It's going to be a Polka Dot-tastic school year!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting this year's bunch of bright Little Learners!  I cannot begin to contain my excitement!  Not only were they cute as a button, but were polite, excited, and super smart!  This year for our Meet The Teacher event, the Kindergarten team decided to welcome our new students with balloons.  We had previously seen the idea on Pinterest.  What a hit!  Their eyes lit up when they came into the room!  There was very little fear and apprehension since they were so excited by the environment.  It is definitely something I plan to do each and every school year.  Here's a little peek into our room...

Each Polka Dot balloon is tied down by a rolled poster board, which is their homework for the first week.  These "All About Me" Posters are a great way to get to know students, while helping them feel included and comfortable.  Two student posters will be displayed as Students of the Month throughout the year.

I love this corner of the reading area!  The Polka Dot lanterns were given to me by my Co-Chair Mrs. Rosenblit to use this year.  You got to love teachers!  Always sharing! 

I chose to display class birthdays on my office door.

 The Polka Dot Birthday Posters are available at my Tpt store!

Pardon the table clutter in my Guided Reading area.  I was frantically getting ready for my Little Learners to come!  Hanging are the brightly colored Pom Poms that I made from a Pinterest tutorial.  The bulletin board will be used for monthly themes, writing, etc...  

The color word posters are from my Polka Dot Classroom Signs & Labels set.  Also displayed is my Reading Strategy Posters: Building a Successful Reader set.  

Both are also available on Tpt.

I am so excited to begin the journey with my Little Learners on Monday!

Peace & Love,

Jessica Purtell

  

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom... Guess who donated to our room!

I was beyond blessed to have one of my Donors Choose projects fully funded by Starbucks!  My lucky little learners will now have the pleasure of using Literature-Based Learning Centers and three new sets of Sight Word Readers in fiction and nonfiction.  I look forward to seeing their brains growing while learning to love reading!  Thanks again Starbucks!  You're yummy lattes only last for a little while, but this gift  will give my little learners something they will have forever!

Our new Literature-Based Learning Centers

Their brains will grown leaps and bounds with our new Nonfiction Sight Word Readers

Their imaginations will run wild with our new Fiction Sight Word Readers

Welcome to a world of Polka Dots!

One of the things that I love about my profession is the creativity and craftiness of my fellow teachers.  I am always impressed with the things they come up with!  I am blessed to have a particularly crafty girl just a few doors down from mine.  I swear, her imagination knows no bounds!  Instead of the same old Welcome sign hanging on the door, she crafted a wreath that matched her classroom theme.  Thanks for the inspiration Rachelle!

Just the beginning....

A little personal touch... 

 And presto!

Peace & Love,

Jessica Purtell