The letters must go out and school products that I LOVE!!

   I had to go to school yesterday to print and send out my welcome letters to my new first graders. I hope they are getting excited about school. 

    I send home a parent survey so that when the students come to me I have some information about their child. Do you ask parents to provide any information about their child at the beginning of the year? 

   Here is a little peak into one thing I got started in my room after I mailed my letters. This is a sad curtain that I made out of a sheet. I need to either get a steamer or take them down to iron them. The picture doesn't show the right side that I still need to finish. I have decided that my bulletin boards will be black background and these large shelves will have grey curtains. 

   I read another blog recently where they shared their favorite back to school supplies (for teachers) so I decided to share mine. 

Last year I was introduced to Flair pens! I had a variety pack of colors, but there was only one purple in it. So I went on Amazon and found a box with just purple!! LOVE!! 

Another thing I was introduced to last year (thanks Cassie) was Planbook online.  I love having my lesson plan book online. You can easily add standards to a specific lesson or move a lesson from one day to the next. I use to use google docs to do my lesson planning, but I will be using Planbook.com again this year as I love it. Oh and did I mention it's only $12 a year. 

I will never be without my own laminator again. A few years ago I bought this laminator at Walmart for $19.96 (it's even less expensive now). I use it a lot and it is worth every penny. You can get the laminating pouches at Sams Club or Amazon (which is where I have found the best prices). 

This year I decided to order twistable crayons for all of my students as I realized that regular crayons have so much waste. Basically, the kids use them until the tip is dull and then they don't want to use them. Hoping these new crayons, although more expensive, will end up being worth it. 

   These are a few of the things that I can't start the school year without. Feel free to comment about the things that you can't be without. I love hearing what other products people like to use. 

~Erica

A work in progress

So yesterday I worked in my room for a few hours and realized it is certainly a work in progress. I have a lot to do! In 11 years of teaching, I have switched rooms 8 times so I am used to having to redo my room. I know teaching is not about the room, but I can’t focus on instruction until my room is organized and inviting. Today I also put my son to work taking the plastic off new clipboards and whiteboards. Not his favorite task, but he did it. Below are some pictures of my room (before and after of my few hours of work).

Before

After

 

 Before

  

                 After

Not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but this year I am going to have three tables with different types of seating. I am hoping to allow for student choice with this, but not sure yet if first graders will be able to appropriate select their seats. Time will tell. One table will have regular chairs, on will have stools (some regular stools and some woobly stools), and then a table lowered so students can sit on cushions.  I am hoping this will help to keep kids engaged and stay focused.

I will post more pictures of my classroom once it looks a little less like a bunch of piles of stuff. 

For now, I will leave you with this Kid President video. Now please remember he is a kid so some of the things are rather silly, but number 4 and 1 are my favorites. 

One more thing! Here is the link to my Amazon wishlist for my classroom.  https://amzn.com/w/3HUMBSO67XGSY

Just in case anyone wants to help out my classroom. 

~Erica