Room Remodel Updates

So, as I mentioned awhile back, my classroom is getting a redo.  My room was quite small, but I actually really liked it that way.  The only problem was that when you put 30+ bodies in there, there was always too much talking because of proximity.  It's hard not to talk when someone's foot is on yours, or someone coughs on you, or someone breathed to loudly.... you get the picture.  Since I will also be teaching 8th graders as well, I needed more space.  Eighth graders are huge these days!

Although the room looks good, I'm struggling with how I am going to use the space.  I have lost my instructional, focus wall.  Here are some pics to explain:

So, this is my room the last week of school... A total disaster, but it was the last week...

It wasn't ideal with my desk space right in the front, but it worked great for using the smart board.

The bulletin board right next to the door was for student information: lunch menu, calendar, band lesson schedule, announcements, etc.  A little worried about losing that. 

This is what my room looked like on the last day of school (5 days later - miracle!)

Kids help clean and pack up rooms here, so it went pretty quick.

(My "little" was is standing in the doorway telling me

to hurry up.)

Here is what that wall looks like now!  Half of the wall is gone!

The room next door was only used for TAs and small group instruction, so they took half of it and added it to my room.  A small white board will be put on the half wall to replace the big one I'm losing for my smart board, and I will probably put my materials and turn in table underneath it.

So when you look at this picture, my desk area will now be next to the blackboard in the new space.  I thought I would be getting more storage space back there (I don't even have a closet), but they will be putting the student cubbies behind the half wall.  The kids used to have lockers in the hallway.  They were the only class to have lockers, which was a bit of a problem; but the bigger problem was that a parent complained that the lockers were too difficult for their child.  Seriously.  So the lockers are gone and all of the student stuff will be in that back corner.  And I don't get the book storage that I desperately need.  (Tear, sniff...)

This is the area where the student cubbies will be

and not my classroom library. ;(

I think that I will put the announcements on that back wall in the cubby area. 

Here's another angle of where my desk will be.

The chalkboard is from the other classroom.  I am going

to try figure out a way to cover it so that it will be a bulletin board. 

I know the rolls of cork are not that great - too thin to stick tacks into, and they crack.

The tiles are sooooo expensive and I would need about 40 of them.

Have to find a cheaper solution.

On the wall with the door, I had a white board where I posted "I can" statements, materials needed, and agendas for each class.  I had it divided into 4 columns which worked slick.  Under the white board was the materials and turn-in table, and under the table was where we kept crates of their interactive notebooks.  Gone.  Here is the transformation:

Again, last week of school, so forgive the disaster.

Are you starting to get the picture of how small it is?

This is what it looked like on the last day of school.

While we were at the final, all-school mass, the building manager

already had the smart board taken down!

(My "little" again, not so patiently waiting)

And this is what it looks like now. 

My smart board will go under the clock. 

I'm going to have to cover the window in the door or the kids

will be looking at everyone walking by and not the board.

So, you probably notice I do have the bulletin boards next to the pole.  Well, those are my only bulletin boards.  The small one is for English materials, the larger one is for 6th grade literature.  I have no idea where I will put eighth grade stuff.  The wall to the right has a very shallow storage area for all of the lit novels, so, no wall space there, and the "new back wall" is weird - low windows that look into the library that are not the same size or centered.  Nothing will stick to that wall, so, again, no options to hang things.  Here are a few pics of the other two walls:

The wall of "No-Stick"

The only things that I have found to stick to it are 3m strips.  

Putty works for about 3 weeks or so and then needs to be replaced.

That gray thing on the right is my file cabinet and I had

a table next to the file cabinet as part of my teacher area.

The back on the last day before the final clean up.

Table cloths are hanging over the novel shelves to protect it from 

construction dust.  Didn't really work. (more tears)

One other change this year will be that instead of tables, I'm getting desks.  Again, not my choice but the principal didn't like how the tables made it difficult for kids to have their own space in such a tiny room.  

So, I am looking for ideas how to set up my new space.  It will be a bit awkward at first, I think, but if I really plan it out, I can make it work.  Please share if you have any suggestions!  I will post updates when I get started setting up in August.

~L