Category: Decor

5 Classroom Items I'm GLAD I Ditched {5 for Friday}

9/11/2015

Each year I think about and look for inspiration on how to make my classroom arrangement work better for students and our daily flow. Using trial and error, and research-based findings, I've learned that we can live (much better, in fact) without many common classroom items. Read below for a highlight list of my top 5 (for Friday) things I'm glad I've ditched in my room. Check out my Scholastic Top Teaching blog post on the same topic for full details, tips, tricks, and rationale behind my changes!

I'm so excited because SmartBlog on Education hosts a monthly education content award, recognizing content written by educators, for educators that inspires readers to engage, innovate and discuss. My Scholastic Top Teaching blog post, 5 Classroom Items I'm Glad I Ditched, has been chosen as one of the Editor's Choice Content Award winners this month!! As part of this honor, I'll be a featured guest on Education Talk Radio on September 23 @ 11:00 a.m. CST. I hope you'll join me for my first ever RADIO CHAT! WOO HOO!

{CLICK each image below to be taken to the full article to read more details, tips, & tricks!}

#1: MY TRADITIONAL TEACHER DESK

#2: OVERHEAD FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

#3: ONE, CENTRAL, HUGE CARPET

#4: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DESKS

#5: MULTI-COLORED & PATTERNED, BUSY BULLETIN BOARDS

// TPT //

4 Comments

Oh, What a Week! {5 for Friday}

8/1/2014

2 Comments

It's been an amazing week, and I'm going to replay some quick snapshots for you "5 for Friday-style" hosted by Doodle Bugs Teaching! Can it REALLY be August 1st already?!?! {#sayitaintso} If this past week is any indication, the last days of summer are going to be awesome...but fly by fast {too fast, really!}. I hope you're soaking up every last, delicious drop of summer like we're trying to do!

// Take a Peek @ My Week //

// Crazy over my First #Slantbox //

For a while now, I had been seeing pics of something called a #Slantbox / #Slantboxexchange floating all over Instagram. WHAT IS THIS SLANTBOX?!?!, I wondered. So, in true Lindsey fashion, I had to search and find the answer. Oh boy, I found a treasure box of goodies {literally} with this one! Read ALL ABOUT IT over at Jameson's blog, Lessons With Coffee. She has an entire website page dedicated to the who/what/when/where/why of all things Slantbox & even provides rules {which are both needed, & kind of fun}. Yesterday we were *MATCHED* with our giving/receiving partners for the August Slantbox, themed "Hometown Pride." I'm beyond psyched about my 2 August matches and cannot wait to see the fun & friendships that come from this exchange! Check out the details and sign up for September's exchange! Take a gander at my two matches below!

// Chicago Teacher-Blogger Stylish Soiree //

It's only 2 days and counting until the Chicago teacher-blogger brunch @ Bellwether hosted by Darling Dressed Duo and Sequins Are a Girl's Best Friend! You can read all about this event on my previous blog posts (1) (2). This event is sure to be fabulous, fashionable, and have fantastic food! I'll be the crazy lady snapping copious quantities of photos {including other people's food--haha!} and can't wait to post more in detail next week. Stay tuned for details about the chic venue, scrumptious food, & fantastic friends!

PS--Everyone attending will get chic teacher stationery from It's Elementary, My Dear! Take a sneak peek at the luxe loot they'll be receiving below! Who doesn't love some swanky S.W.A.G?!?

// Congrats, Meredith...Sign up to WIN BIG! //

Hip, hip, HOORAY for Meredith over at Creativity to the Core! She's celebrating & thankful for a HUGE milestone of 1,500 followers on Instagram! I'm joining a whole crew of other teachers supporting her success by donating goodies for a super sweet giveaway! One lucky winner will win ALL of the goodies below, PLUS COUTURE TEACHER STATIONERY from It's Elementary, My Dear! The picture above is just a SNEAK PEEK of the glittery goodness the lucky winner will receive from me. Take a gander below at the glorious gathering of giveaways galore {say that 5 times fast} from over 30 teachers who have donated downloads, goods, store credit, & more!
// See the entire post for more details & ENTER TO WIN! //

// Getting Ready to Get My BARGAIN On! //

This week I linked up with Mrs. D’s Corner and Miss V’s Busy Bees for the B2S Weekly Linky Party to share my love of all things classroom decor! If you check out the post, you'll learn that for the first time in 3 years, I'm not switching grade levels! This means, I get to keep my existing "Retro Road Trip" decor. Instead of starting from scratch {which is fun, but exhausting & quite expensive}, I get to tweak my design to perfect our classroom environment. And so....it begins. My bargain hunting bonanza. Already, I've begun scoping out the usual suspects: Wal-mart, Hobby Lobby, Goodwill, Dollar Tree, and the local party supply store. Check out some of the super bargain finds I'm keeping my eye on for purchase & projects, & check back for more on my end-of-summer bargain hunting for both school & fashion finds!

Tables & chairs @ Wal-mart

Vintage storage @ Hobby Lobby

// Goodwill Goodies that Need Some LOVE //

I haven't purchased any of these, but snapped pics of my fave finds from Goodwill when I perused last week. Should I get these? They range from $6 - $12, but I have to figure out if they're worth the repair effort! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Retro rolling office chair & high top stool for whole group lessons @ Goodwill

Nesting tables for working around the room & retro high top chair for whole group lessons @ Goodwill

// This week With My Best Buddy //

It's been a week jam-packed full of fun with my little buddy! Thanks to Instagram, I'm more accountable for documenting these sweet, precious memories. It's so nice to be able to reflect on all of our summer time fun!

Petting farm, carousel rides, & LOTS of smiles

Grayson's new friend, Senor Burro @ dinner

Bike rides to the part on perfect summer nights

Swim lessons, splash pad, playground, & pool!

2 Comments

Cruisin' Through Classroom Decor

7/30/2014

2 Comments

I must admit, classroom decor is one of my {absolute} FAVORITE back to school rituals! As a wannabe graphic/interior designer & lover of party planning, classroom makeovers are just my cup of tea! So, I’m linking up with Mrs. D’s Corner and Miss V’s Busy Bees for the B2S Weekly Linky Party to share my love of all things classroom decor!

Having taught EVERY grade, K-4 {Whew...makes me tired just thinking about it!} it seems like I’ve used nearly every decor theme under the sun. Along the way, there’s been a LOT of elbow grease, paint, decluttering, moving, money spent...I mean, “invested,” and bushels of fun {just don’t ask my husband about that…}. Some rooms were at new schools, move-in ready, and still smelling of new carpet and fresh paint. Others...well, if I’m honest some of the classrooms started out looking like something from “Saw” or “Last House on the Left.” In the end, it’s an amazing feeling to create a space that’s pleasing to you and both appealing and brain friendly to your students. After all, we practically LIVE in our rooms for the majority of each day during the school year. I want to LOVE the space I’m in each day, and aim for my students to feel the same!

// The BIG 10: Extreme Classroom Makeover //

I had a blast chronicling my many adventures in classroom moves, cleaning, painting, and decorating in two Scholastic Top Teaching blog posts titled The Big 10: Extreme Classroom Makeover: Part 1 & Part 2.
Check out the posts for tips, tricks, and techniques to help you live by my Big 10 rules for classroom makeovers as you go back to school this year!

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.
Send out an S.O.S.
What to do when disaster strikes!

// Evolution of a CLassroom //

See my classroom evolve over the past few years, prior to teaching
4th grade and implementing a "Retro Road Trip" themed decor!

// Themed Classroom Decor Galore //

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE a good theme. I don’t care what I’m planning (parties, outfits, home decor, you name it), I’m a bit of a theme addict. When I was first teaching, my theme choices and content primarily revolved around interest, cutesy-value, and other such fun factors. As I’ve grown as a teacher, I’ve learned to appreciate the value in two very important things involved in classroom environment: 1) Decor tied to curriculum content 2) Decluttering & creating a non-overstimulating environment.

When setting up furniture, bulletin boards, common areas, center stations, and more, I keep executive functioning in mind. Read all about executive functioning, it’s classroom components, and impact on students on my Scholastic Top Teaching blog post.

While you’re there, download these darling FREEBIES I created to support classroom design with executive functioning in mind that are both cute and functional {#winning}.

I like to have my cake and eat it, too, so I want my classroom design to be both cute and facilitate learning. Since the regions of the United States play a major role in most of our curricular content, both our academic and classroom decor is themed as a “Retro Road Trip.” From the welcome pack students receive from me in the summer, to classroom decor, and graphics used throughout, students are immersed in a retro road trip experience. Take a peek at tidbits from my decor and setup last year, and read on to see NEW ADDITIONS {bargain finds!} for this year’s design!

// Keep on Cruisin' //

For the past 3 years, I moved one grade each year: new hire starting in 2nd, 2nd to 3rd, and then 3rd to 4th. 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 4th {LOVE 4th grade!} and this gives me the opportunity to tweak, add to, and omit items that I feel would make our classroom environment better. For me, that means FUN raiding of Hobby Lobby and Goodwill clearance sections! So far, I’ve scored BIG TIME at Hobby Lobby. Many of the authentic vintage signs I wanted last year are now on 80% off, and so I felt like I was practically STEALING them as I loaded my cart up and hauled them to my vehicle. Take a peek at the revved up loot I’ll be adding this year to my decor!

Stay tuned for future posts with more details about full 2014 classroom decor reveal, year-long classroom themes, bargain hunting sprees, & much, much more!

2 Comments

5 Classroom Items I'm GLAD I Ditched {5 for Friday}

#1: MY TRADITIONAL TEACHER DESK

#2: OVERHEAD FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

#3: ONE, CENTRAL, HUGE CARPET

#4: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DESKS

#5: MULTI-COLORED & PATTERNED, BUSY BULLETIN BOARDS

// TPT //

Oh, What a Week! {5 for Friday}

// Take a Peek @ My Week //

// Crazy over my First #Slantbox //

// Chicago Teacher-Blogger Stylish Soiree //

// Congrats, Meredith...Sign up to WIN BIG! //

// Getting Ready to Get My BARGAIN On! //

// Goodwill Goodies that Need Some LOVE //

// This week With My Best Buddy //

Cruisin' Through Classroom Decor

// The BIG 10: Extreme Classroom Makeover //

// Evolution of a CLassroom //

// Themed Classroom Decor Galore //

// Keep on Cruisin' //

// CONNECT //

MEET LINDSEY

Find Me On
// TPT //

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ERIN CONDREN

SITE DESIGN

SHOP NOW

PHOTO LOVE

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// Home // Blog // About // Shop // Connect //

5 Classroom Items I'm GLAD I Ditched {5 for Friday}

#1: MY TRADITIONAL TEACHER DESK

#2: OVERHEAD FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

#3: ONE, CENTRAL, HUGE CARPET

#4: INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DESKS

#5: MULTI-COLORED & PATTERNED, BUSY BULLETIN BOARDS

// TPT //

Oh, What a Week! {5 for Friday}

// Take a Peek @ My Week //

// Crazy over my First #Slantbox //

// Chicago Teacher-Blogger Stylish Soiree //

// Congrats, Meredith...Sign up to WIN BIG! //

// Getting Ready to Get My BARGAIN On! //

// Goodwill Goodies that Need Some LOVE //

// This week With My Best Buddy //

Cruisin' Through Classroom Decor

// The BIG 10: Extreme Classroom Makeover //

// Evolution of a CLassroom //

// Themed Classroom Decor Galore //

// Keep on Cruisin' //

// CONNECT //

Be an INSIDER!

MEET LINDSEY

Find Me On // TPT //

FAVORITE THINGS

ERIN CONDREN

SITE DESIGN

SHOP NOW

PHOTO LOVE

PIN-TASTIC

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

LINKED UP

// Home // Blog // About // Shop // Connect //

Find Me On
// TPT //