Open wide, Come Inside, It's my school....

                                                                                                                              .

There's a bear in there,

And a chair as well
There are people with games
And stories to tell
Open wide
Come inside
It's Playschool

                                      - The Playschool Song.

The first day I came to school my classroom looked like a bomb has hit it. There was stuff everywhere. Nothing was in any order and I had no idea what I did and didn't have in the classroom. 

I began to question myself a little bit; Had I done the right thing? Made the right choice? Should I have kept teaching supply? 

And then I saw, green backing paper all around my classroom, green chairs and green edging around all the furniture. My classroom was the green classroom. I hadn't told them green was my favourite colour, I hadn't requested it at all. Yet here I stood in a room decorated in my colour and a smile began to creep across my face. I know it sounds so silly to think green could be such a comfort, but for me it was as if God was saying, 'I got this, I have it planned perfectly for you. Just trust me, I am guiding your every step.' 

I want to thank everyone who has and is praying for me, because this really was an answer to your prayers. God is my guide and He is blessing and comforting me! 

It took us four days to clean, organise and set up the classroom. 

So come inside and I'll show you my room! 

This is our discovery display. 

In RS we are the grasshoppers and so we begin by exploring grasshopper and other Minibeasts...

Students can put their hands under the table where leaves, bark, dirt and plastic minibeasts are. 

Students can then feel, touch and explore.

I wanted to make our maths section very colourful and enticing for the students. 

We set up a mock sweet shop where students can count out objects and role-play with money. 

We could also count out more and less and count totals with the paper jar and sweets below. 

That doesn't look right?!?

That's better!!!

Numicon is a FANTASTIC new resource that the students just love to play with. 

The pieces represent numbers from 1 - 10 and are used to encourage students to recognise pattens within numbers. My class are really enjoying them and by week 3 of school students are now able to recognise which number each piece represents just by looking at it. 

***

My English corner provides students with an opportunity to do some writing or drawing and then explain what they have been working on. 

                             

I had some extra money in my budget if I wanted to buy any resources for my classroom. I spent 80% on much needed cushions for my reading area. 

Money well spent, not only has it made the reading area a warm and inviting place. They also came in handy when a student so exhausted from his first full week at school fell asleep during carpet time and spent the remaining hour of the day having a sleep. Bless his socks! 

Having the puppet theatre in the book corner so valuable. Students have been able to use it to retell and reenact stories read. 

Some of you might remember me raving about a 'wonder wall' I saw when supply teaching. 

The idea is that if students are wondering something random or that we don't have time to explore right then we can write it on the wall and find an answer later in the week. 

I loved it so much I have placed one in my room (I'll let you know how it works practically.) 

Lastly, is our 'Thinking Chair', Where students will need to think and explain what happened.  

So, yea. That's my room. 

I honestly have the best class in reception though. My students are so beautiful and wonderful. They are very good at tidying up and sitting beautifully on the carpet. I have a range from one boy who is very clever, already blending words, counting and writing number to 100 and teaching me things about the computer. To students who need much more support. I am very much looking forward to watching them grow and change this year though and to see how far they have come by the end. 

Last week I had to take our class teddy, Frankie, to Westfield shopping centre with me. 

Over the coming weekends the kids have to take him home and write what they have done with him. I took him first to do an example for them.  

I don't think I ever told so many people, "I'm not crazy, I'm a teacher" in the matter of 3 hours before! 

It was nice to finally have an excuse! 

As always, my love and prayers are with you all, 

Joey!