Okay I think we've got it all wrong!! Why is it we get rested and relaxed over the summer only to spend four frantic, crazy days {or more!} trying to get our room ready? I am exhausted and I don't have kids yet!
I need a month to recover! I have decided that when the kids arrive on Tuesday they are not allow to touch ANYTHING! That's right ~ they can sit and admire all my hard work! Will 6 and 7 year olds appreciate how clean and crisp everything looks? Will they appreciate all my efforts to make sure everything is perfectly colour coordinated? They better!!!!! As much as I am delighted with how bright and cheerful my classroom feels it will not be complete until it is decorated with the beautiful artwork that only children can create! In my pictures you will see several blank walls ~ but not for long! I will spend the first 4 days having the kids making and creating things to put on display. Of course I have tried to leave room for those oh so important anchor charts. My school could certainly use a make-over. There hasn't been much money put into classroom furniture and everything is a bit drab. Enough is enough! We spend the next 10 months in this room and I wanted it to feel like we were learning on a rainbow. I am also a big believer in the idea that you can't expect the kids to give you the best quality they are capable of while the room is a mess. I am implementing the Daily 5 this year and so it was the perfect time to make some big changes. I finally took the plunge and got rid of my teacher desk! Yikes! I didn't think it would be a big deal but I was wrong. Not because it held valuable resources but because I had so much crap! Sorry but it's the truth! So here goes....drum roll please! Okay the first 2 pictures are the before shots - don't be jealous!
And this lovely piece is an old kitchen cupboards - nice storage eh?
Now the fun part ~ I just know you are shaking with anticipation!!
All the turquoise paper you see is covering all the blackboards. I hate dislike chalk so bye bye boards:)
I forgot to take a picture of the chair book pouches but you can see them if you look closely.
My reading nook is now where my desk was ~ a much better use of space I think!
I have used pink ribbon to hang the word on my word wall. All the words are attached to the ribbon with velcro tabs.
So I can make crafty things for my room but do you think I could get these tissue paper balls to work!
To the right of this picture you can see 3 turquoise frames {from Ikea}. I covered the plexi-glass with adhesive dry erase paper and I am going to write on them what we are learning and why.
Look at the cupboard now! I love it! Isn't it amazing what a couple of coats of paint can make!
The clipboards on the wall above the cupboard is where I display the kids writing.
I display the success criteria with the piece of writing. I will post more pictures once this wall is being used.
If you stuck with me all the way to the end ~ thank you!
I am off now to try and get my head around my first Daily 5 lessons. After 19 years there is always something new:)
Bye for now,
Natalie
