A Lonely Classroom in Summer

I have moved into a new classroom and I will be teaching full-time K in the Fall.There have been some great teachers that have gone before me in this particular classroom. Legends, really, with combined teaching experience that doubles my age, and then some! If the walls could speak I would learn so much from them. Thankfully, one of them (JW) will be just down the hall in my old classroom, along with my teaching partner from last year (JV, who is the reason I made it through my first year of teaching K so smoothly!).

There are so many things about this particular classroom that I love. The loft, the bathroom, the big floor space, the plethora of resources, the storage spaces, and so much more. But, along with a room having several teachers before me comes a lot of stuff. I spent several days at the end of June sorting through cupboards and donating items that could be usable to someone else but no longer serve a purpose in my class, tossing things that were broken or unfixable, and updating things that needed a wee bit of brightening up. 

I haven't taken a trip to the Teacher store yet but that is going to be fun because I need a new alphabet and some new calendar supplies. But I have taken a trip to the paint store for a gallon of bright white paint that has given the room a new fresh look. 

Red is my favourite colour, but, it was time for this red toy shelf to get a new outfit.

And here it is freshly painted white. I just put the tubs on the shelves for the picture and then removed them so the paint can finish curing over the summer.

Here is one that used to be blue....

This bookshelf was fun to paint. The green and yellow paint that it had on it was really vibrant, but it was needing to be freshened up as well.

Now I can create a cute little reading area that will section off part of the classroom. I think the kids will love it!

Here is a shot of 2 of the toy shelves back to back to create another space in the back of the room. Notice the loft in this picture... that is for sure one of the kids' favourite places to be.

Lastly, a shot of my pretty empty classroom. Such a lonely place without boys and girls to fill it. But I know they are enjoying the summer, getting fresh air and tans. I will have 18 little bodies in here very soon. I have a lot to do before they arrive. Once I get my new alphabet hung up above the white and black boards, and some bulletin board fabric up, along with the supply tubs on each table, the room will be ready to welcome the kids.

But first, I am going to finish my online course that I am taking called Christian Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation for Student Learning, as well as spend time with my family. My own kids are really hoping for a trip to the Waterslides this summer... I think I can handle that!