Back to School

In just a few short weeks I will be starting my second year of teaching. Acquiring my job is the classic story of being in the right place at the right time. During the 2011-2012 school year I began my student teaching experience. I was truly blessed to be paired with a wonderful mentor teacher in the most amazing Kindergarten classroom. I learned so much that year and it reassured me that I had chosen the right career path. That summer, a position in the same school district opened up and I applied for it.

Unfortunately I did not get that job...I soon realized that I was meant for something else! The remainder of my summer was dedicated to applying to schools and sending out my name anywhere and everywhere! At the end of August I received a phone call from the district where I did my student teaching. They wanted me to come in and interview for a sixth grade position...that's right...SIXTH GRADE! I almost said no! But I went and just one hour after my interview I was offered the job. A few short days later I packed up all of my things and moved from my hometown of Glenside, PA back to my second home in State College.

I only had one week to prepare my classroom (and my mind) before those 11 and 12 year olds entered my classroom. Despite the short time frame, I was ready! This year, I am taking advantage of the summer I have to prepare for my new class. This year, I plan to do everything bigger and better!

I have probably invested a little too much time into the decorations and design of my classroom this year but...I am the one who has to look at it all day everyday. This is the space where I spend 99% of my time. I should love it, right? Instead of downloading the beautiful posters from TPT or finding anything in a store, I attempted to make my own creations. (Thanks to the wonderful tips and suggestions from my friend, Laura!) This allowed me to stay in the color scheme that I wanted and make sure everything was personalized for our classroom. I will put a tutorial to make your own posters soon!