Saturday, July 30, 2016

Five for Friday - Operation Classroom Setup Style!

Well, the last week of July has come and gone...this is typically the week when I get my classroom all setup so I can relax a bit for the coming weeks (you know...the calm before the storm). 

And honestly, I tried. 
I spent four days there.

And I have made progress. 
Some progress.
But I am far from done.
I seem to be moving slower than usual.
I blame the shoulder surgery recovery. :(

Anyway, that means I do have some fun pictures for you this week.
So let's get started!

I'm linking up with Doodle Bugs again!

1


Dear Mr. Maintenance Man...thank you for the new ceiling tiles. They look awesome, however, this is what I call a half-job in my house and/or classroom. :-( 

I have no idea what all these cords and wires are, but I guess I get to figure it out. #Annoyed

2 



So my slow progress also had to do with our new reading curriculum. It took me a whole day to purge my old files and organize my new materials. I was so excited the big, awkward cards actually fit in my filing system though! 

3


If you follow us on Facebook, you know I shared this post from Kristen with Easy Teaching Tools. It inspired me to make these copy clips. #Genius #SaveTheStickyNotes

I'll makes some with numbers needed after final enrollment, but for the most part this is done. #TeacherTimeSaver

4 

 Remember the post about my teaching failures? Some of my mistakes were due to jumping into things. 
 
Well, Whole Brain Teaching is something that I have eased into and feel pretty confident that it fits my teaching style. I have incorporated parts of WBT into my teaching for the last few years.

This year, I'm using the Super Improver Wall for the very first time. Here's how it turned out:

Yes, right now I'm only planning on 14 students. With one class per grade level, my class sizes fluctuate from year to year. The most I've had is 23. If I don't get any new kiddos, this will be my smallest class. It is nice, but makes me worried for our little K-2 building... Remember if you want the editable name cards free, you can grab them in our TPT store.



 5

WBT Power Pix Grids
Speaking of WBT, my most engaging lessons are ones where I have an action for the concept I'm teaching, but I struggled to always come up with an action. 

As I browsed the WBT website for more information on the Super Improver Wall and Genius Ladder (the two things I knew I wanted to add this year), I stumbled onto Power Pix. 

If you are a WBTer, you're probably thinking, "Duh!" 
I had no idea! 
WBT has done all the work of coming up with actions for you. Seriously.

Check out their website if you are interested.

Now, I'm trying to convince myself that I do NOT need to go to the classroom on a Saturday in the summer.

I do NOT need to go.

I do NOT need to go.

:-)


6 comments:

  1. How is your shoulder? I have bone spurs so my shoulder is often on the fritz. Do you think the surgery helped? Anyway, your room is definitely turning out nicely. What is your new reading series? I love your blog template, too!

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    1. Hi Susan! I'm 6 weeks post-op and the doctor says I'm doing great. I'm a little impatient. Ha! I had a lot of rotator cuff damage and bone spurs fixed, so I'm hoping it will feel better in the long run! We got Reading Wonders this year--so excited for new materials! Thanks for stopping by!

      Crystal

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  2. I hope you have a great year!! I love WBT and I have not been officially trained in it, so I need to check out the website!! Thanks!! Linda's Learning Loot

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    1. Yes, Linda, you must check out the website! So much I can't take it all in. Little by little, I guess. :-)

      Crystal

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  3. Cool idea with the copy clips!
    My first year teaching I had 14 Ks and it was heaven! Enjoy your small class.

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    1. Thanks, Barb! Enrollment is done and I'm still at 14. I might be just a little giddy with excitement!

      Crystal

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