From Chaos to Organization Part 2

The first day I always feel that it's the most productive- it's probably not, but it seems that way to me because I go from utter chaos into something that resembles a classroom.  The second day is always one of the hardest for me because that's usually the day I begin decorating. I love this part of it, but I also hate this part of it. I love it because I can do things to create my environment for the next school year- I can make it a beautiful place (or try to anyway) to spend the day. I love looking at a pretty board- it just makes me happy in a weird, teacher sort of way.
But the process of getting there I am NOT a fan of!  I HATE bulletin board paper- really I do. I hate walls without bulletin board and I hate the process of trying to cut things straight or make things straight on a wall.  It's just not something I can "see"- I can't tell if things are centered; if someone asks me "Is this straight?" I always tell them I will hold the paper and they should go look because it's just not something I am good at.
With that being said, here's what I did today.

 This is on my back wall- we are highly encouraged to have all the thinking maps up for kids. The paper behind the thinking maps is from Schoolgirl Style as are most other things- I purchased her Tickle Me Pink Paisley package.

 My Daily 5 board- it's a work in progress as I am not sure yet how I am going to display student choices for Daily 5. We will see what happens with that... I have a plan in my head, but not sure it's going to work.

 Voice level and rules- I also need to put my Hand Signal things here, but I need to find them!

The pocket chart at the bottom will be for Word Work mostly, and I plan to label it, but didn't have my letters at school.

That's really ALL I accomplished and I was at school from 8:30-2:00 (with a lunch break with my teammate and lots of breaks to help her or ask questions about border etc...)

I am happy with it, but it's no where near as beautiful as other people's I've seen on blogs.

I ran out of black paper and I needed some PINK for a couple of places so I had to make the 45 minute-round trip trek (and that's if I go in, rush directly over the the paper, wait in line and leave without looking at any other teacher products- and you know that's virtually impossible) over to our local Lakeshore Learning to get more black and see if they had pink (they did- YAH!). 

Team leads get our keys today so I can come and go as I please (thank goodness- BTW, what other job takes your keys when you go on vacation? Anyone? Only in teaching- ugh!)

I plan to get the rest of my paper and border on the walls and put up my What Close Readers Do board... One of my teammate and I are going to lunch with her student teacher from last year (Cheesecake Factory-yum!) so I will be lucky to get all that done before lunch.

It really is a good thing school doesn't start for another 19 days- how do people do it who come in on the official start date??? I just don't know!