caution! hard hat area -- uncoordinated teacher at work

For the last three weekdays, it's been just me, the janitors, and the principal at school. I've been trying to get things set up so that I can leave on our last vacation of the summer without wigging out at all the stuff I have to do before the first day of school.

Below are the fruits of my labor:

This is my front door. I'm going to write the names of each of my five first graders on the spyglasses. Hopefully it will have a welcoming effect!

Do you sense the pirate theme yet?

The left side of this bulletin board is for showcasing great student work. The right side is going to change on my whim. I think for the first few months, it will be for posting classroom rules.

If you're wondering why it took me three days to put up four bulletin boards (one is not pictured), LET ME JUST TELL YOU. Have you ever tried to hang butcher paper all by yourself? Without crinkling the paper? Without falling off the chair/counter/stool you're standing on? Making sure the whole thing is straight and not lopsided? It's hard work. Especially when I technically have only one bulletin board made out of cork. For the others I had to either use tape or a staple gun.

So that's why it took me so long! If only I wasn't such a perfectionist...

For all of my teacher readers out there.... have you started working in your classroom yet?

13 comments:

Raye said...: I hate hanging butcher paper because I can't ever get it straight either!; 10:28 AM
Mrs. Fine said...: I know, right? Bulletin boards may be 'pretty' but there is nothing pretty about a teacher falling off a milk crate stacked on a desk when hanging butcher paper alone (cough...not that I have experience falling like that...cough!) It'll be great to get the big jobs out of the way before your vacation! We have to hand our keys in during the summer but I'm fortunate to stay in the same room and my paper doesn't fade...so I tend to keep the same paper/fabric on the boards year after year...which saves me time during the August scramble when we're finally allowed in again. Have a great vacation, matey!; 10:31 AM
Bethany said...: You're making me feel pleasantly nostalgic and panicky at the same time! The boards look great!; 10:36 AM
malia said...: the boards look great. i know-- that butcher paper is a pain... my son's teacher made me do a bunch of butcher paper stuff in the classroom last year. i was shocked at how hard it was to work with. good job!; 10:53 AM
Sherri said...: I love the pirate theme! I don't get my social skills program up and running until mid-September, so I get to teeter on the ladder with my butcher paper and staple gun while everyone else is already in session! Kids and teachers pop in to visit, which makes it take sooo much longer, too.

I am a perfectionist too, and it's hard to hang that stuff alone! I also have these long curtain panels that I hang from dowels from the ceiling (divides the room, since I only use half). I have had several comical near-death experiences trying to hang these on my own...; 11:50 AM
Kenzie said...: It looks great! I bet you kiddos will be excited to see their name on the door!; 1:06 PM
Sharlene T. said...: Why can't you just hang the butcher and let him hold the paper?... the boards look wonderful and very welcoming... good job... looking forward to your sharing your days... come visit when you can...

Twitter: SolarChief; 1:31 PM
Unknown said...: Oh what a fun theme! I love it! Sorry you had a hard time with the butcher paper solo. But it all turned out nicely. I'm sure the kiddos will love it!; 9:01 PM
Anonymous said...: I am absolutely like you in regard to not wanting all of the wrinkles in the butcher paper! And it IS hard to hang by yourself! I have to officially report on the 16th, but am going to go in next week and get the process going. Then I will give myself a week to relax and then go back. I used to go back the week before we had to but am going to change it up this year and try a different approach! Your boards look great!; 9:19 PM
Rebekah said...: I'm actually trying to hold off a little longer, only because I have a lot more pressing things to do for actual lesson planning (ex: open the new textbook and get familiar with it). But, in the meantime, I do a lot of visualizing and list-making. :)

I do LOVE your class look though! Great job. Now comes the paperwork and file organizing, right?; 9:24 AM
The Goldfish Herder said...: Yes! I have to make my own bulletin boards too! Last year it took me an entire day to get them hung up and then... I stood up at the front and noticed that one was horribly crooked and I knew I couldn't look at that the whole year so... down it came to try again!
This year I got smart and drew lines in light pencil to keep my straight and I had a teenage helper (daughter of another teacher) SO much easier! :D

I spend a lot of time in my class throughout the whole summer, I really enjoy getting all set up. :); 11:55 AM
Ginger Snaps said...: I just started getting my classroom together. I haven't attacked the bulletin boards yet! I'm still unpacking boxes and rearranging my room! I already feel so overwhelmed with all of the stuff left to do!; 7:49 PM
Nancy Hniedziejko (Nancy Ehrlich) said...: Ahh... the dreaded bulletin boards. I was so fed up with paper, that I bought fabric (cheap) in bright colors. It stays up forever and never fades. I use white borders and put up signs that say "coming soon" for any I can't finish. Some teachers love doing them; I'm not one of them.

I don't go back for another MONTH!; 6:04 AM