Camper Love

 

 

 

 

Once again I have moved classrooms/grades.  Last summer I moved to second grade, but I'm moving BACK to upper elementary this fall!!! Yeah baby! 5th grade...and we are departmentalizing. I GET TO TEACH READING ALL DAY!!!! I am so pumped.  I've been working the past couple of weeks in my classroom trying to get it all together before our family vacation.  I want to relax on the beach and know my room is ready to go... pssshh probably dreaming, but it's my dream! Ha!

 

I bought a framed calendar from Hobby Lobby so that I could free up my only bulletin board in my room...but my calendar cards I bought last year from Miss May were too big for it, so I decided to create my own...

 

 

Well one thing leads to another I guess... and now I have matching table/team number signs!!! EEEEK and I love them!!!!

 

 

 

You can find them on my TPT store.

 

Calendar cards

 

Table Numbers

 

I cannot wait to come back to share more pics of my NEW room! 

 

 

5 Fun Facts

 

I'm linking up with bloghoppin for Teacher Week 15!

 

 

 

1. I've been married to this guy right here for 16 years! We have a lot of fun together...he's my best friend and makes me laugh EVERY day. 

 

 

2. We have two GREAT kids....Chloe is 15 and Seth is 13. I love being their mom... I thought when they were babies that I wanted them to stay like that forever, then toddlers and young school age came and I thought that was the best, but now that they are teens I'm convinced it's my favorite "stage". They have fun personalities and want to be involved in everything...we are always busy, but I wouldn't want it any other way....

 

 

 

3. I ran my FIRST HALF MARATHON this past April! It was such an amazing experience.  I've always wanted to be a "runner" and accomplishing that big of a goal was really a confidence booster! Looking forward to some fun runs this fall and winter...

4. I moved to 2nd grade this year...I taught for 11 years and I always taught UPPER elementary...5/6/4. I was in a self-contained 4th grade class for the past 6 years...it was a change I asked for and I am still trying to adjust to the new age group....this pic sums up the past 15 days of school for me hahaha....definitely an adventure ;) But one I am glad I'm on....

 

 

 

5. I am hopelessly addicted to hot tamale candy and popcorn...like I could eat it every day for dinner and be happy....

 

:)

 

 



Classroom Pictures 2015

Here are some more before pics....and some after pics!!!!

 

 Here is the North wall of my classroom that I moved into this past summer.  The "whiteboard" aka shower board covering old chalkboards, hanging behind my ONLY computer area and with my smart board DRILLED into the "whiteboard".  I asked for this to be removed... and this is what was left....

Yikes! Thankfully Mr. Ille came and scraped all that nasty dried putty stuff off the wall, so I could paint...I chose Grey Owl by Benjamin Moore and my school paid for the paint...I supplied the labor.  This wall is the only grey wall....the other three are painted pure white...again my school paid for the paint and I put in the work. :)

 

Here is the area afterwards...



 Simon takes his place on the focus wall...along with his new speech bubble I cut out from the salvaged whiteboard....I used my jigsaw and some liquid nails and hot glue and viola...Simon can SAY all he wants....

 

 

This bulletin board was drilled on top of another whiteboard and smaller bulletin board on my East wall.  I pretty pleased asked our head of maintenance to move this one too...

 Love these poms and the punch of color it adds to my smart board area...it also hides some holes that were left behind from the old boards...

My computer area is by the door, but I bought the Ikea stools so they can slide under the table and not be too in the way... I also switched the computer desks out for this table...visually I didn't think it took up too much room...

This cute little block was an idea my mom found through Pinterest.... we both made one for our classrooms this summer....I turn it on during our Independent Reading time.  I bought the block and the light bulb clip at Hobby Lobby.  I purchased the vinyl from an Etsy shop... 

 I didn't get a before pic of this area, but imagine under the blinds that are hanging now are those ugly glass blocks that people used in showers and bathroom windows in the 80's maybe...well those are in all the windows in my building....I covered them with 8 crisp white 2 inch faux wood blinds from the great JC Penney sale!!! Woot woot!  The blinds end where the blocks end and my AMAZING momma sewed the cute little curtains....this is my West wall, so it gets lots of HOT sun....I haven't been in a room with this many windows since I taught in Wichita Falls....I love it!

 So this is what I my room looked like once it was down to just 2nd grade material being left behind.

 

My mom once again came and helped me unload those bookshelves...we also carried them out of the room...that table is the new computer table....the built in cabinet (with orange and yellow bulletin board paper) I tore out (bolt by bolt) until I couldn't loosen anymore bolts and my sweet husband came and helped me finish demo it...the tv was removed and the VCR!

 

 

 

Tada.....this is what I was left with.....eek!

CRISP WHITE PAINT changes everything!!!

The best thing about my room is this SOUTH wall because of these FABULOUS shelves our head of maintenance Harry Grider (who is also my husband's uncle) built and installed for me.  I stained them Early American by Minwax...and I LOVE THEM!!!!!

This is the view of my room looking in from the door....

Up close shots of my shelves... The middle jar has glue sticks in it now....

 

 

 

I redid my chair I bought a few years ago at a garage sale....and scotch guarded the tar out of it!

 

 

My teacher desk area.... again LOVE my shelves.... totally just makes me smile every single day!

 

 

 

 

My East wall...my library area (still a work in progress) and my calendar...I use a smartboard calendar program, so this board will be for information and announcements...the ten frames we are adding stickers to each day of school...seasonal stickers to make it fun! The fun numbers and alphabet are great TpT finds... (I'll come back and link stores later).  The calendar banner is from TheAmyGroesbeck.... I added the pom pom trim and LOVE it. 

 

 



 

 

 

My room is small... I didn't have room for a mailbox system like I am use to using. This idea was floating around on Pinterest so I decided to make it work for me.  The filing box I bought at Wal-mart along with hanging folders. I made the sign, laminated it and taped it on.  It worked like a charm the first week of school and doesn't take up too much space.  I also added manila folders into each hanging file for each student...I can slip work samples, copies of work etc. and have it at my fingertips for IEP's, parent conferences, and to pass on next year. 

This is my first year in 2nd grade....I am sure changes will be made but this is how my world looks right now! Thanks for checking it out!

 

 



A BEFORE SNAPSHOT

 

Soooooo....this is what I started with....

 

Take a minute to take it all in... please :) 

 

 

I was super excited to get in and get started.... ok maybe excited isn't the word, but I was ready to get started and see what I could do with the space.

 

First I asked my mom to come in and help me unload the bookshelves because all of that material was staying since it is 2nd grade. Then we managed to haul those shelves out of the classroom...I had BIG plans for that back wall.  After those were out I asked Harry to remove the TV...he wasn't crazy about that idea, but he did it.  Then that "1974" built in cabinet had to go...it was unbelievably insane how UNFUNCTIONAL it was.  I ripped out much of it by myself and then my sweet hubby came in and helped me tear down what I couldn't budge. 

 

Finally I had to paint that wall...actually I painted all four walls, but this one had 3 different paint colors going on...

 

I'll be back to share what that back area looks like now...need to get some good pictures when it isn't dark.... stay tuned :)

 



I finally did it!!! I created a power point over my MLK projects I've been doing in my classroom the past 4 or 5 years (Check it out on instagram find me @thepolkadotdesk or @mrsille  I grammed about this project but never blogged about it)...AND I uploaded it to TPT!!! I have wanted to join this community for a really long time, but have been stumped, scared, not sure of myself...etc. etc. BUT tonight I decided to just go for it!!!! Everyone has to start somewhere right???

It's Official!

Got the official word last week.... I will be a 2nd grade teacher this fall!  I am beyond excited!!! I've taught for 11 years and all have been in 6th, 5th and 4th grades...the past 6 years have been in 4th.  I am nervous and thrilled to be digging into a new grade level.  I know that learning new curriculum will provide the growth and challenge I have been craving!  This move requires another big move...from one building to another.  I have already started packing and sorting and trashing things.... really wanting that fresh start that this change will allow me. 

Is it April Yet???

I know that March is only 6 days old, but the other day while perusing Instagram I came across the fabulous Tiffany May's ONE FAB TEACHER post of her A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E April calendar cards.  This girl is such a fun, upbeat, POSITIVE person....she would be SO MUCH FUN to teach with! She is also generous.  She was about to post the cards to her TPT shop, but wanted to share them too.  She said she would GIVE a copy to the first 8 emails she received...normally I would not have been one of the first 8....but this time I was!!!! I quickly printed, cut out, laminated, and cut out again and debated changing my calendar to April  now....I mean take a look at how cute these are...so cute that I couldn't resist purchasing the March cards today. Then I won't have to wait until April to enjoy the adorableness....I can't wait to switch out my calendar Monday morning!

Hello March!

In like a lion in Oklahoma! I cannot believe it is March... It always seems that January and February take forever... Thankful that spring SHOULD be right around the corner.

This month my fourth graders will study the man behind Dr. Seuss and learn more about the non-fiction genre of biographies. 
We will continue to explore figurative language. 
Measurement is a huge concept we will be learning about. 
We've been studying matter and will make oobleck this week!!! Fun times!

I am crossing my fingers for some outdoor recess!!!!  Even though I love seeing stuff like this after an indoor session:)

Simon

I was inspired by the fabulous Farley and her friend Buck to add a class mascot to my classroom this year.  So I went to the great people of Facebook and put out a plea asking if anyone had an extra deer mount lying around...long shot I know, but I do live in rural Oklahoma, so I thought it was worth a shot. Low and behold a friend of mine from church posted that her husband had one in a shed that was not being used and that I was welcome to him!!!! I was super excited! She brought him to church and I immediately took him to my classroom...he hung out and I introduced him to our custodians hehe!   My son decided he should be named Simon...you know like Simon Says and the clouds parted and the heavens sang and Simon found a forever home in my classroom....

Simon chose his antlers to write about during our "Best Part of Me" writing lesson.

 

Simon reminds us of important events, gives us words of wisdom and relays random facts.  He also wishes each student a Happy Birthday while wearing his birthday hat!

 

Simon enjoyed the Christmas season and my students painted portraits of Simon's cousin Rudolph...

 



Washington D.C. Recap

Thursday, October 30th I got the privilege to attend the National Conference on Character Education in Washington D. C.  It was such an exciting trip!  The conference put on by character.org featured some amazing speakers, teachers, and authors.  I learned so much and have several books on my wish list that I NEED to read now.  While we were there we got to see many of the monuments and we visited the Holocaust museum... I feel like I haven't stopped since we left that morning, but I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given. 

Here are a few shots from our Monuments by Moonlight tour....

Classroom Pics

For the past 5 years I've had a GLORIOUS, MONSTEROUS, sized classroom. The room lacked storage...seriously it was a huge, GIANT, SQUARE of a classroom, but even with 27 students, a futon or a couch, 4 bookshelves, a dresser, a teacher area, a round table, and a class library the room was still SPACIOUS. Not to mention that because in its former life my classroom had served as a high school computer lab, I was blessed with plug ins every 12 inches. BUT alas...  All good things must come to an end...I suppose. The fourth grade building is no more at my school and my teacher friends and I had to pack up and move into the Intermediate building over the summer. The room is WAY smaller, but positives are being noticed:

1. 2 FULL walls are made of DRYWALL! Meaning I can use a stapler instead of a glue gun on half of my room.

2. The building is fairly new...10 or 11 years old.

3. We have a front office in the same building as us, our secretary is in OUR building, and the CLEAN STAFF RESTROOM IS IN OUR BUILDING!!!!

4.Built in storage....

5. Library and computer labs are in our building.

6. The walk to the cafeteria is shorter!

 

So the 4th week of my school year started today and I wanted to share some pics of my "new" classroom:

 

 

The front of my classroom....don't you love how nice and clean it is at the beginning of a new school year??? 

Here's a little shot of my sweet little chair that I purchased at a garage sale and recovered...it belonged to a friend of mine's father in law....I love when pieces have a story...she said this little chair was in his office and she can still see him sitting in it. The filing cabinets are a makeover I shared last summer. I am still very much in love with them and the functionality and personality they add to my space.

 Probably my MOST favorite furniture re do ever!!!! My $20 desk I found on FB this summer.  It was in pretty rough shape...I painted the body with a homemade chalk paint recipe and completely stripped the top and redid it with two shades of stain and about 20 coats of poly:) I had my name cut out in black vinyl by a local vinyl shop and created the little rag garland and attached the vintage flashcards with clothespins.  I AM IN LOVE WITH MY DESK!!!!

 My cute little bathroom passes....I found the labels for FREE on TPT....can't remember the shop/seller but I will research and link back to them soon.... This  is my 2nd year to use this system...works great!

 I painted my podium last year. BUT this year I stepped it up a notch with my 70% off clearance frame I scored at Michael's  painted satin lagoon and by sending the free print from eighteen25 to walmart.com and having it printed as an 11x14.  I still might add some large polka dots or some rosettes from Hobby Lobby, but it's 100% cooler with just the frame. :)

 I added a class mascot this year named "Simon".  This goodwill frame got a makeover and now hangs on my door side window. (this pic is of my back patio door) Surprisingly, 4 weeks into the school year the chalk is still smudge free!!! Whoop whoop!!!

 This is the view from behind my desk looking to the front. Loving all the storage in my new room this year...even if I had to give up lots of space....

 Another view....I do have a smartboard hanging on that blank space of wall now!

This view is to the right of my desk area....you can catch a glimpse of my library area in the back corner. And there is SIMON and his chalkboard... My kids are loving it and look forward to what he has to say...I've added a giant speech bubble, so he can leave messages.  His chalk board says: "Simon Says: 1. Work Hard 2. Be Nice".


~LaKeta

Happy MLK Day

Just wanted to share a quick picture of one of the many things my fourth graders did last week to learn about and honor Martin Luther King Jr.  We had a phenomenal week understanding why we celebrate the third Monday in January and realizing the legacy MLK left behind. 

Sometimes just a simple act of kindness can mean something big to the person receiving it.  

Happy Monday,

Mrs. Ille