*Teaching Maddeness*: $100 Dream Classroom Giveaway!!!

*Teaching Maddeness*: $100 Dream Classroom Giveaway!!!:   I'm just like you.  I'm spending my summer thinking of how I can turn my room into the "DREAM CLASSROOM." Some might...

Bulletin Boards

Furniture is set (for now) . . . Phase II of classroom prep has begun . . .

 

Today I worked on my Bulletin Boards . . . well just the borders really.   Thanks to my BFF/teaching buddy, the bulletin board ordeal has become a simple task for me.  You see, for my first year of teaching I covered my bulletin boards up with paper, the norm right?   I really disliked my bulletin boards all year because being the OCD person that I am, I hated the wrinkles and then of course every time I would try to change something (which is like every month) the paper would rip and I would have to do the whole thing over again.  So my second year I decided to take my teaching buddy's idea of using fabric.  For the first year she had covered her bulletin boards with really pretty fabrics.   So I went to Joann's . . . after a couple of hours of "OMG" and "I want that”.  I stumbled upon the felt aisle.   Then it came to me . . . felt stories . . . Velcro . . . no wrinkles!!!!!!  Me and my purple felt . . . it was like love at first sight!  So, that day (two years ago) I bought enough felt to cover ALL of my bulletin boards.    I chose purple because I figured . . . it's my favorite color and any classroom theme or décor I would have in the future would include purple somehow, plus for me it’s like a neutral lol.  

  

So . . . every summer (actually just two) I cover my felt with garbage bags while they paint.  When my room is ready I take out the bags and voila!  Bulletin boards are done.   Except this year, this year I decided to step it up a bit, by Double Bordering!!!!!!  Don't they look cute!!!!!!! While completing my daily "Google-ling" and blog snooping summer routine, I stumbled upon schoolgirlstyle.com (LOVE), and was inspired by some of her themes and bulletin boards with double borders.  I really loved her Blue Bird Theme, but my summer budget has been significantly reduced due to the fact that I and the hubby are saving for a house.    So instead of a complete overhaul I opted for the more responsible choice . . . a little face-lift.  

 

I would post pics of my bulletin boards are completely done, not really sure what each one is going to have (Word Wall, rules, jobs etc. the possibilities are endless ;-). 

 

 

I need to remember this everyday

Not being able to give EVERY child the attention they need makes me sad ;-( . . . They sure deserve more . . .

Currently Working on . . .

I absolutely LOVE books!  My collection has gotten so big, I have run out of space.  I  used to have most of my books out on baskets around the room . . .but I learned the hard way that not everyone (meaning the little ones) appreciate books like I do.   So two years ago, I cleared my closet to make space for them, only taking them out by theme or season.  But of course being the forgetful busy person I am, weeks maybe months would pass by before I changed the library and still some of my favorite books were just being destroyed.  So I made it my goal to organize my library in a better way.   I am not done yet, but here is what I have so far . . . .

 This is how my closet looked

(I had already taken out that middle chunk before the pic)

 

It took me a while but I was able to sort ALL 300+ books by season and/or theme.  I just about covered every inch of my classroom floor with books!!!!!

Then I started to organize them.  First I looked at my seasons/months.  I picked out my favorite read a louds, the ones I would not want the little ones to touch and I filed them in the drawer I have organized by month.  The extra ones would be available for their little eyes to read and little hands to touch lol.   

 

* I believe I bought the file folders with Scholastic points*

 

I had used them to store monthly homework packets, and reproducibles. 

 

The read a louds that did not fit on the file folders, I placed in the back .  .  . there was more than enough space for them there. 

 I still have a lot of books to go through but just wanted to share my progress. . . .

Let's pretend last year didn't happen!!!!!

I was so excited to begin my blog last year.  I wanted to be able to share all of my ideas and experiences . . . but, I forgot one thing . . . I am a kindergarten teacher!  The first few weeks are always hard, with all the "I want my mommy!" tantrums, bathroom accidents and the totally not age appropriate milk cartons and ketchup packets.   It usually gets easier as the months pass by,  unfortunately that was not the case in 2013.   It felt like the first week of school all year round!!!! I enjoyed the little ones and learned a lot, but I was definitely super exhausted by the last day of school!  

I am really looking forward to the new year.  I have so many new ideas and projects to complete before my new group of little ones comes in.  

Visit throughout the summer to check out my progress.