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Setting Up a Classroom...again...

Pin It Now! There are many facets to being a teacher... many that I LOVE and a few that I would not say I exactly love.  One of those that falls into the category of not a "love" would be packing up my classroom at the end of each and every schoolyear.  The reasoning is good, floors have to waxed, made fresh for the next, new schoolyear, right?  I've been in the same classroom since 1993! Can you even imagine how many books and just stuff accumulates when you don't move classrooms for that long?  Let me tell you, it's a lot!  So, it must be done, every book (and I do have books) and all my "stuff" must be put somewhere!

Then, as soon as the floors are done, I get to put everything back where it belongs or in most cases, to a better improved spot and some purging must take place as well.  Here's where I start to LOVE what I do.  Creating an environment for optimum learning with some fun mixed in.  Since I'm addicted to Pinterest, I have been able to spend way too much time planning, spending my own money and making things to decorate my classroom.

The following pictures show the evolution of where I am as I get ready for students to arrive in August!  More to come...

Floors are finished and this is what I walked into as soon as they were dry in June!

Nothing is where it belongs...

But, after Day 1, some progress is made.

This table with the poka-dot table cloth will become my table for small group reading resources.

The desks are basically where they will be, but this year, inspired by Pinterest, their reading bins are located in the middle of each "team". The lanterns are from Melanie at www.schoolgirlstyle.com.  Our fire codes will not let us hang anything from the ceiling so I purchased a wooden flower with a center peg from Hobby Lobby, removed the peg and screwed in a dowel!  It was spray painted white and the lantern secures nicely with it's frame at the top! The heighth doesn't obscure the student's vision and I am thrilled!

This is the wooden flower w/peg found at Hobby Lobby! I live there!!

Inspired by Pinterest, this year our Big Ideas will be written on this $1 frames with a dry erase marker!  I tested it and it erases completely!!

My students have their own personal word walls that each week's words are added to and kept close at hand in their desks.  This is our Word (Wall) Garden where the words will be written on a leaf and posted after they are taught!

Another Pinterest inspiration.  Instead of adding the children's pictures, I opted to write their numbers so I can use it year after year! A pretty ribbon has been added since this photo. Oh, and I found this little galvenized "tub" at Big Lots. It came complete with seeds and soil. The seeds will be given to each parent, suggested by Angela Bunji to show how children like seeds, grow at their own rate and have different needs!

Inspired by Melanie @ www.schoolgirlstyle.com, these trees adorn our doorway and silk leaves have been hot-glued onto the branches.  Owls purchased from Melanie's Teacher's Notebook store will perch on the branches.  Each child's name has been added to the owsl. The banner is from her Owl collection too!

Another Melanie inspiration.  The colorful laminated tag with floral and insect clothespins is something I've used for about 3 years, but Melanie's original Garden Theme inspired the area above!

Another view of the hallway and door!

A closer view of the table/team sign suspended on the dowels!

This is the back of my classroom.  The banner at the top is from Hobby Lobby and I added the words, "Effort Works".  Quantum Learning really emphasizes EFFORT! A couple of owls adorn the banner from Melanie's Owl Collection.

Tubs and tubs of books were stored atop these bookcases that sit atop the countertop and with the help of our wonderful custodian have been placed on the floor waiting for their homes.  This is an unfinished view of the right side of our classroom.  The top of the shelves are done, but my goodness all those other things need to find a home!  The filing cabinets beside it were Modge-Podged, another Pinterest inspiration!!

Still soooo much to do, but I'm getting there!