Nineteen Boys & Four Girls...Classroom Pictures too! {And some other this and that's}

Hey Friends,

We are on our way to the first day of a new school year!  The classroom is all put together, I've meeted {not a word, I know - but it's cute, right?} and greeted, and now I'm ready and rarin' to go!

I do have an unusual breakdown this year of 19 boys and 4 girls.  No lie and no joke.  I'm a wee bit concerned - but an even bigger part of me is excited.  I have two boys of my own and I do seem to "get" them.  I almost wish they had put those four girls in the other classes and left me with all boys.  That would have been really interesting... {maybe even cool?}

One thing I do know is we'll be incorporating a lot of movement into our day {which is good for everyone}.  I have a Brain Break document that I created last year and shared {here}. We'll be doing a lot of dancin' and a movin' and a groovin' throughout the day!  Maybe I'll take off some extra LB's that way! HA!

Here are some pictures of my 2013-2014 classroom...

I also wanted to let you know about a neat opportunity over at Mardel.com  for ONE DAY ONLY. Online customers who purchase one 12-count set of their exclusive "Renewing Minds Collection" file folders - Mardel will donate a duplicate set to a school affected by the May 20th tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.  This offer is only valid until midnight tonight {September 1st} and can be found online {here}.

Aren't they cute?

I hope you'll consider purchasing some cute file folders - it may seem small, but little glimmers of happiness can make a teacher's day - especially after such devastation.  

Tuesday's the day!!!!!  Woo hoo!!!!!

Toodles!

Organize Your Week!

I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for ways to organize my classroom.  I'd like to say I'm an organization queen, but that's really not true.  I do try, but my week usually buries me, and by Friday - you don't want to see the tornado I call my classroom!

I'm pretty bin-happy in my classroom.  I have a bin for everything.  Sounds good, I know.  Who doesn't like a cute bin?!?  Label it, and you're giddy, right?!

But...

Who also has a classroom the size of a postage stamp?  I had so many people comment on my classroom pictures, saying how BIG it looked.  Friends, that was an optical illusion.  Trick of the camera.  Camera adds ten pounds feet?!  Because I gotta tell you...my classroom really IS itty bitty.  Teeny tiny. 

Not only that, but it lacks sorely in storage space.  Zip, zero, nada! 

I love our custodian.  He's a great guy, funny - on top of things.  SO on top of things, he's constantly reminding me to leave my emergency exit "bin free" <gasp>.  He did agree {with some prodding from me} to allow this:

No worries friends, I do keep the safety and well being of my students in mind.  My emergency window is able to slide over the green and blue bins!  {I was tested on this, by the way...}

But I have to tell you, I know in his heart of hearts he'd like for those bins to be G-O-N-E!  Anything I thought of involved another bin.  So the search was on.  Hopping around blogland I saw this cool product on somebody's blog...I can't remember who, but I did remember the name of the product:

FILETASTIC!

 

Before, I had two bins.  The blue one held what I was doing that day, and the green one held what I was doing for the week.  At the end of each day I'd pull out what I needed for the following day and put it in the blue bin.  Nice system.  It worked for me, but honestly, I was looking to streamline things.  So, when I happened upon Filetastic I just knew that could possibly be my answer.

 

I was lucky enough to receive a Filetastic from Mardel ~ Christian & Education, Inc.  They have so many fun colors and patterns.  I'm pretty sure you'd be able to find one that matches your classroom theme!  Some hold 12 file folders {which are also ADORABLE - and very sturdy!} and the mini Filetastic holds 6.  I have the one that holds 12.  At first I thought that may be too many, and wasn't sure if I could find a space to accomodate such a long contraption...where there's a will there's a way.  If you're space is limited like mine, you may opt for the 6 pocket Filetastic.  I must say, though, it's nice having extra space.  I organized mine like this...

 

Included are lots of "tabs" so you can switch things out as your needs change...

The lables I chose:

 

*Monday-Friday

*Extra

*Next Week

*To Copy

Do you see those adorable stripes, flowers & polka dot file folders?

 

And I still have room to grow!!! {4 more pockets!!!}

 

So I went from those green & blue bins to...

 

Do you see how CLEAR my emergency window is?!?  Somebody just won themselves some brownie points!!!

 

Honestly, I don't have a bad thing to say about this product.  I'm not kidding you.  The files themselves are not only cute but they are really sturdy...not flimsy at all.  The actual Filetastic holder works just like those pocket charts us first grade teachers are used to.  There are three holes at the top and I used suction cups to adhere mine to my window {I know ingenius right?  I wanted them right next to my computer/"desk" area which is where I do my planning}, but you could use Command Strips or whatever else a resourceful teacher might come up with. 

 

Here are a few pictures of other Filetastics that are available for purchase at Mardel, Inc.

 

Red

Jungle

Blue

Zebra

There are others too!   You can check them out {here}.

You've gotta know that Mardel, Inc. has sent me this item to ask me to write a review and tell about my experiences with it if I choose.  This review is my honest opinion.  I was not directed to write anything other than my opinion about the product based on my use of and experience with it.

 

Toodles!!!