Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Some progress...teacher's desk

So I have made some progress since I last started this project, one Wednesday evening. I am quite happy with the results... is it going to make me use my teacher desk? No because I can't even get my chair back there and I LOVE my chair. But it is functional. Should I get rid of it? Or move my teacher's desk to a different part of the room. Maybe even switch my "math area" to where my teacher desk is now, then will I begin to use it more... I don't know, I would have to sit in an uncomfortable chair to do it.
But as you can see I put the listening area table over here so maybe my kids will get to use this station.

My teaching table all ready for the next group. Where do you store your smartboard? Mine is currently blocking either a bulletin board or my whiteboard.

I have made some more progress but I don't have any new pictures. I hope to show you more of my "de-cluttering."

Monday, January 30, 2012

Before De-Cluttering

  So here are the pictures as promised... I know my classroom needs a lot of work. I wish I could just have a organizer consultant with me at all times. One of my co-workers in first grade has another teacher working with her to reorganize things. And you don't realize how much stuff you have until you either have to unpack it at the beginning of the year, you get frustrated and feel the need to clean up (my feelings right now), or when you are packing it all up at the end of the school year.

  I hate that this is the first glimpse into my classroom you get. I wish I could just take you back to the beginning of the school year before I even had students or had to teach any curriculum.

At the front door of my classroom. I put that desk there so I would have somewhere to put the stuff I get from the mailbox... you see how well that is going. 

This is what you see when you come all the way into my classroom. On top of the shelf holds journals and the basket for turn-in work, plus sharp and not sharp pencils, among other things. 

My math area. Well I know it is the math area even though my kids do not. I had it all set up on that shelf on the right. All the math stations materials and their math books... it doesn't even get used unless I am looking for some bear counters or dice. There is just no time to fit in daily stations and try to fit in calendar. Oh and puzzles are housed in the shelf by the computer. 

Carpet area. This is where I do circle time and calendar here. And that table was supposed to be used for the listening area but you see how that is going. 

Bookcase for my students' station work and station folders. Look how my students keep their folders, think it is a learned behavior? Oh and the rainbow cart was supposed to hold literacy station stuff, but it is currently mostly empty.

The red table in front of my desk that just holds what ever. I do have books in the green tub on the table and extra copies of papers (class sets) in the blue tub. The green baskets off to the left is where my students put their folder each morning. 


My teaching table. This actually looks calm compared to how it was looking. It is supposed to be clear everyday so it is ready for the next group to actually do some learning. 

My teacher's desk (I'm starting here first!)

 
The mess behind a teacher's desk I don't use. Well I use it to store stuff on it and behind it. 

Behind my teaching table


Storage of over the cubbies or even in the cubbies, just clutter, no proper home yet.

 
I thought to add in a picture of my teacher bag already filled with things. The first week of school I toted that bag back and forth with all this stuff in it. After my shoulder continued to hurt I found some stuff to get rid of... but is it being used properly, not really. 

Saturday, January 28, 2012

De-Cluttering

I know I haven't made a post in awhile but... I've been trying to de-clutter. This all started one Wednesday when I walked into my room and I needed to find something, some worksheet, something I needed to copy for the day. Well I couldn't find it and I was running out of time before I had to get my kinders. Good thing I was in the room all by myself when I screamed aloud "I can't find anything!" Okay so that was the last straw.

     Previously (like the week before) I had taken pictures of my clutter so I could link up with what others are doing over at Clutter-Free Classroom trying to clean up too. I had searched through the blogs and did not feel like I could really post my "real" pictures because my clutter was BAD. Well, I did find some blogs that were like me which made me want to take pictures of my classroom and post them on my blog (they are to come). But that Wednesday I stayed behind and tried to de-clutter that area where I couldn't find the worksheet in (my desk). I was on a time limit too as the building wasn't going to be open past 7pm. But I was determined to do it because I was so frustrated all day and needed to get something accomplished.

  And all the posts at Clutter-Free Classroom were right... once you start pulling out the clutter you have you will find all kinds of containers and baskets to use that you don't need to go buy anything else. So I currently have a bin filled with baskets I can use with something else. I have even changed my room around. Hopefully I will get a chance to post pictures tomorrow (or later this week...)

Saturday, January 7, 2012

The Versatile Award

 I want to thank Louanne from My Kindergarten Kids and Mrs. Greene's Kindergarten Korner for nominating me for The Versatile Award... it is my second to date. I did not know of their blogs but now I do. I so love these blog awards. I am still surprised that anyone notices me. I am so thankful that I do offer enough to keep someone beyond me learning and having fun.:)


Blog Award Rules...
1. Thank the person that nominated you with a link back to them.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this award on to 15 newly discovered blogs and let them know that they've received an award!

I got #1 done at the beginning of my post! Here are 7 things about me:
  1. I am originally from Long Beach, California. I especially miss CA now when Virginia has the "mix-it" winter weather. Mix it with a little freezing cold at the beginning of the week, may be some snow flurries at the end of the week...
  2. I love to do the Chicken Dance and the Tooty-Ta songs with my students. That is when you can see me get really silly.
  3. My favorite colors are purple, blue, black and green. My favorite colors reminds me of the colors of a black eye healing. I know a weird analogy sorry.
  4. I want to be more organized... I know it helps my students to be too but just the thought of changing things (or in my case buying things) doesn't make organization sound very fun!!
  5. I love to write... I can often be found stringing rhyming words together and creating a song for my students to sing or writing just to get my thoughts in order.
  6. I love to travel and often go by myself. I love to go to B & B's and to visit wineries. My next destination I hope will be San Antonio, Texas this summer to visit the Riverwalk and Six Flags. I am trying to visit all the Six Flags, I have been to 5 already!
  7. I LOVE TO BLOG HOP! I am so glad that I found blogs this summer because I enjoy it so much. I have even gotten my colleagues in on it and they even get giddy when they find something new to try on a blog they have seen. I love finding new ideas or reading about what other classrooms are doing. It is is like the biggest pen pal service ever but created by teachers!

New Blogs:
 I did not know that there were so MANY kindergarten blogs, so many I haven't even found yet! I can't wait to go search for more. Exciting!











Beg Borrow Steal (I had to check out the blog... fun name and I am glad that I did!)



Tales of a Teacherista (1st grade blog)


 Okay so this list was difficult to compile. There are still many more blogs I haven't found yet... how many blogs do you think my Google Reader will hold before it says "Stop! No more"?


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope that this year is great and brings you many wonderful experiences. For those of you going back to school tomorrow, deep breaths and try not to get stressed out thinking about all the stuff you STILL have to teach them before the end of the school year.:)
Enjoy!