I'll Show you mine...cuz you've already shown me yours

So...it's been awhile since I've posted.

Sorry...but I've been busy, I know you know what I'm talking about.  It is a little hectic right before the holiday break, and then you get this GLORIOUS vacation when you don't have to work...right?

No, that is when you have to work on your home, because that is what you neglect the other 9 months of the year.

OK...so I'm really excited to participate in the Clutter-Free Classroom's Clutter-free Classroom Project

I am a fairly new teacher, so I don't have a lot of "stuff".  This is both a blessing and an expensive hardship.  I also don't have my own children yet, so I still care that all my classroom things look nice and match.  I'm told that problem will be cured when I have my own children to worry about.  

Anyway...here is my clutter-FUL cabinets and cubbies. 

Closed...

I use the large doors for my word wall.  I had to expand it a little, however, and now the right is RLA, left is Math, and the two little cabinets to the right is Science and Social Studies.

and OPEN...

There is one shelf that is organized well...it has plastic shoe boxes with organized supplies...other than that, it is just a free for all of Dollar Tree and Target finds.  

Random Boxes, Bag of Class TShirts, and a lot of old teaching resources that "We still use".  

Paint and chemicals that I'm not really supposed to have...I mean you know how dangerous LYSOL is right!  and the health text books that "We Still Use"

This is probably the most used area in my classroom.  Bandaides and all types of bags on the left,
Glue Gun, Label Maker, Clothespins, various envelopes, and extension cord on the right.  

Sorry it is a little blurry...student cubbies are the bottom 2 rows.  We clean everything out of our desks every 2 weeks or so. This keeps us very clean and I have so many less bugs than everyone else... 

This is more student supplies, with my junk on top

The Command Center...i.e. My Poor Desk.  It is more organized than it looks.  

Student files on left, random daily files on right

top desk drawer

Ok...now I'm ready to go...I'm going to declutter and simplify my space.  I love it!  Join the Linky Party if you haven't yet and check out everyone else's clutter!

Rotation Day

Ok...so we are all feeling the pressure of tested standards.  I feel like every word I speak has to be connected to one of my state standards.  It is hard to want to do other activities with my students, but have to tell myself...I don't teach that in 4th grade.

Due to these high expectations, we have completely taken the fun, crafty activities out of the upper grades...but we do still teach children, right?

My wonderful team came up with a solution to this...and joined it together with holiday fun...and got around that pesky "no holiday party"rule.

We call it Rotation Day.  Each teacher, we have 5, plans a fun activity that corresponds with that holiday.  We have 30 - 45 minutes for each class to rotate around to each other teacher.  It is such a nice break for the kids.  It is also a nice break for the teachers.  It is so easy to plan one activity and do it 5 times in that day.  It is a great opportunity to catch up on grading/cleaning/organizing/planning/anythingelsethatyouneverhavetimetodo.

Now, this is a privilege, so you can lose the right to Rotation Day.  We only have recess 2 days per week (gasp, right).  If you go to study hall, you earn a letter toward a word and when you spell the word, you lose rotation day.  The amount of study halls determines the word.  Our words so far this year have been, Halloween, Turkey, and Noel.

Angels...they are really angels.

As I've bragged before, I have the best class in the world. Not only are they well behaved and motivated to learn, but they are so SWEET!

Example...one of my little girls, Heaven, works really hard and is in all advanced classes, but made a B on her report card. This kept her off 1st honors.

A different little girl, Angel, is a new student to our school, is in RTI, and works really hard to stay afloat in her on grade level classes...but she ALWAYS ASKS QUESTIONS. Got straight A's...and was the only one in the whole class...actually in the whole grade level.

heaven says to angel "oh, my gosh angel, that's so awesome! You must've worked really hard to do that! And you a the only one! That'S so great!"

Angel replies: "thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you. You always help me when I need some help."

So sweet!

I'm a good teacher...on PAPER TOO!!

So...I know I am a good teacher. I even find some level of enjoyment out of teaching the crap text books that my county shoves down my throat...but I recently found out that I'm a good teacher on paper too!

My state test scores were really good and my first evaluation was better than expected too...this was a little bright spot in my stressed life right now!

Shoo...Who else is stressed!

I can't quite put my finger on this, but IM FEELING STRESSED!!!! Who's with me? Our school implemented online lesson plans this year...no big deal. I know I'm lucky to have gone this long without turning my lesson plans in. The our state implemented a new evaluation system (read: ridiculous set of standards no one can meet)...s'ok. I can say the right things when people are in my room to see how fabulous I am.

What I cannot handle are people messing with my TECHNOLOGY!!!! I'm sorry mr. Computer technician, but you being able to remote access my computer does not trump UPDATING MY SOFTWARE!

These people (who must have been sent from the devil) have taken away my ability to do anything to my computer...as if technology does not pose its own unique problems in a classroom, I don't need anyone making it worse!

Ahhhhhhhh...I feel a little better now.
Love, the ringmaster

I have a great class...

So, have you ever had a class that causes people to give you sympathetic looks as you walk by?

A class where word gets out to the subs that they DO NOT want to keep your class?

Apparently, I had that class for the last 2 years.  Yes, I had a few students who thought throwing a desk was a reasonable solution to another students "looking at them", but come on they weren't THAT BAD.

Or at least I thought...until I had this class.  Almost everyday, I think when it gets really quiet, I can hear the angels singing.  My class gets a 10 out of 10 everyday in our special area classes...I didn't even know that was POSSIBLE.

I even think we won a class field trip to the zoo for selling the most in our school's fundraiser.  AND the best part, they are kinda SMART!  I'm really gonna be able to do some good learnin' this year!  (I'm from the south...don't judge)

Ok...I'll stop bragging

Classroom Layout Folder

As part of a new (sucky) evaluation system in my state...I'm having to rethink and reevaluate everything I do and say in my classroom...headache, yes!  good in the end, maybe?!?!

ANYWAY, I sat down last week and pulled out these two file folders that are printed inside with graph paper.  I measured out my classroom by counting the carpet squares (the ONLY good thing about carpet squares in a classroom) and voila...I have a classroom layout folder.

I drew all my furnature on one and only the outline on the other.  After it was laminated, I cut out all the furnature and classroom fixtures (small group carpet, library area, etc...)  Then I flipped it over and double side taped it down.

Now, I can see were all my desks need to be!  I even could very carefully plan for where my students were going to sit.  I {heart} this!