Back to School

   With summer winding down, so does my summer vacation...depressing, but inevitable.  School is starting in a couple weeks, and teachers are slowly making their way back to their classrooms, armed to the brim with new supplies.
   For any new teachers out there, I have a bit of information that may come as a surprise: being a teacher is expensive!  Few people realize how much of their own money teachers spend out of pocket each year on necessities like highlighters, paper, glue, folders, scissors, markers, index cards, and so much more.  These are just a few of the items on my end-of-summer shopping list, and I teach high school!

   With budget cuts affecting most of the schools in our state, money is tight.  What does that mean for teachers?  Well (aside from no more raises and the constant threat of cutbacks) it means if you want/need something for your classroom or your students, you're probably going to have to buy it yourself.  Luckily, many office supply chains (like Staples and Office Max) offer teacher discounts and Virginia offers a weekend in August where school supplies, even clothing, under $100 can be purchased tax-free.

  

 

   It was during this weekend that I went on a bit of a buying splurge (only for school, of course!) and scored the items pictured above from Staples and Target.  My total purchase cost (wait for it)....$178.93.  Now, for some people that doesn't sound like a lot, but for a teacher (especially one from a school district that hasn't seen raises in over 5 years) that is a fortune!  While in Staples, I met a woman shopping with her husband.  They each had a cart FULL of supplies...for her third grade class!  I don't even want to know what her total was, but I'm sure elementary teachers spend much more than that us high school teachers.

   The problem is, I'm not done.  I'm thinking of doing some redecorating this year, which of course costs money.  I've purchased some colored bins (going with blue, lime green, pink and purple - one color for each class) with matching paper clips and binder clips to help stay organized this year.  I will also be purchasing some fabric to use on my bulletin boards, rather than the usual paper.  Fabric won't fade or rip, and can stand up to the constant flow of high schoolers in and out of my room.  Another fun fact: if teenagers can touch it, they can also destroy it.

Beginning the color coding process...

Here are a few pictures of my classroom.  I have an odd-shaped corner room on the second floor.  This means I have more windows, though!  My room's walls actually have five sides (three long walls, two very short) so the placement of desks and other furniture is a bit like playing Tetris. Once I've finished decorating, I'll post some before and after shots.  Wish me luck (with the room, or with the teenagers). 



This is "my" corner. The orange bulletin board contains pictures of students,
as well as tokens from my travels. My small fridge and mircrowave pay
homage to my alma mater!  The tops of my filing cabinets will display pictures of
my nieces, and a large bust of Shakespeare, of course.

 

Another view to show the odd walls. 
Bookshelves and cabinets literally go wherever I can fit them!