Off we go...

Today was our first day back, and we did some activities that I found from other bloggers.

We did a hundreds chart puzzle, which I found at My Second Grade Journal. It was a great activity, and we will play more this week. Then I had them make their own cupcake for birthday displays, which I found the idea at Step into Second Grade with Mrs. Lemons. Obviously the kids cupcakes aren't as well put together, but I thought it would be fun for them. Plus it was a good reminder of the names of the months in English, and a few were unsure of their day. Kinda funny, things you learn about your students in a few moments! Also read the story First Grade Jitters, that led to a good discussion about the main character in the end. To wrap up the day we played Mrs. Mumble, which is a just a silly game you can google if you want to learn how to play. There was most of my first day in a nut shell.

It's the weekend!

Thanks to all the fabulous teachers blogging out there! You all have inspired me to do more in my classroom set up. We just don't have any of the great classroom decorations here in Finland, but I'm trying.
The past two days have been meetings, so I am pooped. My classroom is almost arranged the way I want it to look. I just haven't had the time to do anything lately. Monday is meetings all day again, and then students come on Tuesday!
Sending out lots of encouragement and strength to you teachers!! I'll post pics on Monday of my classroom. 

Getting inspired!

One of my goals is more centers, and better managed centers. While browsing blogs today, I found Center Patrol written by The Lesson Plan Diva. I think this might just do the trick this year. I'm excited to try it out!

Here are a few pictures of my classroom then:

These three are what my classroom looked like last week.
Besides lots of organizing (papers, class library, centers), I have managed to revamp my word wall and give my clock numbers. The numbers I found at Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons. Then today I started with my calendar wall.

 Those are my achievements for this week so far.

Top 3 things

Simply 2nd Resources is having a linking party.





1. Use my clever board.
Here we don't have SMART boards, we have Clever boards. Up until now it has been pretty much a white board. I occasionally use it for reading a story and playing math games. I also need to get a step stool for the students, so they can reach up higher on the board.

2.  Centers
Last year my centers were hit and miss. I didn't always remember to change them for the beginning of the week. I also didn't enforce that students stay at a center for an amount of time, so you know what they did when they were done. What can I now do? while I was trying to work with other students. This I need to really figure out.

3. Sing
Last year I had an end of the day song, and then added a few songs here and there through out the year. I would like to sing more this year as well. They really do enjoy it!

Uneventful

Managed to put numbers on my clock today and redo my word wall. I also photo copied and laminated some items I want to put up on the walls, thanks to all the wonderful items found at Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons. I asked the caretaker to move my desk around. If it gets done today, then tomorrow I can really get inspired. I can then arrange desks and center tables. I think that would make me feel like my classroom is coming together and give my some inspiration. Today was not an eventful working day.

Here we go!

I went back to my classroom this week. I spent 3 days just organizing all the papers that piled up last year, oh and from the previous year. I finally got everything done today! It does feel good to have a jumping off point. I made two extra piles that are next to go through: centers and ideas for this year. I will start with centers next and then start to put my classroom together. I will post picks of my unorganized classroom later, left my memory stick at school :(.