Classroom Reveal (Almost 2 Weeks Late)

I finally was able to snap some pictures before open house the other night. The room wasn't 100% perfect but it looked good enough. Being a teacher has put me out of my perfectionist comfort zone. I actually told my students that their cutting didn't need to be perfect today!! **GASP** I even shocked myself!! Alright, enough talk...

Love this FREE door sign from TeachersPayTeachers!

Student cubbies and book bins for independent reading.

Writing Center! Hopefully we can use it soon!

Didn't get to use "Wish Upon A Star" but it was such a cute idea. 

Calendar and Job Chart

Desk Arrangement as of yesterday! Love all the space... Hopefully soon a smart board will replace the white board.

Library and my teacher corner. 

Love the storage space!

Computer center (doesn't include the 5 chrome books that students use all over the room!!)

Daily schedule, attendance board, and birthday chart.

Laughter is the Best Medicine! (And Benedryl Allergy & Sinus Medication)

I survived my first week!! I have a pretty good class. We really just need to work on the constant chatter and humming. It's enough to drive a person batty!

I thought I would share with you a couple of funny things my kids told me this week.

I was telling a little boy that we needed to let the girls go first because that was the polite thing to do. Another little boy pips up and says, "Ms. Mayes, that means if there is danger we should let the girls go first, right?" I had to tell him he should be brave in that case and go first.

Another one... The first grade teacher is about my age, white, blue eyes, and light brown hair. My kids keep calling me Ms. Crabtree. I keep saying, "My name is not Ms. Crabtree. I'm Ms. Mayes." They respond with "but you LOOK like Ms. Crabtree! You SOUND like Ms. Crabtree!" One girl even went as far as to tell me that I SMELL like Ms. Crabtree! (But that's a good thing she said...)

Not only do they make me laugh, but they also graciously share heir germs with me. I ended up with a sinus infection and spent almost the entire day on the couch yesterday. After feeling miserable, I finally dragged myself to the store and bought some medicine so I could sleep. All in all, I slept really well and woke up feeling somewhat better this morning

I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday!

BIG Steps People!!!

Alright y'all, I've recently moved up big time in the world. This morning I killed a freakishly big, crazy quick, blackish cockroachy looking thing and I'm sharing my living quarters with a spider who has really lllllooooonnnngggg legs! Why is this big? I DON'T DO BUGS!! However, I've had to put on my big girl panties and deal with it!

Another big thing that is so awesome is the technology available to us at this school! I was issued a laptop for my own use, I have 3 desktops computers and a laptop for student use, a brand spanking new iPod touch JUST for DIBLES Assessment, and 5 Chrome Books for testing or learning centers in the classroom. I've never had this much technology to use with students and I'm so excited to integrate it all in my classroom. All I can say is DON'T BE JEALOUS!! 

Have a great night!

New Job, New City, New Blog

Hey y'all! I figured that I would start a blog so that if you want to know what is going on with me you can just follow me here! (If I can figure that part out... haha... give me some time...)

So here it goes!

I made it to Aztec, NM August 1st and my awesome parents and one of my aunts graciously helped me get settled in. Without them I would still be trying to set up my apartment. Pictures will follow soon, I promise!

August 4th, I walked into my classroom and thought I could get it all set up with my stuff in a week and have the next week for planning. BOY WAS I WRONG! I walked into the classroom and realized that a TON of stuff had been left behind and I would have to clean it all and organize before I could start adding my touches. I pulled EVERYTHING out of the cabinets and started sorting. And sorting. And sorting. And sorting. There was stuff from the late nineties in the classroom. ARE YOU KIDDING ME PEOPLE?! THROW YOUR STUFF AWAY!  I finally manged to sort through all of it and finished that last Saturday (Yes, I worked on the weekend. :( Sad face).

Monday morning brought New Staff Orientation and then a week full of training in the mornings and afternoons spent in the classroom. Students start Monday and many have asked, "Are you nervous?" No, not yet, but I will be!! There is still so much left to accomplish and once I'm done (by this weekend) I will post pictures of my new classroom.

Even though I've been keeping myself busy in the evenings with school stuff, I still find myself missing everyone that I have moved away from. Some days it is worse than others, tonight being one of those nights. I hope that through this blog I will be able to share my journey with you and that we can keep in touch.

I love each and everyone of you and I thank each one of you for supporting me in some way.