Steps for Stepping up your Classroom

Table Arrangements
First thing I do is arrange my tables. I find it hard to work or organise my room until I have an idea of the main layout. I always group my children and usually use colours to distinguish each table. I try and aim for 5/6 at each table. In previous years I had odd numbers. I had 23 kids my first and second year teaching so I had 3 tables with 6 children and 1 with 5 children. Last year I had 31 children so had 4 tables of 6 kids and 1 table with 7 kids. This year I’ll have 35 so I’m hoping for 5 tables of 6 children and 1 table with 5 children.

Unpacking and Arranging the Children’s Books and Supplies.
After this I choose a table to unpack all my teaching things e.g. boxes, books, station games etc. I take all the kid’s books too and sort everything into piles. Anything that will go in/on my teacher desk I will leave it on to organise later. I usually give each table a shelf and using laminated coloured paper I stick a piece of coloured paper to each shelf to distinguish them. I then start filing the books onto the shelves. Scissors, glues and markers will also go on these shelves. As regards the children’s markers and glues I usually put their names on each. Yes this is incredibly tedious to do but they take so much better care of them when they feel it’s theirs.

Bulletin Boards
I always get all my boards backed with papers and borders once my tables are set up. I guess this is for me-a sense of giving my classroom a bit of life and colour to motivate me. Sight words and board names can go on later.

Early Finisher Bins
Early Finisher Bins are 2 coloured plastic cabinets I got in Aldi last year with 3 drawers in each. The drawers need to be changed once each month and each table gets a drawer filled with activities for early finishers. September’s bins will be filled with revision of Senior Infants and new topics we will be working on.

Copybooks
As I teach first class my class have a range of different copy books. Project copy books are used for Irish, English, Maths, Music, Religion, Reading Box Yellow. Handwriting copies are used for spelling tests and handwriting practice and scrap books are used for SESE. I then begin the tedious task of naming all their copy books with labels. When I have all the books named, I use elastic bands and laminated coloured paper to bundle the books by table. With 35 children this year the extra organisation will be needed.

Teacher Desk
I try and keep m teacher desk as clutter free as I can. On my desk I have a copy of my monthly plan, my timetable will be pinned to the wall beside me and I will also have a detailed weekly breakdown printed and placed in a plastic pouch which is taped to my desk. Besides that I have a pen holder, my pencil case and a tray to hold the children’s sheets.

Other
• Other things to think on include;
• How will children hand in homework?
• Where will they hand up their sheets?
• Where will lunch boxes and coats go?

Sample Irish Lesson

Introduction
I always start my Irish lesson by introducing new vocabulary/ phrases. I always try to incorporate puppets into my Irish lesson to add that element of fun. I write the vocab or phrases on the board e.g. lámh, cos, ceann, béal.

Cluichí
-Next we play some vocab games to get them practising their new vocabulary. One of my favourites is Cluiche Kim, here I remove one of the words and the children must guess which one is missing.
-An mála draíochta: Here I have the new vocab cut and placed in a bag, or I write them on lollipop stick and place them in a jar. I play some music and the bag or jar gets passed around. When the music stops they must select a word and say it.
-Pásail an Liathróid: In this game an imaginary ball is passed around the room. The child must throw the ball to another say their name and the word. The child can then put it into a sentence e.g. (Shane, lámh).

Development
To help them enrich their understanding of the new words, I get them to make a small drama in their table groups. Each table gets one of the new words we are learning. They must incorporate the new word correctly into the drama as much as they can. The table that has used it correctly the most gets a Dojo.

Conclusion
The younger classes will write their new word and draw a picture of it.
Older classes or more able students will put their new words into sentences.
5th/6th classes or younger students with a flair for the language will put their words into a story.

My Back to School Haul

As much as I don't want to say it, back to school is approaching. Most teachers are back on the 4th, we are back on the 29th and with a new classroom there will be a lot of setting up to do. Yesterday, as I was visiting Donegal I done my back to school shop in Sprint Educational Supplies, Homebase and Dealz. Altogether I spent roughly €100. Yes that is a lot of money and yes I shouldn't be having to spend that much on school supplies but everything I bought is either very limited in the school or just not available. So here it goes my Back to School Haul :) .

First stop was Sprint Educational Supplies. Unfortunately our school does not supply backing paper for boards unless you include them in the art budget and with 35 children this year I was having to buy extra everything on my budget of €150 inlcluding paint brushes and palettes. Not ideal. So I bought 2 roles which cost €9 and €7, both 4ft by 12ft.

I like the Supreme markers for writing on the board, the pack I bought last year done me all year so I'm hoping I can say the same for this pack, they cost €5. Blue-tack (again not supplied) is always a must and something I really can't live without- €2.40.The glittery stickers were a huge hit with my previous class and they lasted for ages and cost €4. I also purchased some velcro for €4. There are some things blue-tack will simply not hold and here is where velcro comes in. I like to divide the childrens' books by table and I velcro a laminated sheet of coloured paper to their shelf so they know which is theirs.

I use elastic band to bundle the copies together by table and table colour, they're priced at €3. I usually put a laminated coloured paper in with this to distinguish the table. The post it's and labels are also must haves and are €3 and €2.

Here is a multipack of borders I got for €17. They are very cute and will match well with the backing papers. I do have borders from previous years but they are torn and tattered.

Laminating pouches were also on the list and is something I spend a lot of money on year after year. They have them in Sprint for €10.95 for a pack of 100 pouches.

My final purchase in Sprint was these egg timers at 1 minute, 2 minutes and 3 minutes which I searched so much for last year. They were €4.00 for the three pack. They also had bigger ones for €15.00.

My next stop was Dealz. Here I bought three 20 packs of pencils which is a necessity in the classroom at €1.50 each. My heart was broken last year with children forgetting pencils and it is something I will try to keep on top of this year to make sure we don't run out!! I also bought a pack of blue pens for €1.50 and I purchased these book covers simply to put my weekly plan and termly timetable into and stick it to my teacher desk. This was also €1.50.

Finally, I popped into Homebase. I bought this cool little container for my bits and pieces such as elastic bands, pins and blue tack and it cost just over €1. I love this owl box. Isn't it fab? I will put my station supplies for either Maths, English or Irish in here. It was roughly €9.

It is a lot of money but it should last me for the majority of the year. The only things I usually need to purchase more of are the pouches, coloured ink (which I didn't buy today) and pencils.

How much do you guys spend on supplies? Hopefully not as much as me! Hope you all enjoyed the post :)