Back to School oh nine!

My classroom 2009-2010!

I moved everything around to where the students now face the windows instead of the whiteboard. It gives a lot more room for them and me! And everyone can see better=)

On the shelves in the bins are the unpitched instruments like maracas, bells, triangles, wood blocks, drums etc. Then my stereo is on the top shelf. I have my recorder charts on the wall there and the basics of music poster. And the black thing with feathers on top is the keyboard.

Poster board, glue sticks, pencils, erasers, lamination, paperwork, homework, music, lesson plans, books, email, and scissors! These are the things that have been dominating my life for the last couple weeks! Its been very exciting getting ready for school to start up and I actually know what I'm doing! I know that sounds funny, but your first year of teaching, you just don't know what to expect, or really what to prepare for-so last year when school started, I put up a few posters, wrote my name on the board, and thought I was ready. WRONG. Ha, at least this year I know what to prepare for-and I've been going crazy trying to get a lot of stuff done. I'm a very 'do it in advance' kind of person, with little things-b/c I know later I'll get bogged down and the rest will go out the window. So I've been trying to get all the little things done, as well as the necessity 'big things' too.

I got these great teaching materials from another 'veteran' music teacher in GP, and I've been trying to get them cut out, glued and laminated so I can use them in my classroom. I've learned an AWESOME new technology that I can use in my room where I basically control my stereo and ALL my music (which is a TON of cd's) from my ipod-which has a signal sent wirelessly to my laptop-which is then plugged into my stereo, allowing me to 'wirelessly' control ALL of my music. It is SO very helpful for me, (thanks to Jordan) I love it.

It's been such a blessing this year to have such great teachers to work with in my district! I've had a handful really help me out, and I am feeling so much more confident to start this year. They've been letting me borrow materials, giving me more helpful hints and just being fun to work with.

I changed around my room to fit the larger school pop we will be having this year, and decorated my door a little differently-which I got a picture of!

I'm excited to start this new year. So far the first week has been great! The kids are SO sweet and cute. They say things like, "Mrs Carl, I missed you so much this summer!" or " I love you Mrs Carl, I want to run up and hug you from my seat!" and it reminds me of why I love my job!

I've really been able to have better classroom management this year, which has been so much more reassuring. I think it also helps that we have great kids at our school=)

This is my schedule this year:

8:00-9:00-my conference/planning time

9:00-9:50 5th grade

9:55-10:45 3rd grade

10:50-11:40 4th grade

11:40-12:15 LUNCH

12:15-1:05 2nd grade

1:10-2:00 Kinder

2:05-2:55 1st grade

Here is me in front of my room on the first day!!

I wanted to wear Hobbs Williams turquoise and I always wear a dress on the first day=)

What do you think of my 'Backstage with Mrs Carl' doorway!? I made the sign on top with my amazing cricut expression machine I got for Christmas, that I just now figured out how to use-it has saved my life this past week with making things for my classroom=)

PS I also made the curtains....last year actually...they were for my room windows, and then I never used em, so I had this idea!

These are my 'barred instruments' xylophones and metallophones-the kids love em!

This is my music Word Wall with musical symbols for the kids to reference...

And if you look on my cabinet doors-those are the 'flashcards' I have been working on. I copied em, then I glued them onto colored posterboard, and then laminated them...whew, it was work-but it will be good for the kids to see. Its the 'unpitched percussion' families and instruments that go with each family.

These are my wonderful collegeas! On the far left is Ms. Houston-the fun art teacher, and on the right is Coach Carroll-my life saver and amazing PE teacher! They are both veterans and know everything!=)