The New Upper Corner

The theme for this year:

OWL

Outstanding, Wonderful Learners

     I have been working so hard on making my room more student friendly.  My first year I was hired a week before school started with training from 7-4 everyday and the alarm went on at 11.  Last year I was hired Wednesday at noon.  Had training all day on Thursday and the kids came on Friday.  So... I have had SO much fun thinking about my room and my kids and how I can make it the best I can for them!  I am looking forward to sharing my classroom with you all!

I wanted a place where my students could show off their own work.  I hate that I used to choose what went on display in the hallway.  It should be the students choice of what the public sees.

 I am using a lot of technology in my classroom this year.  I had the 4th graders fill out "Get to know you" Facebook forms before school got out in May.  I have this display up in the hallway.

Writing anchor charts will be displayed here.  I love the banner I ordered from ETSY.

I need to be better about giving the students a heads up on what is going on throughout the week.  We have to have our objectives posted daily.  Since I don't have a white board, I have been laminating construction paper and I can just use a dry-erase marker.

Here is one of my comfy corners.  Extra supplies are in the netting.  I scored this chair for free from a friend.  I love friends that are willing to help out teachers!

Here is a spot where anchor charts can be displayed.  I am thinking that once the anchor charts are off the easel, they will be on the wall while we are still using that skill.  When we are done with the skill, they can be displayed here and students can refer to them when they need to. 

(Magnetic curtain rod from Target.)

What's for lunch?  My lunch count still needs labels but it is almost complete.  I am having a homework club this year.  I hope it will encourage some of the struggling students this year.  I am also trying the PENCIL CHALLENGE this year.  Check it out on Pinterest if you are interested.

I have bins ready with the pencils numbered.  I also have red pins ready as well.  I want every student to have the option to be prepared and ready to start class.

When the office calls to tell me something, I more often than not forget to tell the correct student.  So, I have made this into a white board so it is easy for even students to write reminders on the board.  It is also over a cork board and I could even pin up notes.

Supplies are organized and ready to go!

On this bulletin board we will display pictures of our learning and thinking.  The pictures can be captured either by myself or the students. I am going to try to print pictures every two weeks.

I am planning on using my Twitter board as my exit tickets or check for understanding.  We will also have a Twitter account as a class.

That small filing cabinet and pull out trays have become my desk.  I have taken myself out of the room in order to give my students the space they need to succeed.  Here is our whole group meeting area.

The beanbags are from another friend willing to help out a teacher!

I'm planning on doing a whole genre unit at the beginning of school and reorganizing my library while the kids work their way through the books.

I had to figure out a new system for students who are absent.  I am hoping this system works.

I also had to figure out a system so there are not so many "no name" papers.  I am hoping this system will cute down a lot of it.

Our CAFE Board

Our mailbox system.

Here is our small group meeting area.  I choose to use stools because I can get more in my group this way.

My back counter is ready for Meet Your Teacher on Tuesday night.

A view of the room from one corner.  I know I shared a lot but I hope you enjoyed it.  I didn't want to be to wordy on any picture but if you have any questions, suggestions, or recommendations for my classroom, I would love to hear them.

Reading in the Wild Reflection

     I missed the first cyperPD so I will share my thoughts thus far in the book.  While first reading this book, a quote stuck out to me.

     "The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books."

     I have never been a reader and never really thought I would be a reader.  I was never a great reader in school.  I received A's and B's and participated in class.  I was good at pretending to know what I needed to know.  In high school, I found two teachers who really cared about me and I learned to care for reading and writing, but I still really struggled with it myself.  In college I was good with the papers because I was interested in the topics.  Now as a teacher, I feel like I am so behind.  I should know the content of the books they are reading.  I should have read the books they were reading.  I feel SO behind.  I don't want to be a fake teacher and I have really been working on that this year.  I want to share that world with my students.

     I would love to start my day by visiting www.wonderopolis.org.  I think that is a great way to pull the students into the school day and get them excited to learn.

    I am hoping that students will want to post the titles they have read above the library this year.  I think it will get them excited to read the books that their classmates are reading.  With teaching two different classes, it would allow them to see what they are reading as well.

     When it comes to talking about a library, I like that it is "our" library instead of "my" library.  I want the students to make the rules of library and how to use the books.  Anything that can make students take ownership is so worth doing.  After all, it's not mine, it's theirs.

     I am planning on doing a whole genre study at the beginning of the school year and letting my students reorganize our classroom library, the way that they see fit.  Our school is all about AR, but our principal is willing to see other ways of reading.  I look forward to see the difference in the selection process.

     I am so excited for our graffiti wall this year.  Kids constantly movie quote in my classroom. I am hoping to change that culture in my room to "book quotes."

    I know I need to be more purposeful with my students over breaks.  If we discussed our reading plans together, I think it will hold all of us more accountable.  I know that I never ever, ever want to let down my students and that usually means that I do to much, buy to much, create to long, or stay up to late.  So, I know if I have discussed my plans with them, and they have with me, then more of us might stick to those plans.

I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts.  I am absolutely ready to jump into teaching at the beginning of August because of Donalyn Miller.  I have devoured both of her books in the last month and listened to her at the All-Write conference.  I have a different view on reading and a different view of teaching reading.  I want to consider myself a reader and I am working on that professionally and personally.

We're not in Kansas Anymore

     I laugh as I read new mom posts on Facebook this summer.  There have been so many firsts for so many babies this summer.  Well, I have had several firsts for myself this summer.  

Here are a few:

         1. Attended All-Write Conference

         2. Read my first professional development books

         3. Attended my first EdCamp

         4. Tackled babysitting three kids ages 1, 3, and 5

         5. Had a whole summer to plan and revaluate for 

             the next school year

         6. Started a blog

     I am currently attending an eLearning conference at my school district.  It is quite different than the All-Write conference.  Now, I know, that they will be different because they are covering different topics.  The thing is though; they are both covering a lot of technology and introducing it into your classroom.  The difference I see is, hardly any one is posting to Twitter.  Hardly any one here belongs to the blogging world.  Last but certainly not least, I am not being "star struck" by other bloggers or authors.  

     Now, I realize I am new to this world as well, so I am not judging.  I just feel like this summer, I have been trapped in this "new world" that I have jumped into.  Now, I realize there are not to many people in that world around me.  I sent a text to one of my co-teachers, Leigh Anne, yesterday and said, "Isn't this so different than the All-Write Conference."  Her response was, "We're not in Kansas anymore."

     I understand that I'm not in Kansas, and maybe I am not fully ready to be in Kansas, but I am willing to start my journey.  I cannot wait to form new friendships and continue to learn from other bloggers out there.