Monday, July 2, 2012

Classroom Decorating and Whole Brain Teaching

Soo Its been a week since I've posted anything and I am feeling like a major slacker! But the truth is, I have been working in my classroom and doing a lot of research on Whole Brain Teaching strategies, and by research, I mean watching youtube videos of Whole Brain Power teachers! They are awesome! I saw my first Whole Brain Teaching video when Amanda at Teaching Maddeness shared a good GREAT video about it! And if you are just as addicted to watching teachers in action as I am, then you know that after the video ends, you can watch related videos. This equals hours of me glued to my computer screen! The Video on Amanda's blog is by far my favorite! I don't know who that teacher is, but she has some other videos out there too that are about Whole Brain Teaching and she is just amazing! IF anyone knows who she is, and knows if she has a blog or not PLEASE let me know!! So I've decided to use Whole Brain Teaching methods in my classroom this year along with the sign language and other ideas i've gotten from the blogging world! I have created posters for the rules and various other parts of Whole Brain Teaching. They are free at my TPT store, but you can get them HERE too!
 

I have also been spending a lot of time in my classroom. I started decorating, and now I can't stop! I love it soooo much! Here are some updated pictures of what I've been doing in my classroom so far:
This is my room from the door. I made these seat covers for my chairs. I made them with the left over fabric from my boards, and color coordinated with my table top organizers.


This is the view from the front of the room. There is still a spot on that back wall that I don't like. I am thinking I may just hang some posters here... What do you think?

My Reading area is still not quite finished. I am still missing my rug and books. I also want to recover that bench. I got it from a friend who was cleaning out her room. I had originally planned on using it at a table but I ended up using my two square tables for my computers. The purple bulletin board will be my reading focus wall. It is not finished yet either.

Here is a closer view of a bookshelf I spray painted... Not great, but once I fill it with books I think it will be okay.

While putting up my alphabet, I counted out how many tiles I would need.... Obviously I misbounted. This will have to be redone.

I am going to hang my students birthday board on the back side of my loft. Inside the loft you can kinda see the tissue poms I made to hang from the ceiling, and the pool noodles that I am going to use to make a rainbow above my door to go with my "Over the Rainbow", Wizard of Oz theme.

I finished the fabric to cover the computer cords. Dont look at the bulletin board, You can see I ran out of border... I'm not thrilled with that bulletin board though so we'll see if it stays...

I also redid my table skirt for my desk/small group table. I made it last year but the ribbon kept coming off and the girls started using it to make necklaces! HOPEFULLY it will hold up this year.

This is the board that I do not like, I think I am going to actually use it to display student work.

I made these little boxes for my students to store their creek cash in. Our school has a school wide behavior plan where students are given cash for good behavior they can spend to go to a party every nine weeks or at the creek cash store for little toys.

This is my favorite board, which is really just my white board. It is my Math Focus Board.
I still have soooo much work to do! But I feel like I have made a lot of progress! How are your rooms coming? I love looking at classrooms! Let me know if you have posted in updated pictures!
Happy Decorating!

11 comments:

  1. I've just started researching WBT, too. I love your posters! Thanks for making them available for all of us.

    Pitner's Potpourri

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  2. I'm getting into WBT lately & am very interested in beginning to implement it in my classroom next year. Thanks for the posters! :)
    Lisa
    Learning Is Something to Treasure

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  3. I love the WBT philosophy and I think Rachel is adorable! When I saw her videos online I searched her name and found her website!
    It is
    http://www.teachingandlearningtogether.com/index.html
    ENJOY!

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  4. I just found your blog. I am a new follower.

    Tricia

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  5. Your room looks like it's coming along great! :) Decorating is always so much fun! I really like your chair covers...CUTE! I also made something for my chairs in my room, except I made chair pockets so the kids could have some extra storage... :) They turned out great! I posted about them yesterday. I'm excited to see what else you do!

    I'm your newest follower!

    ~Sara~
    Ramblings of a Deaf Ed Teacher's Mind...

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    Replies
    1. Oh and Thank You for the Posters! They are ADORABLE! LOVE! :)

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  6. Great blog, I'm your newest follower. Please check out my blog if you have time. Calling Plays in the 2nd grade.

    Shanell

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  7. I love your classroom decorations. We can not get into our classrooms until next week. I am very excited to get started. I have been doing projects at home that will be part of my decor when I get to school. A few of them are posted on my blog if you would like to come over and see them.

    I read that you are doing the Wizard of Oz theme in your classroom. If you have not visited
    There is No Place Like Home

    blog, you need to do that. She is also decorating her room and she has some cute ideas that she has shared. She also just put into her TpT store "Wizard of Oz binder things" for $2.50 until tomorrow night. Check it out. I am going to buy it even though I don't have an Oz theme. I love my butterfly themed room with a little bit of tiger things because our mascot is the tiger. Anyway, I am a new follower.

    Mrs Flickinger's Butterfly Oasis

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  8. I love that blog! THank you so much for sharing it with me! And thanks for the notice on the sale!

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  9. Cute stuff! Love your room. If you get a chance come link up.
    http://www.missnelsonsgotthecamera.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-after.html

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