Finally Finished!

                                                              Before picture of Chairs

             After picture of chairs.  Painted them brown and Lime Green to go with my room color theme!

              All about Me! door.  Will add poster of my "Marvelous Student" of the week in the frame.

        Birthday banner that I made... A Pinterest inspiration!  Made the cupcake birthday monkey's too...

                  I love how my reading area turned out.  I love the bright colors of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!
                                             Rain gutter book trays... another pinterest find! :-)

                               Front of my room.  My Math Board, and Song selection icon board.

                                                                       Calendar area.

           My desk.  I love it there with the backyard and great light.  I get to watch the squirrels go up the trees!
 

                                                  My back door with little porch off the back....

 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Common Core Standards sheets.  Thank you to Deanna Jump at mrsjumpsclass.blogspot.com for these wonderful Common Core Standards.  Please go to her TPT store and buy them.  They are such a great way to make sure our kinders are on track.  (Also it is a great cheat sheet for me too!)

                  I found Pete the Cat this summer and CANNOT wait to read him to my class next week!  Just                                                           bought the stuffed Pete and cannot wait to get him in the mail!

                                                               Yep, I LOVE LABELS!!!

                                                     Sign in table and homework folders

I finally got my room pretty close to being done (except for the few items I have to take down due to Fire Marshall visit :-( ).  I am really liking how it has come together and cannot wait to add my dramatic play station once it arrives from DonorsChoose.org.  Thought I would share my photo's!

Back to School

Yesterday was the teacher's first day back and we sat in meetings all day yesterday and today.  Kiddo's don't start until Tuesday of next week but I still feel so unprepared and my room just isn't coming together how I wished.  We are so limited on what we can do in our room because of the Fire Marshall's rules.  I was just told today that the cute curtains that I put up on the door are not allowed, the paper I put on the door is not allowed and I cannot have any thing within 24" from the doors.  Also, nothing hanging from the ceilings, only 20% of our room can have paper on the walls and we cannot have any thing within 2 feet from the ceilings.  So now I have to take all my stuff down and start over.  I am so very sad! :-(  I am envious of those that can make their rooms look so colorful and fancy.  At least I can look at all of your rooms and smile!  :-)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend!

Still working on my room...

WOW!  Can we say overwhelmed?  OVERWHELMED.  I never knew how much work it took to clear out a classroom that someone has had for over 25 years.  I start school next week and I don't even feel prepared.  I have books all over the floor (TONS of BOOKS) as I am weeding through them.  Going through boxes and boxes of "sample" material.  Although I so appreciate her leaving all this to me, I am finding a lot of "goodies" that are copies from 1979-1990's.  Times have changed and so must the room!  Here is what I worked on today.  Since I cannot paint any of the walls or doors, I used bulletin board to cover the door before I added the curtain.  I just LOVE my curtain.  Since I do not and I mean DO NOT sew, I made a "No Sew" curtain by stapling it to a yard stick and adding some ribbon for an instant roman shade!  My phone is not taking very good pictures but thought I would share anyways.  Also, I broke down and made a couple of the "Cute Crate Seats"  They are so cute.  Now I want to make one for each of my students (I have 8) so they can keep them at Circle Time and store all their white boards, markers, etc....  Thank you to all of you that have shared these wonderful ideas!  I am LOVING them!

This is a sign to place above my song board.  I have a song board that the students can choose from during circle time.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18WMLukEmLEmvIaoQPYWPg--tph9MxTTX3wcmnpRxsJE/edit?hl=en_US

Classroom Library Labels Freebie

I have a polka dot theme going on in my room along with stripes so wanted some cute library labels so made my own.  I wanted to share with any one who would like them.  Enjoy!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HdpoF4gpJl2ngLy1eau0oz4Wl9aLI1XceV8hg4WKQaA/edit?hl=en_US

Sorry, but for some reason I cannot get my documents to show the picture, just getting the link only!

DonorsChoose.org

I am doing my "happy feet" dance!  Whoo hoo!!!  My project was fully funded today with only 11 days to go.  I am so, so excited.  I will finally have a dramatic play area in my classroom.  Time to teach my class (all boys I might add) how to cook, clean and set the table!  No that's what I am talkin' about!  Teaching them young!!  No, really on a serious note, I truly was blessed to have this large amount funded and can't wait to help facilitate the social learning process that goes along with dramatic play.  My special ed kinders need to be taught how to play and understand certain social ques so using the dramatic play unit is a great way for them to "ask" their friends "what they would like to eat" or "can you make cookies with me"?  So a BIG THANK YOU to all my supporters and donors for funding this project.  Words cannot express my gratitude.  :-)

http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/productDetailForm.asp?CatID=2|DP1000|0&PID=19690

Meet the Teacher Monday!

I am so excited to be a part of a new blogging adventure that is called Blog Hoppin!  I found this link from Growing Kinders by Abby.  HOP on over to http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com and add your post about you!

Tell us a little something about you...


This is my 2nd year teaching special education Kindergarten as a teacher and I was a paraprofessional in the preK program for 3 years.  I started out 19 years ago (yes, I am showing my age now) in the K-8 credential program, went through all the classes and was in my 5th month of student teaching when tragedy/miracle struck our lives and I ended up having to be on complete bed rest for 6 months.  That day changed my life's path for 14 years and I wouldn't trade it for any thing!  I did not find special education, it found me and I am so thankful that it did.  It really is my true passion and I absolutely LOVE teaching my special ed kinders!  I eat, breathe and sleep teaching now (ok, I have become addicted to the teacher blogging too) and can't wait to learn the next new thing.  I am a forever learner!


I have been married for 29 years to my best friend in the whole world.  If he can put up with me for all these years, trust me ladies, he is a "One of a Kind"!  We met in college at WSU (Go Cougs!) when I was 18 and he was 22.  An older man!! Whoo Hoo!  We met in May, he asked me to marry him in September and we got married in December.  Yes, a real May to December romance.  And did I mention he was a blind date?  We have 2 beautiful children.  A daughter who is 25 (and in nursing school) and a son who just turned 20 (who is studying Graphic Design).  They are the other "Loves of my life".  


How long have you been teaching?


This is my 2nd year teaching special education Kindergarten as a teacher and I was a paraprofessional in the preK program for 3 years.  I was chosen as a long term sub in a Developmentally Disabled PreK class but before the teacher was due back, I was very blessed to have been asked to take a permanent position as a DD (Developmentally Disabled) Kindergarten class teacher.  It was bitter-sweet as I didn't want to leave my temporary PreK class but knew I just had to take the permanent Kinder class.  Best decision I ever made.  I LOVE my classroom and ALL the staff at my school.. again, so BLESSED! 



What are you looking most forward to this school year?


To actually starting off the new school year as a teacher in my own classroom with an entirely new batch of kiddo's!  I have subbed for another teacher, I took over my Kinder class last year after Christmas break because the former teacher decided to retire so yeah, I am really excited to start out fresh and new and to implement ALL the wonderful ideas and lessons I have been learning this summer from ALL the great bloggers I have met.  So thank you ladies.  You are a godsend!


What do you need to improve?


I need to improve on confidence.  I feel so over whelmed half the time that I feel like I have not given it my all (I am my worst critic).  Hopefully this will come with time and more experience.


Secondly, I REALLY NEED to improve my circle times.  So, if anyone wants to give me some GREAT advice or even how they run their circle times, I am ALL eyes and ears! :-)


I would have to say I need to be aware of implementing more Math into my daily teachings.  I have never been a lover of math but with all these new ideas I have stumbled across this summer, I cannot wait to use them in my Math Station.


What teaching supplies can you *not* live without?


1.  My laminator.  I am so attached to it that I have one in my classroom and one at home.  Love this machine.  Did I mention I love this machine?


2.  My daily coffee from McDonald's (I love Starbucks but on a teachers budget, daily coffee has to be somewhat reasonable) and my CASE of Diet Coke in my class fridge.  No further comment needed! (I know, I need to go to a Diet Coke-a-holics meeting).


3.  My wonderful Assistant.  Couldn't do it without her.  Thank you Barbara!


4.  ALL my art supplies.  I am a total art fanatic.  We do a project for everything!


5.  My bulletin board supplies!  (Ok, I admit, I have an addiction to those too and cannot turn down a cute border!).


So, now, it's time to link up your bio over at Blog Hoppin’.  Click on the image below to take you there!  You can use the questions above or write anything else you would like as long as it pertains to the topic of the day : YOU! 
http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/2011/08/meet-teacher-monday.html