When I was hired for my first teaching job, it was 6 days before school started.  Insert minor panic attack here.  My mind was so focused on getting my class lists, figuring out what I was supposed to teach, and not having a mental breakdown.  The furthest thing from my mind was, "What should I put on the walls of my classroom?  What color scheme would be best?  Should there be a theme?"

Fortunately, I had some WONDERFUL family members that were thinking those questions for me and coming up with ideas.  Better yet, they were creating and decorating for me!  I realized on Back to School Night that if my classroom hadn't been decorated, it wouldn't have been nearly as inviting or exciting for my students.

So today I'm going to share some ideas of why and how to decorate your classroom!

One of my sisters-in-law teaches school as well and my mother-in-law is a fabulous artist and loves to decorate.  Thus, cute and fun decorations!  Her favorite decoration tool is foam core + tempera paint.  Anyone can do this really.  You paint something, outline in black, cut out with a razor blade or bandsaw and presto!  Unique and fun decorations for your classroom.  Here are some pictures of some of the decorations I used from her...

All things PIRATES filled our classroom my first year.  We had seagulls flying over head and a pirate boy (in the back corner) reminding us to "Make reading your greatest treasure".  There were also a boat dock at the back of the room with even more seagulls.  Outside above the coat racks was a sunken pirate ship as well.

After my 1st year experiences I thought a Circus Theme would be perfect for my second year of teaching.  Here are some of the foam core decorations made by my MIL.

 When you decorate around a specific theme, students get excited.  They begin to identify with it, and the better the theme the longer they'll identify.  When I did pirates, my students were still excited to play pirate games on the last day of school and were working to earn Gold Coins until the bitter end.  It worked really well.  The circus love didn't last as long (I loved it until the very end though!) but it was still exciting and happy throughout the entire year.


Here is a list of other themes that can really be fun and exciting for most grade levels (some may be better suited for younger or older students):

~ Camping
~ Outer Space
~ Under the Sea
~ Superheroes (What I was planning on doing in my third year of teaching)
~ Candyland
~ Old West
~ Dr. Seuss
~ Hollywood/Movies
~ Jungle
~ Egypt
~ A favorite book (i.e. Harry Potter, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom)
~ Greek Mythology

I've seen a lot of rooms that have a more generic decorating theme (i.e. owls, apples, rainbow) but I truly believe something more specific will help the teacher and students in the long run.  It helps the students like I said above to attach themselves to the classroom.  It provides more class pride because they are obviously part of something that no other class is.  It helps the teacher because once you have a theme, hundreds of ideas and projects will stem from it.  When I committed to a theme I immediately started thinking of how my rules, behavior system, beginning of year art projects, getting to know you activities, and more could relate to the theme.  Even if it was just putting a clown face at the top of a learning style quiz (you can find one of those here via Laura Candler - love her!) it made a difference.  A decorating theme may seem like a lot of work, and it can be, but I know it is well worth any and all efforts.  Plus if you can get someone to help you then it makes it that much easier...right Valerie? ;)

Valerie made the perfect pom poms and super cute name bunting for my desk in my first year among MANY other things.  Thanks again!

I would love to hear about more classroom themes that have worked for you and to create a greater master list for teachers that would love more classroom decorating ideas.  

Natalie

Back To School Night: Is it THAT important??

Late nights, late mornings, swimming lessons, skinned knees, bike rides, short hikes, bloody noses, boredom, fights with siblings, complaints, excitement, fireworks, freedom, picnics, and so on and so forth.

Oh, the joys of summer.  You know what I mean.  Of course, I love summertime.  To have my kids home with me so that at a moments notice we can be at the park, or the mountains, or the dentist.  All without having to adjust schedules and pull kids out of school.  The world is our classroom in the summer.  This also means that I am the teacher during the summer.  I love helping my kids to learn about bugs, gardens, and the importance of sunscreen.

(I also love bedtime.  My goodness, teaching is exhausting.)

Now comes the time for freshly sharpened pencils, new folders, and never been used crayons.  Time for back to school.  I love this time of year!  Probably due to the fact that I taught for those few short years before becoming a mommy.  The fresh start, the new faces, the opportunity for success.  These things drove me and hyped me up at back to school time while I was teaching.  Now, the coin has flipped and I am standing on the other side.  I'm the parent.

So what does this mean? 

I'm different in the fact that I know what the teacher has been doing all summer....preparing, dreaming, and hoping for a wonderful school year.  Teachers don't know who will be in their class...how they will act...what they are capable of.  Teachers only know that they LOVE teaching and LOVE children.  Your children.  Our children. 

I also know that teachers put a lot of work into back to school night.  (A very special night where teachers and students first lay eyes on each other)  For this reason I believe that attendance at back to school night is essential to starting your (and your child's) year off right.  Of course, if you have a more pressing matter (a wedding, funeral, bar mitzvah), by all means skip back to school night.  However, if you are planning on not attending because you just can't tear yourself away from the new hot sitcom, please reconsider.

This is what you can expect at back to school night.

-Meet the teacher
This is so important for our kiddos.  If we can bring them with us to back to school night and let them have the opportunity to meet their teacher before school starts, it can ease any anxiety they may be feeling.

-See the classroom
Your child will know where to go the first day of school.  They know where their seat is and can see what the classroom is decorated like.  This can excite them for the first day of school.  They will be more willing to go to class alone if they know how to get there and where they sit when they get there.

-Meet fellow classmates
Every year the worry that your child won't have friends in their new class creeps in.  This is a chance to see other students in the class.  Your child will feel better knowing who is in the class with them.

-Hear from the teacher
This is probably the most important part of the night.  Most teachers will want to talk to each child or with all the children collectively about the classroom, what they will be learning this year, and a little bit about herself/himself.

Teachers usually want to talk to parents as well.  Teachers outline the school year and what is expected of your child and you as the year progresses.  They will go over rules of the classroom, homework requirements, grading, attendance, book orders, birthdays, procedures for certain circumstances (i.e., medicine, checking your student out of school, absence, and volunteering), daily schedules, and donations.  Each teacher is different, so don't convince yourself that you've heard it all before.  Each teacher has their own way of handling these things in their classroom and will want to make sure that you are well versed in their ways to help things run smoothly throughout the year.  You will be given a packet with all of this information to refer to as needed.

There will be paperwork.  Bring your pens, and any information you don't readily have. (i.e., your pediatrician's name and number, names of those who can pick your child up from school and their numbers, and your spouse's work number)  If for some reason you don't have time during back to school night to fill out all of these papers, most teachers allow you to take home the info sheets and permission slips and return them to school during the first week.  Please do this.  Teachers rely on this information more than you might think.  Also, if your child has allergies of any kind, now is the time to inform the teacher.  With a form like this.  A good idea is to have a picture of your child, a description of their allergy, possible symptoms, who to call if your child suffers a reaction, the medication they require should they have a reaction, and how to administer such medicine. You can find more information for you and your child with allergies here.

You will also be given contact information for your teacher.  This way you can email/call to set up a time apart from back to school night to discuss your child and any important things the teacher may need to know, such as learning disorders, allergies, etc.  Please refrain from bringing all of this up at back to school night.  This is a time when you are with your child and they may not appreciate you bringing attention to their special needs in front of everyone.  You can email the teacher later that night if you really want the teacher to know something before school starts.

-Receive a school supply list (a list of things your child will need to bring to school ASAP)
Teachers are given a small monetary budget for supplies in the classroom.  This list is to enhance your child's learning environment.  There will also be times throughout the year that your child's teacher may ask for items for the classroom.  If you have the means, please help and supply those things.  There is never enough money for everything and speaking from experience, a teacher's pocketbook is usually the fallback plan to get supplies needed throughout the year.

-Volunteer Signup and Donation Wishlist
Not every teacher has volunteer signups ready to go at back to school night, however, this may be a great opportunity to sign up for volunteering in the classroom.  Even if you are unable to go during the school day to volunteer, some teachers require help after school hours.  Inquire with your teacher if you would like an opportunity to help in your child's class.

Donation Wishlists may be available as well.  If your teacher has planned throughout the year for any necessary items for a given month, they may have you sign up to bring those things during the assigned time.
 
-Q&A
Your child's teacher may have a portion of the night for Q&A.  This will help parents, teachers, and students understand how the year will go.  If you have questions, please ask them.  Teachers are humans too, they make mistakes sometimes.  If you ask your question it could clear up something for everyone.  If you feel uncomfortable asking your question at back to school night, please email your teacher and clear up any confusion.

And of course, if your child is a kindergartner like mine, you will be able to see the school and how to get there.  My child is a very sensitive soul and I feel that we will have some tears for the first day of school, however, I'm hoping that attending back to school night will help ease her fears and get her excited for her new adventure.

So mommies, please try to take your kids to back to school night.  It will help to transition back to school.

Valerie