A New Beginning

I am so excited that I am finally starting my blog, to help share my ideas with my fellow educators.  I am also super excited because I will be starting this school year at a new school!  I love fresh new beginnings because I really feel like it gives me the energy I need to reorganize my things, revamp what I've already done, and invent some new and exciting ideas for the upcoming school year. 

The first great thing about my new school was the fact that I was able to get into my classroom 4 weeks before the school year starts.  Yes, I said 4 WEEKS!  I feel like the beginning of the year can always be so rushed, so I have taken full advantage of being in my classroom and organizing, organizing, organizing.  I thought I would share some pictures of the before and after of my classroom (with still a few things left to be done.)

Here are some pictures of what my classroom looked like before I moved any of my stuff in.  It is a fairly small classroom, so I knew I was going to really have to organize to utilize the space to the fullest.  

Before:

 I'm so excited to have a Promethean Board again!  

 A kidney table is a must in education now, everything needs to be differentiated!

 For the past three years, I have had an inside classroom, so I am thrilled to have these huge windows!

 I love the built in cabinets in the back of the classroom, which will be my teacher area.

I'm also excited that I will be sharing a classroom bathroom with the teacher across the hall.  

After:

 The school provided us with the cubbies, which I will use as the students mailboxes for the year.  If you haven't guessed yet, I have a jungle theme in my classroom.  There is an "Information Hut" by the door, for things like school calendars, lunch menus, homework, etc.  

 Here is the view of the front of my classroom.  I have most of my materials in reach here, as this will be where we do most of our learning this year.  Supplies (like glue, crayons, and scissors) will be in the bins under the whiteboard on the right.  Math and reading manipulatives are all under the whiteboard on the left. 

 

 I have built a reading tree in the corner of my classroom.  I plan on using it to track some of our classroom data.  On the leaves I will write the books the students have read to me independently throughout the year.  I will also be having them move something (I'm not sure what yet, ideas are welcome) up the tree as they make growth on the reading levels throughout the year.  

 

 I usually have both an alphabet and a word wall in my classroom, but this year I have decided to merge them into one to help save a little space.  My word wall words will just go under each letter.  You can also see my library here, which is finally organized and just needs to get labeled!

 Here is my "teacher corner."  We are not given teacher desks at our school, so the kidney table will be my home for the year.  All of my supplies have been organized in and on the cabinets behind the kidney table. 

Questions, comments, and feedback on my classroom would be greatly appreciated!!!

-Mrs. Gagnon
Teaching is a Piece of Cake