#teacherweek15 - Classroom Tour

 Welcome back!

Here is a sneak peek into my little corner of the world. This week our third graders have been subjected to beginning of grade state testing. On top of that I've had multiple parent conferences already this week as well. So, my apologies, but my entire room was not exactly picture ready today and therefore I'm only going to show you the sparkley things. I'll post more later, I promise!

This is our classroom library. Our school doesn't have an actual library so we have to provide books on a wide range of topics and levels in our rooms. Most of the books in the blue bins get switched out between second an third grade. I've recently put out the Narnia, Unfortunate Events, and Harry Potter series and have been asked by a student if we could add even more reading time to our schedule. 

Above our library is our math rotation and calendar board. Some of what is up here is left from last year and needs to be updated for third grade, but it will get there....eventually. 

The computer station, hopes and dreams and birthday cakes. I found this old table in the garage behind a house I was renting, asked the landlord if I could have it, and turned it into this snazzy piece. 

Student work board 

Students completed this Whoooo am I page last week. 

And last but not least the VIP table. I introduced this near the end of the year when a Donor's Choose project I created for five of these ball chairs was fully funded by the Horace Mann Company. It has not be reopened yet for this year but students are eager to get back to it. 

Behind the table are student cubbies, mailboxes, unit book boxes and, as the students call it, the guneia pigs "to go" cage. (More on him later as well.)

Thanks for hoppin' by!

I want to be a VIP!

Though I have seriously been slacking on my blog writing, I have stayed up on my blog reading and am in LOVE with Rachel from The Tattooed Teacher's VIP table. I did some more research and found a beautiful table on Teaching Maddeness by Amanda and Aimee's VIP bucket from Primarily Speaking. Click their photos below to see how they are making their students want to be VIPs.

Now to put these ideas into action. I have some very and I do mean VERY wiggly students this year. To help conquer the daily shimmies I created a Donor's Choose project for 5 of these fantastic chairs.

They are pretty expensive (about $100 each) and I didn't really pursue my typical donors to try and get this project funded. Low and behold, it was funded anyway. Thank you Horace Mann Insurance for donating over $500 to put this project together. I will be using these chairs at what is now my guided reading table and make it a VIT (very important table!)

I love the idea of having students determine the VIP's qualifications, although I may change up what the acronym means. They may also come up with some reasons why one could get bumped from the VIP table Stay tuned for pictures of the completed project and comment below with what else you think VIP could stand for in second grade!