Is summer really coming to an end? Where did it go? As much as I dread saying good-bye to summer, I must say that I do get a little giddy and excited at setting up my classroom! You would think that after 19 years of dusting off books, wiping down shelves, hanging bulletin boards and putting away games and manipulatives that getting ready for school would be my least favorite thing to do. It's not! Preparing my classroom for those precious wide-eyed kindergartners is truly intoxicating - just like walking down the school supply aisle at Target! Who doesn't love "Back to School" time!
I spent time setting up my room yesterday and had to share one of my favorite areas in my classroom. My Writing Bar! After moving to a new campus last year, I spent all summer designing the layout for my classroom in my head. I had planned to move my teacher desk out of my room (it did not fit into my design) only to learn that my principal wouldn't let us remove our desks. So after fretting and a lot of thinking, I came up with my writing bar idea. Students can now ignite their writing creativity at the writing bar. Bar stools, a container of fun writing tools, and a desk drawer filled with writing paper and construction paper books greet the students with anticipation of becoming an amazing piece of writing! Thematic interactive writing cards are hole-punched and placed on rings to hang on magnets on the side of the bar. Not only can students at the writing bar use them, but they can be transported anywhere in my room to become a valuable resource for all my writers! I am so thrilled about setting this area up for my students and can't wait to read the fascinating masterpieces that will be created here! Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite area is in your classroom. Wonder what our students favorite area will be? Back to School time is almost as fun as Christmas! Here's wishing all of you a school year filled with oodles of blessings and amazing learning!
