Successful First Day

We had a very successful first day back to school.  The students were excited as they entered the room and were very well behaved throughout the day.  I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know each and every child in our classroom, as well as the entire first grade.  Today we read the story "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg.  The students enjoyed the story about a teacher with the back to school jitters.  We followed up by completing surveys about how we felt about coming to first grade today.  We are still working on our surveys and will continue with some more follow up activities tomorrow.  Has anyone heard of Jitter Juice?  Well....stay tuned if you haven't.

Camping Out in First

Welcome to all my fabulous firsties!!  Back to school we go!  I have been busy creating the BEST classroom learning environment for all of you and I can't wait to share our awesome space together.  Our classroom will be your home away from home.  I want you to be comfortable in our living space and feel right at home here in our room.  Teachers went back to work today. We have been busy with very important meetings, but I have managed to spend some time putting the finishing touches on our room and getting lesson plans for the first two weeks planned and ready to go.  I am soooo excited to meet all of you.  I hope you all take the time to join me for Open House on Tuesday, August 14th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.  During this time, you can come and get acquainted with your new teacher and classroom, find your seat before the first day, and bring in your labeled supplies (this will save tons of class time on the first day).  You will also leave Open House with a packet of information to thumb through, fill out, and return, plus you can come and get your lunch accounts set up.  After Open House, I encourage you to stick around for the PTO meeting that starts shortly after 7:00 p.m.  PTO does so many wonderful things for our students, teachers, and school.  Your support in creating a successful year for our PTO is greatly appreciated.  The work you put forth in taking care of our elementary school is phenomenal.   Take a look at our camp out space for the year.  Can't wait to meet you!!!!

Welcome to Our Classroom

Welcoming Bulletin Board

Classroom Happenings board

An overview of our room minus our cutesie curtains.  They hadn't been hung yet (they are finally up now so I'll have to put a new pic up soon so you can get the full effect.)

Schedule

Giving Tree for Open House

Baskets with labels for Open House

Baskets for Open House

Calendar (I use this for reference only because we conduct Calendar time on our Mimio interactive board.)

Student mailboxes

CAFE board (We will add reading strategy cards on this throughout the year.)

Writing Menu (We will add writing strategies throughout the year.)

Student "book shelves" This is where they will house their books for reader's workshop.

Class Library pic #1

Class Library pic #2

Class Library pic #3

Class Library pic #4

Class Library pic #5

Leveled labels for our library

Interest labels for our library.

Interest labels for our library.

More labeled baskets for Open House.

Our "book nook"

My current "messy" desk.

My one and only filing cabinet.

This is how I organize my copies for the day.

Behavior Clip Chart for the year.

Class Handbook ready for Open House.

Welcome letter for Open House

Student "goodies" for Open House.

 I still have a few finishing touches to put on our classroom before Open House.  But, this gives you an overview of what our classroom looks like.  I hope to see all your faces tomorrow night at Open House.  Let's make this a FAB-U-LOUS year!!!

Tagxedo Word Displays

Check out this artwork I made using Tagxedo.  I took my class list and made a name display of all of my new firsties.  Just thought I'd share!  Enjoy!

A Brand New School Year

Yesterday marked the first day working in my classroom for the 2012-2013 school year.  The maintenance staff has worked extremely hard this summer preparing our buildings for the upcoming school year.  I'm so excited to have NEW lights, a NEW  ceiling, a mounted projector (finally no more projector on rolling carts!!!) and drum please.......MORE OUTLETS!!!  These updates have just made my room.  I am so excited about this upcoming school year.  My room is far from being ready for my firsties that will be arriving August 14 for open house.  I always have my work cut out for me.  It is usually so overwhelming when I first come in my room because I have to unpack EVERYTHING!  It makes for a long first couple of days just removing things from storage, dusting them off, and finding a new home for them.  I completely did an overhaul in my classroom setup this year so it is making for even more work.  I usually try to keep up some of the stuff I always have hanging in my room up over the summer, but this year I had to take everything down for the new ceilings.  So....this means I have double the work.  I also had my another PLC (professional learning community)leadership team meeting yesterday with our awesome new Principal and new Assistant Principal.  I feel like we have a great plan laid out for our upcoming staff professional development days.  We have lots of newbies this year and I know they will all make excellent additions to our already awesome group of teachers and administrators.  Making my first of probably many many trips to the "teacher" store tomorrow and planning on going in and getting more work done in my room.  I can't wait until my room starts looking like a classroom learning environment soon!  I didn't bring my camera with me when I worked yesterday so I don't have any pictures (yet!) to add.  I'll try to get some tomorrow and add them to this post.  Also be on the lookout for new pictures on the "Tour Our Class" page since I have completely "changed" things up this year.  Until next time....

Okay so here goes some before pictures of my classroom.

What a mess!

This will be the classroom library.  I love the little nook feel

.

A work in progress complete with a pack-n-play in all!

So you can see the classroom is a work in progress.  I still have desks that need to be leveled, packages that need to be opened, and bulletin boards to finish.  Most importantly, I have open house packets to complete and plans to get ready for the first week of school.  I sure do have a busy week ahead of me.  Let the long work hours begin!!!