I’m excited to show you my 2014-2015 classroom today! I didn’t do a ton of new things to my room this year, but I would still like to share it with you. 🙂 Most of the time I spent in my room took place BEHIND the scenes – organizing closets, drawers, materials, and binders. I’m SO happy that I concentrated on organization because I know that during the year, I will really be able to thank myself!
In this crazy world of blogging, Pinterest, and Instagram, it’s easy to get swept up in the feeling that we need to “re-create the wheel” every year in our rooms. I used to get caught up in themes every year. Last year, I decided to simply decorate with colors and decor I truly liked. This made it so much easier this year because I was able to tweak and change some things without feeling like I was all the way at the starting line again. As a result, I’m even more in love with my classroom than ever!!! I hope you like it as well. 🙂
Ready for the tour? Here we go!!
Let’s head inside…
View from the door
On the wall are my Free Whole Brain Teaching Rules.
Our Fancy Words will be posted on our cabinets throughout the year.
Ottomans were a find from TJ Max last year and the flower lights were from Pier One. 🙂
In case you are wondering if I grew taller or not…sadly, I haven’t.
I stood on a chair to take this picture! 🙂
I covered my closet doors in paper to turn them into a “bulletin board” for more wall space.
The writing goals on the right are from Julie Shope’s TpT store. I am going to have my kids put a sticky note on the poster/goal they are working on in writing. Their goals will change throughout the year as they master different skills. I can’t wait to implement this!
Let’s head toward the place I spend the most time at throughout the day – my small group area!
Ahh…now I feel at home. The stools are from IKEA and my sweet hubby painted them. The pink piece of furniture behind my table is actually a filing cabinet that I painted last summer. I will be doing an entire blog post this weekend on my small group area! Stop back for tips and tricks for small group organization. 🙂
Want to hear something really cool?! My reading table used to be bright blue. It was an ugly blue though that didn’t match my room. We covered it in…wait for it…
Chalkboard Contact Paper!! I’m.in.love.
Stay tuned for a blog post on how we did this! 🙂
This is my “take home” library. My kiddos take a new book home Monday through Thursday. They read the book and then complete a box on their reading log for the week.
Our word wall! The letters on my wall come from my Bright & Sweet Editable Word Wall pack.
Student Computers
These are my teacher read alouds. Can you tell I love chalkboard labels?
Another section of our library. (These bookshelves were red and yellow last year but I gave them a little makeover!) I love that they match everything else now.
Let’s play a game…how long do you think I can keep that plant alive?!
-The flowers on the wall are just wall decal/stickers from Walmart for 99 cents. 🙂
My purple curtains are also from Walmart and are tied back with ribbon and 3m hooks.
Hmm…this picture is basically the same as the last one.
#sorrynotsorry
#ireallylovethislittlecorner
On the left is our daily schedule. These cards are editable and come from my TpT shop here.
On the right are the SUPER steps we take when we solve word problems. These posters come from my Word Problem SUPER Solvers Pack.
View from my desk
I am in LOVE with my new purple carpet!! It makes me so so happy. 🙂
Our whole class meeting area. I got rid of my director’s chair this year when I found this realllly comfy one at Target!
View from the back (and I might have stood on another chair)
Close up pic of my Bright & Pretty Number Posters
My teacher desk! <3
See the red paper sorter behind my desk? It is falling.apart. If you bump into it, I’m convinced it will all come crumbling down in pieces. I refuse to get rid of it, however, because this little baby keeps me SO organized throughout the week. Each day gets it’s own row. Any paper we use for the week get sorted horizontally by subject. It’s almost as important as the Keurig.
Our lunch choice system. You can find these lunch choice posters for free on my Facebook page by clicking on the Freebie tab. 🙂
Our Writing Center
My students turn their homework and notes in on top of the bookshelf and word work bins are housed on the second shelf.
This adorable Super Improvers Wall is free from my sweet friend Lori at Teaching With Love and Laughter.
I purchased these pen pal holders at Office Max and stuck one to each student desk.
Last year my little ones had such a hard time finding their pencils. I’m feeling really confident that these little gems will do the trick! No more pencils rolling off the desk or getting lost makes this teacher a happy camper. 🙂
My Lost and Found bucket is actually a little trash can!
Our Polka Dot and Chalkboard behavior clip art
Our book bins are waiting for us. The red pouches on top of the cubbies are magnetic boards with letter tiles for our Fundations phonics/spelling program. Each book bin has a folder, a notebook, a phonics phone, and a pencil in it. I still have to fill them with “starter books” to use while we build stamina. 🙂
View from the front. My desks are set up in partners to encourage collaboration and partner discussion throughout the day.
The end!! Thank you SO very much for taking a tour of my room with me. I really, really love it and I feel right at home when I walk in the door. I’m so glad I got to share it with you and I cannot wait to share all of the fun activities, lessons, ideas, and joy we experience this year. Today and tomorrow are teacher work days and then I get to meet my 25 new little firsties on Monday morning. 🙂 I’m looking forward to another wonderful year!
I love your room! I agree, colors are much easier to live with than themes. Hope you have a wonderful year and I can't wait to read all about it!!
Your classroom looks amazing! I love that little corner with the plant in too. Put the kids in charge of keeping it alive – mine stand a better chance when I'm not responsible for them!
Growing Little Learners
Your room looks so wonderful! Some amazon things are going to happen there!! Fair warning- my kids picked at my contact paper really bad hear before last. This year I sliced a tube from Home Depot lengthwise and put it over the edge to keep them from picking 🙂 hoping it works!
Hope
Teaching with Hope
I would love to paint some of my shelves? Any tips? What kind of paint did you use?
Beautiful and so inspiring! Thanks for sharing!
Kristin
My Carolina Classroom
I love how you have organised your computers with the number backgrounds, will definitely be using that idea in my ICT Area! I also LOVE those pencil holders, if I was still in 1st this year I would have bought those before I got to the end of your post!!!
Dani
http://misslynchslearners.blogspot.co.uk/
I love so much about the look and feel of your classroom! It's so colorful, clean, and welcoming. I'll definitely need to steal the computer background idea. I looked at your Word Problem Super Solvers (love, btw!) and would like to use the steps in 3rd grade, but don't need the rest of the materials. Do you happen to sell the posters on their own? I glanced through your shop, but didn't see them.
Dawn @ Revenge of the Thirds
Your whole room looks amazing. I can tell that you did A LOT of work. I LOVE the purple carpet – very cool!
I love that your desks are in partners and not groups. I like to start the year that way also!
Fun post! I loved looking around your room. You are so good at utilizing space. I would love to hear more about your "What We Are Learning" board.
I am in love with your room!
Your room is fabulous! The pencil holders are an excellent idea.
Teaching, Love, Cupcakes
Wow! Your room is so beautiful!
Love your room, looks beautiful!
~Laura
Luv My Kinders
Love your room and added a number of your products to my wishlist!
Where did you find the alphabet strip with corresponding pictures that you put on each student desk? It's in the picture with the Office Max pen pal holder. I would love to find something like that for my students!
Hi Hannah. Those come from a program my school uses called Fundations. It is connected to Wilson Reading.
Love the colors of your bookshelves! <3
A Teaspoon of Teaching
I love your room, Christina! It looks amazing- so organized and inviting! The kids are going to love it! I am dying to know- where did you get that small bookshelf in your writing center and the little example posters for what good writing looks like? LOVE those! Best of luck on Monday! Those 21 firsties are so lucky to have you as their teacher!
Casey
Miss Case's Classroom
I love your desk, may I ask where you got it?
Hi! Wondering where you got the touch point magnet numbers?! They are GREAT!
They are the regular plastic numbers. I added magnets to the back.
Where did you get your teacher desk?
It was provided by the school. 🙂
How did you make or get the pop it numbers you have hanging??? Please let me know through Email!! Thank you!!!
Those are from Touch Math, and I just attached magnets to the back of them.