I went shopping today! You have to say that in a sing-songy voice (think Oprah) to make it sound like it does in my brain. Anyway, I have yet to figure out all the little details in my classroom. For now, I'm going with the basics: decoration.
I figured out that teachers really are interior decorators. When I worked at Target, there was a woman who was an interior decorator who visited often. She set the stage for model homes. New communities were popping up everywhere back before the recession. She was always in and out of the store buying and returning items. She always said she needed to try the items out to see how they looked.
Hello!! Any pregnant woman considered "at-risk" who was forced to watch HGTV while hooked up to the monitors knows that they say, "This or that?" all the time!! (HGTV is better than watching the cooking show when you are pregnant. You are either suffering from morning sickness or starving and drooling all over yourself!).
Anyway, that's how I felt today. I was an interior decorator of my classroom, but I didn't remember what the space looked like, I had no measurements so I didn't know how much to buy of each item, and I don't have a 'vision" for my room. I'm basically a wannabe. Or a flunkie from one of those reality decorating shows.
Still, I NEED to decorate my space. Really. I need to. It sets the stage for my production! Let's face it. We all want to be in an ascetically pleasing place at work. That's my plan! And for $68, it can be yours as well! And I had good reason to buy everything in the maybe pile. The store is almost an hour one way from my house. With my 2 boys, just floating over to the store is not simple these days!
I can't decide between polka dots or chevron. Chevron is almost too trendy for me! Really, I am a casual person. I don't wear make up. My shoes don't match my purse. And my undies never match my bra. (sorry!! TMI!) But, my classroom will look ok. My goal is not too flash. Colorful and bright, but not too bright that you can see me from Mars.
Here's what I bought:
- Scholastic number line. It has the word and the numeral on the number line! And it's blue and green, my favorite colors. I don't know if I will be able to hang it low enough so the students will be able to see it, but I'm going to try!
- Hundred number chart: This one is very basic. Just black and white. It's so I can demo for the students whatever we are doing.
- Polka Dot Borders. Both are from Carson-Dellosa. They are DOUBLE SIDED people!! The top one is called Bubbly Blue, and the bottom one is called Color Me Bright (it has stripes on the other side). All border should be double sided!!
- Chevron border and the gray in the middle are from Creative Teaching Press.
- Calendar date tags: They don't look like it in the picture, but they are scalloped with polka dots on the edges. I think I might use these for my data wall. Instead of writing their names, I can just use their numbers instead. I won't have to write them. BUT, they will be super hard to laminate, if I go that route.
- Colorful circles for the same use as #5, but these don't have any writing on them. Plus, I can let the students choose their numbers.
- MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!! It's a roll of something called "Smart-fab." It's a fabric that isn't supposed to fade and it can be cut without fraying. Almost a year ago, the store made curtains out of them, and they haven't faded at all! I am sold. I wish they had more colors in stock, but I can have them order for me if I decide to - I want apple green!
Ok, I still have things on my shopping list. Just wait until Mr. Huber sees the bill!! HAHA!
