Friday, August 28, 2015

New Start

This year I'm starting a new adventure as a language arts/social studies teacher! I'm switching classes with my teaching partner (and one of my closest friends) who is covering math and science. I'm excited for the challenge, but this world of departmentalization is completely new to me! Where will I put all their stuff? How will I manage all these kids? How will I have enough time? When do we switch? Wait…I have to teach all these kids writing?!?! Haha…maybe not quite that extreme but pretty darn close.

So I'm hoping this year I'll be able to log this journey as a newly departmentalized teacher in a second grade classroom. For a refresher, I teach at a Title 1 campus where over 90% of our kiddos are on free/reduced lunch. I always have a handful of ESL students in my class, and I've been at my school for 10 years!

So to kick it all off I thought I would show you some highlights of my room and organization ideas I've had.

My principal ordered these carts for us last year. I'm using it to organize their folders. They have a home folder and a work folder. The numbers on the box represent their table/group. The top row belongs to Class A, and the bottom row belongs to Class B. The middle boxes have spirals in them that I didn't know what to do with so I stuck them there (#reallife)  :)

Reading journals. I have two bookshelves back-to-back. I got these little clear baskets at Target last month (3 baskets for $2.99!) and they are a perfect size for their journals! Again, the numbers represent their table/group. I have two different color baskets for the two different classes. The other colorful paper baskets (on the bottom) and glimpse of the blue paper file will eventually be used for writing.




Book boxes. Oh my word there was absolutely NO WAY I could store 40 book boxes in my room! Finding space for 20 is hard enough! So I decided to give the kids ziploc bags this year. They are allowed to keep 5 books in their bags. They share a box with a student from the other class and the book box matches their locker number. For example, the two students from Class A and B with the number 3 share a book box. (Also, guess who doesn't get upset when their "brand new" book bag gets torn, ripped, caked with sticky food or any other tragedy since it can EASILY be replaced?)

So far it has worked out this week! There will be another bag in there as I add take home bags for guided reading. I'll update about that as the time comes. 

That's all I have for tonight! I can't wait to update again soon! I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and gets some much needed rest and relaxation! We survived the first week! 


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