How to Make a Small Classroom Work

  Another down side to being a new teacher is not having a permanent classroom.  In my last post I explained that my classroom is an added classroom.  We have such large enrollment numbers at my school that we have 5 Kindergarten classrooms!  So, with that being said, I also have the smallest of the 5 classrooms.  My classroom isn't even technically a classroom.  But, that's fine by me!  While everyone else has wall to wall carpet (yuck!), I have a nice tiled floor.  The room is a lot brighter and stays a lot cleaner this way!

 Last year, I was thrown into the classroom with only 5 days before the K students were to start school.  As I mentioned before, this wasn't being used as a classroom.  So, that meant I had to find tables, chairs, a computer, etc.  Once these things were in the room, with the help of my volunteer (who is fabulous by the way!), we put the room together as quickly as we could.  We didn't really have the time to stand back and assess the space.

  Here are a few shots of my room last year:

   It looked cute and seemed like a good set up, but when the 21 students were in the room it was quite cumbersome.  This year, I had more than enough time to adjust the classroom, and I knew what worked and what didn't in this room.

  So, here is how it looked in August:

  Here is what it looked like just before school started:

  Over the summer our school suffered a small fire.  Due to that fire, it misplaced some of the summer ASD programs and they ended up using my room while the were repairing the fire damaged rooms.  So, I now have an air conditioner in my room!  It is in the only window in the room which is where my desk used to be.  I ended up moving my desk because there was no way I could sit in front of the a/c.

  As you can see the room is too small to have centers, so we rotate centers at the tables each day.  Each of the tables are color coded (red, blue, green, yellow) with a strip up duct tape down the middle and a corresponding basket.  Our calendar/whiteboard area is the main focus of the room.  This is where we spend a lot of time learning!  There is also a kidney shaped table that is used for teacher directed group work as well as a desk for our volunteer!

  I promise to posted more updated classroom pictures in a future post with further details of each area!

Being a New Teacher...

Being a new teacher in the district definitely comes with its downfalls.  Until you have three full years of teaching under your belt in our district, you are pretty much a free agent within the district.  So, what does that mean for me?  Well, it means that at the end of every school year, I have no idea what school I am going to be at or what grade I will teach until the end of August.  Unfortunately, at the end of my first (half) year, I did not get a call back until the beginning of October.  It was then I began my first year teaching Kindergarten.  It was at a smaller school in the district; they needed to open up a third K classroom to accommodate such large registration numbers.  Because I didn't start teaching on the first day of school, this year does not count toward my professional status, just toward seniority/retirement.  Does that make sense?

  At the end of that first year, I was called back on the first day of school (beginning of Sept.) to a different school in the district; a much larger school.  The too, needed to open another K classroom due to large enrollment numbers. If being at a new school wasn't overwhelming enough as a new teacher, I was told that I would be the inclusion teacher and that I would have 3 students on the Autism Spectrum.  It was about that time that I freaked out inside!  I had no experience with this!  But, let me tell you, it was the best experience ever!  I truly learned a lot and I loved seeing the progress my ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) students made!

  Fast forward to the end of that year, I received my call back at the end of August!  Just in time to make a full year!  It was at the same school, in the same room and I was one of two inclusion K rooms!  So, if you've been able to keep track, I've officially been with the school department for close to 3 years.  Unfortunately, after completing the current school year, only 2 of those three years will count toward my professional status.

  What is professional status in my district you may ask?  Well, the only appealing thing about obtaining professional status is gaining the ability to bid on open positions at the end of the school year.  So, until then, I am at the will of the school department.  Who knows, next year I could be teaching 5th grade at another school.....

 

Welcome!

  My name is Mrs. Sommer and I'd like to welcome you to my blog.  I am in no way a professional blogger, but, I thought that keeping a blog would help me remember the activities that I use each year.  I also thought it would be a great way to share my journey and my ideas as a teacher in an inclusive Kindergarten Classroom.

  This is my second year teaching an in and inclusive Kindergarten classroom.  This year I have a cluster of five students on the Autism Spectrum.  Their abilities range from very low to very high which definitely keeps me on my toes.  In addition to the five students on the Spectrum, I have 2 other students on IEPs (Individual Education Plans).  These students receive both Speech Therapy as well as Special Education Tutoring.  Aside from those 7 students, I have 15 other students who are not in need of any services at this time.  You might imagine that planning lessons in my classroom can prove to be a challenge!

  I am very lucky to have such a great set of colleagues who work as the support staff both in and out of my room.  With us everyday is our wonderful paraprofessional who works mainly with the 5 students on the Spectrum, although she does go above and beyond and helps with the other students when she can. I also collaborate with the Special Education tutor who works both in and and out of the classroom.  She has such wonderful ideas and suggestions on differentiation that I am so glad to have her as a colleague!  I also work closely with a Speech Therapist, an Occupational Therapist as well as some ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) Therapists.

  As this is only my second year teaching in an inclusive classroom, I still have lots of things to learn and I am always open to ideas and suggestions!  If you'd like to share them with me, please do!  My e-mail is: Mrs.Sommer12@gmail.com.  If you've stumbled upon my blog, I hope you enjoy it!