The Back-to-School Wardrobe

So, I really, really, really wanted to buy some new work clothes this weekend.  There is just something about going back to school with some new togs or a new pair of shoes that just gears me up for the new year.  Unfortunately, after 3 hours of slogging through the mall, Target, Old Navy, and TJMaxx, I came out with a spiced latte candle and some new Olay 7effects+serum...but nothing else.  I was disappointed, but every time I came across something cute, I couldn't quite figure out what I would wear it with or how it would exactly fit into my wardrobe.  As a consolation, I decided to go through my closet and see if I could put together a few outfits for this week and from there decide what I still needed...interestingly enough, 1.5 hours and 14 outfits later, I realized that I need NOTHING.  In fact, I have so many clothes that I put together 14 outfits with no repeats and still have clothing left over...talk about a wake up call.  What I realized (aside from how blessed I am) is that having outfits put together for the next three weeks  is going to make my life extremely organized...I get to wake up, grab a hanger, add some shoes and accessories and head out the door.  So Exciting!!!

So anyway, here's a shot of my outfit organization:

14 hangers, each with a bottom and top...some with accessories

And here is my outfit-of-choice for the 1st day of school (capris - Old Navy, Shirt - Hollister, Shoes - Target, Necklace - Charlotte Russe, Watch - Michael Kors...it was my birthday present from Chris Hottie)

Don't judge the fact that I took a bathroom selfie like a teenager

I highly encourage the outfit-on-a-hanger system.  I came across it by accident, but I'm so excited about how organized I feel.  Speaking of organization, check out thecurlyclassroom.blogspot.com today, they have a link-up of classroom tours...it's such a great way to get new ideas!  Have a great day!

Classroom Tour

I know that you all have been in school for months now...ok, maybe not months, but it probably feels like it to some of you.  Me? I finally had orientation day yesterday, and I'm ready for the official start next week Tuesday...which means that my room is finally ready!

Here are some pics, so you can tour around...

Here is the view from the door: 

Along the side wall (you can see the corner of the doorway in the right hand photo) I have my Shakespeare corner and another bulletin board with the 4 types of writing.  Each poster has a real-life example of that style of writing on it (poetry examples on the descriptive writing poster, a magazine article on the expository writing poster, etc.)

This is the back of my classroom.  I use the silver wire baskets for homework turn-in (there is one for each class, the manila folders in the middle are absent folders for students to check if they are gone from class - I put copies of classwork in the files, and there is one for each hour, the stacked files hold lined paper, plain paper and pink slips (click here for more info about pink slips), and I also have a hole punch, stapler, and jar of "ugly pens" - pens I find on the floor that I collect in case a student needs one.  I NEVER supply new pens or pencils to my students...NEVER.

 

My back-of-the-class bookshelf: Fiction is on the right and non-fiction and resource on the left...should probably work on building my non-fiction library.  The two signs on top read "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body (found it on Pinterest), and "No Whining."

 

This is my desk...not much to tell

 Another shot of my desk and the view outside...I'm blessed to have 2 floor-to-ceiling windows in my room!

The far side of my room - two group-work tables and a door that leads into the computer lab.

Well, that's pretty much it.  I really love my room; it's bright, it's big, and to me, it's really homey, I mean, it should be, right? We spend more time in our rooms than we do at home!  Anyway, I've loved seeing all of your rooms, and I'm so glad to share mine.  Looking forward to a great year!

My New Hanging Files!

This weekend I invested in a roll of zebra striped duct tape for my classroom, and after I finished the one little thing I needed it for, I had an ENTIRE roll of tape and no plans to use it.  So today, after some major Pinteresting, I decided to make an ultra-fancy hanging file system.  I found a few examples that I really liked including this one from The Silver Lining

 

and this one from Classroom DIY

but I still couldn't really figure out how to do it...so I winged it (wung it?), but I included a detailed pictorial just in case you want to try it out for your self.  Here we go...

I started with 6 red folders from Staples, and I decided that I wanted them all to have the same middle tab.

...and then I lined them up, and of course I eyeballed it because I didn't feel like searching the house for a ruler.

Then I added the duct tape.  I lined it up along the top edge of the back of the folder (the folder is open in the following pics.  I then attached the back of one folder to the front of the next, starting from the bottom and working upward.

Finally, in order to add zebra stripe to the top of the files, I topped one side of an extra file folder with the duct tape, and fastened it to the back of the entire file system.  I also taped them all together on the back for extra support.

And here's the final product...

BUT...that's not all!  From here, I decided to go ahead and hang it in my classroom...and since I wasn't exactly sure how to do that, I decided on MORE DUCT TAPE! So yes, I duct taped it onto my wall and filled it with student resource pages.

Now, if you are a better think-through-the -details person than I am, you would have realized that the folders weren't actually far enough apart to put the papers in and still be able to read the labels...but instead of starting over, I improvised and made little arrow labels to distinguish between each folder.

And finally, here is another photo with the files in the context of my classroom

Well, that was my big project for today...my classroom is almost ready, so hopefully a room tour is coming soon!

Armpit Deep in Grading Papers

I found this Ryan Gosling meme as I was scrolling through Pinterest today, and low and behold it linked up to Stephanie's blog at Tales of Teaching in Heels.  We are definitely kindred spirits!  Anyway, it also spoke to me because, although it's only August 6th, I am ARMPIT DEEP IN GRADING PAPERS!!  Our school requires that all incoming Freshmen complete a timed writing in May of 8th grade...we then use these papers as their first entry in their High School writing portfolio, and use them to track the development of their writing skills from 8th-12th grade.  In theory it's awesome, but the grunt work is, frankly, a pain.  All 4 teachers in the English department grade all 77 essays using the same rubric, and then we compare our grading to ensure that we are all aligned in the way we look at our student's writing.  This is the pile that I am currently working on...

We gave the students a choice between the following 2 questions:

1. Many schools are considering changing their dress code policyso that students are required to wear school uniforms to school.  Should students at WMC be required to wear school uniforms? Why or why not? Defend your answer.

2. Who is the most influential person in your life? Why? Explain your answer.

We used the following 2 grading rubrics:

Which we adapted from the rubrics that are available through Greece School District in Greece, NY.

Grading and grading and grading got me thinking about grading throughout the school year, so I adapted an idea that (I think) I saw on Pinterest (I can't find the pin/link/original owner but I WILL keep looking) and I bought an accordion folder and labeled it with all of my classes...that way I can put the papers that need to be graded into the right file space and transport them back and forth from home without them getting crushed/wrinkled/ripped/misplaced in the bottom of my school bag (not that any of those things would EVER happen to papers that I'm grading.)  I also added a folder stocked with rubrics...that way they are always right there and I can grade wherever I am! 

I'm excited about this accordion file...let me know if you have something similar, or if you have another great way to transport papers back and forth!