This week on the NOT Back to School Blog Hop, it’s School Room Week!
Here are some pictures of our school room, formerly known as the dining room. The living room and dining room form an ell, so I am standing in the living room to take these. There is totally not a huge mess right out of camera range because of the amount of shoveling I had to do to make this room presentable. I know these pictures are a little out of focus, but they aren’t bad for a completely cluesless person with a crap camera . . . right?
Try to appreciate how clean and neat it is – I’m pretty sure it’ll never look like this again. Here we have our tiny little table and chairs (OH THE CUTENESS) and our wall of pocket charts. In case you can’t tell how I hung those up (to avoid the pockets coming down when say, hypothetically, Certain Tiny People yank on them despite repeated warnings . . . I mean, obviously my children would never do that, but I’ve heard of it happening), I bought a 1×4, painted it white, and screwed it into the studs. Then I used extra-sturdy cup hooks to hang the charts on the 1×4. It works great, and I can rearrange or change out the charts without it turning into a big deal.
We have the ubiquitous Hundred and Alphabet Charts. The red pockets are Classroom Organizer Pockets, which I use in an extremely modified Workbox-y fashion. The little shelves underneath hold math manipulatives, pencil boxes, stickers, crayons, paper, and flashcard games. Before the shoveling, there was a little city of Matchbox cars being garaged. That’s our All About Spelling whiteboard on the far left.
Someone should’ve changed that volcano calender before she started getting all impressed with how the schoolroom was looking . . .
And on the other side is the entrance to the kitchen, the Calender Chart (clearly I have a Problem with Pocket Charts), and the little bookcase that houses my Mommy stuff. This bookcase is theoretically off-limits to people who are not the Mommy. I have my Binder which houses the schedule and all other important things, teacher’s manuals, the inserts for all those dadgum pocket charts, the pencil sharpener, the All About Spelling tiles and review cards . . .and maybe a sudoku book or two.
Speaking of Teacher’s Manuals, am I the only one who shells out money for them and then NEVER refers to them? Maybe that one time when I was trying to figure out what the heck the picture was supposed to be in Explode the Code – which they won’t even tell you! NO, the manuals are just full of a bunch of teaching crap.
Anyway! That’s our room! Of course there is all sorts of stuff elsewhere - whiteboards with magnetic alphabets and tangrams; a ridiculous level of crayons, markers, paper, stickers, coloring books, puzzle books, picture books, read aloud books, books, books, and more books; science experiments and maniplulatives and so on and so forth ad nauseum . . . I’m saving my pennies for a big old chalkboard, just because I want one oh-so-very-badly.
Next week it’s school pictures! If you’d like to join the Blog Hop, head over to Heart of the Matter and link up!
Tags: Blog Hop, Home Schooling, School Room
August 8th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Beautiful! I love it!
August 8th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
Awww… I am SO jealous I could cry ;( I LOVE it, Deb. I specifically love how big the wall hangings are. And, the rug…. it ties the room together perfectly. So happy for you and totally jealous! Definitely the start to a GREAT year!
August 8th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Rolling on the FLOOR about you remark on the Teachers Manuals . . . I am so speaking your language.
Thanks for sharing you space . . . it is so cute!!! Have a blessed week.
Trina @ Daddy’s Chick’s´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop- School Room Week
August 8th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Too cute! Love the room! And no you are not the only one with teacher manuals shoved in a corner covered with cobwebs. I do use the math ones though, as I’m trying to figure out how the heck they came up with such and such answer and then usually never do get it.
August 8th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I love your rug and the hanging storage area!
Kysha´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop- Our School Area
August 8th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
You have such a nice, big space! You’ve done a great job with the room! Love it!
August 8th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
What innovation to use the dining room as a school area. I think you have a great space!
Sandra´s last [type] ..Our Schooling Space
August 8th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Great room. I can’t wait to have an actual school room/space again.
Dianna @ Sincerely Me´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop- School Room Week
August 8th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
I would love to get some pillows and blankets and curl up on that gorgeous rug! You have made such great use of your space. I agree with you about teacher’s manuals, except for the math ones. I need the math ones! Thanks for the tour!
August 8th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Ha, I thought I was the only one who had to “crop” my pictures to keep the mess out lol. The place looks great, hope you have a great start to the year.
Julie´s last [type] ..Our School Room 2010-2011
August 8th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
I am drooling over your pocket charts. I loooove pocket charts! And your wall space, too! Oh, and your globe…
Laura@SpesamorAcademy´s last [type] ..Our Learning Room 2010
August 8th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
WOW! I love the space.
Guidemom´s last [type] ..2010-2011 Homeschool Curriculum HOP
August 8th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
CUTE little table and chairs! How fun!
Amy´s last [type] ..Weekly Wrap-up
August 8th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
So cute! I love pocket charts, too. Unfortunately all my walls are covered in bookcases so I can’t hang any up.
August 8th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
That’s a great space! Regarding the giant chalkboard, have you thought about using chalkboard paint on one of your walls? My sister-in-law used it in her school room, and it worked really well.
Nichole´s last [type] ..Beardsong
August 8th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Ooh, I love your space. And I can absolutely visualize the big pile of junk you… DIDN’T… just shove out of the way!
Have a great year!
MamaGames´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop – School Room Week
August 8th, 2010 at 9:22 pm
Love the “mommy” bookshelf and the rug! OK…and the pocketcharts! Have a great year!
August 8th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Lovely space! I will be teaching Kers this year…and I think I need to get us (me!) a hundreds pocket chart. :^) Hope you can stop by my place (#40 on this week’s list): http://tinahollenbeck.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-back-to-school-blog-hop-school-room.html.
Tina Hollenbeck´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop- School Room Week
August 8th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Um… I need my teacher’s manuals. I use them for almost every subject, every lesson. I don’t read them like a script, but I sure use them. Use the answer keys as well. My kids misinterpret directions SO BADLY that I need them to confirm my own thoughts. Seriously.
August 8th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Wow! What a beautiful space you’ve put together. Cute, adorable, functional, and cozy. Love, love, love it!
Catherine´s last [type] ..Not Back To School Blog Hop – Week 2
August 9th, 2010 at 12:03 am
You know that you can buy paint that makes whatever surface you paint into a chalkboard, right? It’s a ton cheaper than buying an actual chalkboard!
Emma´s last [type] ..Toodles doesn’t take kindly to Nibs’ scare tactics
August 9th, 2010 at 2:55 am
This is a beautiful Room. I love all the pocket charts and fun items on your walls. Very nice!
AmyF´s last [type] ..Not Back to School Blog Hop 2010- School Room August 9
August 9th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Love it! Thanks for the tip with the 1×4 for the wall pocket stuff. I’ll be needing some in a year or so when the little one gets a bit older and I’m sure I’d pull have the drywall down without that tip.
Never used teacher manuals as a classroom teacher, so I didn’t even bother to buy any this year. Except, I’ll eventually need the answers for Singapore math just to speed my checking along.
Thanks for sharing!
Michelle´s last [type] ..Back to School Confusion
August 9th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Very organized! I love how clean and crisp it looks. Great job! Have a great school year
Mary
August 9th, 2010 at 9:59 am
LOL. You’re a crack-up. And now I feel so much better about stealing booklists from curriculum makers and never buying their Teacher’s Manuals.
Amanda´s last [type] ..Fall is for beginnings
August 9th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Like, like, like it! I really like the idea about the 1×4. Of course, MY children would never yank down that stuff either…but it’s good to know for other people.
I have a pocket chart obsession too. They are just so handy! Thanks for the link to the calender chart. I have been looking for one! Have a wonderful school year! God Bless!
August 9th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I am in TOTAL love with your rug. The kids came over to see what I was oohing and aahing about.
Your room looks great and thank you for explaining how you hung the pocket charts. I really need to hang one and haven’t figure out how.
brenda´s last [type] ..Our NEW Homeschool Room!
August 9th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
I love your space. Hmmm, the 1×4 idea is brilliant! Oh, and your calendar, I saw the same one this weekend and passed on it. Regretting it now…I may need to make a trip back to the teacher store…I could spend hours in there.
Jacquelin´s last [type] ..Not Back To School School room
August 9th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
WOW – what a CLEAN room! I love it – very nice!
stef layton´s last [type] ..Happy Anniversary!
August 9th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Nice jog~ it looks Great!!
August 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I LOVE the idea of the 1×4, I may have to steal that!! Your school room is PURTY, i love it all! GREAT job!!!
Anna´s last [type] ..Not-Back-to-School-Blog-Hop- School Room week!
August 9th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Nice space and love the crack about the teacher manuals, especially ETC. Have a good year!
August 9th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Love your pocket organizers! Your space looks very inviting. Hope you have a great year, and thanks for visiting my blog!
August 10th, 2010 at 1:21 am
Love the comment about shoveling–oh and the rug is great also! You’ll see on my blog, that I skipped the shoveling step!
missmoe´s last [type] ..Our School Home
August 10th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
What a fun and cheerful place for learning! And I totally know what you mean about the teacher’s manuals!
Have an awesome year of homeschooling!
August 10th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
I am completely in love with your rug! You did a great job with everything.
August 11th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Hey, that 1×4 idea is a great one! Thanks! I also love those jugs of crayons! Your room really does look great! Thanks for sharing!
August 11th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Love pictures of families school rooms. Yours looks great. Thanks for not thinking lowly of me. lol.
Blessings
Diane
Diane´s last [type] ..A Guilty Pleasure
August 11th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Love your rug & hardwood! The room looks great. Have a fun year!
August 12th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Oh. My. Chocolate. You are hilarious!
And a knitter?!
I must go read some more of your blog. Can we be neighbors?
)
Connie, the daisyhead´s last [type] ..School Room What School Room
August 12th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Your room looks so nice! I love the rug with the squares and the organization. I hope you have a great year!
Amy´s last [type] ..Plastic Bottle cap tip
August 13th, 2010 at 9:29 am
Great idea for hanging the stuff on the wall. I love it!
Terra @ Monkey See, Monkey Do´s last [type] ..The Big Switch
August 22nd, 2010 at 6:28 pm
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