Laminating tip!! This will make it go by really fast! Lay out several papers as if you are going to make one long banner and so they will go into the machine with the pouches on them, you can do 10 or more it all depends on how much room you have! I tape them together with packing tape. once you run the first one through they will keep going and all you have to do is cut the pages apart! I just like to make sure i have enough room on the side where they exit from the machine so they don't curl or get bent when they come out. It slides well on carpeted floor too. That way you can set it and forget it. I like to make several banners at a time so I can easily run back and put another banner in!
I would suggest getting the Better Than Paper if you can. It really is that good, and if you can reuse it. If you have Hobby Lobby nearby, you can get it right away. If you have Amazon Prime, you can get some next day and as low as 11.99 per roll. I love me some Dollar Tree - they have awesome supplies and most are pretty well-made. I like the decor you picked out. SHout out to your wife for offering to help with the library :)
I learned a new lamination trick a few days ago. If your laminator has the 5 mL setting you can laminate two sheets back to back in two separate pouches and they will come out perfect. It saves a lot of time laminating two at the same time.
Yes! I have had them fall apart though if you cut them apart. It doesn't fully laminate to the paper but if youre keeping it up as a poster and no need to cut a lot then it works wonders!
I like how it turned out. In my head the easel was against the wall and the display was closest to desks, but this works too. I'm not one to have my desk this way either, which is why I figured the stand could be used as a makeshift desk if needed. I do something like that myself. It definitely looks more open. Sounds like your school sets its teachers up well with supplies. That's awesome!
Love your room layout since you moved the teacher's desk. It really opens the space and the student desk is a good place for a student to sit away from others if need be. Just a couple of suggestions to maybe help with the flow of the room after having taught 2nd graders for 20 years, first I would keep the pencil sharpener up by your desk so they don't have access to it, then you can sharpen the pencils and put them in the small baskets labeled sharpened/unsharpened. Trust me, 2nd graders don't need access to a good electric sharpener...lol. Also, I would utilize all of your open shelves under that long counter for your library book bins and only use either the black or white shelving unit as part of the library, then move one or the other over to where you have the odd little square table and put either the white or black shelving unit over there to hold your math manipulatives and materials and get rid of the table. That way the math and reading areas are separate and the brick wall over by the library area can be used to add a couple of pillows or reading buddies to lean against like a little reading nook. You can then use your counter top for the sharpened/unsharpend pencils and other things the students might need like kleenex, hand sanitizer, etc. Since your color scheme is dark and light blue, I wouldn't even cover the four bulletin boards since they're already a nice matching shade of blue Just put some border around them and put your charts or decor on them. It would save time and money if you were going to purchase bulletin board paper. Also you can put some pocket chart or decor on the metal unit by your group table if you use magnets, so that gives you some extra space to hang things. Hope you have a great year!
Suggestion for the pencil sharpener, could it go on top of the mailbox/cubby area (over by your computer cart)? I would guess there is a plug for the computer cart there. So maybe just on top of one of the cubby shelves. Also just want to say what a GREAT job your son did on Day 1 and Day 2. He was such a helper moving furniture in Day 1, and seemed to keep himself busy while you worked in Day 2. WOW- such a trooper. Be sure to share an Amazon wish list when you get it going- would love to help a fellow teacher get what they needed. Your room is looking awesome and coming together!!!! Good luck.
I like all the blues! Looking great so far! Is there an outlet in the small group corner? If so, you could put the sharpener on the counter above the four drawers. Or move the math center to the area next to the classroom door. You could keep the desk by the door and have the math center to the right of it. It would probably go higher than the bottom of the bulletin board, but that could be the math board. I agree with another comment about trying out a cool down area (&/or extra comfy seating for reading) in the library area.
Looks good. Re the pencil station: is there not a plug on the counter? Also, I would suggest you move the maths manipulatives to the front of the room or on the other side of the room under a whiteboard. The library area might not be functional if you have to step over reading children to grab manipulatives. Also, the resulting nook would make a great calming corner. I love having math resources under my math display to create a 'math area'. Have a great year.
I’ve used my hot glue gun to put paper on brick and make a bulletin board. Then I hot glue clothespins to the paper and clip up whatever I need to. Hope this helps.
Mr. Bowen, I recommend you become a team player. It will be a lot easier. A simple question: How do these desks go? Will make your job easy. I can tell you will be an awesome teacher. I'm a retired teacher of 28 years. I mentored many teachers throughout my career. I will share something with you. I don't know how these desks go. If you don't know something, ask,ask. Have a great year.
Laminating tip!! This will make it go by really fast! Lay out several papers as if you are going to make one long banner and so they will go into the machine with the pouches on them, you can do 10 or more it all depends on how much room you have! I tape them together with packing tape. once you run the first one through they will keep going and all you have to do is cut the pages apart! I just like to make sure i have enough room on the side where they exit from the machine so they don't curl or get bent when they come out. It slides well on carpeted floor too. That way you can set it and forget it. I like to make several banners at a time so I can easily run back and put another banner in!
I would suggest getting the Better Than Paper if you can. It really is that good, and if you can reuse it. If you have Hobby Lobby nearby, you can get it right away. If you have Amazon Prime, you can get some next day and as low as 11.99 per roll. I love me some Dollar Tree - they have awesome supplies and most are pretty well-made. I like the decor you picked out. SHout out to your wife for offering to help with the library :)
I learned a new lamination trick a few days ago. If your laminator has the 5 mL setting you can laminate two sheets back to back in two separate pouches and they will come out perfect. It saves a lot of time laminating two at the same time.
Yes! I have had them fall apart though if you cut them apart. It doesn't fully laminate to the paper but if youre keeping it up as a poster and no need to cut a lot then it works wonders!
I like how it turned out. In my head the easel was against the wall and the display was closest to desks, but this works too. I'm not one to have my desk this way either, which is why I figured the stand could be used as a makeshift desk if needed. I do something like that myself. It definitely looks more open. Sounds like your school sets its teachers up well with supplies. That's awesome!
Love your room layout since you moved the teacher's desk. It really opens the space and the student desk is a good place for a student to sit away from others if need be. Just a couple of suggestions to maybe help with the flow of the room after having taught 2nd graders for 20 years, first I would keep the pencil sharpener up by your desk so they don't have access to it, then you can sharpen the pencils and put them in the small baskets labeled sharpened/unsharpened. Trust me, 2nd graders don't need access to a good electric sharpener...lol. Also, I would utilize all of your open shelves under that long counter for your library book bins and only use either the black or white shelving unit as part of the library, then move one or the other over to where you have the odd little square table and put either the white or black shelving unit over there to hold your math manipulatives and materials and get rid of the table. That way the math and reading areas are separate and the brick wall over by the library area can be used to add a couple of pillows or reading buddies to lean against like a little reading nook. You can then use your counter top for the sharpened/unsharpend pencils and other things the students might need like kleenex, hand sanitizer, etc.
Since your color scheme is dark and light blue, I wouldn't even cover the four bulletin boards since they're already a nice matching shade of blue Just put some border around them and put your charts or decor on them. It would save time and money if you were going to purchase bulletin board paper. Also you can put some pocket chart or decor on the metal unit by your group table if you use magnets, so that gives you some extra space to hang things. Hope you have a great year!
Suggestion for the pencil sharpener, could it go on top of the mailbox/cubby area (over by your computer cart)? I would guess there is a plug for the computer cart there. So maybe just on top of one of the cubby shelves.
Also just want to say what a GREAT job your son did on Day 1 and Day 2. He was such a helper moving furniture in Day 1, and seemed to keep himself busy while you worked in Day 2. WOW- such a trooper.
Be sure to share an Amazon wish list when you get it going- would love to help a fellow teacher get what they needed.
Your room is looking awesome and coming together!!!! Good luck.
Amazing progress!
I like all the blues! Looking great so far! Is there an outlet in the small group corner? If so, you could put the sharpener on the counter above the four drawers. Or move the math center to the area next to the classroom door. You could keep the desk by the door and have the math center to the right of it. It would probably go higher than the bottom of the bulletin board, but that could be the math board. I agree with another comment about trying out a cool down area (&/or extra comfy seating for reading) in the library area.
Looks good. Re the pencil station: is there not a plug on the counter?
Also, I would suggest you move the maths manipulatives to the front of the room or on the other side of the room under a whiteboard. The library area might not be functional if you have to step over reading children to grab manipulatives. Also, the resulting nook would make a great calming corner. I love having math resources under my math display to create a 'math area'.
Have a great year.
I’ve used my hot glue gun to put paper on brick and make a bulletin board. Then I hot glue clothespins to the paper and clip up whatever I need to. Hope this helps.
Mr. Bowen, I recommend you become a team player. It will be a lot easier. A simple question: How do these desks go? Will make your job easy. I can tell you will be an awesome teacher. I'm a retired teacher of 28 years. I mentored many teachers throughout my career. I will share something with you. I don't know how these desks go. If you don't know something, ask,ask. Have a great year.