Are you entering the classroom for the first time this year, moving classrooms or just ready for a new look and flow to your current room? This post is just for you! I left the classroom for a year to be our district's at-risk/interventionist. (A story for another time..) BUT this year, I am headed back to the classroom to teach a multi-age kindergarten and first grade class. Returning to a classroom setting really got me thinking about the environment I wanted.

My first year of teaching, I didn't put much thought into my theme but I knew I wanted to have one because my OCD requires things in my life to be organized and matching.. I loved neon colors and found some animal print/neon bulletin borders and I went from there. I kept that theme my first 5-6 years of teaching. I invested a lot of money into my storage solutions and classroom decor and didn't feel I could justify changing my theme even if I had found research that supported it.

When I left the classroom, I gave away a lot of my things because I knew I would either re-invest in new more neutral decor or I would remain working from two smaller offices in our district and wouldn't need most of those things any more. Little did I know that I would be re-investing after just one short year of being out of the classroom. Here are some tips that I have after planning out my classroom environment for next year:

  1. Research– Do some research that supports the best learning environment for students. This includes room arrangement, color schemes, lighting and temperature (which isn't always something you can control). After my research, neutral and warm colors were listed as being great choices as well as blue and green. In one of my offices, I chose to do a warm, house-like theme. I used light colors with some farmhouse details. The first time my kiddos came up to my office, every group commented how much it felt like a “home.” This is part of why I chose a neutral color scheme and theme for my classroom next year. I love the idea that my students feel like our classroom is like a home.
  2. Reflect on your personal style– This is where you need to think about what catches your eye. Does a clean space make you excited? Does a well planned out theme like a farmhouse style classroom fit your personality? Is modern or industrial more your style? Nature might be your thing but whatever you do, don't pick a theme just because.. make sure it's one you love and one that you'll want to stick with for awhile. The other things you need to consider about your classroom is what room arrangement suits your personal style. Do you like when kids collaborate? Is flexible seating something you want to try? Or do you need it to be more organized and uniform? Once again, whatever you choose, needs to fit your personality. Don't force yourself to try flexible seating if you don't like the idea of the kids sitting in different areas and in different forms of seating.
  3. Look for inspiration– Take to the internet! Get some inspiration.. Pinterest, Instagram or google all the things. You might find a theme already created that you just love or you might decide to create your own. (That's what I did this time around!) Teachers Pay Teachers is also a great resource for finding awesome decor ideas.
  4. Make your decision– Once you have taken time to reflect on your personal style as well as finding inspiration, it's time to make your decision. I made a pros and cons list about changing my decor or leaving it the same and ultimately decided to make a change. For some of you, this might be a no brainer and an easy decision but if you're indecisive like I am, this might be the hardest decision you make all year. Once you have made your decision, don't second guess yourself. Trust your research, your personal style and your decision. Make your classroom fit your needs as a class and run with it!
  5. Find/create your decor, materials, etc. This is my favorite part of having a theme in my classroom. I love to decorate and make a space my own. This is probably my husband's least favorite because I tend to go a little overboard when purchasing new items for my room BUT you don't have to spend a ton of money to make your classroom your own. Rummage sales, thrift stores, Dollar Tree and donations can all help you decorate on a budget! just remember that too much decor can be distracting to your students and that if you have posters or displays, you need to refer to them. Don't just have stuff to have stuff.. Most of all, have fun! This should be fun and if it isn't, re-evaluate and make some changes! 🙂