I can't put in to words the craziness of this week. I know you'rew teachers, so you totally get what I'm sayin'. Words just don't cut it.
I've been on over.load for the past 2 weeks...10 hour days...
I finally feel like I can breathe a little easier.
I knew we were having professional development 3 out of the 5 days during pre-planning last week so I had to get a head start! And boy am I glad I did! I wouldn't have been ready if I hadn't. I don't know who can put together a classroom in 2 days?!?
Luckily, I have an AMAZING team of teachers friends to help keep me sane.
It's Saturday and I spent 4 hours this morning finishing up loose ends and I still have a to-do list!!! I felt a little better knowing I wasn't the only teacher there today...half my team was right there with me. I just had to feel caught up before the first day of school, hence the 4 hour Saturday sprint.
...
I've gotten quite a few requests for updated classroom pictures. I'll be honest, I'd like to say my room is finished...and to some, it may look finished...but there's still a to-do list in my head. There's always a to-do list in my head. And, I'm a perfectionist to a fault so I don't think I'll ever be TRULY finished.
Regardless of my craziness, to please all my sweet followers who have asked so kindly... here's my "finished" room. This does not reflect the work I did today...or the hour before school on Monday that I'll be putting up the remainder of ideas I have floating around in my head this weekend.
If you're interested in the "before" pictures-
click here.
Here's the front door area...complete with a pinterest inspired quote wall...which makes me smile every stinkin' time I look at it. :)
I had to create my own cubbies this year...furniture is scarce around our school. I made these using milk crates from Wal-Mart and I zip tied them together...well, Mr. Hubs zipped tied them together actually. I also found some at Target but they didn't have the ability to snap together like the Wal-Mart version.
Plus, these ones matched my colors so I that made me happy.
My transportation chart above is hanging down the side of our class mailboxes...and my storage shelves.
To the right of the door is this sweet thang...
It needs a CAMEO addition for sure...like I said, my never ending to-do list ;)
I live in, what I endearingly refer to as, Portable Land and our rooms don't come with bulletin boards. I'm sure that made a ton of sense to someone.
Somewhere.
Ya know, come to think of it... I wish I could meet that person.
But I digress.
I snatched this "corky" guy up from Target's clearance isle! Fits perfectly by the door and it matched my theme- SOLD!
While at Target, I swung by the Dollar Spot {what normal person doesn't} and picked up a hamper...which will hold my class set of umbrellas perfectly. Portable Land is not connected our main building by any type of covering so you can imagine how much fun it will be taking 18- 7 year olds to music in the rain.
Like I said, it made sense to someone.
Somewhere.
Yep, those are polka dot rain boots. I sport them around school. I'm cool like that. ;)
Moving on...
Word wall and writing workshop just to the right of the door.
Library cove next to that.
I got that plant for Meet Your Teacher my first year. It was so little back then.
I think now it needs a name.
A volunteer cut about 6 inches off at the end of last year so she could start her own plant at home.
I couldn't watch her do it...it hurt my heart.
Call me crazy.
Go ahead.
I know it's not normal to have emotional attachments to plants.
....
Moving on...
My sink area is behind the book shelf.
It's not usually that dark back there- the light is out.
I flipped a metal cabinet sideways next to the sink so I could use the magnetic surface for my {unfinished} schedule. Plus, it's close to my small group table so I was able to display our data charts for easy referral during reading and math workshops.
Aren't those purple cords bea.ut.i.ful? Yeaaaa...
someone.
somewhere.
Ignore the papers on the table. They're put away now.
That's our bathroom door/teacher closet on the right.
Behind the small group table, the back of the room looks like this...
Not my favorite wall.
It's kinda sad boring.
I gotta find something to spruce it up.
I'm thinking tissue paper pom-poms??
Anyway, to the right of the {out of order} student computers, is my desk. I
can't photograph it...it's not yet presentable.
I love ya'll...but...
That would be too much dirty laundry out to dry for one day...just sayin'.
I can show you this though...
...
Here's the view from my desk area/back of the room...
You can't see the left wall from that picture...but here you can see half of it.
It started out as a white board but whoever decided that it made sense not to put bulletin boards out in Portable Land, also though it would be a good idea to not put magnetic white boards out there either, so that one quickly got covered with fabric. The other one? Well...it's white. The end.
Here's a better shot...
I used frog tape to separate the subjects. Have you heard of it? It's sold next to the painter's blue tape. L.O.V.E
Attaches perfectly to fabric and it is easily adjustable with no residue!
Just to the right of this board is our whole group/ class meeting area.
I bought the tall white bookshelf at Target to keep my teaching goodies close by.
Ignore the empty calendar...it got a frog tape makeover today. I'll have to snap a picture so you can see the before and after...it looks so much better now, I think.
Well... that brings you full circle, folks!
Monday is the first day with little humans! Pray it doesn't rain. ;)
Anyone else starting Monday?