A new year, a new room.

Got started cleaning up the mess of art supplies and furniture that were dumped in my new classroom end of last May and it feels great to have a new room with a wall of windows.  The light is spectacular with just enough shade from a tree outside the windows.  It also feels like I am making this room my own instead of inheriting another teacher's history.  There is much sorting to do but it's a good chance to inventory supplies and to brainstorm lessons to do with the materials I come across that have been boxed up and unused.  My creative juices are flowing and I'm excited to create a clean and organized space where kids can choose their own materials and lots of different kinds of materials are reachable.  There is no storage area so I will have to make everything neat and presentable on shelving--there is one storage cabinet but all other furniture is shelving of all kinds.  This school operates out of a commercial business building so there is nothing built in--just an open room with carpeting and walls.  It's a fun challenge to create an inspiring space for art to take place.  And with the right materials and stimulation art can happen.  Sure is nice to feel this optimism.