Classroom Set-Up {then & now}

I was reading a post from Erica Boher and had to laugh out loud at a comment one of her pictures got on Pinterest.  The pinner said "Perfect 1st grade classroom.  How can she afford this?!"  I'm wondering if that was a first year teacher looking for inspiration who instead got frustrated by all of the overwhelming amazingness you all share.

But really, we've all been there, haven't we?!  My first classroom was a trailer {excuse me, cottage} and with the $0 I had to my name, I thought I was killin it with a few bulletin board sets from the teacher store!  Fast forward 9 years plus experience, time to add to my collection and the introduction of Pinterest & teaching blogs to my life and I set up my favorite classroom ever this past year.  Now I'm moving classrooms again and it's back to the Pinterest boards for ideas.

Whether you like a trip down memory lane or you just need some inspiration that you, too, can have the classroom of your dreams, pull out those old photos and link up below!

{1st year: 2004-2005}

{my first classroom was a trailer!}

{my 1st class...now sophomores in high school!}

{the ONLY decoration I had was my calendar set.  corner 1 had all the color.}

{corner 2 held library carts & stacked bookshelves for storage...no cute baskets?!}

{more carts & random tubs sitting around for storage.  plus coats & backpacks in corner 3.}

{my desk & more coats for corner 4}

Ta-da!  Totally nothing special.  I laugh looking at these now, seeing how bare and empty it looks.  I remember buying window markers to write encouraging messages on the teeny tiny windows to try and bring in some color.  But if I didn't have student work on the wall, it was just boring nothing!  Luckily we spent a lot of time on the carpet and I'm pretty sure they all still had a great year.  :)

{9th year: 2012-2013}

{view from the front door}

{view from my teacher table}

{student cubbies - I will miss these next year!!}

{student book bins on top.  morning work, science journals & math workbook on bottom.}

{guided reading/small group area}

{listening center & library}

{student mailboxes & leveled library bookshelf}

{weekly copies, workshop rotations & calendar}

{workshop centers & groupings that rotate daily}

{word wall, fun center tubs & computer table}

{very cluttered writing center}

What I love the most about my classroom growth {besides the obvious need for color} is how I've learned to teach & set-up with learning areas.  It's so good for the kids to be able to write in the writing center, or read in the library or work on sight words from the word wall as opposed to doing everything at their desks.  It really helps them focus on the task they're meant to be doing and it challenges me as a teacher to rotate things through those areas to keep them fresh.

{Another tip - if you're lucky enough to have any "fun center" time with blocks, legos, etc - keep those areas separate from your main learning stations to keep clear boundaries of what happens where.  My students can read anywhere during independent reading time to allow them to spread out but when it's time to play with blocks, they stay on the block carpet.}

If you can't find pictures of your very first year or you've been out of the classroom for a while and don't have a current room to show, it's ok!  Just choose 2 classrooms to post and tell us the dates.  Post one, post a ton...up to you.  And by ALL MEANS do not think your classroom has to be award winning in order to share.  There's no make-over prize for the winner but hopefully everyone will find some new ideas!  :)

Who cares that it's the end of the year...aren't we always thinking ahead to what we can do differently in the fall??  {be honest ladies.  don't let me be alone in my admission of over-planning here!}