I figured I better get on this,
since tomorrow starts week 2! After
that, it wouldn’t be new any more! So,
here’s what my place and space looks like!
Let’s start with my student area!
The baby changing table has been transformed into my student
supply center. Here, students can access
paper, their headphones, and other basic supplies found in the bottom two
shelves. The top shelf holds three
baskets-two for homework and one for classwork.
I have made small tags for each basket for easy identification. I also lined the table with a great wrapping
paper of green and blue circles that matches the theme of my room-which is also
the colors of our school! The board on
the wall is an “Out of the Room Board”.
When the kids leave the room , they move their number magnet to the
appropriate spot on the board. This
allows me to do a quick check for where kids are at all times! There is also our monthly calendar, the iHelp
Job chart, and a place for the lunch menu.
I also keep the Homework Checker clip board there for easy access to
record homework turn in! This is
important to the kids as well as myself since after 30 successful homework
turn-ins, I give a free homework pass out!
On the wall is Marzano’s effort rubric.
I turned it into kid friendly terms.
I will take it down soon to explicitly teach effort. I’ll share about this when I get to it. It is really a key component to my
expectation system!
Next, on
the white board, you will find a number of wonderful things. First, let’s talk about the right hand side
of the board. There, you will discover
two things.
The first one are the frames I made to write the daily
essential questions we are covering in all subjects. They were really simple to make. I found 81/2 “ x 11” scrapbook paper that
matched my room. I bought the frames at the Dollar Tree. Once I got the paper inside, I flipped them
over and glued magnets on the back. They
are currently moved over from where they are here. I made room for our Classroom Guidelines.
These are the rules we worked on together. They were inspired by a post I saw on
Pintrest. In fact, my room looks like
Pintrest threw up in it! Can I say, I
LOVE Pintrest? (Here’s the Out of
the Room Board) I still need to
print off the last page, have the kids sign it, and then get it up there
too. We all agreed on these guidelines
and the signatures help to lock in the choices we made as a team. I stress often-This is OUR room, not my room.
Ownership is one of the 8 Keys of Excellence that we practice as a school. They are located above my board and on the
wall with the “Where Do I Live”
line.
This is a lesson we do as a class about where you live,
above or below the line. It is part of
our Quantum Learning training we received as a staff. If you have never heard of Quantum Learning,
you should check it out! It was a really
wonderful training where they tie brain research and best practices into
one. I can honestly say, it was one of
the best trainings I’ve had in my career.
It wasn’t that it was chop full of new stuff-it just tied it together in
a way that made you realize the “why” of things you do as an educator!
Back to the board-You will also
find this there.
Again, Pintrest! I
did recreate this so that the colors matched my room. I’m not happy about the E in noise, so I
might work on this a little. I really
like this system and have used it all week.
Here is the
post that tells you how the teacher uses it.
Located in the back of my room is
one, LOOOOOOONNNNNG wall with high windows.
These windows are there because my room meets the roof of our
cafeteria. In other classes, there are
great views of our lake and the front areas of our school. I do like this wall though, because it can
house a lot of information.
In the corner you will find my library.
Years ago I wrote a grant for the Water District. They
provided me with a kit that had all those great puppets you see there. I arranged them in food chain systems! I also ordered those great posters from them!
They were free! If you are interested
and live in my area, they are from SWFWMD.
You will also find my teaching area, which looks blah right now without
the posters I add as I teach.
Also in the back is my desk area and table area. I use this
for remediation and for Book Club meetings.
I just love this and it adds fun to my desk! I found this as a party item on Pintrest with
no directions attached. It was easy! I
spray painted a candlestick, added a large foam ball (hot glue this), a tag,
and started filling! The key is NOT to
add them on one side. It will pull the
ball off. You have to work around it to keep the balance of weight equal!
Along the wall by my desk are my
cabinets. I will be adding numbers to
them. That is another Pintrest
idea. Instead of sending kids to the
drawers with directions that get them lost (I know you are laughing right now
because it is true), you put numbers on them!
Glue sticks are in drawer #5! So
much better! I also have the Character
Traits activity from Rachel Lynette on my cabinets. I will be doing this again, and soon! This made Book Club character descriptions so
much easier!
And, finally, one big look across
all those desks!
I have some bulletin
boards I didn’t discuss, as they will come together when we start working on more
things! So, you have it-my room. If you see anything you are wondering about,
leave me a comment and I’d be glad to get back with you about it! It’s going to be a great year!
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