Setting up my classroom {what it looks like today}

 So after almost two years of teaching my classroom looks totally different, in a good way, I think. This counter acts as my launching area. The bright colored baskets hold my supplies that I need for each day. We run a six day rotation so my baskets are numbered and labeled for the day of the week. My teacher planner sits on the counter in front of my baskets to make sure I stay on track. Things that we accomplish get checked off, if we don't get to them, they get highlighted to remind me to try to fit them in later in the week.

 

Our rules are displayed on the cabinets above all of my baskets. These were a free download from an adorable blog that I can't exactly remember the name of now...

 When I started this wall had placed that were labeled for each child to have their own space to display work. This past summer I decided to hang a "clothesline" and clip work to it with clothespins. This cuts way down on the time it takes to hang up student work to display.

 My door frame has a collection of the letters we have learned, with the newest letter on the bottom for the kids to touch and say on their way out the door. On the door I have our "I can" statements but not "I can" statements like the common core requires. These are TK I can's. They say things like say my ABC's, use scissors, and count to 100. You can also see in the corner where we store our rest mats.

 

Our door also houses our morning routine reminder, behavior clip chart, daily schedule, and BEE ticket pockets (we are a PBIS school).  My behavior chart was a free download from the same place as my classroom rules, that I still cannot remember. (sorry).

  

We also added a good old fashioned classroom whiteboard since we use those a lot in classrooms. Thanks for noticing it's shiny newness :)

 Our aquatic frogs live in the corner above some of our centers and free choice activities, along with some of our stuffies.

 

 

The left side is more free choice activities and the right is more center activities, but some are interchangeable. I even have some kids chose to do a center activity during free choice time!

Our calendar is now located on the wall above all of our center storage. Not ideal, I know. I'm working on a better solution for next year. But for now, this is what it is?
Why did she move her calendar to such a bizarre place you ask?
 Oh to make room for this friend, of course!

 I had to loose to sections of shelving and put it in the strangest location, but still worth it!

My classroom library has also expanded into a whole reading nook. I bought a fluffy bath mat and a pillow I found on sale during college move in time. I have big plans for my reading nook for next year. *fingers crossed it works out in reality the way it does in my head*

 My desk area is now in the back corner and is basically a hot mess. My teacher books you can see are lined up in nice big baskets from the Dollar Tree. Our letter people pictures below the alphabet line get filled in as we learn each new letter person.

 And my front door got a new bulletin board set for the beginning of this year and I have decided to leave it that way and change out either side of the door seasonally. Our monthly calendar is on the chart paper.

I'd say over the course of the year I have made both changes and improvements. Hopefully there will be more improvements to come for next school year.