First day

 

 

 

Shooo!!! Who knew the first day would be so exhausting!! It's a day full of "procedure, procedure, procedure!"

 

What are we doing today Mrs. Hunt?

 

 

We created our four rules and put them next to our rocket clippy chart. (The kids LOVE this thing!)

 

 

We took a math placement exam. YUCK!! I am so glad they did well!

 

 

We created a class story about the things we love to do during the summer. I cut up the sentences, gave each child one to put back together that was not their own. They got to draw the picture to go with the sentence they built. What a great way for them to learn about one another!! Sooooo many of them were asking each other questions to put details into the pictures.

 

 

We read MANY great stories! My class LOVES when I read to them!! (I am spoiled already!)

 

 

Each one of my fabulous kiddos created an all about me poster!!

 

 

The first day was a success!! I am beyond ready to see what the rest of the year holds!!

 

 

 

 

More pictures of my wonderful room!! 

 

 

The tree right outside my door.

 

Fun in the sun

Where have I been? I've been enjoying my last week as a free woman! Haha Well of you count the confines of my classroom free...

 

I went to The Color Run last weekend! Had a blast!! It was an amazing dance/walk/color fight party. I  stoked about next years!! If you have not heard of this 5k you should really check it out. www.thecolorrun.com

 

 

I've been working on my classroom like crazy! It looks so much better than the mess it was before. I am a little (ok A LOT) ocd with organization. My classroom library is complete! (Well I have to tape my labels onto my book bins.) My room looks great! I cannot wait to see the kids reactions on Thursday morning.

Cleanliness

My room has officially been cleaned!!! Now to get down to business. I have so many things that I need to organize and learning spaces to create.

 

I've started working on my book bins. (Yes they are purple and lime green.) These are going to really pop on my black bookshelves (that I still need to find.....).



 

 

 

 

Here is the view from my door. Clean carpets = happy teacher = happy classroom 

 

 

 

Here is the view from my desk/supply area. I rarely sit at my des. I have it pushed as close to the wall as possible to maximize space for the kiddos. 

 

 

 

 

I cannot wait to see it all put together!!!

 

 

First day countdown: 17 

Currently Reading

Thanks to a wonderful friend for letting me borrow some of her teacher books!! I'm venturing into new territory this coming school year, so why not discover new teaching practices!!!

I've just started reading these books and am already in love!! What are some of the things you picked up from these two books?

What are some of your favorite teacher books?

A Day in the Life of a Teacher

I've decided to join in with Jessica at Second Grade Nest in showing you what it's like to live the life of a teacher on summer vaca. So here is my life, the life of a second grade teacher!

 

 

 

7:00 am - Wake up call! I refuse to get up any earlier on my summer vacation! :) Up early to work out on the elliptical for 20 minutes, eat some breakfast, and get a little pampered with this hot pink nail polish!

 

 

9:00 am - Time to work in the classroom. Had to tutor a little guy and did some crazy organizing. I am getting a new math curriculum this year! WOOT WOOT! (*the rocket is a part of my behavior management system that I've almost finished!!)

 

 

12:00 - Driving an hour and 30 minutes to spend some time with the sister and some much needed retail therapy!!

 

 

6:00 pm - Spending some time with the husband at the farm.

 

 

8:00 pm - Very late dinner of my FAVORITE PIZZA from Dale's Pizza. (It really is the best there is!) Reading a non-teaching related book while sitting in my flower garden. Life cannot get any better than this!

 

Dollar Store Love

Man, do I really LOVE the dollar store!! Check out these goodies that I bought for my classroom. 

 

The large tubs are going to be used for my library. I am going to put cute labels on them so the students can easily find and return the books to the right place (wishful thinking huh!?!).

I am going to use these facial cleaning pads as dry erase board cleaners. Found the idea on pinterest! I love that site!!

In addition to my dollar store love, I also LOVE yard sales! I found these cute books for my students to read! I think I got all of them for $1!! What a deal!

Lessons

Over this weekend I have been revamping my lesson plan format. I just wasn't happy with the one I used in past years. I became tired of wasting paper and having each day on TWO (yes TWO) sheets of paper! So that would be 10 pages a week!! YIKES!! I wanted to create a document that had a weeks worth of lessons on two pages.

After playing around with word I found it! Look!!!

I love that I will be able to go into the word document and type my lessons. I wont have to worry about typing my lessons and uploading them to OwnIt. It will be so much easier for my subs to read!

I am VERY happy with how this format turned out! I cannot wait to put it into practice!

Stitches and Glue

Tuesday I had surgery to help with some reproductive issues that I've been dealing with over the past five years. Thanks to my wonderful reproductive endocrinologist, I have been given hope that my husband and I will finally be able to have living, breathing, screaming, adorable children.

I am a bit sore from the procedure, but am looking forward to the future.

Since I've been down, I've been working on my behavior plan! Hope to have that up soon!

Moving in

I am excited to announce that I am moving into my 2nd grade classroom! This is an exciting day in the Hunt household as I get to empty a room that was overflowing with teacher purchases over the past few years. I cannot wait to start hanging, organizing, laminating, and decorating my classroom!

Mess!!!!

 My room is such a mess!!! I am waiting for the previous teacher to remove her things from the room. While I wait I have many ideas on what to do. I've been creating things for the walls and deciding where everything should go. I am looking forward to having the room put together.

 

 

 

View From my door.

 

 

My student computer area. I am going to use a different table.

 

 

 

Back wall. Not sure what I will place here. Probably some reading strategies.

 

 

My desk area. It will have to stay in this area as this is where the computer hookups are located. I am going to remove one of the tables and move things around a bit.

 

 

 

This is the wall beside the door. I am going to put my behavior plan on the bulletin board. I have it finished, it just needs to be hung on the wall.

 

 

 

View from the teachers desk.

 

 

This will be my guided reading area.

 

 

 

More of the back wall. Still working on plans for this space.

 

 

 

I have a LONG way to go, but at least I have all summer!

I'm crafty!

Having your own microwave and refrigerator in your classroom is common in my school. I am very fortunate that someone donated me one of each! Now my fridge was UGLY!! Like 70's era fake wood paneling ugly. So I decided to use my mad skills to spray paint and chalkboard paint the mini fridge to give it a much needed face lift! I decided to go with a shade of purple matching my classroom theme colors of green and purple. This design fits perfectly!

I am in the process of discovering yard sale items to use in my room. I picked up a book shelf and mirror that need some love.

 

See isn't it an eye sore! My wonderful handy husband took the fridge completely apart. We then used sandpaper on all the surfaces that needed a face lift. After sanding and a nice cleaning, I sat outside on cardboard and painted the fridge. The purple is a Valspar's "Satin Sumptuous Purple" spray paint. I had to give it a few coats. Then I applied chalkboard paint to the door. I plan on writing myself notes on the door to hopefully replace all the sticky notes all over the place!

 

First year, New year

I am very elated that this fall I will finally start a full-time permanent teaching position. After five years of working my butt off as an aide for title 1, preschool, and high ability, along with several temporary teaching positions, I finally have the job of my dreams.

I will be teaching 2nd grade!!

 

I am very excited for this new adventure to begin. To dig into my classroom and decorate. To plan lessons. To have my kids and my room. To be able to do anything to help those children grow as learners.

 

 

It's time to start. I need some ideas!