Classroom Pics: BEFORE!

Ok- warning, don't expect much from me blog-wise for the next two weeks or so. I am spending our first week back packing and moving everything to my new room and my principal is giving me 3 WHOLE DAYS to myself with no students the week after (9th, 10th, 11th) to unpack everything, organize, set up, develop programs etc. 

Needless to say it will be A LOT of work but these are "before" pics of my classroom. The desks will all go away (none of my students would really use them anyways) so envision a huge open space with all of the bookshelves being cleared. I am especially excited about the little kitchen-like area : ) Here are the pics! 

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I feel like there's a lot of potential and it is a pretty big space (for only 5 students!!) Please comment with any ideas you have and I can't wait to share the after pics!!

Update!

So sorry it has been too long since I have posted! I started my new job the week before break (can you say chaos?!) It is a little rough right now because the students I am getting are currently part of a much larger (19!) class of all alternate assessment special ed. kiddos. They are the 5 with the most intense needs so we will be moving to our own classroom (Jan. 9th!!) but until then, I am stuck in this weird limbo land where myself, the other teacher, and about 6-8 paras are coming in and out with kids all day long. I wish I could start out right after break in the new room with just my students and my two paras but I have to wait for the word from administration!! Until then, here is a quick little social story I made that we have been working on with my students to help with the transition..

Boardmaker Share

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated! Life is so crazy now, I am in my last week of student teaching and have been splitting my time also getting to know my new students at the new job! (perks of getting a job in the same district I student teach in!) It`s looking like I will have 4-5 kiddos in my room so I am really looking forward to the one on one instructional time I will have (I hope!) I can start setting up my room next week but unfortunately I can't have access to the building over winter break ::bummer!:: so, it won't be until mid-January that I`ll expect us to be all settled in. Meanwhile, I will share with you my new obsession!! Since my new students are mostly on the autism spectrum, I have been creating a lot more materials with Boardmaker than I did with the severe/multiply disabled students I have previously been with (the pictures were too abstract for them).

This brings me to my new exciting find (which may be old for some of you!) Boardmaker Share !!
Basically, teachers, therapists, etc. upload Boardmaker activities or visual supports they have created, and others can view and use them for free. You just need to have a computer with Boardmaker installed (my teacher one at school does) and create a free profile. You can search by life skills, curriculum, communication, therapy, behavior, etc. and also can select your grade levels. I haven't even come close to looking through half of it and I have found so many great resources. What an excellent way to save time and generate awesome new ideas. Boardmaker symbols aren't for every student but the ones I am getting have been using it for awhile and are pretty good at recognizing basic picture meanings. Can't wait to get in the classroom and I will be sure to post some pictures so stay tuned!!