Brand New!

We started back to school earlier this month and everything seems BRAND NEW! The students are all new to Pre-K and some of them are new to the school. My assistant and I are BRAND NEW teachers to the students, even though we've been in the school for several years. I've changed our class mascot from fish to owls, so there are new owl decorations everywhere! There is just something about things being new that seems to make life just a little more exciting!

On the first day of school, I took pictures of the students that will go in a memory book for them at the end of the year. I posed them in front of one of the bulletin boards that will have seasonal changes, but basically remain the same. At the end of the year, we'll take another picture in the same place and be able to see how much they've changed and grown!

Also in the first week, I had each of them color a circle to decorate a large owl in our room. Later, these circles will be placed in their memory books, as well.

My classroom received a refurbishment grant this year to replace worn out materials and classroom supplies. One of the big things I got was a new rug! Isn't it bright and beautiful? It is humongous and has spots for everyone to have a little personal space.

We also got a few new bikes for our playground. I chose the "big wheel" style and they have been a big hit! There are always friends waiting for a turn!

I have wanted MagnaTile blocks for a long time, but frankly, they are very expensive and there are always so many other things I need. I was able to use some of the grant money to purchase a set. I am amazed at the creativity and imaginative things the children create with them. I picked the translucent blocks with the plan of using them with light box I'm making. They will look great when lit up, I think!

We got some new foam blocks that are great for building and perfect for use with the new animals we got for the block center!

Some of our dramatic play costumes had seen much better days. We ordered several new ones. This is the NASA astronaut uniform that we got! (It is especially nice paired with awesome cowboy boots! ;)

I love this little couch and chair set that we purchased with refurbishment funds! I broke the set up and now have a cozy spot to curl up with a book in reading center and added the sofa to our dramatic play area.

One of the things that was a combination of new and not-new was our old sensory table. It was so bulky that often I use big bins or a tabletop sensory table in the classroom. I repurposed our old bulky table to the playground for outdoor sensory fun. The kids are really enjoying having it outside!

Even the way the children are experimenting with familiar materials seems "brand new". Watching this new class explore in centers and try new techniques brings me a little joy each day.

I'm sure that as time goes by, these things will all become worn, well loved and lack their "new" appeal, but for now we are enjoying the discovery of "brand new"! I have a few more items that I haven't put out right away, just to savor the excitement of having something fresh for later on. Hope your "brand new" school year is off to a good start!

If you'd like to read more about our first day of Pre-K, hop on over to PreK+K Sharing and read "On The First Day of Pre-K..."

Signing In and Out in Pre-K

Our general classroom theme is fish, but I just love all the new owl decorations that are all the rage this year. I just couldn't resist finding a way to incorporate a few into our classroom. One of our daily routines is having the children sign in upon arrival. This is our new sign in/ sign out area. Right now, the kids find the owl with their name and picture on it and place it into their own nest on the tree branch. Later in the year, the kids will write their name on the back with a dry erase marker and place it into the nest. At the end of the day, they take the owl and put it in one of the bins at the bottom so it will be ready for the next school day!

The "nests" were so easy to make! I chopped off the top of a brown paper lunch sack and contact papered both sides, leaving an opening at the top.

The kids are already loving this little routine! I can't wait until they are writing their names on the back, too!

If you'd like to see more of our classroom bulletin boards and decorations, check out: Back To School Bulletin Boards...Redux!

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Back To School Bulletin Boards...Redux!

We are getting ready for a new school year, and teachers have been working themselves silly getting their rooms ready for the new classes. I've had the pleasure to peek at some of their bulletin boards and thought I'd share some here today.

(note: Each class in our center has a "color bear" designation for example: Green Bears, Yellow Bears, Red Bears, etc.)

Welcome/Class List  Bulletin Boards

 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Boards!

 And A Few More!

 A close up of the ship and portholes!

Birthday Bulletin Boards

Art Display Boards

Parent Information Boards

Other Great Boards

Writing Display Board

Family Pictures Display

 Meet The Teachers

 Character Education/Rules

Center Boards

I was filling in at one of our other Preschools this summer, and this bulletin board was in the lobby. I love the idea of a central place to share special pictures and news for the entire Center!

Looking for even more great bulletin board ideas? Stop by Rainbows Within Reach and check out Debbie's collection of bulletin boards!

Thanks for visiting!  Be sure to leave a little "comment love"---I'd love for you to share your thoughts! 

Check out the little illuminations facebook fan page and see what we're sharing.

Using A Picture Schedule in Pre-K

In one of my most popular posts last year, Picture Schedules in the Pre-K Classroom,  I described the picture schedule that we used in our class.  I've received many emails about that schedule. Shortly after writing that post, my friend I and were fortunate to be invited to observe a preschool program in South Carolina that had implemented Conscious Discipline in all 22 of their pre-k classes.  We visited many of those classrooms and saw some really exciting things going on. One of the classrooms had this picture schedule posted for their kids to manipulate. I had to take pictures! Our class theme/acronym is F.I.S.H. (Family Involvement Starts Here).

I made one of these this year. Mine is pretty similar to the one above. I have it located on the bottom of a low hanging bulletin board, so it is at just the right height for little hands to manipulate.  We have a "time keeper" class job, so the children take turns being in charge of the schedule.

We have a "time keeper" class job, so the children take turns being in charge of the schedule. They simply move the fish to the appropriate fishbowl at each transition time throughout the day.

The kids really enjoy manipulating the schedule and will remind each other that it's time to change it. I often see children going over independently to refer to it. As I mentioned my my earlier post,

 "manipulating the schedule can be an especially helpful task for some children with autism or special needs. It is also very soothing for a child with separation anxiety. They can look and see what comes next and when "Mommy or Daddy is coming back."

 This new picture schedule seems to be really working out so far. I have a few that are struggling with separation anxiety and this has been a  really helpful tool to them. Now, I just need a little teacher magic to help me manage my time. I keeping getting behind schedule!