95% Done

I never thought I'd get my room nearly ready before the first week of school for the teachers. I had set a goal, well actually my mother set the goal, of getting my room completely ready to go before the week back for teachers. That week is busy enough as is with meetings and planning, copying, etc. that I didn't want to really deal with preparing my room. Sure things will still need to be done as the year goes along, but for now it's quite presentable for 'meet the teacher night'. My room, in my most humble opinion, but in others' opinions as well, looks very bright, cheery and inviting! All that's left to do is the welcome board in the hallway. I'm waiting on black bulletin board paper and the names of my students to add to stars and of course die cutting letters. Fun (note sarcasm).

I like my room so much more than last year. The size alone is enough to like it. I have so much room it's almost insane! haha! But also the decor is really nice and bright. The pictures do not do it justice. I have a few more things to do but other than that my room is 95% completed and ready for the students to come busting in. 

"Compliment popcorn" - as students receive compliments outside the classroom (or even in the classroom) they will receive a piece of popcorn to build the word and after they get the whole word built they will receive a popcorn party.

Cafe and Daily 3 Reading Center Pocket Chart board

This will be their work display board - I will add more black construction paper to frame their work. Cut a slit in the construction paper and staple it to the board. Put a paperclip in the slit and then slide work up under the paperclip.

Read-to-Self and Read-to-Someone center. Students will take their own book box full of their own choices of books and read to someone or to their self, sitting around the room.

Word Work center table

Work on Writing center. Students will use clip boards and sit around the room to work on writing. After taking this picture I added another crate filled with dry erase boards and a caddy with dry erase markers. Students can use the dry erase boards as well to write.

Subject magnets. Scholastic is the best! I got these for free with the points I had earned. Going to laminate sentence strips, magnetize them and add them next to the subject magnets to write the EQs on them.

Target's $1 section is wonderful! This year I'm going to try being bucket fillers.

I haven't put up the phrase yet, but it will say "We are bucket fillers!" with the picture of the bucket in place of the word "bucket".

My desk area, with the mail box for students, wire baskets for them to turn in their work on the small table. The small table will also act as a 'think table' for when students need a 'time out'.

Computer station with storage area behind it.

The view from the front door of my classroom. I love the U shape because it leaves a big enough area for students to use as they work in their reading/math centers. I might leave my room like this all  year.

Now I gotta get started with the real part of being a teacher - the planning! Blah!