The "to-do" list is growing longer and longer but time is getting shorter and shorter to get it all done!

Ok so I have my "to-do" list for back to school and yes, I am able to get most of it accomplished and have even finished some projects but yet, the list is not getting smaller but growing!!! AHHHH!!! Every time I go to my classroom, I think, "Okay I can get a ton of things done today" but when I leave, I always add more and more things to my "to-do" list!!! And sadly, summer is coming to an end!! I am trying to spend the next few weeks making play dates, going to the beach, and relaxing before my crazy schedule begins again.  
 So I wanted to do table points for this upcoming school year to incorporate with the CLASS DOJO program the school uses (for more about CLASS DOJO-click HERE!)  I am naming each table after a SWEET TREAT.

Cute, right!!???  So then, I am going to place these above the tables and then by my desk, I have the same candy jar templates but without the table names.  I am going to use the visuals of the candy to help the students remember which table is which.  My board with the jars is magnetic so when a table does a great job working together on a project or cleans up nicely, they can earn a point for their table. Each point is a candy piece. For example, the ice cream table has ice cream cone pieces, the gumdrop table has gumdrop pieces, etc. 

I attached the magnetic pieces to the back of the candy templates.  At the end of my school day, the table with the most points will get extra DOJO points for their DOJO monster!  I think the kids are going to LOVE that!

I also started to work on my apron for the classroom that I will wear during guided reading!  This will help the kids to know that I am working in a group and they can't disturb me unless it is an emergency.  

Still needs more CUTE decals but I can't wait to wear it!  I am going to try and find a chef's hat too in order to complete the outfit!

I got inspired after making the apron to make a cute 1st day of school craft for the kids that I am going to use in their 1st day of school photos that I take as well!!!!

You just need your stapler and sentence strips to help the kids complete the hat and I think they will LOVE IT!!! =)  

Here are some pics of my classroom as well!! NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING READY..I have a few more weeks and I have a ton to organize too!!!!! When it is all complete, I will post the pictures as well!!!

These bins from Dollar Tree hold my leveled readers..still need to be labeled though!

Teacher desk area!

 View of the back of the room

Start of writing center

That messy table that I am sure every teacher has that will be messy until the night before school begins!

My library...hopefully in the near future I can invest in some coordinating bins

Future center supply area

Math manipulative area

Bin to hand in work, clip boards, and white board storage

As you can see, I still have a lot of things to move and work on before we begin but thankfully, I have until September 2nd....we report that day but usually that day and the next day are PDPs and meetings so I don't get a lot of time in my room so I like to be done before then!  When did you start or when will you start?

Happy teaching!

Alyson Hennessy