Bins to Hold Copies

Welcome fellow nerdy teachers and lovers of zombies!

So I've been hard at work at getting my classroom ready. Yeah! Though I am nowhere near ready to show you my completed classroom. *Insert horrifying mental picture of the messiest classroom ever!

I have been hard at work creating and working on a whole mess of things for my classroom.

Including my new and improved system for organizing my copies. Yummy!

I know your freaking out. It's pretty stinking cute!

Here's the story behind it. Basically, last year I had a set of plastic drawers with each subject getting its own drawer. Now this sounds great in theory and it did work okay. However, it just ended up being a mess. And there was a lot of waste from papers not being used. Which I hate because we teachers destroy whole forests daily. It's part of the job description. Right under "doesn't want to kill children on sight" and "won't freak out when handed a used bloody tissue." So you can understand how upset this waste made me.

So this summer I've been trolling pinterest and blogs and found this idea. Basically each magazine holder has the different days of the week and you just paperclip and place your copies in for that day. (Makes it MUCH easier for Madame Substitute) With two extras bins at the end. You know for when you get stuff done super early (or you don't get to something and don't have the heart to put it away.)

I downloaded the cute labels for FREE (what? who got cute free stuff! This gal!) from LessonPlanSOS which happens to be my favorite blog and TPT store. Here is the link.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Days-of-the-Week-Bin-Labels-190671

All I did was print them, cut them out and laminate. Then hot glued them onto magazine holder bins that I purchased from Target (months ago) from their dollar bins. Is there a happier picture then a teacher frolicking through the dollar bins at Target? Nope, can't imagine one.

I'm hoping that this keeps me more organized. I have to say just looking at how cute this is makes me super happy. I can't help but fantasize about all of the wonderful activities just waiting to fill these magazine holders. *sigh

Nerd on fellow teaching nerds! Nerd on!

No Name Paper Board

Hello fellow nerdy teachers!

Earlier, I posted about a beautiful hall-pass system that my roommate was foolish kind enough to make. Well, because the board came in a package of three she and I kept staring at the extra boards. We knew we were destined to make something else. Something that would rid the world (my classroom) of no name papers!

Sorry, got a little melodramatic. Was anyone else reading that in the movie trailer guy's voice? No, just me? *sigh

So she was kind enough to create this!

Yep, that's TARDIS blue! Got to have some Doctor Who in my classroom. Whenever I receive papers sans a name. All I need to do is place it inside the clips on this board. Too cool! 

The wonderful thing is this didn't cost me anything extra. I already had all the supplies I needed. Just cost my roommate some dignity and me hot chocolate. Yes, I made nutella hot chocolate for her as a thank you.

Now, I have worked with teachers who tear up their student's papers if they don't put their name on it. I personally don't because I think it devalues the work that they did. I work at a low income school where we are lucky if the students have enough clean clothes. I don't think me tearing up their work sends the right message. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't have serious conversations with repeat offenders. However, their work doesn't suffer the consequences of them forgetting to put their name on it.

*Stepping down from the soapbox

In honor of the color inspiration of this board, here is some Doctor Who humor.

Got to love a show where an episode is titled "Dinosaurs in Space."

Nerd on fellow teachers! Nerd on!

Lakeshore Supplies Haul!

Welcome fellow teacher nerds!

When I named my blog Teaching Nerds, I wasn't referring to our students being nerds. No! We are the nerds... or at least I am. We nerd out over school supplies. We nerd out over teacher supplies. We nerd out over the latest update from our favorite shop on Teachers Pay Teachers. We fill our Pinterest boards with ideas for school. Is this being a nerd you ask? Yes. That is the definition of a nerd. Now I know what being a nerd looks like. I am a real nerd in my down time. A nerd is someone who is absolutely in love to the point of obsession with something. Now isn't that how most teachers feel about their chosen profession? Hmm? I know I do. But, then again I'm a nerd.

Nerds also buy lots of lots of things for the their nerdy obsessions. So I went to Lakeshore! Yeah! Teacher supplies! Now I've been in the processes of changing out my theme. I decided that a change in grade level meant that I had to change themes. Going from 5th to 2nd, big change though a welcome one. So, I've been slowly purchasing new things in my new theme since my move was first confirmed. They've built up. As you can see in my closet.

It looks like a big mess and jumble of supplies. But, in that big jumble are lots of good deals from Target, Dollar Tree, and lots of Lakeshore and Education Outfitters purchases. It makes me happy.

Here is the latest bundle of joy for my jumble. And yes, you see right I'm changing to Dr. Seuss! I choose Dr. Seuss because I can add whatever colors I like, with lots of different stripes and polka dots and it will still match. Does that appeal to me? Yes, yes it does. It is also still very cute but not so cutesy that it doesn't fit with my personality. I enjoy cutesy things... to a point. Then its annoying. So Dr. Seuss fit the bill for me. Also, I am a nerd about books. So why wouldn't I make books a central theme?

Nerd one fellow teachers! Nerd on.

Hall-passes for my Classroom :D

Welcome!

As you know the school year is nearly upon us... Where did the summer go? *sigh

But, I have been very busy (on Pinterest) and trolling around for lots of creative ideas (on Pinterest.) This one idea really caught my eye and I am fortunate enough to have a very sweet roommate. She is much craftier and more artistic then I am so I suckered asked her to create this.

How cute is this? Love it. Here is a pic of the whole thing (including the precious ribbon!)

My roommate created this using a flat board purchased at Hobby Lobby with black paint, white paint, black and white polka dot ribbon (also from Hobby Lobby) and clothespins from Dollar General. In total I probably spent $5. I already had the clothespins, black and white paint.

Directions:
1. Paint the back of the board black. Take apart the clothespins and paint them black as well. Give them LOTS of time to dry.
2. Begin decorating it with the white paint. I choose polka dots. Write the lettering on the clothespins in white. I wrote destination on one side and my name on the other. Give them LOTS of time to dry.
3. Using hot glue attach ribbon to the back with a pretty little bow up top. Make sure you place a dot of glue inside the bow itself (once achieved desired cuteness) to prevent it from coming undone.
4. Marvel at your creativity! (or your roommates)

So cute! And practical which is important. I don't like cute for the sake of cute in the classroom. It has to be practical or it's a waste of space and money.

(Bad segue coming your way now...) 

Why have this using clothespins you might ask? Well, because you spend money on buying some cute hallpasses that the students have to hold in their hot little (dirty) hands. Then when they get to the restroom to do their... business where do they put the passes? Hmmm? Where? Well, on the floor, gross. Or they keep it in their hands, double gross. Then they touch it after they have done their business... and BEFORE they wash their hands. Ew! Then the rest of the students use them, over and over again. Germs R Us indeed

So the coolness of using this is no hands needed. They grab one and clip it to their shirt when they walk out the classroom. Unclip it and place it back on the board when they return. Easy peasy! Little to no grubby hand touching! Woot woot!

I have a one clip for the girls, one for boys and one for the office. I made backups because you know someone is going to walk away with one or break one... or both. So we made plenty of backups.

By the way, I think you could nerd this up by adding a Gandalf accent. Like "You shall not pass! without a pass." And no I'm not suggesting you infect your students with your nerdy obsession with Lord of the Rings pff! No, that's a literary reference *cough

Nerd on fellow teachers! Nerd on!