Easy, Effective Classroom

Over the years, I've simplified my classroom. Themes and magical transformations often end up more about teacher competition and pressure than actually beneficial to the children. I do make fresh displays each year, but they're quick and simple. I have deliberately left them blank until the children start. I want them to notice what is added. Plus, I will do a lot of it during the lesson. For example, I may bring one of the Creating sheets from the writing wall to the front while we think of vocabulary we could add, or send children to write notes on it. 

Writing

Really simple working wall. No backing paper. It's just coloured paper with a very quick border on. Throughout the unit, I'll glue pictures, tips and examples on. When we're finished, I'll take them down and treasury tag them into our own reference book, then quickly put new papers up. The titles will stay all year. They're simple, hand-drawn titles. If you're not very neat, go for a sketchy or doodly style or print them. They're not laminated because no one will be messing with them, so why waste the time and plastic to make them too shiny to read?

1. A strip of laminating cut-off or OHP sheet make a whiteboard section to write the topic on. 

3. Either shared-write plans or photocopies of the children's. 

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2. On here, I'll stick stories, annotated texts and pictures that we've used to study the genre.

4. NOT for examples of what they've done. This will have tips, hints, vocab, handy sentence structures, grammar tips...whatever will help. 

This is the home of my editing stations. I've just pockets on the wall with copies of the editing stations in them. You can find some free ones here.

Here, I've just pinned papers to the wall with paperclips on the top. this one will stay up all year and I'll just swap out the work. Some are A3 with room for 2 pages. 

Maths

Another very similar one. Simple and could be used to keep as a book. I feel like I may add a couple more pages to this, but I'm not sure what yet. I'll see what they need as we get going. Again, these took under a minute each: draw a big explosion on a piece of paper. The titles can be as comic-style as you want or you could print them. (Next year, I will try to remember to scan version before cutting them out. Then you can print them!)

The title is done in the same way as the Writing one: a strip of laminating cut-off or OHP sheet to use as a whiteboard section. The How pages will have instructions, guides and tips. I will add them as we go to ensure they have maximum benefit and maximum impact. The Why​ will have real life applications. 

Topic

We are an IPC school, so we used topic-based teaching, but this type of display could be used for any number of things. 

I had a bit of fun with this title. It's just paper dollies with Living Together, our topic title, written on in chalk. I will have to change this next topic, but hey ho! I had a couple of spare people left over, so they're hung around the papers.

I stuck Command hooks to the walls, then hung strings across and pegged large papers on them. I will stick examples of work and photographs of activities onto these papers, noting on in marker who they are by and what they are. I'll then tag them into a book and replace the papers. 

Other Bits and Bobs

As I mentioned, we're an IPC school so we have Personal Goals. Most schools have something similar. I think I'll put pictures around it and maybe post-its noting ways we've seen them. Again, just drawn on A3 and held up with blue-tac (not laminated - no one will be touching them). 
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Another one with a strip of laminating cut-off / OHP sheet. (I don't like to laminate the whole things because it's hard to read). I write on a word we've come across in a book (e.g. 'vague'). If they use it correctly during the week, they get a Dojo point. 

A smoothie straw (normal ones are too small) cut in half and held down with washi tape. Great pencil storage. Mine have pencil cases which we keep under their chair (they're really good at keeping them safely tucked in), so this is all they need in front of them. 

Ikea shelves with their books on. I've rearranged these now so there's a shelf per subject rather than per team (because I'm letting them sit where they want each day). Note the Help Yourself Shelf, which has times tables charts, maps, spelling sheets etc. They can just go and get one whenever they like. 

This one's a bit of a misnomer because it stays up for days! Haha. I put a fact on (a key date, definition, tricky times tables fact) and randomly shout, "By the way, fact of the day!" and they repeat it. Simple but effective. 
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I happened to have a spare phone, but you could set up a laptop or iPad if you're lucky enough to have them. They can take pictures of their favourite pieces for their Dojo portfolio. 
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I crocheted a Mojo (from Class Dojo). He sits with whoever got the post points last week. 

I also crocheted Boris. He moves around the class, but is particularly popular around story time! 

I hope you enjoyed this little classroom tour! You may notice a lack of backing paper. I don't like it. Waste of time, waste of paper, gets tatty. Plus, if your walls are white, even the brightest colours somehow seem to darken the room. If I had boards and therefore had to back them, I think I'd do white with colourful borders. You may also notice a lack of behaviour management system. I give Dojo points, keeping the window open on the projector (we have no IWBs) and class merits (for whole-class achievements & they choose a treat after 50). I don't have ANY negative reinforcement. No chart to move down, no Dojo points removed. No humiliation. I like it.

I'd love to hear your tips and advice in the comments below and don't forget to like and share please. Keep your eyes peeled on YouTube for a video tour coming very soon!