Sunday, December 29, 2013

Help Wanted

I'm linking up with Simply Kinder for her teaching blog round-up!  As a newbie teacher blogger, I'm loving this link up: a great way to meet other blogs and to get input from other teachers!



I've taken a short break from this little blog.  I had a wonderful Christmas & am gearing up for NYE and heading back to school.  My to-do list for break is still unfinished - including my BIG goal to figure out a way to reorganize my library.

To say I have too many books is an understatement.  You might remember from my last post that I have stacks of books on my back counter (nowhere near my library).

Here's my library now:

Pretty sad, right?  While I am a first year teacher..I think I can do better than this.  My original thought was to get some of the cubic organizers from Target & neon book baskets from Really Good Stuff (to match my students' book bins).














A friend told me that her Really Good Stuff baskets didn't hold up that well.  Has anyone else had this problem?

What ideas do YOU have that I could use to help rebuild my library to fit all of my books?
at

6 comments:

  1. UnknownDecember 30, 2013 at 8:45 PM

    Welcome to blogging and teaching! I have some Really Good Stuff baskets (older style, not the ones you have pictured). I have had them for four years and they're still going strong. Some of the heavier books have pushed through the plastic, but there is no damage to the smaller baskets with my chapter books. The best baskets I have are from Target, but they were very expensive! I keep changing the colors of my classroom, so I'm going to clear baskets next year!

    I'm your newest follower... looking forward to reading more of your posts and seeing your library...

    Elizabeth
    Seconds at the Beach

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shelby - First Time FirstieJanuary 2, 2014 at 5:35 PM

      Thanks for commenting! 4 years is great for baskets!! Teaching 1st grade, I have a lot of larger picture books so that's my main worry. The ones I have now are from Target and are great but I'm OCD and it bothers me that they don't match the rest of my room. Clear baskets is a good idea to combat that!!

      Thanks for the follow!
      -Shelby

      Delete
  2. UnknownDecember 30, 2013 at 11:35 PM

    I had the same problem with those bins - I've been thinking it was just me. I just revamped my classroom library organization before winter break! I bought a similar cubic organizer from Target (a six tier organizer is what I use to sort our books into genres) Also, I found perfect bins at Ikea (a much cheaper alternative as per a teacher pal's recommendation). They only come in green, but I spray painted them to match my classroom.

    Good luck with your library!

    Fourth Grade Shenanigans

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shelby - First Time FirstieJanuary 2, 2014 at 5:37 PM

      Thank you for commenting! I am DEFINITELY loving the price on these. Do they fit inside the Target cubic organizer then? That's my other concern. I agree with the spray painting - I'd have to do the same thing. Definitely going to be looking into these more. Thank you so much!!

      -Shelby

      Delete
  3. AlishaJanuary 1, 2014 at 3:51 PM

    Hi there! I found you through the linky and I saw that you are in Kansas City... Which is where I am too! Small world! I teach first too! Somehow, I am teaching all the way up in St. Joe, but I'm not living up that way. Too far from the city :) In reference to your post, I am STILL having problems with my baskets for my library. I just am never happy with it... Wal-Mart has some pretty sturdy white baskets that I have liked the most so far.I hope you are enjoying your first year teaching! I'm your newest follower! :)
    -Alisha
    Missing Tooth Grins

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shelby - First Time FirstieJanuary 2, 2014 at 5:38 PM

      Ahh no way! SUCH a small world! Glad I'm not the only one who is struggling with this library business. I usually avoid Wal-Mart like the plague but I might have to look there. Thanks for the tip and the follow :)

      Shelby

      Delete