#2getherwearebetter: Bulletin Boards

It's that time again! Time to link up with Ashley and Angie for #2getherwearebetter !

This month is all about bulletin boards! 

This past year I tried something different.  I don't remember how I actually came to the idea.  Actually, I think it was because I was expressing to a friend how I wanted to do a nautical-ish theme in my classroom.  She suggested going to a fabric store to use fabric as a bulletin board background.  Well, sure enough, I LOVED it! 

Using fabric made putting up a bulletin board background sooooo much easier! It's also more decorative.  You can find patterned fabric, but you can't find patterned bulletin board paper. :)

PLUS, fabric doesn't fade like bulletin board paper or construction paper.

With this "bulletin board", I was actually just covering a whole wall space.  The coat hooks were halfway between the ceiling and the floor, so I needed something to cover the wall above the coat hooks.  I bought - I believe it was 6 feet! - of fabric to just run down the wall.  

Then, because it was dark blue background with red and white stars, I didn't want one color to dominate, so I doubled up the border.  I used white border along the outside then followed that with red border.  Where the white dips (in the design) is where I would place the rise of the red border.

I used fabric for covering walls and bulletin boards in my classroom, but in the hallway display cases, I used wrapping paper.  Wrapping paper is like bulletin board paper - it's all rolled up.  But I like that it's a shorter length than bulletin board paper.  I also suggest wrapping paper because one can find different colors and patterns in wrapping paper.

The blue background in this picture is wrapping paper, but it is a super clear blue similar to the texture of saran wrap just not as clingy.  

Well, that about sums up my input for bulletin boards! 

What would you like to share about bulletin boards? :)

Currently: August

Is anyone else scratching his/her head wondering "What in the world?! How is it already August?!"

I am.  I am realizing summer is flying by so I *must* savor each precious day of summer that is left. ahhhh! 

Before I knock out and go to bed, I'm linking up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this month's Currently!  Be sure to link up and check out what others are up to! :)

Listening

Yup, it's kind of a habit.  I share a room with my youngest sister, and before we go to bed we pretty much always watch The Golden Girls.  I've been hooked on the show since I was about 9-years-old and it would play on the channel Lifetime. hahah!  I turned the television on a few minutes early before "The Things We Do For Love" came on.  I caught a few minutes of The Golden Girls and experienced how funny it was, so I was hooked! The next day I turned on the t.v. an hour before "The Things We Do for Love" to catch The Golden Girls.  My youngest sister is now hooked too!

#oops

Loving

I am extremely proud of myself.  I went to the gym this morning to take two classes.  One class in particular - Ride - was at 9:30.  I've been hooked on ride and cycle classes since I stopped teaching classes at the gym.  Never thought I would be much of a rider.  Anyways, it's been .... 2 years? .... since I've taught classes 2 hours in a row, so while I am no longer teaching classes at the gym, I decided to push myself and take 2 classes at the gym.  I took Group Blast (formerly Group Step when I taught the program) and Group Ride (classes are by Mossa).  I thought I would leave after taking Blast, but I stuck it out for Ride because I just love it and I felt really good today! :) I ate everything in sight - for dinner I had two, three, four pork chops (my uncle is a phenomenal cook!) then I still had bottomless sweet potato fries and a chicken wrap at Red Robin! 

#hungryhippo

Thinking

 With that said, I ate sooo many fries that it was soo many too many. 

#imstuffed

Wanting

Being that it's August 1st, going on August 2nd at this point, can we please have another month of summer vacation ?! I'm not ready to go back in 4 weeks! :(

#teacherslovesummer

Needing

I need to have more confidence in myself.  Farley's post is another inspiration to the many teachers and people I have already read and listened to.  I am almost done with one of my *first* ever products to put on TPT, but I'm hesitant.  Too many scary things like copyright and other sellers calling you a copycat though you didn't really do anything wrong.  But I need to stay positive and stop shooting down myself as if I'm not good at what I do.

#positivemindpositivelife

B2S RAK

I'm starting in a new district this year.  It's a 7th and 8th grade building, and I will be teaching 8th grade Language Arts.  The scariest part of starting is that I'll be working with a new set of colleagues. I'm leaving colleagues who were so pleasant to be around and were absolutely friendly in the hallways.  I hope that this new school is nothing short of that.  In order to help make that happen, while I may be the "little fish" or the "newbie-in-town", I'm still going to smile at my colleagues in the hallway to encourage them. I want to step outside of my box even when I'm the "new kid on the block".  And of course, I plan to do more to say "thank you" to the secretaries and janitorial staff at the school.  After all, they keep the place running. :)

#randomactofkindness

#back2school

What's your Back 2 School Random Act of Kindness ??? :)

Five for Friday: July 24

Hey, all ! It's FRIDAY !! :) And I'm linking up with Kacey for another ..

Here's the scoop from my week:

My boyfriend left on Thursday of last week for Haiti.  Last year he went to Haiti and he was gone for 10 days ! :( Fortunately this year he went to Haiti for only 4 days. :) So I kept myself busy while he was away so I wouldn't miss him too much. ;)

In the mean time, before he left, I made him a card for each day.  It had a short message, Bible verse, and a prayer for the day - something that I was praying for for him during his trip.  I did this last year too - one card for each day he was away.  I guess I have to make it a tradition now any time he leaves me.

I am a HUGE Minion lover, so in honor of the Minion movie, my sister decided it would be cool to check out the Rutgers Cinema that was recently added to the Rutgers University campus.  It was quite interesting.  A little different than other movie theaters since there were pull up desks/tables to each chair (which were super comfy, ps) and a podium on the floor.  My sister's boyfriend has actually had classes in the theater! LOL!  It was a quaint theater, very clean and family friendly so I'd definitely go back again. :)

Oh! Why is no one else there to see the Minion movie with us? You ask -

My sister led us to the wrong theater! LOL!

Fortunately, we figured it out in time to make it to the right room. :)

I had to have this - in honor of the minions. :)

#coolest8thgradeteacherever

Forty eight hours later, my sisters and I went to 6 Flags Great Adventure in Jersey to see/hear "for King & Country".  On Friday, I lifeguarded ALL DAY - from 9:00 AM to 10:30PM.  Granted, the swim meet we were guarding was over early, but it was *still* a  L O N G day for me because  ... I locked myself out of the car. -____-

I was guarding at 2 different pools that were in the same vicinity.  I started outside where I locked my keys in the car. Went to lunch with my supervisor and the pool she was guarding, so when she went off on her trek to her pool, I treked the 2 miles down the road to the pool I had to guard at next.  I called my dad, he brought my spare key. #dadforthewin  I eventually rescued my car - that was literally half a mile away - drove it to the pool I was guarding, and left the night happily ever after.

So after having that kind of Friday last week, I got home Friday night, went to bed, and had to be up so I could be BACK at the swim meet pool at 6:30 am.  Fortunately, we had a lightning delay from 8:30am - 10:00am, so that helped really break up the morning.  

But I left at 2:30pm, came home, ordered a new size in my bridesmaid dress for my friend's wedding in two weeks and headed off to 6 Flags with 2 of my sisters.

 This is the part where they got off the stage and were arms reach of where we were.  I won #sisteroftheyear and got my sisters and I tickets for the "VIP" seating standing. haha.

It was worth it though. :)

So then ...

After getting home around 11:00pm from 6 Flags on Saturday night, I was hosting one of my best friend's bridal shower at my house the next day. These are just some of the pictures taken by the maid of honor who is an art teacher and made all the decorations. :)  And the food was done by one of the bridesmaid. I can't even begin to tell you how AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS it all was! <3  And huge shout out to my sister who made the red velvet cupcakes and icing from scratch. <3 <3 love you, little one!

In honor of Prime Day on the 15th, which was a #fail for us teachers (but I digress...)

I finally ordered:

I made out pretty well though utilizing the Prime deals by ordering this charger.  I think it was orignially $70, but I snagged it for $20. :)  woot! woot!

Well, that's all for me. Be sure to leave a quick comment below - even if it's just to tell me "I read your post!"  I don't mind that. :)  You can even tell me how your week was! Whatever you choose to tell me, I'm happy to hear from you. 

Enjoy your weekend!

Tell All Tuesday: My Dream Classroom!

Once again, I am linking up with Diana from My Day in K and Jayme from Teach.Talk.Inspire for ....

This week is all about .....

This was a tough one to decipher, narrow down, and actually figure out because I'm no longer decorating for a 3rd grade classroom but rather an 8th grade classroom now.  I really have no idea what my dream classroom would look like, but I have a select list of ideas that I would like in a classroom.  Ironically, as I was looking for a picture to explain my dream library, I realized that most people would just tell me to be a Media Specialist, but I really don't think that's the route I want to go.  I like teaching reading and of course teaching writing too.  I want a classroom library that mirrors a beautiful school or community even college library! [Of course I couldn't find a picture I wanted to use that I also thought was "okay" to use without being penalized for breaking some kind of term of use.] I love the space and the ability to just get lost in books! It reminds me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. :)  And because writing stems from reading and we use books as mentor texts, I wouldn't mind writing in a library or working at a craft table-library desk and writing with a stack of books and Starbucks in hand!

So without further ado, here are some ideas that would be beautiful if I:
a) had the room
b) had the time
c) had the money ;)

{Click the pictures to be taken to the exact link of where I found it.}

1. Wall Space

I really like this idea from The Pinspired Teacher the black background with the various color borders.  It sets each area of space apart from the others.  The colors are friendly, and it is a great area of the wall/room.  All charts that can be posted in the colors are at eye level for students.  

2. Bunting and Pom Poms !!

I love *love* love bunting [and of course wash tape too ;)] - especially this bunting display from Peace, Love, 2 Sisters. I really like having bunting and pom poms in the classroom.  It livens up the room and makes it an inviting place for students.  No matter what the age of the classroom students.

3. Classroom Library - Book Display

I think a "flashy" classroom library will go a long way with middle school students.  There are more novels and books that appeal to them because they have been turned into films or vice versa.  I don't think this would've worked so well with younger students; it doesn't seem as applicable to them.  Middle school students are usually at the movies or watching a movie, no?

from Shelf Mouse

from Marci Combs

from A Burst of First

^^^ by far, what I would LOVE for my library to look like. Since I'm moving to middle school, I think having the books displayed .. not in bins .. would appeal more to middle school students who-will-eventually-be-freshman-come-June, so book bins seem ... elementary??  And the "IMAGINE" sign .. Imagine all the possibilities. :)

4. Technology in the Classroom

Seriously! How stinkin'  A W E S O M E  is this ??!!!! 

I love this Starbucks-meets-Apple-in-the-classroom kinda feel, don't you? :) 

I think my kids wouldn't mind writing research/information papers. ;)

from Welcome to Macara's Blog

5. Classroom Library - Reading Space

I really like the openness, the space, the two chairs and little "ottoman" in the center of the reading area in Reagan Tunstall's classroom.  It makes me think of a coffeehouse. :)

from A Burst of First

HECK YES !
I would totally put these in my classroom -
and I would want more than one. ;)

6. Classroom Desks

I really enjoy the circular tables.  I feel like it gives the vibe to students in the group that all are welcome.  There are no sharp edges or corners that separate one side of the table from another.  It may not be idea for books and such, but the rounded edges would allow me to maneuver between all students.  And groups of 3 are perfect.  After group tasks in mathematics with my 3rd graders last year, I learned within a few weeks that the smaller the groups, the better. 

from Middle School Teacher to Literacy Coach

Well, I hope you enjoyed my imaginary classroom?  Needs to be the size of a house, right? :)

What would your dream classroom look like and include?