Our new couch!

Last night I went to pick up a couch, 'hand made' by the aunt of a friend. I had seen her work on my friends Facebook page and on a FB garage sale page, which my friend had set up! After a discussion with 'Patsy' - the creator of the couch - she made one to match our classroom decor for us to enjoy!

WE LOVE IT!

It matches our decor perfectly!

I could tell the tots felt very special sitting on their very own couch!

The name of Patsy's company is 'Dawns Designs'

DAWNS DESIGNS

telephone: 647-889-4244

email: slawter1959@msn.com

11880 Derry Rd.

Milton, Ontario

Canada

Here are some of her other designs

 

I love them all!

Each is so unique!

Hallway Decor

Here are a couple of things we made to decorate our hallway outside of our classroom!

We made snowballs - with coffee filters and fake snow!

We love to glue stuff! :)

We put them over our cubbies!

Then we made a handprint wreath and hung it over our notice board!

Paper mache spider

Ok here is this years door decoration! A paper mache spider!

Ripping up the construction paper.

Sticking it on the plastic bowl.

More diluted white glue.

Dried body! (Overnight)

Prying it off the bowl by running a paintbrush handle under the paper.

It came off easy!

Adding legs!

Making balls of paper for the eyes to go on!

Glued down eyes!

Attached to our door!

Cute spider eh!

Not so scary door! LOL

Classroom tour

I have decided to give you a tour of my classroom! It may not be for everyone - but it works for us! The children are able to access what they wish independantly and return items to the shelves independantly. It is bright and welcoming with plenty of room to move about. I keep a large path around the room open for the children to push baby buggies and carts. It is comfortable and everyone enjoys being there! We are a combination of ECE emergent and Montessori.

Media centre - we do lots of singing and dancing here
and on a rainy day we get to see a video!
There is a magnet board hanging under the window - for literacy and math activities.

Our little library
I should have straightend up the books before taking the picture - LOL

Science Centre with light box.

Some of our blocks and a quiet chair to sit in.

Our toy shelf

Practical life - house keeping. We now have new stove and fridge (not in picture).

Practical life shelf and puzzle shelf - creative on either side.
Diaper and cot area behind.

Extra puzzle shelf and Birthday board - photo album

Teachers area off to the right of our circle carpet
and calendar board (which needs finishing before the new school year)
Calendar board is close to the ground so the children
can hang the number for the next day independantly.

Looking back towards our door - arts and crafts left of puzzles.

Looking back from our media area - our sensory bin goes on the blue table (we took it ourside).

I hang class photos on the wall and a special photo I love!

This is the photo I love! :)

Looking in from the door

Well that's it my classroom! :)

Just a side note - 99.9% of this room was put together with garage sale finds! I'm proud of that!

Album: Bulletin Boards | izzyshare

Album: Bulletin Boards izzyshare
My bulletin boards were featured here! Thanks izzyshare!

Photos in the classroom

I was lucky enough to find this awesome photo at a garage sale a couple of years ago! I just love it! I look at it and think - it could have been my husband and myself when we were kids. It was taken by the son of an elderly couple for a photo assignment in the 70's - the son had sadly passed away. I told the couple I wanted to hang the picture in my classroom to show diversity - they gave it to me for free - because they said their son would be proud of it sending a good message to children! I cried on the way home thinking of their son. I am honoured to hang it in my classroom.

It's important to hang photos of the students in your class as well - it gives them a sense of ownership and pride. Why not have them take their own photos to add - what a fun way to see through their eyes. A 'Family Photo Board' helps to make a child feel secure and eases their longing for home when they miss Mom and Dad.

Adding the children's photo onto bulletin boards gives the children a great giggle - it's fun to see their faces when they discover they are part of the theme that month!

Why not use real photos to present a theme?