Extreme Classroom Makeover - Back to School Edition

I think if they had a show on television about extreme classroom make-overs, I would be the perfect host.  I am addicted to watching HGTV and DIY home makeover shows.  Since, I actually live in an itty-bitty apartment, this is a true suck of my time.  But, I can't help it.  You should see me running around my apartment trying out all the cute ideas I see on the episodes.  I am DYING to paint the cabinets in my bathroom and kitchen.  My Pinterest obsession doesn't help either.  I'm embarrassed to say how many Pinterest fails I have tallied up.  OMG, if I actually owned a house, I would to totally be rocking a sledge hammer every summer.


This year I'm kind of bummed because I won't have a classroom of my own to organize and decorate. This is killing me!  I'm so obsessed that I've offered to help set up other teachers' classes this year. I might be coming to a classroom near you...haha!  I might need an intervention...

Here are some helpful tips in setting up your classroom...

1 - Start with a color scheme - select a few basic colors

2 - Zone Your Room - make sure you have a place for everything and everything has a place

3 - Sketch it Out - put it on paper before you move anything

4 - Container R Us - make sure you have everything accessible and labeled.

5 - Hide the rest - if it's not needed daily find a creative way to hide what you're not using

Sit back and enjoy a classroom that partners with you in teaching and reaching kids!

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Off into the sunset? Maybe not...

I almost threw in my hat, called it quits and rode off into the sunset.  Moving to a new school is stressful enough without added drama.  My life has been a CIRCUS!  Since I first interviewed with my new school, I've had 4 different job titles - yup FOUR!!!  This is a big deal to someone who is borderline OCD.  I would no longer be self-contained and had to take 30 more students into my classroom (although now I would be team-teaching). We'd only been in school 3 weeks and I was about to lose it. I'm used to change and working with transient students, but this was pushing it.  I figured that I could sub for a year and find a job that was better suited to my sanity.

I talked to my principal and she was very understanding and agreed to get me help re-organizing my room to accommodate the changes.  She sent a retired teacher/principal to help me prepare all my student notebooks, journals, book boxes and etc.  She was a Godsend and knew just what to say to comfort my frantic mind.  Now I think I might just be able to do this...with God's help!

Well now that I have to switch classes with another teacher, I need a way to keep my classroom management under-control.  I send my students to my partner teacher with a clipboard that tracks students.  I use this weekly behavior sheet to track who has turned in homework and has broken classroom rules.  It's very handy tool at the end of the day when I send home behavior sheets to parents because they know exactly why their student has had a color change.

 I'm putting a copy of this tracking tool in my TPT and TN store.  The first five people to comment on my page can have it as a FREEBIE!!!

Monday Made it - can u believe it?

It's official... I start my new job in this week.  I've moved to a new school that's closer to home and my family.  This year I'll be back in third grade. I've been working on hard this summer getting things ready for my new classroom.  Now that I'm self contained I've been creating stuff for all subjects.  That means I also have quite a few TPT projects in the works.  I never realized how much time it takes to put a unit together (especially when you have OCD issues).

I've been away for awhile, so decided to join Fourth Grade Frolic's Linky and share a short post.  I've been checking out great projects all summer long.  Here are my latest Monday Made It Projects.

I'm obsessed with Pinterest and my latest pinspiration was a homework board.  I couldn't resist making a magnetic homework club board and magnets to motivate kiddos to turn in their homework each week.

I also made scoreboard for whole brain teaching this year.  I started last year with the basics and must admit that we just got as far as the rules, class-yes, switch and mirror.  This year I want to step up our game and work on the scoreboard and super improvers wall.














Last but not least....
Thanks to Mrs. Stanford, I was able to find a few treasure box goodies for 30 cents!

 

Unfortunately, I have new teacher training this week, so I've gotta go.  Check out the Monday Made It projects this week.  

 

 Ta-ta for now :)

Are U Ready to Boogie? (FREEBIE!!!)

After being inspired by a fellow teacher and Pinterest, I started making 5-gallon bucket stools for my classroom and other teachers.  My students love to sit on them during Daily 5 for independent and buddy reading around the room.

 I also have five green stools for my guided reading table.

I hate to think about how badly things could go wrong in an emergency situation.  For someone who loves to procrastinate, I do feel better when I "think" I'm prepared for unforeseen emergencies.


Our school recently had a training about how to handle campus intruders and what to do if we have an emergency school lock down.  In the wake of Sandy Hook, I guess this is going on in schools all around the nation.  I can never be emotionally ready to handle such a tragedy because I really do love my kiddos and would hate for something so awful to happen to them.


I decided that the same idea could be used for emergencies and now I'm creating a class "Boogie Bucket."  I'm using large 5 gallon buckets that I fill with emergency supplies like a first aid kit, a flash light/radio, tissue, toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, duct tape, plastic bags, flash cards/travel games, a whistle, emergency contact info and student care packages.  Next week I'm sending home a letter to ask parents to prepare a Ziploc bag with things to comfort their child in case of an emergency.

There's a School Emergency Preparedness Freebie on TeachersPayTeachers and Teachers Notebook.

I included boogie bucket directions, a parent letter, comfort letter samples and student id card templates.

Take care ya'll and have a wonderful Easter Weekend!

So what if I'm labeled...

I got a comment request for the labels that I used to organize my files.  I separate my daily papers in file boxes for the week but I also keep activities in my monthly theme boxes and in reading topic boxes. I'll be posting each set of labels soon. Today I'm posting my daily box labels.  Click on the picture below or visit my TPT Store to get the labels.

I decided to revamp my monthly theme box labels and will post them soon.  Here's a sneak peek....

 Of course this is just an excuse to go to one of my favorite places - The Container Store!  I use large men's clear shoe boxes to store the monthly theme and topic materials.

Classroom Organization - Part 7

I see then end in sight! I'm almost done with my classroom. I finished my word wall, behavior chart and rules. I just need to decorate my door, set up my student work display area, label and organize student folders/binders, finish my welcome back banner and put together first day kits. Yeah, that's all (I'm tired already thinking about it!) Here's a few pics of what I've done so far..

Writing Center Supplies

Student Mailboxes & Folders

Classroom Rules & Behavior Chart

Word Wall

Classroom Library (minus a few labels)

Hopefully Thursday I can show the whole class photo when I'm finished. Please forgive the awful photos. My camera died on me and I've been using my phone....

Rules, Rewards and Consequences Chart and RON CLARK!!

Wow!! What a GREAT first day back to school. I'm almost finished with my room (YAH!!!) , I got to see all of my amazing co-workers today, and I met Ron Clark at our convocation. He was so inspiring!! He reminded me about the real reason why I teach. He was gracious enough to sign my book and take a photo with me.

I going to step on my soapbox for a minute... Anyone can teach in at an "easy" school. It takes heart, passion and determination to teach kids from the "wrong" side of the tracks. I am determined to make a difference for these kids. That is where my heart is and that's where I've always chosen to teach. I know God has led me here because this is where I can make the greatest impact. I believe that the children deserve and need excellence in the classroom just as much as students whose parents have money. I wish they had excellent funding as well :)

Well enough about that...

I was also inspired by Deanna Jump's Core Standards charts and decided to do something similar with my classroom rules (the ribbon was the cutest thing ever!) I made six charts and will use ribbon to connect them. I hope it will be just as cute. You can get them from my store by clicking the link below.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Primary-Classroom-Rules-274384

Well, we have a full day of training tomorrow and I'm going to try to sneak in a few minutes in my classroom. So until later...

Classroom Organization - Part 5

Another day at school and yes 3 completed projects (CHECK!). Today I started on the next 3 projects. Please forgive the photos I took with my phone today.

Project #1 Topic Boxes
In the spirit of "de-cluttering" my classroom, I need to finish cleaning out my file cabinet. I decided to organize my reading files into topics. Each topic is placed in a box from the container store and labeled with the contents. I like to keep activity pages, sample projects and lesson plans for that topic in each box. Below is a photo of how they are organized.
In addition to topic boxes, I like to organize month boxes with "themes" for each month. I keep a calendar with important dates in the box also. On the outside of the box is labeled topics that I usually cover during that month. I'm going to add a back-to-school box and a year-end box.

Project #2 - Read Aloud Books
After discovering Interactive Read-Alouds by Linda Hoyt, I complete changed how I organize my "Teacher Stash" of books. I am separating my books into magazine file boxes that are labeled with the topic.
I keep these books behind my guided reading table for easy access and lesson planning.

Project #3 - Organize Worksheets and Papers
I came across an idea on a scholastic teacher blog from Nancy Yang and decided to organize my daily papers in magazine file boxes. I will also keep these behind my guided reading table for easy access.Well that's a wrap for today... I can't wait to check these things off my mile long list. I'm already looking at organizing my portable workstations, classroom jobs and behavior management board. Well that's for another day.

Classroom Organization - Part 3

Well I'm back at it today. I really liked the idea of having table signs for each group. Since I'm going with a African savannah safari theme this year, I made one for each one of my tables. ( I totally copied this idea from Mrs. Lemons Second Grade Blog). I have banners in my room with the animals and made group signs to match the banners.



I had to make smaller circles to fit onto my table tubs. Each group is a different color and number. The graphics are from DJ Inkers. Click on the picture below for a copy...


Since the groups compete against each other to get table points, this year I'm going to use marble jars to keep a running tally. Groups earn points for working collaboratively, correct answers and being on task. The first group to fill their jar gets to have lunch with the teacher and/or a lunch treat. I'm also going to decorate the jars with these table signs as well.