2011-2012 Classroom Pics

Welcome to my 2011-2012 Classroom!

This is our whole group meeting area. It was the library area. It was just too crowded here for the library and I couldn't have both sides of the shelves out (we have a two sided bookshelf). Even though this is by the door, I like it here because it is inviting and open and there will be more room on the circle rug for the children. I can also use that door and/or the area behind my chair for anchor charts and other things that support what I am teaching. I'm not worried about door distractions because my door is shut 99% of the time and there is a small pocket char that covers any area where the children would be distracted by who is outside.

Directly to the left of the whole group area. Our computer station and the shelves with our book boxes. They were previously on students' desks and it was driving me batty. I spread my crate seats throughout the room -- there are two in the meeting area and two back on the other side of the computers in the library area.

A little bit better view of my library area. That huge cart is double sided and thus holds a lot of books! I really wanted the children to be able to utilize both sides of that cart. On top will be the extra book boxes that don't fit on the other shelf and our turn in tray.

This is where our meeting area was before. This will be a small work area for some of our Reading Street Stations. Our Data Notebooks are in those binders. Students have lots of room on the floor here to spread out and work during stations and/or other small group activities.

This is my new seating setup. I went back to my favorite Double E. I have 25 kids which doesn't normally work in this shape but one of my friends can not sit with anyone else so he's on the side allowing the other 24 to say in the E. I have to say it makes my room look SO much bigger and more open.

This is my shelving area next to my desk. (Let's just forget that you can see my name on that frog, shall we?? I was way too lazy to cover it up!) All of my teaching manuals and weekly lesson materials are here. I love having that shelf there. It makes it easy for me to stay organized but also have room to spread out while grading and sorting.

This is my desk area. Normally it is a giant mess as I pile things on it throughout the day. I love having all of that space with the shelf because it helps me keep my desk relatively clean and organized. 

The white board. Speeding ticket papers (papers with no names) hang up here as well as our 100s chart, job chart and notices of missing work. I just add the students' numbers there with the assignment so they always know who is missing work. Those pictures underneath the board are for the "Listen Up!" station of Reading Street which focuses on phonics skills. My other two crate seats and my listening center are up here also.

Calendar and mailboxes. I ♥ my calendar area!

Small group teaching area. I love this space too. That shelf holds all of my small group materials for the week and it is great. I can just turn around and grab the next tub when I am teaching groups. All of my Reading Street materials are housed back in this space (and those blue posters hide some of the junk that I have to keep in my room but looks ugly on the shelves!).

Finally our Accountable Talk Bubbles and my Behavior Clipchart. I had it on my board but it was a pain because I had to put up the screen to my ELMO if a child needed to cllip up or down. Now that is it more visible, I think it has more impact on behavior. The children know that with it right there where we can all see it we are more likely to use it.