In my 12+ years as an educator, I’ve taught in four different school districts and four schools. The classrooms have been both mammoth and miniscule, new and old, and well maintained and dilapidated. Even when I stayed in the same school for four years, I had to change classrooms three times. Needless to say, I know how you feel as you prep your room for the new school year. And I’ve learned a lot about how to set up a stellar room without losing my mind. So, follow these steps to "Keep Calm and Carry On!"
// My Poor Husband... //
Let me start by singing the praises for my poor, sweet, hard-working hubby, Frank! {LOVE YOU!} This poor man has had to move me from room to room and between schools. On top of that, he has helped me makeover not ONE, but TWO classrooms from top to bottom. We're talking washing walls, floors, shelves, painting the ENTIRE ROOM, scraping goo, gunk, tape, and glue from every surface imaginable for 9+ hours in one room, and on and on. This type of work is my responsibility because it's my room...but he's always there right by my side to help, and I am beyond appreciative. I probably don't express it enough...but THANK YOU, hon! I couldn't do any of this without you!!
// My Top 10 Tips for Extreme Classroom Makeovers //
I originally created this Top 10 List for for my first two Scholastic Top Teaching blog posts. I had just been hired at my current school and had a major classroom renovation at hand. Check out the two original posts chronicling my journey from "Scene from SAW" to my current classroom. Within these posts, you'll see my top 10 tips for keeping your cool as you prep for school:
- Imagine the possibilities.
- Start with a clean slate.
- Lay on a base coat.
- Keep function foremost.
- Start styling.
- Be fabulously frugal.
- "Date" your design.
- Pace yourself.
- S.O.S.
- When disaster strikes....
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// Take Time to Tweak //
Over the past three years, I moved three times: one grade each year. I started with second graders as a new hire, the next year I switched from second to third, and then last year from third to fourth. Each year I tailored my decor to a new theme that correlated to our curricular content. (Yes, it was an exhausting whirlwind, but it was also a lot of fun!)
This year I’m parked firmly in fourth grade (LOVE fourth grade!) for the third year in a row, and this gives me the opportunity to continue to tweak, add to, and omit items to improve our classroom environment. Check out my top three classroom setup tweaks from last year and a sneak peek at new retro road trip items that I’m adding to my decor!
See my "tweak your room" Scholastic post by clicking the image to the left!
This year I’m parked firmly in fourth grade (LOVE fourth grade!) for the third year in a row, and this gives me the opportunity to continue to tweak, add to, and omit items to improve our classroom environment. Check out my top three classroom setup tweaks from last year and a sneak peek at new retro road trip items that I’m adding to my decor!
See my "tweak your room" Scholastic post by clicking the image to the left!
// Take a Sneak Peek! //
Our school doesn't start back up until August 25th, so I'm NOWHERE NEAR READY to start tweaking, cleaning, or redecorating my space just yet {plus...summer camp has taken over our school, so we're not even allowed in our rooms at this point}. Check out the pics below for a sneak peak of my room and tweaks from last year. I'll be making updates, changes, and {hopefully} improvements before the kiddos return. When it's all ready to go....I'll be SURE to give you the full tour: photos and PERISCOPE live broadcast!!! For now...take a trip down Route 66 in my 4th grade classroom.
// What's with the Retro Road trip Theme? //
I LOVE THEMES...party themes...classroom themes...you name it. Closer to my BTS time, I'll fill you in on my theme rationale and details. The one thing I have learned in over a decade of teaching every grade K-4 is to make your THEME RELEVANT....not just cute. Now, please know I'm a "have your cake and eat it, too" kind of girl, so I don't like to sacrifice cuteness. I just put the priority of my theme on how it ties to our standards, goals, etc. for the grade level. Check back soon {subscribe via email for auto updates!!} to hear me dish on successful theme planning and implementation!
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