Organization of my Classroom...

I've been in my classroom now for three years, and I think I FINALLY have it organized in the way that makes sense to me.  And my assistant.  

First, let me say that I work at a university lab school (preschool) with five classrooms.  All of them, except mine, have storage closets and/or shelves for storing rotating materials.  EXCEPT MINE.  I have a small cave of an office, which can't really be used for working in (it's about 5' x 10 ft) since the computer is out in the classroom.  I like the computer in the classroom because we use it a lot with the children.  Over the last couple of years, I've had some shelves added above the computer desk to store bins on, and moved a large cabinet out of the office to store art materials in.   But that still didn't give me any good place to store materials that I rotate in my centers.  I couldn't find anything when I need it, but everything was underfoot when I didn't need it! 

This summer, I spent time every week procuring shelves for the office.  We used to keep the rest time cots in the office too, but that was difficult to get them out and put them back, so I never liked that situation at all.  As we added shelves (all of them--5-- free through surplus and donations), we moved the cots into a corner of the classroom.  While we were closed this summer, I took everything out of the office and off the shelves and from everywhere else I had them stashed, and sorted them into centers.  I labeled several shelves for each center-- art, play dough, light table/mirror, science, outdoors, block center materials, math, literacy, classroom decorations.  I then sorted all the materials into bins on the shelves.  I INSIST that everyone put things back on the shelves they came from, and make sure to do it myself.  

This year so far has been so EASY!  I haven't spent any time searching for this or that, and I've even found things that other people can't find.  The bins on the shelves are for things we do every year and various celebrations and decorations like Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, etc.  

I try to set out our art materials for the week, and the books we are going to read that week as well.  That makes for easy set up every day.  I try to clear off the computer desk at the end of each day, and faithfully keep a to-do list daily.  On Friday, I make a list of anything special we are doing the next week so I can do any shopping I need to or make any requests from my administration or coworkers.  So far, so good.   

Gardening Journal

This year I have made a real effort to keep a gardening journal.  I can never remember what I planted where, how it grew, what kind of green beans were those?  So I've done pretty well.  I keep my very glamorous journal (an ugly spiral notebook--maybe I should glam it up a little, I believe you can never have too much glitter.) on a shelf next to my computer and every night I write a few notes about what I've done that day--if anything.  I write what I bought and what I paid, and if I had to water or if it rained this week, and what I transplanted, or anything else.  I also wrote in there what sproutrobot.com suggests that I plant based on my zip code.  Love that site.  

Cover (specially decorated by me!):

Sample Page:

This is what it looks like--not sure if you can read what's written, but you get the idea.  Each two-page spread has a week listed.  I had divided it up into four sections (showing four years of what happened), but it turns out, half a page isn't enough space for me, so I'm changing to one year per page.  So when the book is open, the left page will be for 2013. and the right page will be for 2014.  I can see from year to year what happened last year.  After 2014 I will get a new book (sometimes I HAVE to spend money--I think it's 99 cents well spent)

I'm not a great gardener, but I've always believed that what I lack in knowledge I can make up in enthusiasm, so I wing it.  It turns out that plants have been growing on earth for millions (at least) of years, and they don't really need much help from me.  They continue to grow in spite of me.  Another beautiful thing.

I am what I am. . .

Okay, I'm hanging my head in shame.  Can it really be May 21st?  Anyway, it hasn't been as long as last time since I blogged.  Not really sure that I'm cut out for blogging, but I'm trying.

I'm thinking of changing my house around.  I need to do something to make it more appealing to myself.  I used to love being in my little house, and puttering around, and I don't anymore.  If I'm home alone (which I used to adore), I am usually doing laundry, reading in my room or working in the garden.  I don't even move my stuff (meaning my collections) around anymore.  So naturally I thought, "I should change the furniture around."  Which led to, "I think I will move my sewing room back out into the den."  Which led to, "I need a bookcase for my bedroom."  So I guess this is what I'm going to be spending my vacation taking care of.  I was going to go out of town for a couple days with mom, but I don't think I will since  Brett will be leaving the following weekend, and I will miss him so much that I want to spend the time with him.  He's pretty awesome.  

In the spirit of making my house more appealing, I've been making a huge mess sorting through stuff in my bedroom.  Why does this ALWAYS mean I have a bigger mess to clean up than I originally had?  I really need to ruthlessly cull out my closet and dressers (that's right, I said DRESSERS).  Ruthlessly.  I also need to organize the absolutely ridiculous amount of shoes that I have accumulated.  Ideas and suggestions are welcome. 

A proposal that I and a coworker submitted to present at the Florida Association for the Education of Young Children was accepted so I will be shopping for a decent suit and sexy shoes soon.  I'm kind of thinking red.  Or purple.  We will present a workshop on Implementing the Project Approach Across the Domains in September.  This is a pretty big deal, and I'm pretty pleased with myself, I must say.

This weekend I will be working on building my potting bench.  I have a bunch of reclaimed wood just waiting to be made into something wonderful.  Why haven't I had the motivation to just do it?  It won't even take that long, I think.  I just need to do it.  Maybe getting the house in order will inspire me.  One can hope.