Teacher Tuesday - Classroom Tour

Today I'm joining Andrea and sharing a tour of my classroom.

Now, if you're a regular reader of this space of mine, you know I posted a tour of my classroom about a month ago. Did you miss that post? You can check it out HERE. 

So why a new post?

It only took a week and a half of school for me to realize that the layout of my classroom was just not working. My students' work spaces were too crowded. There wasn't much room for a comfy sitting area for their "free" reading/independent work time. I don't use my desk during the school day, so it was just in the way. Plus, I'd rather my file cabinet and shelves for my own books/paperwork be closer to my desk. And I'd rather my kids' books be on the shelves with the rest of their games, supplies, and manipulatives. Also we're about to start having speech services provided via "tel-therapy" (online) and they'll be happening in my classroom, while I'm teaching other kids. So they needed a semi-private place. All that combined made it clear my desk needed to move. 

So, I decided to rearrange.

*Side note - This is the point where I need to mention that due to my wrist injury leaving me working with only one hand/arm (and NOT my dominant one at that), I never could have gotten my room to this point. So I owe a huge thank you to the people who have helped me move furniture, cut apart/hang calendar pieces, posters, etc. Y'all seriously have no idea how much of a blessing you have been to me (and my class). Thank you!!!



And now on with the tour.

Welcome to my room.

As I said earlier, I've made a few changes since school began 3 weeks ago,

The first change I made was to move my kids' Reading area over to where my desk originally was. This gives my kiddos more space for "comfy sitting" while reading and while  doing independent work during the day. The first thing one of my kids said, upon seeing this area was, "Wow - Ms. Nichols! It's like a new room!" It's amazing how such a seemingly small change can make such a big difference.

I don't know which part I like most. Comfy seats, cute cushions, pineapple quote :)

I moved the kidney/"U" shaped table up a bit and turned it around, so it'd be closer to the whiteboard. I also split up my students' desks and spread them out a bit. Now they'll be able to choose whether they want to work in partners, groups, or alone. 

I changed up the shelving/storage options for my students. I moved all of the kids' Bibles, our class "novel" sets, dictionaries, etc. to the larger shelves. I also put our puppets, and more of the kid's manipulatives and supplies on these shelves as well. I kept the kids' "fun" books on the smaller shelves. But I did move them over by the Reading corner.

I moved my desk out of the way. By moving it, I gave my students more room to move around (such a huge need of most of my kiddos). Plus, I rarely ever use my desk during the school day, and I really won't starting the last week of the month, since I will no longer have any prep/free period. So, when I am working in my classroom before/after school, I can still have my desk. But now, it won't be in the way the rest of the day.

I also moved one of the smaller shelves over near my desk. And on it, I placed all of my teacher help books, along with a few of my binders and supplies. 

Ignore the papers taped to the front. If they're not where I can clearly see them, I'll forget I need to work on them :)

I labeled my big binders and housed them on top of my storage cabinet. And I also did a bit of clean-up/organization of my desk top/drawers (not that you can really see it, but you can take my word for it). So, my workspace is nice, neat, and organized and my brain is happy :)

Special thanks to my friend who cut these labels and added them to the spines of my binders for me!

Isn't my area so nice now? 



Oh and one more thing... When I mentioned to my principal my concern at how I could make it so our kids in Speech could have some privacy, she reminded me of my neighbor saying she was getting rid of this privacy screen. It will be perfect because it will give the Speech folks a bit more privacy. And since I don't have a bulletin board in my room, it will also give me a bit more space to hang posters and signs and such in my room. I don't have  a picture yet, as we need a non-rainy day to get the privacy screen over :)

Ok, maybe I shouldn't have said "one more thing." 

Here are a few other small touches that make my room so fun :)

A friend bought me this a few years ago. I have it hanging on my door. I want it to be what my kids see while exiting my room. I hope they always, always believe this :)

I bought this "LIVIN' the dream" bumper sticker this summer. It's such a great reminder of why I'm here. I stuck it to my clipboard that I'll use when leaving the room for meetings, etc. So I hooked it on the cabinet, right by the door.

A co-worker was getting rid of this box. So I re-purposed it and it's now our storage for school supplies.

And that is my room. Thanks for stopping by :)

It's so crazy to think that just a few short months ago, my room looked like this...



P.S. For those that don't know, this room is a HUGE blessing, and came about due to a lot of answered prayers, changed hearts, and blood, sweat, and tears (well, maybe not the blood part). So this room is most definitely 100% a dream come true. 

Want to know more about my class and how it all started? Click HERE to read about the dream God placed on my heart way back when :)

*Today I'm joining Andrea for her Teacher Tuesday Classroom Tours link-up.*