Getting Ready!!

Tomorrow morning is our orientation bright and early at 8am. Miss Russell and I have been working non-stop in our classroom to get it ready. I think our favorite part is the starry sky scene above our cabinets. We even put lights up there so it looks extra cool with the lights off! We hope our students feel invited into our room and think it the kind of place they will enjoy coming everyday to learn.
My biggest project these last few days has been getting my library organized. I am excited that I have so very many books! I hope my students are excited for all the choices too! Most of the library is sorted into genres, or types of writings, like sports, friends, history, mystery, and so on... In kindergarten and first grade I know most of the books they read were on a letter level, but I want them to learn to choose their books differently. When I go the library or bookstore, there are not any "levels" on a book. I choose books that I am interested in. I bet you even have a section you are drawn to when surrounded by books. I want my students to learn what interests them and try new genres of text, all the while learning to tell for themselves if the book is written too easy, too hard, or just right for them.
Well, I'm off to bed early because tomorrow will be a magical day! I can't wait to meet all our new students!