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Saturday, August 18, 2012

First Day Jitters, 4 days before school starts!

I'm linking up with Ms. Jessica over at A Turn to Learn  for her First Day Jitters linky party!
Back to School Jitters Linky Party
You can click on the picture above to go to her blog linky party!

So why do I have first day jitters? I mean, I've been teaching a long time... for 10, um.. 15 ... okay, okay, over 20 years. I shouldn't be nervous... I shouldn't have those crazy dreams where the students show up for school and I'm the only teacher there, and my room isn't set up! And then some student brings skunks in my room!! What did I eat before bed that night? Anyways, it just goes to show that everyone gets nervous before the first day of school. We wonder about our students, the other staff that is new, we wonder if we over planned or under planned, if the technology will work, what if it doesn't and so on. Here's some pictures of my room after I got 2 other classrooms things out of my room.
Imagine the items in this corner of my room times 5 or more! At least that's what it seems like. I had 7 teacher desks, 8 file cabinets, 6 tables, 24 student desks and I don't know how many chairs! Plus computer carts, bookshelves, boxes of things, and an aquarium! My room is storage for the summer and everything is stored- nothing is left in the other rooms.You see, in the summer, another program uses 4 of the 6 classrooms, so we move everything out and put it into one of the 2 storage classrooms. I wish I would have thought to take a picture of an empty room and my room full of items! These pictures -I'm ashamed to admit are after I worked for 5 hours in my room- I had to go through and purge 3 file cabinets and a desk of old stuff. I actually found those purple-y sheets from a mimeograph!
The view from the door, front of the room is on the left and the back wall is on the right! Notice the table top on the floor, waiting for legs!

Looking from the front to the back corner. My Promethean board, sink area, alcove behind the sink, the mirror is an observation window and in front of the mirror are the 2 lonely bookcases.The boxes by the board have my books that I need to find a place for- I ran out of bookcase shelves! This new room only has 2! I'm use to having 4!
View from the back corner to the front corner. Again the sink, observation window, then door and cubbies for students. The box by the chairs is filled with old worksheets that should have been tossed years ago! I also started a pile of items that I don't want, but thought someone else could use on a cart, by the file cabinets.
I did manage to get my desk area cleaned out and pretty much organized.I actually threw out granola bars and a brownie!  I still have some things that look to be of sentimental value on the shelf that need to go to the former teacher of the room, or thrown out!
I'll take more pictures on Monday after my paras and I get working on setting up the bulletin boards and arranging the furniture. Tuesday we have our annual training for descalating aggressive behaviors and restraining safely, as a last resort for those students that are physically harming themselves or endangering others. After the training then we have our open house, which not many parents come. Wednesday our doors open for the students to come and learn! Hopefully without any wild animals!

7 comments:

Laura said...

Did the mimeographs still have that distinctive smell? Your room is looking good-thanks for sharing!

Kelly Benefield said...

Best wishes with your new grades!

Kelly
Teaching Fourth

4321Teach said...

Your list mimics things I am thinking too! I LOVE my interactive white board. GOod luck with your new grade levels!

EmilyK

Unknown said...

Good luck teaching the new grades. I found your blog through the back to school jitters linky. So glad to be your newest follower. Hope you can stop by my blog sometime.

Mrs.G's Kindergarten in Heels

Karlie said...

HOLY COW! I can't imagine having all the other classrooms' furniture in my room! That is so much stuff...even though it's not all yours, I can't imagine. I'm sure your room will look great soon:) Can't wait to see the after pictures! In the mean time, I have a linky party for "Classroom Before Pictures". Good luck tomorrow:)


We are ALL Special!

grella monsters said...

Looking at your room reminds me, I should probably face the reality I need to get some work done in mine!

Karlie said...

Thanks for linking up! Good luck with the new school year!


We are ALL Special!