Eight Years and New Memories: setting up the classroom

I spent 8 years teaching at Brock Elementary, running the VSB Challenge Centre Program.  It was a special 8 years, seeing my two sons enter kindergarten and preschool, and then exiting the elementary system.  

I needed to take these photos as memory of my time there.  Although most of my teaching materials have been removed, I wanted to cherish these memories of Brock Elementary.

And now, onto a new chapter in my life:  going back to teaching my own class at Cunningham Elementary.  Here are some more pictures of the progress I have made setting up my class.  Below is the library area.

Although I have set up a system for my library, I know it will change once the students are here.

 This will be the conference area for small group work.

This is the view from the back door that looks onto the courtyard.  I imagine the students working there in the fall, spring, and summer - drawing or writing poetry!

 This is where I will have class meetings every morning.  I need to work on this area  and make it more appealing.

Entrance to the classroom:  on the left is the students' mailboxes.  I am hoping to use these for notices, reminders, bucket fillers, homework, etc.  I haven't fully figured it out yet.

Cloak room area:  at the end I placed a table with a few stools and will use this as the quiet area - when a student needs to work quietly away from the rest of the group.  The door is entrance into the storage closet - one of my favourite places!

This is the inside of the storage closet.  It is a place for curriculum resources, units that I am developing, and science and math manipulatives.  The blue bins above are each labeled with a subject area, and in each I will place lesson plans, units, supplies for that unit. This is so that I don't make a mess with this in the classroom.  You know when you have photocopies a bunch of resources for say, spelling?  I have a place to put them now!

The red bins contain science materials, plastic baggies, lego and other building materials.

 The magazine holders carry purchased teacher resources.  I used to have about 3 shelves of teacher resources, but I have whittled this down to one shelf and I don't ever want to have any more.  During the year I will probably get rid of some of these.

Last but not least, my nespresso machine.  I will find a place for this!

My last dilemma:  whether or not to get rid of my desk!  I don't have room for it and I would like to have a small student desk in the centre of the room by the projector, where I keep supplies.  I know that a lot of teachers are getting rid of their desk and I think it is a great idea.  I find that desks collect junk and are a place to hide behind and take a break, rather than engage with students.  

Finally, I am taking a break from the class for a few weeks, but will be back in August to update the classroom set up.