Ditching the Glitz and Glam

Ditching the Glitz and Glam

Do you love #targetdollarspot, Dollar Tree, Big Lots, and any other retailer that sells all those teacher goodies cheap?  Then do you run home and sketch out your classroom on graph paper (so you can get it to scale), plan the most creative bulletin boards with burlap, and design the cutest table settings ever?  I don’t know about you but I love to decorate, rearrange, bargain shop, and plan layouts for my classroom all the time.  However, I had to do some serious reevaluating at the end of this school year.  My test scores went down.

Now I know it’s not all about the test scores, but at the end of the day that’s what the greater powers are studying.  Sure I could chalk it up to all the days I missed for obligations I had this year that were school related or even that my kids were not as academically strong as my previous group, but as a teacher I should be able to teach any group of kids under any circumstances.  What can I do to make things better?

I started looking around my room at the cutesy decor that hours were spent preparing and arranging between my volunteers and myself.  All the money I spent in items, materials, labor, and decorations that really didn’t assist my class academically.  Why was I wasting my time and money when there are no beneficial results for the education of my class?  What can I do to change?

1. Quit shopping for things because other teachers are buying them. #instagramismyenemy
2. Only place things on walls that are relevant to my instruction at that time. We can make digital anchor charts and reference tables to visit later. Besides, all that clutter gets very distracting and no one can focus if there’s too much.
3. K.I.S.S. No, not the band.  Keep It Simple Stupid.
4. Make my environment like home, not like the “My Little Ponies” exploded in the room.  A cozy and purposeful room will promote feelings of comfort and confidence for my scholars.
5. Use what I already have.  There’s no need to break the bank when I already own the necessities.  Flexible seating, collaborative groupings, and other environments for all learners can be created using what I’ve accumulated over the past five years.

This year I vow to ditch the glitz and glam in decor and transfer all that energy into my teaching.  I vow to spend my time making outrageously exciting lessons for my class instead of trying to recreate the cute rooms I see on Instagram and Pinterest.  The sketches I create will be small group instruction strategies versus bulletin board creations that serve no purpose.  When the test scores come in at the end of the year I will know that my time was well spent because I ditched what wasn’t important and focused on the job I love.  Who’s ready to start this journey with me?  Let’s spread the word #ditchingtheglitzandglam.