Classroom Pics...and It's Here (BTS)

In case your wondering what BTS is...it's my way of referring to Back to School!  I can't say the whole thing because it brings me back down to reality and I don't think I am ready to face it just yet!

 

I go back to work tomorrow! AHHH!

 

I was hoping to post these pictures of my classroom over the weekend but I truly spent each and every minute of it outside with my kids, out and about with friends and just enjoying myself!

It's so hard to say good-bye to summer!

 

So as I'm typing this out, my nerves are getting the best of me.

Why is it that after teacher for more than 7 years, every Labour Day weekend I get these butterflies in my stomach and I feel like a first year teacher?!?!

Is it just me?

 

I've been working hard all of last week getting my classroom ready for tomorrow with my kinders.

Here are some pictures!

 

This is my classroom door...nothing fancy but I thought it was cute!

 

I have this bulletin board (you may remember from last year) on the wall beside my door).

 

This is a view of my calendar wall, centres and math/language wall.

 

I put my students pictures on the coloured squares to show what group they belong to.

In case you didn't know (or are wondering what the "A" class, "B" class is) I teach Full Day/Alternate Day Kindergarten so I have 2 groups that alternate full days with me.

Yes, it's a lot but what I teach on Monday is the same on Tuesday, Wed/Thur. etc.

 

My Word Wall and Theme Board in front of the computer and Math Centre shelf.

 

Here is my Listening Centre and the pocket chart I use each morning when my kids come in.  They must put their name cards away (if someone is absent the Helper puts the name card on the smaller pocket chart by the window).  I like having it here because my Writing Centre is the table nearby (can't really tell in the picture).

 

Here is my Writing Centre with my cute little stools from Ikea.  I have been using those stools for nearly 8 years now!  LOVE!

 

I don't have a lot of room in my classroom so here is my {small} House Centre.

 

I only allow 3 students at a time in the House Centre and they must wear a necklace if they are playing there.

 

This is the BEST bookshelf EVER!

It holds lots of books on the front and big books on the back.  You can't tell from the picture but there is a felt board on the bottom - so this unit is really like 3 centres in 1!

Oh, and, of course, I have Deanna Jump's palm tree right beside it!

 

My Pocket Chart literacy centre, Guided Reading trolley and paint station.  The Guided Reading picture cards are from Deanna Jump's Guided Reading 101.

 

I put my Magentic Letters centre on the filing cabinet next to my desk....works so well!

Can you see the bus cut out on the shelf to the right?

That's part of my Write the Room literacy centre for this month.  We will be starting soon!

 

I keep all of the Literacy Centre baskets and activities on this shelf.  The 2 baskets on the bottom are for my Games and Word Work centres.

 

I have this bulletin board off to the side of my classroom, near the cubbies, which is my Religion Board.  This month I put all the kids names on apples and leaves and wrote "We Blossom Together" on the sign.

 

The cubby area and birthday wall above.

 

This is my Good Apple Behaviour Chart....I would love to explain but that would take all night (and it is a school night for me!) so I promise to post about this soon!

 

My Teacher Chair...I'm all ready for tomorrow's group!  They will be sitting in ABC order.

 

This is my sign posted on the bathroom door.  One side has a Stop sign, the other side says Go.  The kids have to flip it when they go to the washroom so the others know someone is inside and not to open the door.

It works!

Thank you to my teaching partner from a few years back, Ms. Tolentino, for this great idea!

 

Phew!

If you're still reading, thanks for hanging in to this long post.

I guess I kept going because I knew that when I came to the end I would have to go to bed and I am still so NERVOUS for tomorrow!

 

I'm going to try and post pictures of our first day later on this week so check back!