Classroom Tour

It has been awhile, mainly because the past few weeks have been incredibly crazy with all of the back to school madness. Two weeks of professional development or mandatory staff induction. The first week was an intensive on the Danielson Rubric. The second was everything else they wanted to jam in, including all of the changes that they made for this school year. Language models changed, lesson plan formats changed, curriculums changed, teachers positions changed, needless to say it feels like very little is the same this year! I am determined to make the best of a very different school year, in my new position. I have set some goals for myself for this year:

1. Be more organized
2. Be proactive in parent communication
3. Find more outside resources (PD's, grants, blogs, ANYTHING!) 

So far things are going well, my classroom is organized, I have talked to a few parents at dismissal, and I have already gotten a Pets in the Classroom Grant, started a blog and registered for an outside PD in October. 

I have had some big changes this year, I will only be teaching K-2 mathematics learning support, so when I was setting up my classroom I got rid of 95% of the literacy components. The only things that stayed were my library and an alphabet chart that I just couldn't see not having for reference! Everything literacy related has been either loaned out to other teachers or is in the lockers outside of my classroom. Here are some pictures of my room after I got all set up! It isn't much but it is home for 8-12 hours a day! 

My desk area (a goodwill for those cold Philly mornings when I am writing an IEP at 6:30 am!), my storage closet and our computer center.

My sensory/ calming area. I have a few students who need a safe space to calm down in. The blue and green pockets have  bunch of sensory items that are always allowed during their time in the calming corner. 

My classroom door from the outside. 

My amazing work display wall outside of my classroom. There are enough clips for work to be displayed by each student. Unfortunately the janitorial staff keeps crashing their carts into the clips and knocking them off of the wall!

Chalkboard door (contact paper which still needs to be replaced, or it needs to be painted some day when I have time!) and my home made curtains. Adds some flair to a very beat up window!

A view of my two round work tables, calendar center, and shelving.


 

The calendar center and our library. You can also see the disgusting fishbowl that BADLY needs to be cleaned! I just received a Pets in the Classroom grant so Flash the Fish will soon have a 10 gallon tank all to himself (or possibly with a small aquatic frog!) on top of the book case. I cannot wait to see the kids reactions when they see it set up! More to come about pets in the classroom soon!  

A better view of my whole room. My kidney table where most of my groups take place is in front of my boards and my anchor wall. Above the board is a clip for each student to select their best work. On the right is the word wall, and a common core standard board. We also have a  large carpet area and a sensory shelf.

Well there you have it. My home away from home, my classroom!