A Brand New Year

One of the awesome things about August is that I get to recreate my classroom! We have to pack up everything in June so I get to start from scratch. I used to think this was extremely annoying but I realized I love analyzing my classroom usage each year and making it better plus I love change! For example I have had my desk in every corner of the room since I started teaching. (It does drive my DH a little crazy that I always want the big furniture moved...every year...) This year I have decided the big stuff is going to stay put but I am going to use the smaller spaces in some very different ways.

I was finally able to get into my room this morning and took some "before" pictures. Enjoy! The final reveal will be on the first day of school - August 29th!

When they clean the carpets everything gets pushed to one side...and I have to move it all back but at least the carpets are clean!

My major goal in the next two weeks - get the top of this cabinet clean!

I'm going with bright and colorful this year! I think I'm going to have the kids do an opening week activity where they pick a color that describes them and talk about how colors affect us...it's in the works.

I got these magnetic white boards to go with my CAFE bulletin board...only $3 each! I'm going to make magnets with the kids names to go with them!

 

August Currently

Linking with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade!

I can't believe it's August. I guess I'm lucky I still have three weeks to go before school starts but most of that will be spent getting ready for school so summer is pretty much over. (Nobody told the weather that, by the way! It's been in the hundreds this week! Yuck!) 

So currently I am looking for new shoes that will allow my ever expanding prego feet to be comfortable while standing at work all day and still have some style to them. Any suggestions?

I really, really need a new CD player for my classroom, especially since I want to implement Daily 5 this year. My current player is cracked and pretty picky about which CDs it will play and which it will not play. I also need to get printing, laminating and organizing with all the awesome online resources I have found for Daily 5 and CAFE!

My plug for this Currently Linky is not actually part of TPT because I don't have my own store...yet! What I am plugging is the Cricut cartridges from Close to My Heart. They have so many awesome images and cuts that you almost don't need any other cartridges! Since I bought the Art Philosophy cartridge I have barely taken out my other cartridges. It has every shape and size (up to 12x12) that you could possibly imagine and they just released a second cartridge that has more seasonal and 3D images. I can't wait to get mine! 

Check it out here: desoleary.ctmh.com 

*If you would like the PDF of the booklet for the Artiste collection (to check out all the images), leave me your email address!

So my plug for someone else is the Clutter-free Classroom! It is my favorite teaching/organizing blog and the whole reason I was inspired to start my own blog. The products on TPT are top quality as well. Check it out!

So here's to August and all of the teachers who have already started their year! Cheers and best wishes for the best year ever!