The Progress

Jennifer mentioned wanting to see pictures of my classroom and I'm here to comply.

It has been done on something of a shoestring.  I made a few purchases--notably several cans of black spray paint to repaint a bookshelf and picture frames.  My goal was color and places for the eyes to rest.  I still have lots of organizing beneath the surfaces to do and I have some masks I want to hang up, but here are some pictures of what we've been up to.

This bulletin board is specific to drama, which we will focus on the first third of the year.  I learned this acronym at my professional development days from another drama teacher and I liked it.

This is the corner where my desk is.  I have a crate of books still at home to fill the shelf with.  I figure with the paper lanterns above my head, kids will be less tempted to reach up and try to swat at them.  Less tempted.  I know they'll try, but I thought they were cheerful so worth it.

Emma designed the calendar for me when I couldn't find anything I liked.  She did one of each month of the school year.  The words in blue are expectations the classes will earn points for meeting.  Musical instruments are in the black bins, out of reach.  (Except Mark and Braeden could reach them and drove me crazy until I made them stop.)

This is something I'm excited about.  Every week we will focus on one artist briefly.  Complete with maps to show where the artist lived.

Everyone pitched in on these.  Finding the fonts, cutting letters, hanging them up.

I inherited the paint palette (not from the llama lover, from someone else).  I love it!  So clever.  The "paint"is inverted paper plates, painted bright colors.

It's nothing glamorous and is kind of dingy and worn like an old school building is.  But I like it.  I feel partly nervous and partly excited to think of it filled with students.