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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!
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!
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See my classroom evolve over the past few years, prior to teaching
4th grade and implementing a “Retro Road Trip” themed decor!
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.
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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}.
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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!
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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!
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Stay tuned for future posts with more details about full 2014 classroom decor reveal, year-long classroom themes, bargain hunting sprees, & much, much more!
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