There's No Place like Home Linky!

Here's the first linky for International Blog hopping Day over at TBA!

I heart my current classroom because it's been my home for 3 years now and I know every nook and cranny. (Well, apparently not, I still haven't found one of the hermit crabs that escaped this year!) I am lucky enough to have my own bathroom (strictly for student use, even though the adult bathroom is a looong ways down the hall, I am not touching a toilet after it's been used by 5 year olds all day - thank goodness for my custodian!) Of course, this year I had the Underwear Bandit to deal with, so that bathroom was both a blessing and curse!

I bet you want some pictures right? Alright, here are just a few - they're actually from last year since I'm not allowed back in the building until August 6th :(

I inherited this rolling whiteboard and couldn't live without it now! One side is a long pocket chart for all of our poems and sight word books, the other is a magnetic whiteboard so I can clip on a word wall, write a message or use magnets. I wish I had 5 more!

At the front of my room, is our calendar and our BragTag board!

 Here's our Science Center with our Hermit Crabs (the ones that didn't escape) and our crate seats stacked up on the right - they are so easy to pull out when we need them, and then stack right up out of the way - I am definitely making more this summer!

Our Reading Center butted up to Science Center this year. I couldn't get away with that with kinders, but it worked well for this year's firsties!

Here's the view from our door, the room was decorated for Cinco De Mayo. You can see that the class is divided into our carpet area and our table area, I still have a rug, but it's nice to have the carpeting for when we all spread out!

 Here's our Computer Center, love the ball chairs - so great for those kiddos that struggle with keeping themselves in their seat!

 Our listening center is also at the front of the room so the kids can sit on the carpet.

 Here's the view of the back half of the room. As you can see, it's a nice sized room!

EDIT: Below, Lauren asked about my table supply bins. Here's a close up picture of one:

(ignore the label that I forgot to peel off). I absolutely love this! It holds our community supplies for each table, as well as a few books. I got them from Walmart, over in the bath section. They usually have them during back-to-school with all of the stuff for college kids. The first year I saw them in all these primary colors, but last year there wasn't as much choice. I'm hoping this year that the colors will be back again!

 This board is actually a metal panel which I repainted, we used it for word work with magnetic letters.

 Here's our sink area, at the front of the room.

The focal point of our room was our tree which I decorated to match the changing seasons/themes. Here it is all done up for Halloween!

Nice enough right? Well, here are some pictures of my dream classroom that just happens to be right down the hall from my current room. Our new addition was finished right as school was wrapping up and I think you'll agree that these rooms are a kinder teachers' dream:

 The room is actually bigger than my current room!

 Look at all the storage!

 Here's the inside wall - sink, coat rack, cubbies and storage for days!

Here's the window wall - lots of shelf space and no yucky 20 year old metal blinds that won't roll up!

There are only two downsides to this room. First, there's no bathroom. Which, when you consider the Underwear Bandit, could actually be seen as a plus. Second, it's slated to become a first grade room :( Someone (me) mentioned to our Principal when the rooms were still being built and had all the promise of a wet paper sack, that kindergarten really shouldn't move down the hall to the new rooms because of the bathroom situation. Kinders need bathrooms in the classroom that person decreed. Of course now that everything is finished I am lusting over that room big time. I am still in the process of working on my Principal to change her mind in my favor. Cross your fingers for me and then head over to join the linky!