Monday, September 3, 2012

Bird's-Eye View

It's Labor Day weekend!

Woot.

Well, I have been in school for three weeks now, and I am finally getting around to writing a post about how my classroom is set up! ugh. Setting up took forever! I had some drama for a little while and was stalled, but I got it done!

Let's take a tour!!!

the outside of my room


here's my parent board of information


 the first thing you see when you walk in

where the kids sign in each morning

all hands on deck (my helper wall)

 the bathroom door

cubbies for the kids' things

 extra board to do with as I choose

the start of where we will count up to 100 days of school

our behavior bay of rules

our clip chart to reward positive behavior and give consequences for negative behavior

surfin' the web

bulletin board to display work!

library center

my ocean of words! (one of my favorite parts of the room this year)

the title of my word wall

 my color wall

shapes!

my religion corner (i teach at a private school)

weather panda that we get to dress up each day!

we started a rotating schedule this year, and I made this to help me remember what day it is
the panda wears a different colored pair of goggles each day

another way we're counting up to 100! (and learning grouping)

name of my circle time!

birthday wall

my work area (excuse the mess!)

 table set up


my quiet area

circle time area, aka the splash zone

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

School Has Started!

I did it!

I made it through the first two days.

My feet hurt.

I fell asleep at my home computer.

I need quiet time.

But...

My classroom looks flipping awesome!!!!!!!!!

Pictures will be coming soon as I have take many many many pictures.

I'm so proud of the design.

If I could get a job doing that, then I'd be a happy camper.

That's one of my favorite parts about being a teacher.

Have you started school?

How'd it go??

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Confession...

I have been avoiding my blog!

I don't know what to write about because school starts in one week!! And, one week from tomorrow is Parent Orientaion night.

It's crunch time!!

I was hoping to have finished my room by now so that I could take pictures and blog about how it's set up, but they haven't finished our floors!!!!!!!! AAAAAAGHHHHH!

I'm slowly dying...

Monday, July 23, 2012

Alabama Kindergarten Conference

After my beautiful vacation in Gulf Shores, AL, I drove approximately 6 hours up the state to Huntsville for the Alabama Kindergarten Conference.

On Friday, I got to spend the day learning with Dr. Jean Feldman!!! She's my hero. She even took the time to pose for a photo with me. Normally, I'm not the type of person to go up and ask for a photo, but she made a standing offer to the group and decided to take her up on it! We also danced with paper plates too. That was fun, and I'll definitely be using that in my class...and maybe some straws too!



Then, on Saturday, I got to meet some other teachers who gave me a lot of ideas to use in my classroom.

The keynote speaker was Steven Layne. Honestly, I didn't think that I'd like him when I first walked into the conference, but he blew me away! I loved his humor and his honesty. He has a book out about reading called Igniting a Passion for Reading that I will also be picking up soon. There are too many kids nowadays that just don't enjoy reading, and I want to help curb that distaste!

I took a class from Heidi Butkus of HeidiSongs.com. She gave me some great ideas on how to get my kids up and moving in my classroom.

I took another class from Peggy Campbell-Rush. She taught me all about the brain and made me want to research it even more, which is good because it's been on my back burner for awhile now. She also has a new book coming out called Get a Grip! all about fostering fine motor development in young children. I will definitely be getting this book!

The last class I took before rushing home for my niece's 2nd birthday party was by Kimberly Jordano. She has some great journaling ideas that I can't wait to implement into my classroom this fall!

I would have to say that Dr. Jean and Peggy were my two favorite speakers of the weekend. I'm so glad I went, and I hope you have broadened your teaching spectrum this summer with some professional development this summer too!

{I'm going into my classroom today for the first time all summer to start putting it together. Wish me luck!}

Monday, July 16, 2012

Friday, July 13, 2012

A Versatile Blogger

Yay!

Thank you to Alison @ Toad-ally Exceptional Learners {one of the newest followers of my panda-monium} for my first blog award for my teaching blog!


Here are the rules:
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Include a link to their blog.

3. Include the award image in your post.
4. Give 7 random facts about yourself.

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.
6. When nominating, include a link to their blog.

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated.
 
Okay...7 random facts about myself...
1. I am running in the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February 2013. {join me!}
2. I love to be on stage and perform.
3. I am married to my college sweetheart.
4. I collect Disney Princess movies.
5. I love to bake and hope to open my own bakery one day.
6. Reading is a passion of mine.
7. According to my husband, I'm a "nerd." ;)

So, now...
Here are the 15 bloggers I nominate!