I wish that I could just keep things the same from year to year but I always seem to have idea after idea pop in my head around 1 a.m. a couple weeks before school.
I start to envision another year and some things I can do to make my room more engaging, more colorful, just…more.
Another K teacher that has been teaching for 25 years is still changing things every year so I think that it is just the way it goes. I’m good with that because I don’t ever want to become “one of those teachers”.
I am not much of a thematic type girl, but I do tend to gravitate towards bright colors.
Here is my desk area. I got the flower decorations at Joanne’s. They are Martha Stewart. I just used command hooks to get them to stay. We can’t hang anything from the ceiling so this was the next best thing.
To the right of my desk, I have quotes that I framed. I also got the frames from Joanne’s and then spray painted them. The quotes are from Hope King’s Desire to Inspire pack. I also hung the pictures up with command hooks and then make bows to cover the top of the hooks.
If you are sitting at my desk looking out, this is what it looks like.
That is the library. I am slightly obsessed with the new baskets that I bombarded Big Lots for. They are sturdy and the perfect color. I got all of the library labels from Maria Monroe’s Editable Classroom Library Labels. Re-doing your entire library is NOT an easy (or cheap) task, but I am so happy with the outcome. The green baskets are thematic baskets, the pink baskets are favorite authors and the blue baskets are for leveled books.
Above the books in the library is my word wall.
Here is my guided reading area. I am excited to use my new wipe off decals that I got off of Amazon during small groups. We are going to use them for reading and math groups. I used to work with a teacher who let her students write on the tables and it would wipe off with a magic eraser. I’m not in the club of letting kids write on the furniture, but I did like the idea. The decals are meant for the wall, but I am excited to use them for small groups!
My Dad built both sets of shelves. They are perfect for storage and keeping everything where I need it to be and can access it quickly.
I used the same baskets for math manipulatives. I also used the editable library cards to make the labels for the math baskets.
Cara Carroll inspired me to change up my calendar. You can get the numbers and other calendar items from her blog for free. It took me FOREVER to figure out what the names of the tabs that held the numbers are. If you are in the market…they are called Stikki Clips 🙂 You can buy them off of Amazon or the Parent/Teacher Store. I want to grow up and be Cara Carroll so I feel like having a calendar just like hers is pretty much the way to go 🙂
The calendar is now part of my focus wall. I don’t have anything written down on the focus wall yet because…well…I’m not really focused at the moment. It’s on my to-do list.
Here is the homeliving/station corner of the room.
Then under the Smart Board is the moving word wall and the jobs chart which is by cupcake for the teacher. Both of the rugs in the homeliving area and in front of the moving word wall are from Big Lots.
I am so lucky because I have two huge windows in my room with a door that leads to a courtyard. If it’s nice outside, I can walk my kids out there and we will do our morning meeting out there. It’s just a nice option to have.
So, there you have it!
I can’t wait to welcome my new bunch of kiddos to school next week!
GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness!! I just LOVE everything!! Cracking up at your “I want to grow up and be Cara Carroll” comment- I say the same thing to my team!! I also love the way you set up your homeliving station. The cereal boxes on the wall are adorable! SO bummed I wasn’t able to snatch those Big Lots crates. They look great in your library!! Do you mind telling me where you found your tally mark number posters? Those are perfect for K-1!
What a FUN, FABULOUS and FUNCTIONAL classroom! LOVE IT! I especially adore the pretty Martha Stewart flower decorations! I am obsessed with bright colors! It just makes any space fun and brightens it up! I love your “Always be kinder ” wall decal quote, the Maria Manore book labels, the shelves your dad made you…it’s all SO GREAT! HAVE THE BEST SCHOOL YEAR EVER!!:)
Your room looks great. Each day I keep thinking that mine is pretty much done, but then I decide to change or add something else. My goal is finish by Wednesday and reveal it on my blog then.
Hugs,
Amanda
Love your room. Tell me more about your moving word wall. How do you use it?
I love your room! Thanks for telling us the name of the clips for the calendar, I have been searching for some for the past week!
Love your classroom reveal!! Absolutely love how fun and practical it truly is for kids (and you)!! I have to start moving my classroom on Monday and am dreading the process. Two weeks until school starts! I’m off to download the calendar pieces from Erica. But I wondered where the actual calendar poster with bright circles came from???
Yes, I was wondering the same thing about the calendar poster! I love yours and Cara’s. I left a comment for Cara asking her, but she hasn’t gotten back to me. Please tell me how you made it or where you got it! I must copy you! 🙂
BEAUTIFUL, Elizabeth! I seriously love all of it! So bright and inviting! I especially love the quote above your number cards. I’m trying to find just the right quote for my classroom wall….
Thanks so much for sharing!
Jill
ABCs and Polkadots
Looks so fabulous! I love the framed quotes!
Rowdy in First Grade
Elizabeth- you are my hero. I have been looking for those calendar tabs and didn’t know what they are called. After about an hour of of online searching i gave up. THANK YOU!!! Love your room and those book buckets- so cute.
Love your room! I am starting my 35th year of teaching!!! and I always change my room every year. I normally gravitate to fish or frogs, but this year I am going with a Disney theme, as my principal, who is a Disney fanatic (as am I) is retiring. Enough about me! Tell me more about your moving word wall- does the board move or do the students come up and get the letter ring they need? Love the idea. Where did you get the words/letters since they are so small. Thanks!!!!
What a comfy, welcoming place for your kiddos to learn! I love your classroom libary labels for your book bins. Would you mind sharing where you found them? You may have already done this, but I just stumbled across your blog today. Bookmarking it!!
Have a great year! (We are already on day 4, and (knock on wood), BEST BEGINNING OF THE YEAR I’ve had in 17 years!!!
Jody