Extreme Classroom Makeover

Today began my journey into converting my new classroom into MY new classroom. The sweet teacher who retired left a gift in the room that someone had given her, so she called me last night since I now have the keys to the room. We met at the room this morning at 10:30, so she could retrieve her gift. :) I took a tub along with me that had several teaching resource books, notepads, manipulatives, etc. for the classroom. I'm on my way to setting it up my way. I don't want to sound snobby about having it my way, but the administrators have been really supportive of the other new teacher, M, and I making the classrooms our own.

I began by taking down the old teacher's name sign from the classroom door and posting a cute one of kids holding a sign that says, "Mrs. Kubo" instead (see the picture above)! WOW! I'll try to stop by and take pictures tomorrow. After putting up my name sign in the door window, I took down a bulletin board and put up a new one. I got foam die cut snowflakes from a retiring teacher last year. I used a snowflake for each student (and me) and wrote a name on each one to make a snow display. Then I put some sloping snow drifts along the bottom, and I glued the die cut punch outs from the snowflakes into a snowman shape for the bottom snow drifts. Then I added snowflake static window clings to the door window above my name sign.

Then I began going through the cupboards and drawers. I consolidated the cupboards and added some of my own materials to them. I'm sure I'll change them some again, but so far so good. Lastly before I left, I rearranged the desks. I'm not sure I'll keep them the way I have them currently, but I like it better than how they were. They were in 3 long rows with no middle aisle or anything. It makes it kind of hard to help the students in the middle of the rows. Right now I have 2 groups of 5 on the right and left front and a group of 6 in the center front. Then two groups of 4 in the right and left back. I'm still playing around with it in my head, but it'll probably be worth a try.

Other than that, I wrapped Christmas presents, checked the mail (none!), got two UPS packages (one from sweet Erin and the other is Matt's dad's gift), welcomed the maintenance man to change a smoke detector battery so it doesn't start beeping at 5:00 AM again. Now I need to figure out which meal to make for dinner tonight.

Tomorrow I am picking up one last thing for Matt for Christmas at Target, hopefully. I need to make a deposit at the bank, and I'll probably have some ironing. I'm feeling okay today--still easily tired and stuffed up, but my throat no longer hurts. :)

I guess that's about all for now. I'll try to take a Christmas tree picture when we have the wrapped gifts under it. :) Have a wonderful evening, and may the joy of the Lord fill your hearts this special season. :)

Love,
Becca