Let's not lose them.

I think all teachers would agree that transportation is the number one biggest concern at the beginning of the school year.  Especially with kindergarteners.  Even though I check and double check and quadruple check how they're going home, there are always a few parents that I just can't reach or an 8 that could be a 3 when they write their child's bus number.

For the first day {okay, the 1st week} I hold my breath anytime there's an announcement after school.  Please don't say my name, please don't say my name, please don't say my name...whew!  Why am I sweating?!  But I've noticed a pattern - it's after those first few weeks that we start to relax and that's when simple mistakes can happen, regardless of how cute and Pinteresting your transportation chart is.

Enter good old fashioned masking tape.

How brilliant is that?!  When your kids put their backpacks on, you can see all of their numbers in one quick glance down the line.  We teach kids their bus slots (where they park on the lot) because sometimes busses break down & they have to send a replacement.  If your kids don't ride the bus, just write walk or van or AS (after school).

It doesn't mess up the backpacks so parents aren't upset.  It's super easy to change if they start going home a different way.  The kids don't play with them so they stay on for a long time AND it makes dismissal basically fool proof.  If your sub can't find your bus list, you're covered.  If you have to leave early & have another teacher take your kids to the bus, you're covered.  If you're just having one of those days where your mind can't form um...what are those things...oh, words...yeah, you're still covered!

So grab some masking tape and sharpie and don't lose your kids.  Because that probably wouldn't reflect well on your evaluation.  ;)

Carson Dellosa Winner & Classroom Pics

Yep, I moved again this year.  While I loved pretty much everything about my room last year, it was in the 5th grade hall and left me a little disconnected from my team.  So this year I'm down in the kindergarten hall & had the chance to start over with a new classroom set up!  {see the positive attitude I chose to use there instead of dwelling on the fact that I had to move everything...again...while pregnant??}  ;)

Today was my first day.  The room isn't perfect but it's ready to roll for whenever baby girl arrives and I have to peace out!  Here's a few snapshots...

{view from the back of the room}

{front door & behavior clip chart}

{writing center}

{listening center & computer station}

{guided reading table}

{SUPER organized guided reading cabinet...so pumped about this!!}

{ginormous library for lots of reading}

{calendar & math board...will be added to throughout the year}

{teacher area hiding behind magnet center & unfinished work pockets}

And the winner of the fabulous Carson Dellosa giveaway...

Congratulations Sara!  Check your email!!  :)

Classroom Set-Up {then & now}

I was reading a post from Erica Boher and had to laugh out loud at a comment one of her pictures got on Pinterest.  The pinner said "Perfect 1st grade classroom.  How can she afford this?!"  I'm wondering if that was a first year teacher looking for inspiration who instead got frustrated by all of the overwhelming amazingness you all share.

But really, we've all been there, haven't we?!  My first classroom was a trailer {excuse me, cottage} and with the $0 I had to my name, I thought I was killin it with a few bulletin board sets from the teacher store!  Fast forward 9 years plus experience, time to add to my collection and the introduction of Pinterest & teaching blogs to my life and I set up my favorite classroom ever this past year.  Now I'm moving classrooms again and it's back to the Pinterest boards for ideas.

Whether you like a trip down memory lane or you just need some inspiration that you, too, can have the classroom of your dreams, pull out those old photos and link up below!

{1st year: 2004-2005}

{my first classroom was a trailer!}

{my 1st class...now sophomores in high school!}

{the ONLY decoration I had was my calendar set.  corner 1 had all the color.}

{corner 2 held library carts & stacked bookshelves for storage...no cute baskets?!}

{more carts & random tubs sitting around for storage.  plus coats & backpacks in corner 3.}

{my desk & more coats for corner 4}

Ta-da!  Totally nothing special.  I laugh looking at these now, seeing how bare and empty it looks.  I remember buying window markers to write encouraging messages on the teeny tiny windows to try and bring in some color.  But if I didn't have student work on the wall, it was just boring nothing!  Luckily we spent a lot of time on the carpet and I'm pretty sure they all still had a great year.  :)

{9th year: 2012-2013}

{view from the front door}

{view from my teacher table}

{student cubbies - I will miss these next year!!}

{student book bins on top.  morning work, science journals & math workbook on bottom.}

{guided reading/small group area}

{listening center & library}

{student mailboxes & leveled library bookshelf}

{weekly copies, workshop rotations & calendar}

{workshop centers & groupings that rotate daily}

{word wall, fun center tubs & computer table}

{very cluttered writing center}

What I love the most about my classroom growth {besides the obvious need for color} is how I've learned to teach & set-up with learning areas.  It's so good for the kids to be able to write in the writing center, or read in the library or work on sight words from the word wall as opposed to doing everything at their desks.  It really helps them focus on the task they're meant to be doing and it challenges me as a teacher to rotate things through those areas to keep them fresh.

{Another tip - if you're lucky enough to have any "fun center" time with blocks, legos, etc - keep those areas separate from your main learning stations to keep clear boundaries of what happens where.  My students can read anywhere during independent reading time to allow them to spread out but when it's time to play with blocks, they stay on the block carpet.}

If you can't find pictures of your very first year or you've been out of the classroom for a while and don't have a current room to show, it's ok!  Just choose 2 classrooms to post and tell us the dates.  Post one, post a ton...up to you.  And by ALL MEANS do not think your classroom has to be award winning in order to share.  There's no make-over prize for the winner but hopefully everyone will find some new ideas!  :)

Who cares that it's the end of the year...aren't we always thinking ahead to what we can do differently in the fall??  {be honest ladies.  don't let me be alone in my admission of over-planning here!}

temporary name tags.

Our school provides photo ID nametags for the kids but we're on our own for the first couple of months.  How many of these temporary nametags have you tried?

stickers - peel off

die cuts - disintegrate

cutesy store bought nameplates - rip

paint chips - too small

buttons - ridiculous trying to pin 85 times a day...

A couple years ago I was passed a tip at a summer institute.  And today I am sharing it with you!

{solo cups.}

Yes.  The plastic, college accessory.  Added bonus, they now come in a variety of sizes and colors!!  :)

Put them face down on a cookie sheet in the oven. 300-350. It's not an exact science.

They only take a few minutes to melt down so stay by the oven and watch closely.

{ew.  PLEASE excuse my grody oven.}

When they're almost flat, smoosh 'em down good with the bottom of a frying pan.  :)  Repeat as needed.

Take them out and immediately pop with a hole punch.  When they're cool, add student names, lunch numbers and whatever else you need!  Thread with yarn and ta-da!!  Simple, durable nametags.

David {and a mouse} go to school.

Personally, I have to be scheduled even in the first week back.  Friday was our first day with all of the kindergarteners {after having only a few each day during staggered entry} and it was loosey goosey.  I'm sure they enjoyed it but I went home stressed out and disappointed.

Now, after just 3 days of schedule, routine and high expectations, I am happy, stressing less and looking forward to the rest of the year with anticipation.  If you're feeling like your kids are off the chain it might not be because your activities are too hard.  Instead of backing off and talking about rules for longer, try giving them just a bit more.  It's hard to act up when you're busy.  ;)

Here are a few book & follow-up activities we've used already this week:

{David Goes to School}
Mrs. Lee has a super cute David craft to display with her rules.  I didn't use the terms peacemakers and peacebreakers because those aren't terms I use and I wanted to stay consistent.  But how could you NOT love his cute face?!  {you can get her original template at her TPT store}  Then I found Jackie's class book template on Ready Set Read to Me and decided it would be a perfect piece of "writing" to hang with our Davids!  I love that her pages say "Yes ______" to put a positive focus on the things we can do in class.

I kept giggling as I hung these up.  They are so. dang. cute!!!  {fyi I posted Common Core objective K.W.2 Use a combination drawing, dictating & writing to compose explanatory texts since we were explaining how we should act in the classroom.}

{If you take a Mouse to School}
This is a super easy activity to do even with pre-writing kinders.  Cut out big brown cookies.  {yes, that's what those are.}  ;)  I used the die cut machine to make big circles in 4 different colors.  Pass out one at a time and instruct the kids to draw a picture of whatever that color represents. Adapt it to anything you want to know.

Bonus: serve Chips Ahoy rainbow chip cookies for a snack.  ;)

If you want to take it a step further...make a book specific to your school!  ie: If You Take a Mouse to Sunshine Elementary School.  Use the following pages to create your book or writing for display.

If you're lucky enough to have a mousey like me, take his picture with all of your special area teachers, secretaries, the principal, custodians, etc.  My kids loved seeing him in the various places!  That is a super fun bonus but definitely not required for the writing.

Happy Back to School friends!!

my classroom.

Finally...my classroom is all put together.  And let me say {once again} that I am super jealous of those of you who get access to your room all summer.  Whew...I am tired!!  But Open House was successful and {minus a few adjustments} it is done!  I think this might be my favorite classroom set up ever.

P.S. If you're following Little Miss Glamour on Facebook you'll already have seen a few previews and 2 easy Back to School centers!  ;)

Ok!  Are you excited yet??  Ready to see it?!  :)

{click on the pictures for a larger view}

{view from the front door.}

{view from the back door.}

{front wall}

Ok, now some up closeness.  ;)

{guided reading area}

{library corner...with new furniture coming soon!}

{schedule, objectives & calendar will be here}

{science, math & social studies words under the SmartBoard}

I love my framed quotes above the SmartBoard from Technology Rocks.  Seriously.

{world's easiest Back to School bulletin board & construction zone.} 

I use this bulletin board every fall.  The photos are pictures from past students engaged in math tasks, special theme days and other enticing kindergarteny activities.  The large white paper is student work telling why kindergarten {or their teacher} is awesome.  Parents love reading these!!

{student cubbies & behavior system}

{word wall & soon-to-be writing center}

{cool down corner, math tubs & front door}

{graffiti wall & pocket chart center}

{magnet center}

{creative corner for puppets, dress up & other imaginative play}

{back counter & books}

Don't you love those polka dots and letters?!  They're vinyl wall decals that go on quickly & peel off even easier.  Perfect for adding quick color!

{teacher corner.  pictures from past students above.  binders & teacher books below.}

{paper cart ie. my desk and the supply center.} 

{our school theme is all about being college bound.}

{meet me!}

Since I'm behind so many others I'm needing to play catch-up with linky parties.  Check out Teaching Blog Addict, Swimming into Second, Brigid's Daily Lesson Log and Blog Hoppin' for even more classroom pictures and ideas!!  :)