As teachers, we spend 7 (8, 9) hours each day inside our classrooms; they become our second home. They magically expand with our growing class sizes, nope, just kidding, although I would love one of those expander spells they put on the tents at the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I digress.
Each summer, I daydream, I Pinterest (is that even a verb?!), I imagine what I want my classroom to be like the moment my students enter it on that first day, and it always comes down to the feeling I want my students and families to have whenever they come in – I want them to feel welcome like they are walking into a cozy, warm hug. Honestly, I want my room to feel a little bit like the inside of a Starbucks because the image of soft lights and relaxing spots to curl up with a book with soft jazz music playing in the background brings me back to calm in the middle of a busy day. And who does not need a little more calm on the average of our busy days?
Here is my attempt at calm. It does diverge a little from my original plans (see any of the lovely classrooms below – I wish!), but it is a realistic, student-centered, ever-evolving part of my teaching that meets the unique needs of my students, and meets the needs of me, at least most of the time. After all, it is a space we will share for the next nine months, plus some bonus make-up snow days.
Temper your jealousy, teachers. One can always dream.
01. A Polka Dot and Daisies-Themed Classroom
02. An Uber-Organized Classroom
thecreativechalkboard.blogspot.com
03. A “Modern Rustic” Classroom
See more gorgeous photos here.
04. An Apple Orchard-Themed Classroom
05. A Comfy Reading Den and Meeting Place
06. Sunlight-Drenched Toddler Montessori Classroom
thenaturalchildlearningcommunity.com
The Natural Child Learning Community in Georgetown, Texas.
07. A Brightly Made-Over Classroom
Check out the before and after classroom makeover here. She painted the cabinets and used a projector to stencil on an accurate rendering of the United States.
08. A Rainbow-Themed Classroom
09. A Canopied Classroom
10. A Springtime-Themed Classroom
11. A Lofty and Modern Nursery and Elementary School
The Josephine Baker School in France.
And more importantly, this is what the school’s exterior looks like.
12. A Serene Creative Classroom Space
From the University of Southern California Child Care Program.
13. A Retro-Inspired Classroom
14. A Carnival-Themed Classroom
15. A Bright and Airy Preschool
Little Sprouts Academy Preschool in San Diego.
16. A Bohemian-Inspired Classroom
Bond Street Kindergarten in Victoria, Australia.
17. A Jungle-Themed Classroom
18. A Comfy, Lived-In Learning Space
Kim Pham Stegmaier’s Montessori classroom in Canada.
19. A Learning Space Filled with Character
20. A Learning Space Filled with Character
Fire destroyed this classroom in 2002, and they were able to turn it back into this amazingly quirky space.
21. A “Natural Habitat” Classroom
The Wingate Community Nursery.
22. Woodsy Fairytale Reading Pods
(Not a classroom, but actually from Madison, Wisconsin’s children’s museum.)
23. A Vivid, Cheery Classroom
teacherbitsandbobs.blogspot.ch
24. A Space-Themed Classroom
25. A Colorful Homeschool Classroom
26. A Mid-Century Inspired Classroom
This look makes for a beautiful high school computer lab with clean lines and Eames chairs.
27. A Bright and Minimalist Classroom
Roe Lee Park Primary School got a makeover from EME Furniture in the UK.
28. An Animated Springtime Classroom Setup
29. A Nature and Camping Themed Classroom
30. An Awesome Pillow Idea for a Library Area
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