Back to School, back to school...

So for the past week or so I've been doing something at least every day to prepare for school.  Some days I worked longer (and harder!) than others, but at the end of the week I think I can easily say that I'm prepared (maybe not ready!) to go back.  I've even changed some things around in my room thanks to various ideas I collected over the summer either from books or Pinterest.  What would I do without Pinterest?  I've gotten tons of 8x10 printed poster ideas from there, and with Kyle's handy knowledge of Photoshop, I've also got homemade pictures that he made me from coloring pages!

Here are some pictures of the more decorated sections of my classroom:

Remember this project?  Here's the final result using the screws already in place.

Some of these are encouragement, some just fact!

I loved these two so much I framed them!

Had to have Michael Scott somewhere in my room.

Here's a close-up of some of my new favorites:

This one's from last year (still my favorite), but I had it laminated, so that's new?

Kyle just made this one for me last night.

The one I don't have sitting out.  I've laminated it and blew it up and will put it on the board when the kids are taking a test.

How could this one not be in my classroom?

This is too funny.  I'm also making one for one of my math teacher friends.

I have to say, overall there is a lot more color in the room!  Elementary teachers seem to have rooms that have specific themes (my sister's is some sort of nature or bird theme or a mix between the two), but in high school, I've found that the more colorful, the more inviting.  The more inviting, the more awake your kids will be.  Plus, the color makes me happier to be in the room.  And since I live in the room for upwards of 35 hours a week, I think it's important that I like it, too.

I've also added an alarm clock to my room (you can see it on the shelf next to Michael Scott).  It's the one I picked up from Goodwill that I didn't know what to do with!  But I'm going to see if I can use it to keep time for SSR (Silent Sustained Reading).  I haven't played with it too much yet, but it's a cool clock, so I definitely want to use it!

I also bought four bright-green pillowcases and brought in four old bed pillows from home to put back by my reading bookcase.  The plan is that the kids can use them during SSR time.  But don't worry; there are pillow rules.  And classes can also lose pillow privileges.  I think these will also be the pillows Kyle uses when he's subbing at the high school and has the same preps I do.  He likes to lay down for a nap every now and then :)

I use an outside board to show what kids will need during class so that if they've forgotten anything, they can go get it right away.  The problem is that my kids (and kids from other classes), drag their fingers through the lists in effort to be funny.  This annoys me to no end.  I'm not sure if I'll use it this year, but on the first day I do make sure to write my name on the outside so the kids know they're in the right place.  Kyle wanted to do it this year, and here's what he surprised me with:

There have been a few kids stop by various classrooms back in my area and almost all have commented in awed whispers on Batman.  He's also still intact after two days of students.  Maybe we've found something that will garner enough respect to stay whole on my outside board for awhile.  If not, Kyle can draw him in under a minute flat, so he could very easily be put back on the board.

I've been planning, creating, copying, and decorating all week!  All I have left to do is put my kids' names in my attendance book and make some seating charts.  Although I can't be too specific on here, I've noticed quite a few things about my classes just by looking at the rosters.  Besides the typical last names I've always seen and siblings of students I've had previously, I have six students who are children of colleagues.  And almost all are in the same class!  Weird....!  I have one student who has the name of a famous actor, one with the same name as a superhero, and one who's got the same unique name as a character on a reality show.  I might have to have some fun with this! 

I hope the kiddos are as prepared as I am!  We'll see Monday morning...