Sneak a Peek with a Peach: True Life I'm a Teacher

Hey Friends! Theresa here, from True Life I'm a Teacher! Hopefully, by now, you've had 14 days worth of AMAZING classroom pictures to get ideas from! Even if you've already set up your classroom, there are some organizational ideas you could use now, or pin some of the ideas you love for next year!

I'm co-teaching for the second time this year! Last year I was an inclusion model class - one class, two teachers. This year, I have a reduced class size EIP (early intervention program) class, and my co-teacher has a self-contained EIP class. Together we have 35 students, and the two of us :) I love it! One of the best parts of this model, is that we have one giant classroom! It's actually two classrooms, but without the partition.

 The view from my door! Notice my teaching partner at her desk making faces! Haha!

The view standing in front of my smart board. We put our whole group meeting area in the center of the giant room, and then basically mirrored everything on both sides.

The only think we didn't really mirror was the classroom library and computers. It made more sense to put computers on one side, and the classroom library on the other. It really helped maximize our space!

Here's a look at the desks on my side of the room. Each section of desks is made up of a team of 6 and a team of 4 separated by a lowered desk. The lowered desk becomes where book boxes are kept!

Each section of desks has a team caddy that holds pencils, glue sticks (only used when gluing is required for an assessment - we use glue sponges for everything else), sticky notes, and other odds and ends as needed. They also have team drawers that hold supplies.

Above each set of desks are team signs, and on each individual desk are number and letter labels. The number and letters make for easy classroom management with regard to team captains, and partners.

Communication central! This really helps manage incoming and outgoing papers, take home folders, student mailboxes, breakfast cards, and transportation cards. It's right by the door, and really helps with the paper flow!

The backside of "communication central" are cubbies where we store math manipulatives. On top of the cubbies, are the "missing pieces" container, turn-in basket, boy's and girl's bathroom cones, and handsanitizer (kept in a trashcan to help with drips).

 Calendar board, daily schedule, specials rotation, and class points.

White board and smart board area, as shown in an "after and before" :)

 Our school uses PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports), and we give out "tickets" to reward positive behavior. In our classroom, we call them "Sparklers." Here's where students keep their sparklers, and the "menu" that shows what they can exchange their tickets for.

See those hooks? They are WAAAYYYY too close to hold backpacks! Fortunately, I found these laundry baskets at Target, and those are where students place their backpacks. We use the hooks for lunch boxes!