Adventures in Teaching: Classroom Décor

With a new job, comes a new classroom. This time around, I have decided to go Classroom Couture with my decor.

If you are a teacher on Pinterest, you have no doubt seen the remarkable classroom stylings of School Girl Style. She created Classroom Couture… literally. She sells a variety of wonderful classroom decoration packets. It was from these lines, that I found inspiration.

I really wanted a more uniform and cohesive look this year. After a quick look in the local Lakeshore Learning, I was able to find a few things to build inspiration on. I knew that my new classroom was going to be a bit on the dark side (not very many windows), so I wanted nice bright colors. And, if you know me, you know I love polka dots. It might be a bit much — but here is my inspiration so far.

The current plan: black and white polka dots with splashes of yellow, hot pink, tealy blue, and a little pop of lime green.

Note from the author: this was my first attempt at making a layered collage. There are some issues. But, hey, it's a start! I used GIMP. Each one of those pieces is a separate layer. Everything but the polka dot background needed to be tweaked. It was wild. :) 

Adventures in Teaching -- A New Adventure!

If you know me, you know that moving to San Jose was difficult for many reasons, but especially because it meant leaving my old School.

I knew it would be even more just as difficult to find a new job. The economy is still recovering, and threats of further cuts to education loom over districts hesitant to hire. I went to teacher-faires, and sent in numerous resumes and letters of intent, hoping to find something. I had the good fortune to interview at one school that seemed way to good to be true. But, for what seemed like an eternity, I heard nothing.

On the last day of school, literally as I was scooting the kids out of my classroom, my cell phone buzzed mentioning that I had a voicemail. It was the school, the school. My teacher friends and I had always joked that someday we would quit and open a charter school; a school in which we could teach to the whole child, fostering a love of learning  That was this school. The school I had all but written off hope for. There they were calling me, and asking me if I was still interested in becoming a part of their team! 

As of August, I will be a sixth grade teacher at a small K-8 charter school in Palo Alto. Their mission is such that their school "offers a collaborative, experiential learning environment that emphasizes individual student achievement and inspires children, faculty and staff to reach beyond themselves to achieve full potential. Using a global perspective to teach about the interconnectedness of communities and their environments, " their "program nurtures mutual respect, civic responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning."


I am very excited to have accepted the position, and begin a new adventure in teaching.

On Monday I head out to San Mateo for a week long math training. The following week, my new adventure begins! So, for the next few days, I am going to enjoy my last moments of summer break.

Adventures in Teaching: Outdoor School

As a sixth grade teacher in my school district, I am responsible for taking my students to Outdoor School for a few days every year. Prior to working in the district, I had never even heard of Outdoor School, or "Sixth Grade Camp." Today I completed my fourth experience as a teacher at Outdoor School. This year, we attended from Tuesday - Friday. (Yes! Teachers sleep in cabins just like the students!) Sixth graders get the opportunity to learn about ecology, geology, conservation and other sixth grade science standards in 'real-world' applications. It also provides the students with a variety of opportunities for growth in respect, self-reliance, hard-work and perseverance. It is a very challenging, exhausting, and rewarding experience. The best part --- this becomes your classroom for four days, twelve hours a day!