Mrs. Ashmore's 3rd Grade Class

You've been asking to see my classroom for awhile now...so mom, this is for you...(and for me a little bit because its fun to show it off!)

Welcome! (Keep in mind that I have a lot to hang and set up in my room yet. It's still a work in progress.) Thank you, I decorated the door myself. (Much of the decor compliments of Andrew's mom.)

This is the view as you come in the door. Orange is my least favorite color in the entire world. I guess you could say that I intensely despise the color. So when I first walked in and saw the wall of bright orange cabinets and orange chairs, I was less than pleased. Oh well. I'm dealing.

But if you ignore the orange-ness, it is really a cute little classroom. This is what the kids have named "The Pizza Table"...because it's round...like a pizza. We use it as one of our Centers stations. (Notice the giant letter and envelope on the bulletin board? We learned this week how to write a letter in the proper format. )

I'll take you in a circle through the entire classroom. Next, is our

mini computer lab, the class library, and the teacher's (that's me!) desk.

We bought that extremely ugly, extremely comfortable couch at the D.I. for 30 bucks. The kids love it in that library. Do you see the bookshelves in there? Andrew was kind enough to build those for me. Kid are much more likely to read my books if the covers are facing outward. In front of my desk are the student's cubbies.

The kids know that there is an imaginary line that separates their area from my area behind my desk. They are not to go back there unless invited. I was selfish and put my desk by the only window in the room. I love my desk area. Can you see my Associates and Bachelors diplomas? Do they not look so official? I still shake my head in disbelief sometimes that I am actually an adult with a college degree.

The view from my desk to the opposite side of the room...and more orange cabinets. If you look to the left of the whiteboards, we have what the kids have dubbed "The Kidney Shaped Table". If you haven't guessed, it is shaped like a kidney. This sits in front of our wall with the schedules and class rules. To the right of the whiteboard is our math meeting wall. Our vocabulary words wall is to the right of the ugly orange cabinet and above the coat/backpack hooks. (Do you like my cool director's chair at the front? We got it a yard sale for a few bucks. I love it.)

Just outside my room, to the left of the door, is our apple tree. "Mrs. Ashmore's Pick of the Crop." Teachers have to do cheesy, crafty crap like this to make a nice environment for the kids. Okay, okay...I'll admit it: I get a lot of pleasure in creating this cheesy, crafty crap. Its the art major in me leaking out. I made everything by hand except the apples I wrote the student's names on. And yes, I realize that yellow, green , and red apples do not all grow on the same trees. Oh well! I had to work with what I had!

So Mom...what do ya think?