Happy Monday!
Today's post "focuses" on one of my favorite teaching tools!
This morning, I had to go back into school to drop off my school laptop. I had mixed feelings about peeking into my intervention room, but I didn't need to worry...my room looked exactly the same as I left it a few weeks ago!
I did bring along my latest Focus Up Wall! printables and did a little "test run."
My classroom is and always will be black and white.
ALWAYS.
I work in the city and we try SO hard to keep things welcoming and CLEAN. Burlap, fabric, and even paper all serve as potential nesting materials for some VERY unwelcome friends:
Unfortunately, my guests are not as adorable as Creative Clips!
Black and white makes everything feel cleaner and more organized. I use clear tubs (with tight lids!) from Ikea and plastic shelving from The Home Depot. Please stop back this Thursday when I write about my favorite Classroom Set-Up tips!
My students and their masterpieces ("Wow" Work!) bring the energy and pops of color, but just in case, I've add some dashes of primary colors using fonts and printing on colored paper.
My Focus Up Walls! packet also includes my board's "centerpiece"
Kudos for those artistic types who can "eyeball" straight lines!
I have never been able to do that.
This Keep Calm and Focus On (in black & white) display printable is featured both with and without the thin line :)
I'm not sure if your school has cinder blocks or other 1950's-style walls. Our walls even seem to "sweat," which makes hanging anchor charts even trickier.
I have heard that painters tape and hot glue works wonders, but I haven't needed to go that route yet. I've been using this "magic" for years with excellent results:
I have never been able to do that.
This Keep Calm and Focus On (in black & white) display printable is featured both with and without the thin line :)
I'm not sure if your school has cinder blocks or other 1950's-style walls. Our walls even seem to "sweat," which makes hanging anchor charts even trickier.
I have heard that painters tape and hot glue works wonders, but I haven't needed to go that route yet. I've been using this "magic" for years with excellent results:
BlueStik (TM) made by DAP Products, Inc.
In the package you see 4 little blue lines of sticky putty, but considering you only use about 1/10 of 1 line...this small little package could take care of your entire classroom! It's not messy and is very forgiving,.. you can easily remove items and stick them again :)
I also gave my Whole Brain Teaching's Super Improvers Wall freebie a mini-makeover to coordinate with the materials from my Focus Up Wall! packet:
You can download it for free here!
Thank you for reading!
I'll be back with more classroom pictures soon! Jen
I used that same blue sticky in my classroom for years. When I first bought it, it was my husband's idea and he wanted me to make sure to have enough. We bought 3 packages. I think I used 1/2 a pack in 5 years!
ReplyDeleteI've moved to a new school with new construction now. They are really picky about hanging anything up! (I also am a push-in teacher without a classroom).
My Bright Blue House