My New Classroom!

In general, I use a lot of exclamation points and this year it will probably get annoying, so I apologize!  I can't help it though, I am terribly excited about this new school year.  We have a lot of great new staff members on board and there is just such a positive vibe running through our school that I haven't felt in a while.  I am also really happy with my new classroom! So I wanted to post some of my hard work and also how some of it relates to my WBT journey.

Welcome!  Yes, I did the superhero theme.  Not usually a big fan of themes but found a new teacher store and went a little crazy.

My outside bulletin board waiting for some student work!

A view of the front of the classroom, calendar, my scoreboard, the WBT rules up top and the Super Improver Team board!  I will cover up the title for the first few days and build suspense until the second week. 

My word wall, or power pix wall, it will probably extend over the windows since I am doing math and science this year. 

Classroom jobs, there is a pocket to put a popsicle stick with the name of the student. Cute jobs like Super Sharpener, Captain Line Leader, etc. 

Close up of the Super Improver Board.  The colored strips have the titles of each level, they will be turned around next week once the board is totally revealed. 

My clock!

So there we have it!  I didn't show the back wall with the student cubbies, I want to go this weekend and buy some plants to put on top of them.  What are good plants for a classroom?

Made It Monday

July Blogging Challenge -Day 28

I am easing my way into back to school mode!  Here is a little something I made with my new washi tape.  I am not really a crafty person and I've never made a truly themed classroom, but I really like the "comic book/superhero" theme and I am going to try and do it a little bit in my room.  So here are two of my first little touches. 

I LOVE my pencil sharpener and my kids do too.  The point it makes on pencils have my kids spoiled so much that when theirs gets the tiniest bit dull they want to resharpen.  This year I am going to make sharpening pencils a reward.  Each day the can will start off filled with sharp pencils.  Whenever a student wants/needs to sharpen, they are going to take a sharp pencil out and put their dull pencil in.  At the end of class, I will draw a name of a student who has followed the rules and participated all class to sharpen all of the dulls from that class period.  Not sure exactly how I will do the drawing part, maybe give kids tickets when they are caught doing good, or maybe I will make laminated cards with their names on them and if they break a rule or don't do homework or something I take the card away.  Actually I'd rather reward good behavior than punish bad behavior so I think I'll go with the ticket idea.  Maybe combine the both and if they are caught being good I put their laminated card in the jar!  Okay, yeah that works!

SLANT vs SWAG

Help!  I have tried using SLANT before...but kids hate it,they don't buy into it and I never follow through.  However I like the idea of it.

So On Pinterest I found this gem: (just the Show your Swag part)

I instantly loved it.  I really think the kids will buy into it.  My only problem is I'm not crazy about the G: Give Snaps/Claps.

So I was wondering if I could get some good suggestions on the G line!?  The only thing I can come up with and actually like is Give respect to all.

Classroom Set-up and 2012-2013 Goals

Yes!  My first Sunday Funday post!  I will be setting up my classroom mostly on 8/27 and a little on 8/28.  we have PD from the 29-31, but I think I may have some time during those days to do some work on the room too.

So here is what I am starting with: (this was the last day and desks were just pushed to the sides)

The first thing I am doing which will be new is that I am turning my desk around and pushing to against the back wall!  That is going to buy me at least 2 feet in that corner!!  Woo hooo!
I have been procrastinating, but I need to get to Walmart or Target to see how much basic flat sheets cost.  I did my bulletin boards last year in old sheets and I loved it, but I don't have any more old sheets to use and I want my board backgrounds to be black.  So if I can find the sheets at a reasonable price I will get them if not, it will be black paper.  I will use some yellow border since I have it, and for the rest of them I will use tissue paper borders (I saw this on Pinterest)
For the board behind my desk I like to make "homeroom central"  I post my HR schedule, Student of the Week and Month, our class picture, etc.
On the small board between the windows I want to make a calendar.  Not sure yet how to do it, paper, or dry erase contact paper.  Still planning this, but it will be a calendar of some sort!
The biggest board on my back wall will hold student work.  I am so not good at bulletin boards!  I feel like I am a creative person, but this just puts me in my place, I am NOT creative!  I saw another idea on Pinterest that I liked with the yellow caution tape and the sign "Caution Student Work Appearing Soon!"  or something like that.
My wooden bookshelf will hold resources like textbooks and supplies.  On top I put five of those cardboard magazine holders up and inside go students work folders.
The board by the flag is my word wall...I would love to make it different this year, other than just posting up the words.  Liked an idea I saw with paper plates stapled at top with the subject, then a streamer or long strip of paper hanging down.  Each word strip would be clipped to the streamer/long strip.
The two boards at front are my grade level boards, I put 7th on the left and 8th on the right.  This is where I put their homeworks and  Do Nows.  I put up these thin dry erase mats that I found in our supply closet, so that I can erase it everyday.  I am toying with the idea of having a math student of the month in addition to my homeroom student of the month, and I would put the 7th and 8th SOM on these.  The little table up front holds my laptop and Elmo.  The black rolling cart is where I keep my calculators and other supplies.
The student desks will be grouped in 2 groups of 4 and 2 groups of 5 since my biggest class is 18.

Goals for 2012-2013

1. Start to use foldables and possibly  Interactive Notebooks!  ( I am still scared of this idea)  The foldables will be easy to implement, but the interactive notebooks, I don't know, I see all the posts about them but I am so nervous about starting and then not following through. 
2. NO boring lectures!!!!  Flipping, PBL, questioning etc!  I have learned so much over the summer and my goal is to implement it this year.
3. The biggie is to continue my blog!!! To reflect on all the above things I will be doing, but also to blog some more mathy things too.
4. The biggie biggie is to continue my workouts and hopefully drop the 40 pounds I've gained since I started teaching!!!!!!