Hi Teacher Friends,
You are probably going to hate me for bringing this up. But have you ever come back to school after summer vacation and looked around your bare classroom in absolute terror and dread? It looks like the stuff from a dystopian fiction novel, with furniture shoved to one side and the room feeling empty and abandoned. Reality and panic sets in and you begin to think, “How on earth can I make this a functional classroom for learning in just a few days?!”
Before you leave nasty comments about me ruining what was left of your summer break, just stick with me for a second. (And there’s a big surprise at the end of this post you are not going to want to miss!)
Wouldn’t it be gratifying to have a gorgeous classroom decor that makes you feel great and your students enjoy learning in as well? And you can make this a reality in just a few minutes?
Nothing feels better than having an organized, engaging, and flexible space for learning.
Students will notice the difference when you feel composed and motivated! It helps immensely when you love the environment you’re working in and when you’re certain everything is in its rightful place.
As teachers, we know time is our most valuable asset. When we finally get the keys to our classroom, we only have a few short days to make it our own again. Here are some simple steps to assist you in designing the classroom of your dreams with the limited time you have!
1. Tailor Your Decor to Fit Your Unique Classroom Needs.
Have digital and editable copies of your classroom decorations if possible. This will allow you to go back and edit them to fit your classroom needs every single year. You can change student names, subjects, supplies, and more on labels. You can change the letters on banners, the names on different binders, the list goes on and on.
2. Find or Create Decor that You Can Just Print & Go.
There never seems to be enough time for teachers. I’ve designed over a dozen classroom decor resources that have both editable and non-editable versions included in the set. If you are really short on time, you can just print the premade non-editable resource – this is a great resource for first year teachers. If you like the majority of the premade template, print what you like and change what you don’t.
3. Use BOLD Fonts That Are Easy to Read.
Did I mention teachers are short on time? Oh yes, several times in fact. That is why you do not want waste time confusing students (and yourself!) with delicate, cursive fonts. I know they are pretty but use the bold fonts so you can clearly read what you need.
4. Choose Themes with Color Schemes that are Complementary.
Do you have complementary colors memorized? Check out this color wheel as a guide.
In traditional color theory, colors on the opposite sides of the wheel are complementary to each other. Examples include- purple paired with yellow, red paired with green, and blue paired with orange.
In my “Apple and Glitter” Decor Set, I have soft mint and peach tones throughout the color scheme. Those colors are basically muted versions of orange and blue, which is why they look so great together!!
5. Find or Create Decor that Brings You Happiness (As Well As Your Students!)
In my opinion, this is the most essential tip of them all. Not only will decorating your room re-energize you for the upcoming school year, it will keep you inspired and joyful throughout your time in the classroom. Did you know the average person will spend 92,120 hours at work in a lifetime? That’s A LOT of hours! Yes, it is important to create a welcoming environment for your students but most importantly, YOU need to feel good about it. Create a balance where you decor feels inviting but not overwhelming or distracting for your students. While creating my classroom decor sets, I put careful consideration and detail into each one.
Here is a list of just a few of my editable classroom decor sets that you might enjoy for the upcoming school year (They are currently on sale until August!):
Can’t decide on just one set? Would you like to update your classroom decor year after year? Check out the recently updated Classroom Decor Bundle! It features ALL the editable decor sets above (and more) at a reduced price!
And last but not least, you have a chance to win the Classroom Decor BUNDLE! I’m holding a giveaway for the next two and a half weeks that will end on the first of August! If you cannot wait that long for the results, ALL Classroom Decor Sets (including the bundle) will be ON SALE now until August! Find them here!
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