Class Reveal & Disability Awareness Promotion

Well guys....I'm finally ready to reveal! Even with today being the first day of school and putting in almost 40 hours last week, I was still putting on the finishing touches just minutes before the kids arrived! And I'm still battling with some areas I don't quite like that I can see myself changing! This is a new room for me this year. My last room I was in for 3 years and must have changed it 6-7 times before finally getting it JUST RIGHT!! 

So this is possibly still a work in progress! But let me tell you....it is so worth it because my new room is HUGE! I feel so fortunate to get it! It is actually TWO classrooms that they never divided apparently to low enrollment! Yes, I have two classroooms and am loving the space!! So I know there's so much more I can do with this room, but just not used to the space yet and need to accumulate more stuff! Shhh! Don't let my husband hear that!

Keep in mind too that my district requires district approved furniture and doesn't allow personal furniture or things hanging from the ceiling. 

So here goes! Oh and let me mention my first time with cinder block walls......that was a challenge!

View from back exit

My desk area

This is still a work in progress and will get more added as we go! On the two cabinets to the  right are my students' name labels and is where their word walls will be. My students are all on different levels, so they each have their own separate word wall. I did this last year on these same cabinets and it worked so well and allowed for easy retrieval and review each day. Also makes a great center activity.

Play area to the left, reading area to the right!

Word Work Station

Look at my adorable awning!!!! I love it! My son made it for me. This board displays my job chart, b-day chart, and reading and math rotations! I still need something in the middle, but my bulletin boards always start the year that way! I don't like to add just busy stuff or fillers, but like to have room to add throughout the year as I determine my kids needs!

Close up of reading center

Student supply center and student bins (since I have tables & not desks).

Rules, fish tank, and treasure tree! I started the treasure tree rather than "box" two years ago and LOVE it so much! No more digging through the box for endless minutes and timing students, or having them damage treasures through the process. They look, tell you what they want, and you pull it down for them! I also love this display because my kids will spot what they want at the beginning of the week and it becomes a visual reminder and incentive for them to work hard to hopefully get the item at the end of the week!

Math Station

So happy to have backpacks off the floor!!!!! And a place to hang their behavior beads each day from "Miss Nelson." Apparently they don't even allow this any more in my district due to head lice, but since it has been in this room for years and this has always been a KG class, they let it stay! I really wish I would have taken a before pic though, because this baby required alot of TLC!!! The wood had never received a paint makeover and was a god awful funky color and the hooks were tarnished.....some silver, some gold, and some white. Major improvement here!

Large group table. This is where we start in the morning and do whole group activities at. And look, I got lucky and got new tables this year that have cubbies underneath!!! Pretty cool!

Yes, this room came with a full size copy machine!!!! Yea!

Another front view

There ya have it! If you're still here, it may be your lucky day!!! My friend Kelsea over at "Teacher Gems" has started a new blog series to support general Ed teachers working with special needs students and I'm her guest blogger tomorrow! My topic is disability awareness in schools and I'm giving away my "Complete Disability Awareness Day Kit" ($7 value) to EVERY SINGLE READER!!!!!!
I hope you'll stop by "Teacher Gems" to get your free copy and help promote disability awareness in your schools. 

Here's to a great year,