Progress!

Most of the trash is out, the old furniture removed and a lot of stuff put away. I consider that progress! I'll paint my new bookshelf and move it in next week and hopefully that will let me clear away the rest of the stuff that is on my desks. Today, I put up my door decorations (most of it anyway) and try to work on my small group area.
My Daily Five books are on the way (thanks, Mom!) and I've found several good blogs about using it in the classroom. I went to Momma's school yesterday and got ideas from her colleague (thanks, MCG). One of the ones I liked best was having the students place a clothespin to the bookbasket they checked out from in the classroom library. I'm thinking bookmarks or something flat since I don't think clothespins will work on my baskets, or looking for new baskets (always fun and mine are chipped). My momma also showed me the magic of air freshener - spray on white board, wipe, and magic - the board is clean!
I did finish my ticket board (sorry for the sideways picture)and it did turn out cute if I say so myself. I'm going to put owls on the corners where I wasn't thinking about the ribbon overlapping. I put up objective boards above my calendar (not perfectly spaced, but they will be taken up and down so much so I can write on them, hopefully they will look like I use them). The paper lanterns added a fun and playful touch to the room and another splash of color. I hope my students like all of this!

I'm putting ideas for next year on here so I will hopefully keep up with them...
1. Ticket for behavior. I have a foam board I have painted to go with Chocolate Dots, have the library pockets laminated to put the tickets in and write names on, need idea for how to manage and reward with tickets. Weekly? Monthly? Nine weeks?
2. Rewards in jar for students to pick...computer time; five minutes to draw, talk to a friend, etc.; candy; pencil; treasure box...other ideas? I found several cheap and quick arts and crafts at Michael's today and purchased them. I'm thinking of allowing that to be a draw from the jar . I'm also thinking about setting up a certain number of tickets for each type of reward...
3. Hanging student work around room on jumbo dots with clothespins. Have to paint them!
4. Would love to have a calendar/number of the day for students to complete each day. Have a few templates for this, now need idea for display in room - foam board? science board?
5. Classroom library - see Clutter Free Classroom idea for seperating by genres, not levels; then switch out periodically.

My first post...again...so bare with me. I've already lost my first blog, so I don't know how this is going to go. I'm getting ready to start my seventh year as a third grade teacher, and love it! I taught first grade for five years and sixth grade for one before landing in third; third grade is definitely the charm for me! I've spent the past month on TPT and TN looking for new materials. I'm also redoing my room; painted one wall and the bulletin board and went with Chocolate Dots for my design. Now on to the new classroom management tools (tickets, anyone?) and centers/stations (easy but worthy please!). Wish me luck!