The Small Beginnings of Classroom Decor, Meet the Teacher gifts, and a delightful poetry journal

26 July 2014

Hello Friends!

School starts for me in 3 weeks! Yikes! I can't believe it is coming so soon! My partners and I actually had a conversation yesterday about the beginning of school and it hit home that it was actually coming...... Wow!

So..... a couple of things.... first of all, I love the apple colors of my classroom - just love them! So, I do not want to completely change my classroom theme. There are some things that I really, really like and I think my students do, too! I love my Chicka tree. I love my beach umbrella reading nook. I love my apple colored curtains. I love my "no desk" classroom! I love the many shades of red, yellow, and green AND I love the polka dots hidden here and there throughout the room! That said, I DO like to shake things up every year and do something different. Last week, I was at the fabric store and found this cute, cute Eric Carle fabric. I think that I am going to use it to re-cover my crate seats. I am going to make an Eric Carle banner to hang from the ceiling with the The Very Hungry Caterpillar panel. I also found some Eric Carle banner and room decor from MPM Teacher supplies that I ordered and it should come next week. I'm excited!

We meet our new students a few days before school starts. Our little ones bring in their school supplies and enjoy a classroom scavenger hunt with their parents while putting them in their correct places. When they have finished their scavenger hunt, they come to me for a small welcome gift. I have given numerous types of gifts. I have not found one that I really like which is the reason for the variations! As the years go by and kids with allergies increases, I am also very leery of giving them food gifts. This year, I know I have a little one with severe allergies, so I am on the hunt for non-food students gifts.

I have been perusing Pinterest and have found some fun ideas from some wonderful teacher/bloggers, so I thought I would share the links and pictures here. There is food included in a few of them. They will work for classrooms with no allergies; just not me this year! Click the image and it will take you to the website of the creator!

I've been bubbling with excitement to meet you!

http://craftyteacher-devyn.blogspot.com/2013/08/first-day-of-school-gift-or-new-student.html

It's going to be a bright year!

You are oFISHally a kindergartener!

http://www.mrswillskindergarten.com/2013/07/favorite-pins.html

We are going to have a bright year!

http://pinkbuckaroodesigns.blogspot.com/2010/08/student-gifts.html

Welcome to Kindergarten!

And finally... this is not a Back to School gift, but a wonderful, wonderful Kindergarten Poetry book! Wow! Click the image below to go to the website - cute as a button!