One of the first things on my agenda when I accepted my first teaching position was setting up my classroom. I didn’t have a specific color scheme or theme in mind, all I knew was the feeling I wanted my room to give others (students, teachers… really anyone who walked through the door) when they walked into our classroom.

The first time I felt this myself, since being an elementary student, was when I walked into Mrs. McKell’s third-grade classroom (my level III practicum). If I could only use one word to describe her classroom, I would choose “calm”. Not only was it a calm place for the teacher (& student teacher), it was also a calm place for her students!

I think there is something to be said about working & learning in a calm/comfortable environment. I have been in my fair share of classrooms and there are some that I personally wouldn’t be able to teach or learn in. When I was setting up my classroom, this was my philosophy: If I don’t feel comfortable in my classroom, my students probably won’t either.  I may only be in my third year of teaching, but I have recognized a lot of students find their “calm” at school, so my goal is to offer that the best I can!

I have now had the opportunity to set up two different classrooms in two very different settings. Despite the differences in physical set up, I knew I wanted to create a space that was open, organized, comfortable, & uplifting. I also wanted a space that would invite students to take risks, respect others, & collaborate.

Although this post is centered on the classroom set up, I want to point out that it takes a lot more than the organization, decoration, & color schemes to create an ideal classroom environment. It is also important to understand that my ideal classroom might look different from yours, and that is 100% okay!

Now onto some pictures!

My first classroom was in a {new} portable. It was very rectangular, white, and didn’t have much storage. It was a very bright space with a lot of natural light! Storage was limited, but I didn’t have much to store (new teacher perks). Lack of storage also made moving my classroom much easier because less storage = less stuff!

My second, and current, classroom is in an older school. The school is set up in quads, and I have an inside room. It was definitely different going from my portable, with the white walls and natural light, to a classroom with a different texture on each wall and no natural light. It took some time to adjust, but I have grown to love the space I’m in. I don’t think my students mind it either!

Setting up a classroom takes a lot of time & energy, but luckily I had a great crew (my family) who helped me put it all together! Maybe my classroom set up has little influence on some of my students, but I really do think this space allows me to be a better teacher!

PS… if you’re wondering about my mountain classroom (like how I made those mountains) I have a post for you!!

So How’d You Make Those Mountains?

#BeAChampion