Mrs. Mossholder Has Moved Into The Building!

Ladies and gentlemen, today was the day! I finally started working on my room and moving my personal items in. I am absolutely exhausted but I came home feeling ahead of the game and so proud of what I have accomplished so far!

Of course, the one day I did pick to come in was a day that the gentlemen who have been working all summer decided to turn the air conditioner off for part of the day while we had a heat advisory in the area! Needless to say, it was beyond hot in my room, but hey...Aren't most jungles hot and humid?

It wasn't until I had to pack my car, unpack my car, pack my mom's SUV, unpack my mom's SUV, and carry everything to my room that I realized just how much "stuff" I really had. My mom is a first grade teachers' aide at another school, and I was lucky enough to inherit a retiring teacher's classroom library through my mom. It is awesome to get free, useful, and meaningful gifts like that, but it was a heck of a job to carry!


Today, one of the first things I had to do was get those curtains up that I had been working on this week. I think it was a good project to start on because it was instant gratification and made such a big difference in the feel of my room so quickly! I really love how these curtains turned out, and the price can't be beat! Plus, I gained some major confidence in my sewing abilities and might start tackling some of those pinterest sewing projects I have dreamed about.

Then the real work began. I had tons of furniture just piled in the middle of my room and I had to find a way to make it work. In the end, I couldn't. I ended up speaking with my principal and found out that I may be able to get a bigger smartboard and I will definitely be able to get it moved in the middle of my room. It wasn't until I found that out that I felt good about my room arrangement. I can see everything from my desk, I had a small group work area, a reading area, tables for independent or collaborative work, and even a big of open space to keep my room clutter-free. I hope that when I get my kids in there and get to moving around, it still works and I like the set-up. But for now, atleast it looks good haha!

After a very long, hot, and hard day of work, I can not wait to get my class list so I can further personalize my classroom for my kids. I want to put their names everywhere: at their seats, on their cubbies and mailboxes, on the bulletin boards! Everywhere! I want my students to feel like they truly belong as soon as they step foot in my room. Every one of my students will have a special place in my classroom, and I know they will quickly grab one in my heart too!

Before I get too sappy and start crying happy tears again, I will end my exhausted update here with some awesome pictures! 

I was so excited about getting my name on my door.
It is no longer just a corner classroom, but now- Mrs. Mossholder's 1st grade Class!

I still have a lot to do, but I am slowly getting there. I still need to hang things on my walls, finish my bulletin boards, and make covers for all my storage cubbies!

I LOVE the view of my room from my desk. I think it really turned out bright and cheery like I wanted without being overwhelming. I am ecstatic to say the least!

And of course, I had to take pictures of my room to send to my husband because waiting until I saw him in an hour was way too long! (Can you tell I am proud?)

Making a house a home, or in my case, "Making a room my classroom!"

Hi folks,
I have finally been able to see my classroom and take a quick tour around the school. My mom came with me, and we had a blast sneaking around the empty school and peeking in all the windows.

When I saw my room for the first time, I was so overwhelmed with excitement and pride, of course I cried! It truly is a wonderful room to start this awesome ride with. It was great getting to see where all my ideas will be put into place, but it also showed me all the work I still need to do. I have really been working on some wonderful things for room 228!

One of the first things I wanted to do, (since I still can't move anything into my room and there is no a/c for the next few days) was make curtains for all the great windows in this room. I love how bright and airy this classroom feels. Of course, with the help of my awesome mom, we were able to get flat sheets from Wal-Mart, and some ribbon and make curtains for less than $5 each! I have a feeling that as I grow as a teacher, my creativity and penny-pinching abilities will too!

I am really excited with how the curtains came out and I can not wait to get back into my classroom and make it feel cozy and ready for my kids. This dream come true just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter...and maybe a little more "wild"!

Hello Everyone,

Here we are about a month out from the big start! Yet again, I have been working on  getting ready for the kids. Yesterday I had my first paperwork session with WPS and found out my room number and heard that I officially have a mailbox!

About a week ago, I got my first shipment of supplies that match my jungle theme and now I am itching to get into my classroom and start setting up, but I have to wait for my floors to be waxed first... it's all a waiting game now.

I feel like I have been thinking, breathing, and dreaming of ideas for my classroom and my jungle theme 24/7 now. I have my rocking chair finished, a huge zebra rug, some decorations for bulletin boards, and a calendar set all ready for my room. I hope my vision of a vibrant exciting classroom can be realized. Beyond the look of my room I also hope that I can foster an environment of family, fun, and a true excitement of learning. I want my classroom to be "wild" about learning!

          Hello everyone! I hope that all of you are truly soaking up the sun and enjoying your summer. I have already began my busy planning for my classroom and I am beyond excited for what is to come!
As a first year teacher, it is so hard to create a classroom from scratch, but I feel I am well on my way and enjoying every moment of this roller coaster ride. The past six months or so have been very crazy for me and settling into a routine with my new students seems very enjoyable. In December I married my high school sweetheart right here in Winchester, and in May I graduated from Shenandoah University with my golden ticket to teach children and follow my dreams. Then two quick months later here we are getting ready for August already.
          So far I have picked out the theme for my classroom which many of you may have already guessed- a jungle/safari theme! I think my kids will find a fun and exciting classroom when they walk in on the first day of school. I have already picked out some very neat activities to do with my kids the first week of school so I can learn as much as I can about their interests, personalities, and odds and ends to help create our family of a classroom.
           Throughout the school year I hope to keep up to date with this blog, in order to keep families informed of exciting news going on in our classroom and even share some pictures of kids in action, and the end results of hard work. Each week I will also be giving out a weekly newsletter that will give more in depth information from your child that will be a routine way of getting information.
Thank you for visiting our classroom blog and I hope to meet my students soon!