Yesterday both Mr. Plum and I were able to get into our classrooms to take some measurements, poke around a bit, and take pictures. I had seen my classroom briefly on Thursday (when we were in the area to look at daycares — *groan*), but I was too overwhelmed to take it all in. I was too excited. Giddy, even.
So, armed with a camera, I entered and UMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, that’s my name beside the door?! Giddy, again, and all focus was lost for about five minutes.
Then I looked at my room number. Y’all, before I even had a job, I knew what my classroom theme was going to be (Wizard of Oz). Therefore — as an affirmation — I started making “teachery” things in that theme, including binder covers. Well, I had to put in a room number in my formatting so that I could change it when I would get my real room number later.
I put room 108.
I’m going to pause here, because you probably know what’s coming.
I’m in room 108. For real. No jokes. My name is under room 108.
After I recovered from that shock, I peeked around the corner, and I saw what appeared to be a closet. I’m just going to lead-off with a homerun here, because I can’t contain my excitement.
Looks like a closet, right? That’s what I assumed. And then I opened it. What’s behind door number one?
A bathroom. Seriously. Pick me up off of the floor!
Once I regained composure, I took photos from all four corners of the room — starting from the door:
After letting it sink in that this was my room, I realized a few things:
- I have a ton of resources. In the closet next to the cubbies are book bins. For each kid. I about fell over. Above the student cubbies? Tons of manipulatives and games. On the bookshelves? A classroom library of leveled books… including all of the Magic Treehouse books.
- I have a ton of storage. Tons. There isn’t going to be an issue organizing and storing my belongings and resources for the kiddos in a way that is accessible to us both. On the back wall, there is even this:
- I have plans for those bins. Big plans. With labels.
- I don’t want a “teacher desk.” I didn’t see one — even in the hallway — and even if I somehow missed it… I don’t want one. There’s a nice raised area at the computer station for adult-sized me, and I can store things that I don’t want my kiddos to access in the cabinets above it.
- There aren’t many bulletin boards or empty wall-space, so I’m going to have to get creative. The wall above the windows is something I have permission to paint and affix things to, so that could potentially be our word wall. We shall see — it’s going to be like putting a puzzle together, figuring out where all of our focus items should go.
- I’m not sure if I have a whiteboard. I thought it was a chalkboard, but I didn’t actually touch it. So… I guess I’ll have to figure that out the next time I’m in my room!
- The biggest realization? I felt at home. That room felt like home.
Since I am brand spankin’ new at this — I need some veteran help. What stands out to you looking at these photos of my classroom? Is there something you think I should do (or avoid doing)? Any tips & tricks?
Tammy says
July 8, 2012 at 4:46 amAll I can say is "WOW"! You have a huge classroom. I would love to have all that room. You are very lucky. My advice would be to sketch out what you need in your classroom first. Where your computers have to stay? Where your classroom library is going to be? Where are you going to do small group instruction (Kidney table)? The big items and then work around them with your other smaller things. Not sure if this will help or not. Just a suggestion.
I am a new follower and a new blogger trying to learn the ropes of blogging. Come and visit my blog when you have a chance. I would love some visitors.
Mrs Flickinger's Butterfly Oasis
Also, I love your blog design. Where did you get yours or find yours?
Mrs. Plum says
July 8, 2012 at 4:56 amTammy, thank you for the advice! I think that's what I'm going to do — prioritize and then build everything around those components. Now I just have to figure out what those components are!
I stopped by your blogged and followed you! I actually designed this myself, using the amazing art from the artists linked on my sidebar. 🙂
Tammy says
July 9, 2012 at 3:30 amVery Good! Do you have to know a lot about HTML to design your own blog? I know a little but not a lot. I will definitely look at those sites on your sidebar. Thanks so much for coming and visiting my blog.
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:46 pmYou have to know a fair amount, and be willing to teach yourself as you go! I used to code full websites, so it was fairly easy for me to do this without a lot of trial and error.
Lisa R. says
July 8, 2012 at 12:42 pmWow! Your classroom is HUGE!! What I wouldn't do to have a classroom that big and all of your storage. I think the whole room number thing is hilarious!! I can't believe you are in Room 108 & that's what you put on your template. You have great intuition! It's so exciting to decorate your first classroom. Have fun with it & I would love to see some pictures when you are done decorating it! 🙂
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
Tammy says
July 9, 2012 at 3:32 amI agree with Lisa. Take pictures for us. 🙂
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:46 pmI will definitely be taking pictures of the decorating process!
vicky1970 says
July 8, 2012 at 3:50 pmHi there, congrats!!
you are soo lucky, my room is so tiny. We are going up to *gulp* 30 students this year from 20 and I don't know where I'm going to put them all. You will have a blast. I love all your excitement!!
Vicky
Traditions, Laughter and Happily Ever After
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:47 pmWow, 30 students? 🙁 You'll find somewhere to put them — you'll just have to get creative with space!
Kelly says
July 8, 2012 at 4:09 pmOh my goodness! I love your room! I am moving from middle school to elementary and am super excited. I haven't gotten to get a peek at my new room yet, but if it is half as nice as yours I will be thrilled!
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:47 pmI hope your room is amazing!
Jennifer says
July 9, 2012 at 1:24 amYour new room is so wonderful! What a great blank slate you have! It is so spacious and has so many great elements. I am not going to have a teacher desk next year either. It just takes up too much space, and we shouldn't be sitting at it anyway! 🙂 I can not wait to see pictures once you get it all set up! You are going to have so much fun! Yay! 🙂
Delighted in Second
Hope you will join my $20 TPT gift certificate giveaway!
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:48 pmI'm really excited about not having a teacher desk, because I think it'll make a big statement to the kiddos… plus, I can "desk crash" at any of their desks at any time!
Traci Bender says
July 9, 2012 at 2:26 amWow your room looks huge and nice!! Too funny about your room number! That is so weird! Anyway….I'm giving your blog the "ONE LOVELY BLOG" award! Come by http://thebendersbunch.blogspot.com/2012/07/and-nominees-are.html to pick it up!! Congrats!
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:48 pmThank you so much!
Jennifer K. says
July 9, 2012 at 4:01 amYour room looks awesome! How weird is that with your room number – it was meant to be! I think what I would do is to look at the furniture that's available – are there desks or tables? Is there a chance of getting a rug so you can break the room up a little? Plan a reading area and a small group area, a whole group area. A kidney table is a great idea, what about some casual student seating – crate seats or bean bag chairs etc. You are so lucky to have this blank canvas to work with! And just remember, that you'll likely change it 20 times before the end of the year as you figure out what works and doesn't work for you and this year's kiddos, so don't feel like it has to be "perfect" right now. Just think of what you want to be able to do on a daily basis and the best way you can come up with for that right now. And most of all have fun! Is your husband in the same building? Is his new room as nice?
Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 2:54 pmWe have desks, there is a kidney table and another small table, and there is also a rug(but I haven't seen it yet since everything was removed to clean the floor).
I definitely plan on doing some comfortable — and portable — seating for my kiddos to use during Daily 5, etc. I'm not sure yet if I'll do crate seats or what, but I definitely want to incorporate it!
My husband's room is slightly smaller (and without a bathroom), but pretty much identical! He's just a hallway over from me. 🙂
Eileen Griffin says
July 9, 2012 at 3:22 pmCongratulations!!! You are never going to forget your first classroom. Have fun! I cannot wait to see how your Wizard of Oz theme comes out! I would love to see your binder covers!
Mrs. Plum says
July 10, 2012 at 1:12 amI'll be posting about all aspects of the classroom design, and offering up all of my Oz materials (including the binder covers) on TPT! Keep an eye out!
The Meek Moose says
July 9, 2012 at 6:04 pmThe classroom looks great! It has a lot of similar elements to mine actually. And that grey board behind the Promethean/smart board is your white board. I had never seen a grey one either until this year- the colored dry erase shows up better on it, but I still found it sort of dark. I didn't use it to write on actually. Just used it as poster space.
I'm playing around with a bulletin board idea myself this year. I'm trying not to clutter up my walls. I've been reading too many blogs about room decoration so my mind is all whirly. I'm looking into getting those Elmer's foam boards and riveting some sheet metal to the top and then covering in fabric so I have hangable magnet boards for putting my anchor charts on. When I'm ready to switch the chart, I'm going to take a picture of it and put it in a binder for the kids to reference (Oh, Pinterest, how you have saved my career). Or, I've also thought about always drawing them on the Promethean board, and then printing them when we're done. My school has a color printer and a poster maker, so I can make small ones for the kids to glue in their own notebooks, and a big one to laminate for later use. Dunno, yet, I'll have to try it to see which way I like better.
~Heather
http://themeekmoose.blogspot.com
Mrs. Plum says
July 9, 2012 at 6:15 pmSee, that's what I thought. I though it was a white board and was thinking that it'd be hard to see things. I was planning on using it as extra bulletin board space (since I don't have a ton) and using the SmartBoard as a white board — that way I can save and print everything we do as a class for the anchor chart binder.
The Meek Moose says
July 9, 2012 at 6:52 pmOk, I'm a total creeper, I know- but I just had a thought for you for your Wizard of Oz theme: One of my favorite visuals from that story was the tree with the lunch buckets. And your room is big enough that you could maybe make up a tree frame for your library area, and use those cheapo white take-out boxes you can get at Target or Michael's and put a gingham ribbon around the middle to hang from the branches. I don't know what you'd put inside, or if you'd need to put anything- but I guess off the top of my head your kids could put book recommendations on them, or text connections, or great vocabulary words.
Mrs. Plum says
July 10, 2012 at 1:11 amI had thought about putting a tree in there somehow — I just have to figure out how to comply with the Fire Marshall in doing so (and pick a place for it to go)! Thank you for thinking of me, though — I'll take all of the suggestions and creative input I can get!
Fun Games 4 Learning says
July 9, 2012 at 9:05 pmFeeling excited for you and can't wait to see what you do with your room. You're so lucky to have a bathroom! My favorite place in Oz is Emerald City. Are you going to have a green corner of the room? Maybe a quite reading area draped with lots of green! Enjoy your room! Teresa
Mrs. Plum says
July 10, 2012 at 1:14 amYes! The last day of school will be an "Emerald City" celebration in which they all are awarded recognition for the development of their hearts, minds, and courage — but on a day-to-day basis, our math workshop will be Emerald City-themed because they are each going to be a math "whiz"!
Tammy says
July 12, 2012 at 2:42 amThat is such a cool idea. I will definitely have to follow you this coming school year so that I can see all the wonderful things are you going to do with the OZ theme. (Since I live in Kansas and all) 🙂
Mrs. P says
July 11, 2012 at 2:23 pmOh my goodness! I must say.. I am SO SO happy to have found another new teacher's blog (and even better that you're 2nd grade,too!) Your classroom is huge! I felt the same way when I saw mine for the first time. I felt right at home! I am so anxious to move into my room and start decorating! I have a bathroom in my room as well, but unfortunately it's a boys only bathroom, haha.. oh well! I can't wait to read more on your blog! I will also be implementing Daily 5 too.. I am excited about it, but nervous because I don't think anyone else in my school uses it! I would love to hear your ideas for using Daily 5 with your 2nd graders. I seriously cannot contain my excitement for finding another 2nd grade teacher that is in my same stage of teaching.. (oh and married too?) I just got married a month ago!
Ashley
That's So Second Grade
Mrs. Plum says
July 12, 2012 at 3:19 amYay! I just headed over to your blog and followed you too. 🙂 Not only am I married, but my husband is also a first-year teacher in the same school as me — just in fifth grade.
Molly says
July 16, 2012 at 5:02 pmCan't wait to see what you do with your classroom! And that is so neat that you can paint the are above the windows!! Do you have a specific color in mind? ooo, you could paint it yellow to be like the yellow brick road! Or green for Oz! Or any color would look amazing and fit right in the the rest of your fun, colorful things!
Molly
Lessons with Laughter
Mrs. Plum says
July 16, 2012 at 6:32 pmI do have a color in mind! I'm going to re-paint it another shade of blue, as it's going to be our word wall. I'm going to post more about the word wall later this week, but it's going to have a "somewhere over the rainbow" theme — since our words can take us far. 🙂