's for organizing I would LOVE to hear them!!!! 

 



Classroom Photos... Finally!!!

It has been very hard keeping this blog up and running and I apologize for not writing each day.  I, of course, forgot my good camera at home on the day of our Halloween party, but we had our kids documentation camera so I took some photos with that.  A little blurry, but that's okay :)

 

My room is quite big actually.  But it seems like I have no wall space to use.  I have a beautiful USA map and I have no where to hang it up so the kids can see it/use it.  So, it sits under my science sensory table waiting....

 

 

 

 This is a view from my doorway to the room... I acquired both my supply cabinet and my team teachers cabinet since my room is bigger.  So that little bump out is occupied with cabinets, water cooler and refrigerator.

 

 Again, another view from the doorway... you can see my tables in the middle, my circle area and Smart Board, my writing and science area beyond the meeting area, and my block area. I made the pumpkin bean toss game for our Halloween Party, the kids loved it.

 

 A wider view... my housekeeping is off to the left where the play stand is and next to the housekeeping is the free art center and across from the art center is the sensory/easel area.

 

 This view is from my writing center... that is my bathroom door to the right, my desk area and the cubby area at the door.

 

Close up of my desk area.  It's a mess and I am having a hard time organizing it.  I try, but I am a piler upper... Then I try to put things where they belong each day after school and I say to myself... "Ahhh... that's where that was."  In front of my desk is my computer desk where we usually have 2 tablets for the kids to use, but I was charging and downloading some ebooks on to them at that moment.

 

So, that is my classroom, just a few weeks late... Okay, a few months late ;)  It has been a great year so far and I wish I had posted about our tasting party, outdoor classroom, literary pumpkin project, and all the wonderful things we have been doing.  But, now that I am back on this computer for something other than report cards... I will get back on the blogging wagon!!  So, hopefully I didn't lose all my 7 followers ;) and someone will read what we have to say :)

 



Feeling A Little Overwhelmed

 Okay, I haven't forgotten that I was supposed to post some new photos of my classroom, but......

I am STILL in the process of working on it.  Wow, getting a whole new room up and going from that totally bare canvas... well let me tell you, it is overwhelming!!!  I am not only exhausted, but my mind is fried from all the decisions about bulletin boards (which are not even up yet), where the Smart Board will go, carpets, do I have to much furniture? not enough furniture? is the Monster Theme going to be to scary for 4/5 yr olds? What about specials, here come the special teachers asking when I want to have Art, Music, Science... but of course they only have 20 minutes 1 day a week ;)  so it isn't really what time I want to have specials, they are just trying to be nice I guess.  All of this and I haven't even got the cubby tags up yet and all my little TKers will be here on Friday for student orientation!!!

Oh My!!!  I still have lots to do!!  Although, when I look back at the photos on this here blog... I realize all I have accomplished and know I will get it done, and it won't look half bad either ;)

I'll take photos before I leave tomorrow and post!!!  Since it had better be done before I leave tomorrow or I'm in trouble!!

I hope everyone else is doing a better job at organizing and getting those rooms ready!!  I can't wait to see pics of what your doing in your rooms!!

A Peek Inside the Classroom...

I came into school this week to work on my classroom.  You see, I had shared a room last year with another teacher and since our enrollment went up, I was given my own classroom this year, Woo Hoo!!  Which is GREAT, but it comes with a lot of stuff to do!!!

 

I have an empty canvas!! 

 

 This is the view from the door as you walk in. It is a large room, but I'm bummed because my windows don't open.  I love fresh air and wind blowing through the windows... but, oh well.

All my furniture needed to be ordered, as well as curriculum supplies.  I had boxes of furniture in my room, but no curriculum stuff yet.  Hoping it will come before school starts.

 

 Here is the wall next to the door.  That is where my desk will be and that door leads to the bathroom.  It has the cutest little toilet!!

 

 I have this weird bump out on the next wall... It will hold my cabinets, water cooler, and fridge.  I inherited an awful fridge from our concession stand that is huge.  But, I need it to store lunch boxes so I will take what I can get :)

 

 That is one of my wonderful sons, who gave up his whole day to help me unpack boxes and get situated.  He was a real Godsend!!  Over on the wall is all our nap mats... they are brand new and smell like rubber, so we need to air them out.  I'm glad I remembered from last year.  Those large boxes are my new shelves and my desk. 

 

 Just another shot of the back wall...

 

 This wall will house my Smart Board and white boards.  I was thinking that it will take up a lot of wall space and I am worried I won't have any space for bulletin boards, kids art work, or some of my curriculum materials.  Oh the dilemma's!!

 

  

 Now we are back where we started... 

 

 

 I am losing sleep over trying to imagine in my head the best scenarios for where all my centers should be.  How do I utilize all the empty space and yet keep the flow of the room going.  You will have to stay tuned to see how the room progresses :) I will be going in on Monday, hopefully I will have some more of my ordered materials come in, and I can get things going .

 

 

 

 

Great Deals!!!

I was out with my son today doing some errands when we decided to stop by a new Dollar General store in our area.  It was much bigger than the one we have closer to our house.  I was excited to see that they had some educational things there... all for a $1!!!! 

 

This photo is of all the loot together...

 

 

 

I was excited to get these cute number banners.  Not sure where any of it will go in my classroom just yet, but I was thinking in a math center on the wall or back of a cabinet?? 

 

 

They also had these "award" frames, I think that's what they were called.  You can put artwork, special homework or photos of the kids in them.   Again, hopefully I have a spot for them on the wall somewhere.  If not, I will use them at home with my own kids, for a $1 I couldn't pass them up.

 

I think my favorite one is this "I Spy" Spinner.  I work with 4 & 5 yr old TK students and this is a great beginning of the year game we can play.  I think that eventually, when they are comfortable playing it alone, I will put it in a center to be used whenever they want.

 

 

I love getting good deals.  Creating a whole new classroom isn't always easy on a teachers budget.  I have a lot of things from the daycare, but some of it is to young for this group.  I am excited to be setting off on this journey, I think it is going to be a great year.  Now, off to make some TPT copies for my Beginning of the Year Centers :)