Teachers, come in

[Beener]

I went to set up my middle school classroom and after looking into other rooms in my building, I'm finding that my room looks too "high school." Everyone has all these cool organizing systems and everything is so colorful!

So, what are your favorite organizational items for supplies?
What decorations do you have in your rooms?
Bonus points for PIPs!
All grade levels please participate!

[kdrake8]

Oh geez! I have no pics.

My bCk bulletin board has alternating pencil and smiley face cut outs around the edge. My brick wall has star cut outs. The front board has star cut outs above it. All bulletin boards that need covered have yellow paper covering them. I have the school motto (expect the best) up on the back wall in blue glitter letters. I have our team name (Spartans) on the door in blue glitter letters. And I have a bazillion subject specific and inspirational posters everywhere.

[kdrake8]

Honestly most of my organizational things are brightly colored containers I found at target

[imimahoney]

Well I teach HS so this isn't very helpful but I have vintage election posters from the 1950s-80s, black and white pics from the civil Rights Era, a ton of maps both world and American, my bulletin boards have flag boarders, lots of posters of classical art and inspirational quotes and I have a life size cut out of JFK, lol. He just chills in the back though.

[badgermom]

I teach K, so we are super bright/colorful. For bins/organizing I second target. You can also order lots of classroom specific bins through "really good stuff". To add color fast, measure your bulletin boards and cover them with fabric. It holds ups/is more vibrant than paper. It's pricy at first, but it can last for multiple school years. I've gotten a ton of great ideas from Pinterest. You might find more content specific or grade level appropriate ideas there. I'm sure your room will look great!

[vthokie]

These are horrible pictures, and from before I was finished. I spend the $5 a roll for fake wood bulletin board paper. There's green and white contact paper on the huge cabinet and on my paper filer on the tables. I have a tall drawer set with colored drawers that I collect papers in. I got it for like $20 at Big Lots. A little fabric on a table and some colored border. Far from fancy.

[spaghetticat]

I have a bulletin board called "The Week in Review." It has file folders for each class for each day of the week where I put things when kids are absent.

[kdrake8]

Aug 30, 2014 7:44:33 GMT -5 spaghetticat said:

I have a bulletin board called "The Week in Review." It has file folders for each class for each day of the week where I put things when kids are absent.

I do this by my door! I call it "What Did You Miss"

[formerlyllizzyb]

Oh man this would be my problem if I taught younger grades. I loved teaching high school because there just wasn't pressure to have a cutesy classroom.

I did teach 3rd for two years, but we shared spaces and it was a classical school with minimal decor.

[artgal84]

I find a lot of cute colorful bins at the dollar store actually! I have the kids make a lot of the "decorations". This year I'm making a big tree and all the kids are going to make a leaf, they need to put their name and three descriptive words (the words have to be drawn in their style so bubbly would be made of bubbles) about them on it. I'm going to hang it right when you walk in. Many years I had them team up and draw posters about class expectations and I hang those, I would do a do/don't theme.

[Beener]

Aug 30, 2014 8:37:38 GMT -5 artgal84 said:

I find a lot of cute colorful bins at the dollar store actually! I have the kids make a lot of the "decorations". This year I'm making a big tree and all the kids are going to make a leaf, they need to put their name and three descriptive words (the words have to be drawn in their style so bubbly would be made of bubbles) about them on it. I'm going to hang it right when you walk in. Many years I had them team up and draw posters about class expectations and I hang those, I would do a do/don't theme.

I love the idea of class expectations posters. For the first day, I have specific things I have to teach, per the school. Responsibility, respectability, leadership, etc. Making these into posters is awesome!

[Beener]

Aug 30, 2014 7:44:33 GMT -5 spaghetticat said:

I have a bulletin board called "The Week in Review." It has file folders for each class for each day of the week where I put things when kids are absent.

Love it!!!

[jg183]

We make a lot of class generated anchor charts
Search on Pinterest there's great stuff

[laurensmomma]

Every time I come into a teacher thread and read about you guys having to buy your own stuff for classrooms, I get pissed off all over again. You guys shouldn't have to pay for that stuff. You all are saints.

[redmonkeystomper]

I teach 5th and co-teach. We have a lot of "pinterest" teachers at my new school but I think it's a little much. We have content posters up mostly. I plan to add a daily schedule and routines because I have ESE kids included. I think less is more because a lot of decor is visually distracting to some students.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using proboards

[artgal84]

Aug 30, 2014 9:08:07 GMT -5 Beener said:

Aug 30, 2014 8:37:38 GMT -5 artgal84 said:

I find a lot of cute colorful bins at the dollar store actually! I have the kids make a lot of the "decorations". This year I'm making a big tree and all the kids are going to make a leaf, they need to put their name and three descriptive words (the words have to be drawn in their style so bubbly would be made of bubbles) about them on it. I'm going to hang it right when you walk in. Many years I had them team up and draw posters about class expectations and I hang those, I would do a do/don't theme.

I love the idea of class expectations posters. For the first day, I have specific things I have to teach, per the school. Responsibility, respectability, leadership, etc. Making these into posters is awesome!

They always come out great! I like to get the kids involved as much as possible in the way the room looks so they take ownership and feel like it's their space. Maybe your art teacher will give you some paper and markers too.

[steph196]

I don't have any photos of my room, but a lot of my tubs are either from Target or Lakeshore. Since it's kinder, it is super colorful. I use fabric on my walls instead of paper, so it's really bright.