Just thought I'd share my classroom bathroom procedures with everyone who teaches lower elementary grades. The past two years it's been super simple...if a child needed to go to the bathroom other than classroom breaks, they would have to ask me and I'd pair them with another kiddo. The catch is a boy has to go with a girl and a girl has to go with a boy. Why? Well this way they can't play around in the bathroom together! This has worked great for me. This year I'm modifying it a little. I bought plastic bathroom passes from the teacher store. I had seen other teachers do this at my school but it kinda grossed me out when the kiddos would take them into the stalls with them and they'd get dropped on the floor, left in the bathroom, and so on...picking up tons of icky germs! But here is my take on it: once I've okayed the kids to go, they leave the passes on their desks so it reminds me of who went. No germs on the passes and no getting left in the bathrooms.

Click the pictures to see them in a larger view!

So everyday this week, I have been in my classroom fixing it up. It's a brand new building this year so not only did I have to unpack but I had to get everything situated. I put more themed stuff up...including cute little spirals from my ceiling with cowboy boots and cacti, and a little border on my door window with paper that looks like wood, a cowboy border and my name in bandanna/western letters! I think it turned out quite cute if I may say so myself!

Ok as I promised...my post about DonorsChoose...but I have to have rant for a few minutes first. We had a handyman come last week to fix a few things around the house and only this morning did I realize my ipod is gone. I admit, I was stupid to leave it in the room with the guy alone but shouldn't you be able to trust people? We are a military household (my boyfriend is in the Air Force) and the guy knew that...he had said something to the extent of "oh you're an officer so you can afford me doing a lot of projects around your house". It's bad enough to steal from people but it's even worse to steal from someone serving your country! Now I'm ipodless and due to school just starting I'm broke and can't buy another one.

Ok forgive me, now on to DonorsChoose. I absolutely love this site and if you're a public school, full time teacher you have to sign up! This site is a non-profit organization that is aimed at helping teachers obtain materials for their classroom through donations from people across the country. I was a little skeptical when I signed up a year and a half ago...but two months after I posted my 1st project, I got funded! Now I have had a total of 11 projects funded for a total of about $3500! Crazy huh?! I've been amazed at the generosity of people...most of my funding has come from people that don't even know me! I work at a school that serves Army children so I think that helps get donations...a lot of my donors leave comments saying they want to help military kiddos.

When you sign up you'll start off with 3 points...each point it worth a project of materials up to $400. Then it's time to post a project...and wait. It's taken me several months to get fully funded, and I've even had some that never get funded. But if you keep your project under $300, normally they do get funded! After you get funded, you'll have to write a brief thank you online. Then they'll ship the materials and you'll get them within a few days. After you get the stuff and can use it, you will take pictures of your students using the items (DonorsChoose has pre-made permission slips to take pictures that you'll send home to parents) Once you post your follow up, pictures and send cards to donors (it's all super easy so don't worry!) you will earn more points to submit even more projects.

Go explore the site at www.donorschoose.org Anyway...sign up!

I love word walls! Every year I take the time to create one with the theme of my classroom. Since I'm doing a western theme, I knew it had to somehow relate. Last year I did a word wall that was a giant film strip and the year before I had a giant American Flag made out of colored butcher paper...I wish I would have taken pictures! So for this year I had thought about a giant cowboy boot, or maybe even a squiggly snake, but in the end an old western building won out! All western towns had a bank, so I made a WORD BANK...way cheesy but cute too. I found some really neat fadeless paper at the local teacher store that looks like old wood (it's hard to see in the pictures). I really think by creating a fun word wall, my kiddos are more interested in it, rather than just some boring boxes on the wall.

I'll admit it took me several hours to complete....but I was really proud of it! I even showed the pictures to my boyfriend...the reply I got was "it looks like a castle". A castle!? I guess I can see it but the old western buildings/shops look like how I made my building. Oh well, haha, now I'll just be paranoid about it all night until I go back in tomorrow to keep working on my room. More pictures will be posted tomorrow! :)

As I get my room up and running, I'll be sure to post some of the activities that I use with my kiddos on our word wall! Stay tuned!

Day number 2 in the classroom! I feel like there is just an endless amount of stuff that I have accumulated over only the past 2 years that I need to unpack. It's scattered all over the room currently...and yes, I've promised this year to be better organized. That means no piles of papers all over my desk, expo markers hidden all around the room, and stuff piled on the back shelves. In addition to the chaos of my room...I had construction workers and district staff constantly flowing in and out of my classroom...along with wandering parents who decided to take a self tour through the school.

So I finally got into my classroom today! All of my boxes had arrived (I did an in district move)...the only thing missing was a little bar on my pocket chart stand. Nothing to complain about though, the bar didn't really do anything. My only concern: the building is not finished and school starts next week! There is exposed dry-wall and plywood. We'll see....

Here are the first pictures of my room. Prepare yourself for two boring pictures. It's just the beginning so bear with me. I wanted to capture where I started and where I'll eventually end up in a few days.

I'm planning on a western themed classroom this year...so check back tomorrow to see the progress. :)

Tomorrow is the day....I finally get to get into the new building and start unpacking! Lol, the joys of being in a brand new school where construction didn't finish until last week. We officially go back to school in a week, so this week is going to be crazy unpacking and decorating (and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the school is already stocked with the things I need...probably not though). I'm talking about colored butcher paper to create bulletin boards and little office supplies like staples!!!

I also officially bought a renewal to Sirius radio...I bought a new Jeep Patriot last summer and had a full year of free satellite radio. Totally fell in love with no commercials and no fuzzy radio popping in while enjoying a favorite song...but I lived so close to my school that the 5 minute drive didn't really warrant 120 bucks worth of radio a year. But....now that I live further away (thanks to finding Mr. Right) I now decided it was time to buy after a horrible month of regular radio. It's worth it!

I'm going to take pictures starting tomorrow from empty room to finished room by the end of the week...so stay tuned!