I got to see my new classroom!

Summer has been good to us! My family and I took the girls to the beach for the first time! They went when they were little but this was the first time they enjoyed the sand and water...well...they sort of enjoyed it. Madi does not like getting dirty or wet so this may have been our first and last trip to the beach. Rose liked it, at the end. She wasn't a fan of the water and waves until my dad took her in and as we are getting ready to leave, she asked for more water and didn't want to go. Crazy kids! My mom took us to a place called "White Post Farms". It is amazing for kids! The girls loved it. They got to feed goats, got "attacked" by birds (Madi was screaming and crying-the birds just really wanted the bird food we had!), play on the playground, go on a train ride, and take a picture with Blue from Blue's Clues and Wubzy from Wow! Wow! Wubzy! ( I have no idea if I am spelling that right!)

I have also been working on organizing my binders. I say that I am going to do this every year and I never do. People think I am very organized but, well, I'm not. I am always misplacing things and finding them after I need it. So I am trying to fix that now! :) Here are some pictures of my binders. I did not want to use the dividers for the binders. I used the post it small labels because I like how much they stick out so you can read everything when the binder is closed. Will they stay on well? I don't know. Will they rip? I don't know but I am going to try it out for this year anyway. They were 1 cent at Staples so it won't be too much of a loss! LOL

Here is also the finished picture of that projet I talked about in a previous post. I got the idea from PINTEREST and the teacher wrote that they used this as a way to keep thier objectives visible at all times. You can use scrapbook paper as the background but they actually had the red cardstock paper in the teacher supply section. I got all of the supplies from the Dollar Tree and it was super easy to make them.

I used black and red because I decided to do the Hollywood Classroom theme. There are a lot of great supplies at Party City! I also googled HOLLYWOOD classrooms and was able to print a lot of great things, like a behavior chart. My artistic mom is going to help me trace, cut, and paint a large "OSCAR" statue for display in my room. I also got to see my classroom today! Last year, I had NO closet or storage space-NONE! This year, I am very excited because I have a TON of storage space! I will hopefully be able to bring my stuff over to my new building next week and start to decorate soon! Here is a picture of the classroom!

So excited!!!

Okay I will normally not be able to post everyday but I was so excited to find this that I had to share ASAP! I do the "Bucket Filler" book in my classroom and have been trying to find more ways to implement it. Well, I found ideas from that website I mentioned in my last post using the "Hollywood" classroom theme so I think I am going to go with that for my room. BUT that is not all...while I was on the bucket filler website, bucketfillers101.com, I found that they have the book IN SPANISH!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to order it!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!! Just wanted to share! Alyson

Enjoying my time off but always planning ahead...

MadilynnRosalynn

I love mornings like this! My girls woke up and we snuggled in bed together watching Disney Jr and just relaxing! While they were coloring, playing with Play-Doh, and then using their shopping carts to go "shopping" in our cabinets, I was doing some research!  My to-do list is growing and growing as each day passes!  I am also trying to decide what theme I should do for the classroom-Either Hollywood or Jungle/Animal print. There are so many great ideas out there! I found this blog called clutter free classrooms that had amazing pics and ideas! 
http://clutterfreeclassroom.blogspot.com/p/classroom-themes.html - great ideas!!!!!

I also found an idea that involves scrapbook paper, certificate size picture frames that can be purchased from the dollar stores, and ribbon.  A teacher used this to list her objectives for each subject. She had the subject on the scrapbook paper, such as MATH or SCIENCE but then used a dry erase marker to write the objectives on the glass part of the frame!  She then used the ribbon to hang it up!  When I start this project, I will post pictures! 
Idea of the day-Get a LARGE binder and divide it into the months of the year. As you find ideas on the internet or Pinterest or my favorite, Mailbox magazines (I get mine from the library!), print or photocopy the idea/lesson and place it into the correct month of the binder. I started to do this because I went from having a very large filing cabinet to having one with only 2 drawers that barely opened before you put stuff in.   As you plan your weeks, you can go through and find centers, worksheets, homework, or other cool classroom ideas!  My binder has ideas for K-2 and I hope to get it more organized before it is time to go back.

We also have used FUNDATIONS in 2 of the districts I have worked in so I have a binder of lesson templates and also ideas that I have found to add as a Word Work center or to add to a lesson. 

As many of you know, Echo the Owl is a key player in Fundations!

I also found a list that I use during the first few weeks of school.  It is geared towards a K classroom but can be easily modified.  I use this as my CHECKLIST to make sure that the students are aware of the classroom routines and also school routines, such as fire drills.  As I go through, I check off or cross off what I have done (you can see some of the marks on my paper!)

I am also working on my back to school letter and as soon as it is finalized, I will post it in both English and Spanish.
Happy blogging!

Alyson

Here I go.....

So, I have started a blog! I am very excited but don't really have a clue as to what I am doing!  My plan is to help teachers who work with bilingual/dual language/ELL populations and have a hard time finding materials and resources to use in thier classrooms.  I will, as long as I can figure out how, add things that I have used or plan to use in my classroom that I have created. 
I also plan to share this blog with my upcoming class parents to keep them informed as to what is going on in the classroom.
I don't go back until September but I have already thought about my classroom.  It is hard to make a picture in my head of what I want it to look like for the upcoming year because this is my first year in the building.  I have taught in the district before but in a different building.  Due to budget cuts, I have been excessed from 3 different and diverse districts.  I have been both a bilingual and a dual language teacher. I love what I do! 
So,  for my first official blog, I figured that I would offer some cool and interesting finds I have found at local stores to prepare for the upcoming year!
FYI-I have also found a lot of great ideas on PINTEREST-if you are not part of this, join ASAP! I can't wait to try out some of the great ideas!!

For those of you who work with Spanish speaking students, I found amazing Spanish stickers and bookmarks to use in your classroom in the $1 bins at Target!!!! I was sooo happy because in the past, I have had to spend almost $4 for a pack of 50! 

For those of you that are back in the classrooms already, working and getting it ready, good luck and for those who still have more than a month of vacation time, enjoy!!

Mrs. Hennessy