August 1st has arrived. I know I’ve been teasing you for 2 weeks…and judging my Facebook and Instagram feeds…ya’ll wanna see something. Well, I am SUPER Excited to show off my new rainbow mustache classroom!!!!!!!!!!!
I am LOVING my room this year. Colors EVERYWHERE! Mustaches EVERYWHERE. AND TONS OF SPACE!
You’ve heard me teasing an experiment that I am embarking on this year. Here it is: (Ya’ll might want to sit down for this…which is ironic….)
NO TABLES! NO DESKS! NO CHAIRS! NO ASSIGNED SEATS! People, we’re going a little montessori up on here! I was inspired by my dear friend Erin at Kleinspiration. If you do some research, this type of no seating arrangement is great for creativity (hello, have you met me, I am all about creativity) and collaboration!
TRUTH! OK…the no table thing is not totally true. I have 2 round tables and my small group table. In all honesty, there are enough seats at a table for everyone (FI WE NEED THEM!). Here’s the plan:
CHOICE! CHOICE! CHOICE. I get asked all the time about keeping students engaged. Well here are two tricks that work wonders: NOVELTY AND CHOICE! So why not give them novelty and choice in where they sit and work???
That’s right. They can sit on the floor. They can sit at a table. They can stand. They can choose a rug and sit on it. The choice is theirs. The novelty is that each time they work they sit somewhere different. When we have those times where everyone needs to be working in their own space, I bought 15 bath mats so each student can have a mat to use for their own space!
People, I am super excited about this. I am a little nervous. But here’s my thing: I love being a little innovative and trying new things. It’s all about procedures, procedures, procedures and expectations. WE CAN DO THIS!
(Plan B: I have tables in storage should my experiment blow up in my face!)
I will be blogging about this and sharing how it goes over the next few weeks! Wanna take bets?! Success?? Epic fail???
So, are ya ready to see the classroom??
This is what it might look like when the ‘staches have their rugs out working around the room!
How much do you love that lamp?!
This is what it looks like if we are using the rugs for whole group work. Can I just say I love how they look when they’re all together!!!
I love my mustace clipboard from CJayne Teach! I love my milk crate pointer storage!
You can see the famous center wheel! It’s in a new, more ‘stache friendly location this year. ‘Stache friendly=less Mr. Greg stress!
Our mini pocket charts are stored in this metal planter I found at the Dollar Tree!
Upper left corner: CLEAR POCKET CHART! TRUE STORY! I’ll give ya a moment…
That board is for anchor charts and activities using pocket charts. The chart is on a curtain rod that’s held up by command hooks. The chart is attached to the rod using curtain hooks. If I need to display anchor charts, I just unclip the chart and put up an anchor chart!
Red pocket chart: our student friendly I CAN Statement CANS! I know right… I can on CANS!
Colors and shapes! Folders! Months and days!
Classroom library! Thanks to Creative Teaching Press for the rainbow chevrons and mustache photo booth kid! I love the library! It’s fun. It’s inviting. It’s cozy. It’s colorful. It has giant fish hats to wear while reading. What ‘stache wouldn’t want to read in the plastic pool with a giant fish hat on their head?!
Community supplies. We use community supplies to foster a sense of sharing and to reinforce the idea that this is OUR CLASSROOM. This is not Mr. Greg’s classroom. This is our classroom. These are our things. This sense of ownership really helps the ‘staches respect our materials and property!
Rainbow Mustache Land needs a rainbow entrance! Anyone see the mistake?! I will write each ‘staches name on a mustache next week!
The rainbow curtain is PLASTIC and was one of our finds on our last minute IKEA trip. It makes a perfect entrance to our land of ‘staches and color.
And everyone needs a TBFF posing in their doorway. I expect this everyday TBFF!
Small group area. Mr. Greg’s name is on the wall. In case I forget who I am. Which happens.
Mustache drawers for weekly work. Laminated circles for small group work. Thanks CTP!
People. This is one of those finds that well, just defies all words.
People. IT IS A GIANT ZIPPER RUG. GIANT ZIPPER. The giant zipper rug leads into our bathroom. I KNOW RIGHT! Zipper…bathroom. Too much.
Here’s the best part of the giant zipper rug. IKEA. $5. FIVE DOLLARS. So I had to buy 6. I have two in my room AND I gifted each of my teammates with a zipper rug.
I was like Oprah giving our zipper rugs! YOU GET A ZIPPER RUG! YOU GET A ZIPPER RUG! EVERYBODY GETS A ZIPPER RUG!
Another Ikea find. These baskets are PERFECT for folders and paper! This one is hanging by our mailboxes. I plan to use it contain all of those signed notes and papers that get pulled out of folders and backpacks. Maybe this year I won’t lose so many important papers. ALLEGEDLY. I’m not saying I lost papers. ALLEGEDLY. I’m just saying this will help!
I made rainbow clipboards (if we’re gonna be working on the floor, we need clipboards to match our classroom….just sayin!) and use a $3 laundry basket to store them.
Our rainbow word wall. I am super excited to use our new RAINBOW MUSTACHE SENTENCE STRIP sight word cards on our wall! It’s a magnetic whiteboard so we can just use magnets to display our words.
Our classroom!
And now a guided tour of the classroom.
That’s it. Our 2014-2105 rainbow mustache classroom and no tables/assigned seats/sit anywhere experiment!
Now…did you hear??? It’s a Back To School Sale! Who doesn’t love a sale?!
Click the picture to visit my store!
It’s time for the TPT Back To School Sale! People, I am so excited. My cart is already FULL!
I have been having a blast this summer working on new creations for the classroom. I’ve been getting them uploaded to my store. Here are some of the newest ones! I’ll be adding more all weekend long! Check em out. Fill your carts. And put in all of your feedback to get your credits!
LET’S SHOP!
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35 comments
♥ looks great and I will be expecting updates on the no assigned seating! You are BRAVE.. but I have NO doubt you will rock it! Have an amazing year!
It looks awesome! I love those rainbow colored bath rugs! I can't wait to read more posts on your experiment! I know the kid's will love it! Where do you get your scentos markers? I've looked at office depot but couldn't seem to find any. 🙂
When I taught second grade, my team and I wrote a grant for alternative seating. We bought rugs, stools, small tables, lamps, poufs and pillows. We did keep a couple of desks for the kids who absolutely needed them. The kids absolutely loved it! And so did we! I'm curious to hear how it works in Kinder! Good luck!
Love!!!!!!!! My next door teacher friend is going the no table route. She's bought a ton of little couches, floor cushions, rugs… I'm excited to see how it goes!
That is bold! I am looking forward to hear how it goes.
Terri Izatt
KinderKapers
LOVE it!!! You are very brave….not sure if I could do it, but I do love the idea! I love the zipper carpet by the door….I would totally use that one as my space for kids to go if they needed help zipping coats, putting on boots etc before going outside!!! Instead of hearing them scream in the hallway, “I NEED HELP!!” And the blank chart by the time out spot, (which I LOVE too), I would put some emotion face cards!! I'm still enjoying my las month of break, but good luck next week!!!
Looks great! I'm jealous of the no desks…maybe one day.
Ryan
The Disneyfied Teacher
I am STRESSSSING about your lack of tables!!! I can't WAIT to see how it works out! The room looks great!
I love your blog!!! You crack me up! I can't wait to hear more about the no table idea! Do you have any idea how much I would LOVE to be one of your teaching partners?!?!?!?
LOVE it! It looks like so much fun. I haven't gotten rid of my tables, but I do allow them to choose where they would like to sit around the room and work. I also allow them to choose which table they would like to work at.
Cara
The Teacher's Backpack
I enjoyed everything about this post, Greg-especially the Oprah reference. Your room looks amazing! Have a wonderful year!
Elizabeth
Fun in Room 4B
Your room is so fun and colorful. I would have loved to be a kindergartener in this room Greg! I am especially drooling over that fabulous zipper rug! I am heading over to Ikea TOMORROW! You're a creative inspiration 🙂
Xo,
Nadya
New Adventures in Elementary
Your room looks great! Where did you find your bath mats?
You rooms looks like so much fun! You are going to have an awesome year!
Amazing!!!
Looks great!! Love all the color!!! And those zipper rugs are fantastic!!
recipeforteaching
Your room looks bright and cheery! I looked for the hanging basket online at IKEA but couldn't find it. Any suggestions? I live too far away from a store to drive and I love those baskets !!
LOVE the bath mat idea! They look so cheerful!
You room is bright and cheerful! Love the rugs! Are you seriously lucky enough to only have 15 students?! Can't wait to see how the great experiment goes!
Looks amazing! I am a big fan of alternative seating! I think it is going to be great and I can't wait to read about how it works out in kinder!
Good for you for being brave and trying something new! Good luck to you and your little 'staches!! 🙂
LOVING the rainbow colors with your mustache theme! So fun! Your set up without tables and desks remind me of when I worked with preschoolers, and we did A LOT of great learning that year! Best of luck with all of your new adventures! My guess is that the first grade teachers at your school will be watching your experiment closely…or at least that's what would happen at my school!
Erin
Short and Sassy Teacher
I want a clear pocket chart. Where did you find it?
I don't have table spots for each of my kiddos either. We have carpet bags ( love the idea from Kim Adsit) and they have a carpet spot. I did this last year and it was AMAZING!!!
Looks great! I LOVE the zipper rug!
I have no words aside from awesome!
Mels
We call the choices to sit in our classroom “differentiated seating”! Love your room! Can't wait to start mine! Amber – kindergarten rocks blog
Awesome room!! Thanks so much for sharing! I love the bright colors and wonderful organization. I am excited to check back and see how your choice seating works…great idea!
Can't wait to hear how the seating arrangement goes. I am interested in doing something like this myself.
I like your ideas. I moved from 3rd to 1st this year and I got rid of all the desks but put trapezoid tables in. I also added a round table and a rectangle in addition to my small group. I do plan to let the kids work where they want but I'm not at the point of not having at least a spot for each, should they all want to sit at a table at once. 🙂 Will your kiddos just get the individual supplies they need and take them where they are working? While I don't care where my kids choose to work I know some activities are hard to do on a clipboard but you said there is a spot for all, if needed, right?
Your room looks great! I did a “no assigned seat/desk/table” experiment one time and it was great with the class I had. I used coffee tables and various seats…makes me want to do it again. 🙂 You rock dude!
Neat idea! I'll be interested to see how this pans out! I've never been a fan of tables, last year was my first without desks. I didn't like that I couldn't move children apart who needed to sit by themselves! No desks either sure is an interesting intriguing idea!
The hanging basket is supposed to be for trash. It's called a VARIERA trash basket. $3.99 each
Hey where did you find the rug carpets at?
WalMart and Target over the years. I’ve just shopped for good deals!
Where did you find the colorful rugs?
Multiple places over the years. I just shopped around at Target, Walmart etc…