The following pictures were taken this morning as I walked into my room for my 3rd day back. My school board allows teachers 4 pedagogical days to prepare our classrooms and lessons for the new academic year. This prep time is so precious and appreciated beyond belief!
If you are a follower of this blog, you are probably thinking that today’s pictures look pretty much like last year’s (you can find that post HERE) and you are totally right! A few things have been changed but for the most part, the décor and layout of my class has remained the same.
Why?
Well, why not?
At the end of last year, I decided that I was going to keep the same décor from the year before. During the pedagogical days at the end of the last academic year, I decided to start decorating for September. While I took down all my anchor charts, word walls, math walls, and personal touches from the students, I kept the main components of my décor up and even set up my calendar for the students’ first day back! Coming into my classroom this week, I had very little things that needed to be prepared as far as “setting” up my room. Yes, I had to dust, arrange desks, put away photocopies and supplies, but that only took me about one day and a half thanks to the fact that MOST of the decorating was already done. For the remainder of my ped. days before the students come back in, I have been able to meet with my new team members, be available to answer their questions, and most importantly, PLAN my lessons. For the first time in a very long time, I feel that I am actually ahead of the game, I feel more relaxed, and I cannot wait for my new group of students to come in through the door!
Would I love to have a Pinterest-worthy room? ABSO-FREAKIN’-LUTELY! However, the extra time I have to plan my lessons properly reduces the stress I inevitably feel at this time of the year and the amount of MONEY I saved myself allowed me to pick up a few “extras” for my classroom that I have been wanting to have for awhile now (automatic doorbell, sound machines, bluetooth speaker and microphone, as well as some awesome teaching resources from TPT!).
Although it may be too late for you to “recycle” your décor for this year, give it some serious thought for next year! You can thank me later! lol!
Have a great day!
susan says
I totally get this! This year I’m purging my “stuff” so I’m spending a lot of my personal time doing this chore, but I’m hoping it pays off in the future so I can keep my room organized and tidy. Where I teach in Massachusetts, we get one day to pack up and one day to set up so your system is the one I want to adopt!
Jan says
So with you! I almost never redecorate my classroom. The students in my new class are seeing it for the first time. As long as i’m not tired of it, what difference does it make? I do have the luxury of going into my room often over the summer, but I use it for things like reorganizing my classroom library and preparing teaching materials. For the record, I think your room looks great!
Jan
Laughter and Consistency