With school starting soon, teachers all over are looking for ideas on ways to have a stellar start to the year. We’ve collected fun ideas from across the internet that focus on ways to make sure your classroom is organized, decorated, and perfectly stocked for the new school year. Check out some of the ideas below, and be sure to share this with your teacher friends!
Create a Back-to-School Checklist
One way to keep from getting overwhelmed and stay excited is to outline the steps you’ll need to take to prepare for the upcoming school year. A back-to-school checklist can help you stay organized and focused as you prepare. An article on Teaching Community lists a helpful checklist that starts one month out and includes tasks up until the day before school starts. Check it out here!
Design Your Classroom Layout By Starting With Your Student Desks
An article on ThoughtCo., outlines the steps you can take to come up with a new classroom layout, starting first with the student desks. Next, you strategically place your desk, determine what belongs upfront, organize your library, and set aside space for your discipline plan. The article lists a total of ten steps and also helps you decide how to find the design that’s right for you and your classroom. Read it here.
List Out Your Classroom Essentials
Whether you’re a new teacher starting from scratch or a veteran looking forward to your next shopping trip, creating a list of your essentials is important. We Are Teachers created a list of 21 classroom essentials that you can look at for more ideas. Some of their ideas include: #2 Pencils, an electric or manual pencil sharpener, date stamp, staple remover, stapler, student scissors, individual dry-erase whiteboards, and dry-erase markers.
Don’t Forget to Add Blocks Rock! To Your Essentials List
Perfect for a rainy day recess, free time, your maker station, or as part of your lessons, Blocks Rock! is a classroom essential. Don’t take our word for it, see what Natalie and Rachelle from What the Teacher Wants have to say.
“On STEM Fridays in my classroom, I oftentimes have STEM Stations where students can choose a challenge and they can complete the game or challenge with a partner or group.
Last Friday, I had the chance to put in the game called Blocks Rock! And oh boy, my students were obsessed!”
If you’re interested in adding Blocks Rock! To your classroom, click here to read the rest of their article!
Find Classroom Decor Inspiration on Pinterest
When we were looking for decor ideas to share with you, we came across this article on Classroom Caboodle that had a great reminder. No matter what decor you choose, the most important aspect of your classroom is you! So if you’re sweating to come up with a theme, you can take a breath.
But, if you’re excited about decorating and a theme, we have ideas for you too! One of the best places to look for decor ideas is on Pinterest. We’ve chosen a few great boards for you to get your decor inspiration from. Try looking at The Cheerful Chalkboard, Kinder Craze, or Angela Watson’s Teaching Ideas.
Organize Using Tubs, Boxes, and Folders
Proud to Be Primary suggests taking the time to organize your classroom resources in tubs, boxes, and folders...or whatever works for you! You can start that before school, and then when you start setting up your classroom, choose to store the learning materials for different subjects in different areas of the classroom.
For instance, you can keep an area for school supplies and math manipulatives, have a difference space for centers, and then a teacher area with your own personal materials and supplies. For a more detailed list of her ideas for organization, click here.
Decide on a Routine for Organizing Your Classroom Regularly
While you will be starting with an organized classroom, one of the best ways to keep it organized will be to create a routine that your class will follow from the very first day. Before the school year starts, decide how you can integrate your students into your organizing routine. This could be by encouraging cleaning up areas after use, throwing away garbage and wiping the boards.
For more ideas on classroom organization, check out this Teach Thought article.
Have a great school year!
We hope that by using these ideas, you have a great start to your school year! And don’t forget, when you get Blocks Rock! for your classroom, share your pictures and tag us on social media for your chance to be featured on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.
