Kindergarten

After graduating from The University of Memphis, I taught first grade at MES for four years. Something about kindergarten fascinated me. So, when I heard about Atoka opening last school year, I had to take the chance and leave MES so that I could try out teaching K. Even though I miss some of the folks at MES, I am so glad to have made the move! This week, I have been at school unpacking my classroom closet, moving furniture, hanging posters/bulletin board sets on the wall, and getting learning/reading centers ready. Yesterday I took a few photos with my phone. Here's a little peak into my classroom. I took these as I was leaving school yesterday. I'll post more photos as I get the rest of the room ready.

If you pretend you're standing at my classroom door and look to the left, you'd see our morning choice area. On the drawer side of the file cabinet, each child has a magnet labeled with their name. In this photo, you see the top pan and a label with a lunch box... this is where the kids who brought lunch boxes put their magnet for the day. You also see a bear with an apron... the apron holds photo/labels of each of our lunch choices. We have two lunch choices each day. So, I always put one label for each above the other two pans... the kids going through the lunch line choose their lunch and put their magnet on the corresponding pan. I always send the lunch count each morning so that the process goes more quickly and smoothly when we go to the cafeteria.

The little blue table has two purposes:

The top shelf will hold two books some little plastic bears, and some little bowls. After each child chooses lunch, they may look at the two book choices and put a little bear in the corresponding bowl to vote for the book they'd like me to read to them after lunch.

The bottom shelf is where the kids will put their lunch boxes.

By the way... Dad, do you recognize this table?? It was Grandma's!

If you're still standing at my classroom door, you can see some of our centers and a little of the "meeting" area.

Here's a little better view of the "meeting" area. This is where I will do the majority of my teaching each day. In the metal shelf is our TV. Mandy gave me the idea to hang a curtain so that we don't always have to see the TV and videos on the shelf. The color seat sacks at each table were a big sewing project from last summer.... I am so glad they are holding up well!

This is one of the reading centers the kids will visit during reading group time each morning. I used the back of the kitchen/housekeeping center and covered it with felt and put felt letters, numbers, and story pieces in the little cart. The pizza pans hanging on the wall will be where the kids use the letter magnets (which are in the red and yellow cart) to make words. Above this area is our reading centers chart and our morning work to be copied each day. To the left of this area is our housekeeping station. To the right of this center is our "library".

There is still some work to be done, but the room is coming together nicely. Next week I will post photos of other areas of the room. Though I have really enjoyed this summer, I am looking forward to a good school year!