I don’t think I ever announced it on my blog… Next year I will be teaching first grade in the Seattle area. The school is going to be VASTLY different then my last school. I’m talking 80% Free and reduced lunch. Yeah… craziness! But I know I will make a difference there. I posted the below picture a few weeks ago on my instagram ( #emilyeducation ). This is what I came into. LOTS of paper covering the walls… in a room that has been a 4th grade classroom for 23 years!!! WHAT!? Yeah now it is going to be for first grade! So lots of changes in this room.
I dared the other day to begin going though my many boxes for my classroom… CAN we say hoarder? Yeah I am one. Anyways, I began unpacking the boxes I dropped of almost a month ago. My boxes are not pictured the picture above. Anyway as I was unloading I was feeling overwhelmed. Where do I put all this junk. Luckily a trash can was near by. I loaded a drawer down with my OOOooodles of yarn. My secret to yarn is one trip to the second hand store a LONG time ago. I went in one day and there was a huge bag filled with yarn for $2.00. I was like “Heck Yes I want this”. This yarn is still helping me out two years later. Why do I love yarn… well if you have purchased some of my journey’s units you might have gotten one with a mobile. Yeah gotta have yarn for those. Or measuring activities!!
My mom made the comment to me the other day that is always feels better when you start to get something up on the wall of your classroom that is your own. It is so true. As I glanced at my leveled library spread about the floor I was feeling very discouraged. So in my unpacking I came across some cute light polka dot fabric and found this border in my new classroom. I thought hmmm…. interactive alphabet here we go! I have been hearing about these and have been wanting to try one in my classroom. I am going to do my own version so I will keep you posted how it goes. Day 1 of school it will begin! Anyway it really did feel good getting it up. Also there is just something powerful about using that staple gun ;).
