Do you "Cute-sy It Up?"

Yes I realize "Cute-sy" is by no means a word, but admit it....we've all used it at some point. 

Why do you “CUTE-SY IT UP?” is a question I hear A LOT. 

 Simply stated: Cute is my love language.

               

As a new teacher and blogger is it easy to become so overwhelmed by the amazing work going on in other classrooms.  Blogging has opened up the doors into so many other classrooms and access to wonderful resources. Seeing such can and often does make me self conscious about my teaching and my classroom.  

Blogs, Pinterest, TPT, and TN flood our minds with fantastic ideas and we feel like we have to do it all and be it all.  I am blessed to work at a school overflowing with astonishing educators but there is a clear difference I have seen.  The CUTE level.  Mrs. Kelly Stamps over at Kelly’s Korner once hosted a discussion of the differences in regions.  How us Southern girls tend to be a little over the top with things like decoration and coordination etc.  It had never crossed my mind that that’s not how everyone does things.  On my Teaching Team I am the baby in age as well as in experience, I am also the only Native Southerner.  I am in no way saying that has anything to do with it, its more likely due to personal style.  But, there are many things we are required by the district to have in our classrooms and naturally there are variances in how we go about it.  My Team finds it hilarious that I spend the extra time to change fonts and add layers of color to each and every aspect.  I already catch a lot of flack (lovingly) but they attribute this *cute* factor to my being new.  There is much more to it than that.  Cute is my love language.  Taking the extra time, effort and money is my way of showing others I care; even the little cuties in my class.  My school is beyond diverse; we have over 15 nationalities and languages represented among less than 700 students.  In addition to that we have SESs from both ends of the spectrum.  All of these factors lead to a wide variety of home experiences.  I want to build unity at school at least.  So I always try to go overboard with things.  I often take for granted that I had parents who read with me, did craft projects, listened to me, and celebrated my birthday(sometimes extravagantly).  These are not experiences many of my children have had, so I feel that it is my duty as a teacher of the whole child to show them they are valued by me. 

As we embark on this new school year what is your approach?  Why do you do things the way you do?
Is it for the personal satisfaction of having everything look nice? Is it to appeal to student interest and keep attention? Or do you do it for some other reason?

Why do you “CUTESY IT UP” ?

Does It EVER End??

I know there are many of you who are already back in school, and others of you are still weeks away.  I have been in my classroom since Monday Morning just a working away.  And I feel like I have accomplished absolutely NOTHING.  But I am sure that is how we all feel at times.   On the last day of school in the Spring I was asked to move classrooms, which was not a big deal to me but MAN at the extra work I am putting in now.  I (along with my teammates) packed up my entire classroom and shoved everything into cabinets and on top of countertops.  We have a new janitorial staff this year and they are amazing and thorough, but that meant our floors weren't finished until this week.  

Since this is my second year I have MANY changes I want to make and unfortunately I am one of *those* people who feel like they have to do everything at once, which is making classroom set up drag on FOREVER.  I have a few classroom shots to share. Please excuse the clutter. I cannot organize until I can lay out everything in front of me. Seriously Monday-Thursday my classroom looks WORSE!

This was Monday Morning....A blank slate. All of my chairs and book shelves were being held hostage inside the desk fort.  I had to move ALL the desks to get to what I needed.  :) Twas Lovely.

All the rain had me a bit sleepy distracted

By the end of the day I had atleast gotten all my furniture cleaned and semi-arranged.

Tuesday I was not in the Creative Mode of Functioning....I played and crafted the day away and made quite a mess  :(

 (Bad Mrs. Brown)

 Twenty two sets of letter tiles for my cuties.... I have big plans for these little letters. 

 We had purchased these little chalkboards for our wedding, but we never used them.  SO I turned them into table points boards...

Our students have a Take Home Folder and a Planner for each day.  Last year I spent SO much time trying to keep these in order, stuffing materials in them, and distributing them at the end of the day. So this year each student has a hanging folder they will pick up in the morning and take to their seat along with their folder and planner.  I will check folders and planners during morning work, then as I call roll, students will return their hanging file to the basket.  I will also use these as student mailboxes, they will take the entire folder to their desk at dismissal and take the entire contents home each day.  Hopefully this will solve the problem of me having to open and stuff each folder twice a day.  More responsibility for students, less for me :) 

 New Fleece Feet.  I found this idea somewhere, but cannot remember if it was yours please take credit.  We all have the yucky tennis ball feet I despise, so I traded mine out for fleece squares.  I know these will pick up dust and hair, but I doubt they will magically fall off and bounce across the room, or pop off near as much as the tennis balls.  **Fleece was $3.47 a yard at Wal-Mart, and 1 yard was enough for every chair in my room** Simply cannot beat that!

Boy do I know how to leave a mess behind.

Today I did not take any pictures :( boo!

But the laminator was finally up and running. So that is where I spent my morning. The blisters on my fingers are a testimony to all the cutting I spent my afternoon doing.  I hope to wrap up a few projects and share tomorrow!

Hope everyone's Rooms are coming together in wonderfully, color coordinated,theme matching, uber- organized harmony. 

--Mrs. Brown