Teacher Week: Classroom Reveal!

I'm linking up again with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week to show you my classroom!

Unfortunately, I did not get any classroom pictures before my classroom was "lived in" for almost two weeks. OH WELL!

I was lucky enough to get to move into the BIG kindergarten classroom this year! WOO! So although I'm in a new room, I had a good idea how I wanted to set it up from teaching kindergarten last year!

Here are some pictures of the whole room:

I use the "less is more" ideal when preparing my classroom. I feel like some classrooms have SO many posters, resources, decorations, etc. that I can't imagine how the kiddos concentrate! Why put up a resource before a kiddo knows how to use it? I hope my classroom is a happy medium of welcoming and non-distracting!

My computers

My meeting area

My teacher area...no desk for me!

Art supplies/missing color drawers

View of some student tables

Front view of the library! Love my hungry caterpillar!!

Side view of the student library

This is my writing center! It also shows an example of my students things. We don't have desks or storage of any kind, so their journals/books and such are kept here. They each have a book box. Then in the blue bin are their: calendar journals, math journals, poetry journals, writing folders, and math books.

Science center, puzzles, listening center, and my safe spot!

Student mailboxes

Character education board!

Home center!

Student frames and hooks!

Math and word work centers

Art center

Alphabet, word wall, and reading resource wall!

Blocks/building materials

Math resource wall

Phew! That's my room :) Please feel free to comment if you have any questions about how I did anything!

Teacher Week, Peek at My Week and TPT Sale!

Whew! That title is a mouthful, but at the beginning of school, I have to cram in as much as possible in my limited time!

I'll start with my first post for Teacher Week 2014!

 

Today, the question is Who? So I will be telling you a little bit more about myself :)

My name is Sarah and I teach kindergarten in St. Louis, MO! This is my second year teaching kindergarten, but my fourth year teaching overall! I have also taught first grade and second grade. I love my little kinder babies and awesome school!

I have a wonderful family! They support me in everything that I do and put up with all my teaching craziness. This is my mom and I in Nashville last spring break!

I also have some amazing friends. Best of all, most of them are teachers! So I have tons of people in my life to bounce ideas off of. And I can't forget my wonderful kinder team! I don't know what I would do without these ladies :)

In my free time, I foster dogs! My latest baby just got adopted this weekend. Look at that face!!

And last, 10 things about me!

And here is a little peek at my week! I'm linking up with Mrs. Wills Kindergarten! I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off, so I am going to work to try to have some pictures from the first week soon!

Last....there is going to be a special TPT boost sale on August 20th! You can get products in my store for 28% off! Who doesn't love bonus savings???

Thanks Karen for the cute button!

Stop by my store to check out all the savings!

Stop in tomorrow for pics of my classroom!!

TPT Sale and Best and Most Linky Party!

So last week was Teacher Week, and I only managed to participated in the first few days because I was barely surviving my first few days of kindergarten. They are so sweet and innocent but my goodness...they can't do anything! I forget how much help and routine building it takes when they come in as little babes!

Anyway, I am participating in the Back to School Sale on TPT! My store will be 20% off and you can get up to 28% off by entering promo code BTS13. My store will be on sale from August 18-19. Thanks to Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah Designs for this button!

I am also joining in the Best and Most Linky Party from Bunting, Books, and Bainbridge!

These are products from my TPT store that are my best and most!

 My teacher's pet product is my new CCSS aligned math packet Oh What Fun! K.CC.1 :) It is a packet specifically focused on the first Counting and Cardinality CCSS. I find that there is not as much out there for teaching this specific standard, and this is going to help my kiddos so much!

The product that is most likely to help your students succeed are my calendar journals. They are a perfect way to incorporate calendar, ELA, math, and life skills into a fun and quick activity. Since calendar skills are not really included in the CCSS, this is an easy way to incorporate them! The calendar journals start in August with the most simple skills, and gradually get harder and harder. If you would like an example, the May journal is free!

Lastly, my best couple are my Back to School Math and Literacy Stations and My Sweet Sight Words pack. Both are fun, highly motivational, and a great way to start off your school year!

Enjoy the sale!
Sarah

Teacher Week Day #3: Organizing for Instruction

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week 2013!

I am an organizational freak (as seen in my Let's Talk About Me when I confessed most of my stuff in classroom storage are actually containers haha), so I like this one!

As much as I love organization, I'm preparing for the third day of kindergarten, I am so tired my eyes are closing as I am typing this.

So I am going to leave you with my top 5 tips for organization for instruction:

1. LABEL EVERYTHING: It's not only good for you, but it's good for the kids too. I find that the more I use real pictures instead of clipart, the better it is for the kiddos. Labels help everyone be responsible.

2. Throw stuff away that you aren't using. My first classroom had so much stuff leftover from the previous teacher and I felt bad throwing it away. But as soon as my first graders came it, I realized it was so much and so distracting that I was having trouble teaching. Only keep the things you are using!

3. Organize your files in the way that makes the most sense to you. If you are a year planner, plan by months. Make a bin or file to keep all your documents for August and so on. If you are a unit planner, plan by the unit. Keep bins or files for each unit for each subject. If you plan by standards, you get the drill. Do what is easiest for you!

4. Save examples. If you have the space to do so, and you are teaching the same grade the next year, save examples! I spent countless hours making examples of the projects and activities for my kiddos (unfortunately, I have not taught the same grade for more than one year yet!) and I could be way more organized if I had the examples already made!

5. Refile! This is one that I need to be better at doing. I am good at planning ahead, but I am horrible at putting master copies away. It makes my teacher space messy and a LONG afternoon when I finally do it. If I just did it as I went, it wouldn't be a problem :)


Now to go get some much needed sleep :)
Happy Hump Day!
Sarah

Teacher Week Day #2: Classroom Digs

I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' for Teacher Week 2013!

I love decorating so I'm excited about this day :) These are my classroom digs!

 

 These are a few overall views of my classroom :) I tried to take them from all angles!

 

 

 

Now that you've seen the overall....here are some close-ups! Right inside the door are my hooks. No cubbies, no lockers, just hooks :) I have them named and numbered and use the space below them to store extra books and materials. (Obviously the boxes aren't usually there!)

 

 

This is on the other side of the door. I LOVE this for changes (like going to a friend's house) or for subs!

 

 

I don't know if you can use any of these, but if you would like a copy, you can get yours here! The pretty frames are from The Creative Chalkboard and the other pictures are from Google Images.

 

From the door, you can see a little peek of my frames. Here they are! My Hall of Fame is where I post art projects, writing samples and more! The kids love seeing their work on the walls. Below them, you can see my classroom computers.

 

 

 

Right next to the computers are my student drawers. These are where they keep their personal school items since we have tables. This holds their writing folder, math journal, poetry journal, etc.

 

 

 

Moving around the room, this is my listening center. Obviously, the box of CDs and CD players needs to be organized!

 

 

 From this view, you can get a little peek of my library. You can see the guided reading portion of my library, but I did not get a picture of my "dessert" books. These are favorite characters and authors, and other themed books. I made the puff balls out of tissue paper and pipe cleaners and I made the tree. I hate it right now. I need to add student work to it to make me like it better :(

 

 

As a full day kindergarten teacher, I am lucky enough to still have time scheduled in my day for learning centers! This is my dramatic play area and building area. I also have a blocks center that I did not get pictures of! GRR!

 

 

 

 

Next to dramatic play is my math center. This is where I have our math manipulatives and our math tubs for math stations.

 

 

 

 

This is my teacher catch-all. I guess it's technically an easel, but for me it's: big book holder, whole class materials holder, morning meeting materials holder, brain break materials holder, shared writing board, interactive writing board, etc. The list goes on and on. The next picture shows where I sit between the board and my computer that connects to the Smartboard.

 

 



Behind my computer and document camera is my non-computer calendar. The kids don't really participate in this one, it's mostly just for reference during writing. I do all my calendar work on the Smartboard.

 

This is my teacher area. I took the plunge and got rid of my desk! I hope it works out :)

 

 

These are my file cabinets turned to make a magnetic surface for word work, and my mailboxes to keep my papers for the students for the week. You can also see my birthday balloons, stuffed animal bin, and my TBM (to be made) brag tags.

 

 

These are pictures of the art center. I have an easel, drying rack and two shelves of art supplies. I got the wonderful idea for the color drawers on Pinterest! Any of the other labels I used for reading (GRL A-Z and various themes), math (all manipulatives) or art (supply and crafty) I made for my classroom. Once again, I don't know if they will be useful for you, but please feel free to pick up your copy here! I have a high ESOL population, so I tried to use as many real pictures as possible.

 

 

This is my sensory table. I fill it with science materials throughout the year!

 

 

This is my behavior board. I am going to use a mix of the 7 Habits/whole brain teaching this year. I am not trained in either, but am using the research I have done to mold my practice :) Missing is our class promise and class rules! TBM this week!

 

 

I'll leave you walking out the door on my paw prints!

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my classroom tour. You may notice I don't have many resources up on the wall! I like to make these with the kiddos and hang them up throughout the year :) I find they use them much more when they are a part of making them!

 

Stop by tomorrow to check out my classroom management skills!

 

Sarah