We’ve all been there. Scrolling the social media feeds, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the fancy classrooms, with the perfectly matching bulletin sets, classroom decor, and amazing flexible seating choices. Then, we get the keys to our classroom and we are confronted with the stark bareness that is a new teachers room. It’s hard not to feel discouraged and overwhelmed at the thought of forking over our hard earned money to get our rooms ‘gram-worthy, or at least a space that is ready and inviting for our students. However, creating a classroom you can be proud of doesn’t have to be an expensive and stressful process! Here are some tips to help you create your perfect space!
Classroom Library - besides soliciting donations from family members and friends (I find people are always willing to give away books their children have read and outgrown or have lost interest in) I have created an amazing classroom library by utilizing a local non-profit called “Children’s Book Project SF”. Based in San Francisco, the Children’s Book Project donates new and very gently used books to educators who serve children “that receive CalFresh, SNAP, Medi-Cal, FRPL, Title 1, or other subsidies for low-income families.” Teachers can book an appointment with the book bank and select books appropriate for their students and classrooms. It’s an amazing non-profit that I am so grateful for! For more information go to their website: children’s book project.org.
Extra Credit Opportunity: if you’ve ever wanted to do a philanthropy project with your class, let me just suggest supporting the Book Project! Hosting a book drive would be a fun way to teach your students about giving back.
Classroom furniture and organization - before you even THINK about paying full price for anything, you need to develop the habit of first checking the Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, offer up etc. There will always be someone selling what you need. Some of my favorite parts of my classroom have been scores from the Facebook marketplace. I have this huge red bean bag chair—which would have cost me $200 brand new—that I picked up for $40 off the marketplace. I think the BEST deal I ever scored was 3 adjustable wobble stools and a drying rack on caster wheels for $60 total. One stool retailed for over $75! These amazing finds have turned me into a secondhand market stalker! Every few days or so I check the keywords for items on my wishlist like “wobble stool” and “flexible seating” and I’ve set Facebook market alerts as well. Sometimes you can even find new products that can be shipped to you for a cheaper price than what’s on Amazon by smaller online shops. Seriously, trust me on this. BEFORE you pay full price for the sterilite drawers, 3 rack cart, or 10 drawer cart, check the local market FIRST!! Just remember to bring someone with you whenever you’re meeting up for a transaction!
Decor - I love following different artists and education “influencers” on social media. There are many who will post free resources you can download and print to hang in your class. Some of my favorites are Brittany’s blog over at theSuperheroTeacher.com, Whole Hearted School Counseling on Teachers Pay Teachers, and The Book Wrangler. I’m always saving PDFs to my google drive when I see great stuff, and printing them out when I need to swap out for new decor. I’ve found that once you find an “influencer” or artist who’s style you like, the algorithms will suggest similar people to follow. I’ve created a “teacher account” to follow these accounts, so I don’t clog up my personal feeds with posts that will get me thinking about work (we ALL have to take a break sometimes!!)
See! If you think outside the box, setting up your first classroom doesn’t have to break the bank! You can totally have a classroom that makes you happy while still shopping on a budget. Happy hunting!
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