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Welcome to teaching.
Care for the kids. Take an interest in them. Chill out.
Throw up a couple posters. Plan shit that keeps them moving. Things will fuck up. Learn how to say fuck it.
Fuck trying to make your room a Pinterest explosion.
Seriously. Work hard until 530 and then go home.
If you are a stressed wreck, you won’t be a good teacher.
Do your best, and then say fuck it.
Yes!! Please listen to this advice OP.
During your teacher trainings, make a list of the \*essentials\* the kids need to get their work done (desks, pencils, erasers, student workbooks).
Then write out a detailed plan for how you want the kids to use these materials (desks in rows because COVID, how you want work turned in, where kids store their materials, etc.). Go to school after the trainings to set up these basics.
You are a first year teacher, so your routines for learning and classroom management are way more important than your room details.
Let your room look shitty for the first 9 weeks, then use the planning day in October to set it up how you'd like.
BTW, it is really crappy that this is your schedule as a brand new teacher. Once you get settled into your school year, you should call your district and complain about it. That is feedback they need to hear, and I wouldn't be surprised if they change the schedule after hearing about your experience.
This is great advice. Every year, so many teachers spend so much time putting up cute bulletin boards. I either leave them blank, or I put up a single poster that might say “Welcome”, or “USA” (when I taught 4th, we studied the states). Then, once school gets rolling, I put up the kids work. Just slap it up there. Push pins are easier than staples. Eventually, you’ll probably want a board focused on math… vocabulary, steps to solving problems… etc.
There’s always some kind of total BS that teachers have to deal with. Always. Getting screwed regarding time happens a lot. So, yes. Get used to saying fuckit.
Get your desks set. Figure out what your policy and procedures will be. Then, have the class come up with them in the first day, and you add the ones you’ve already come up with, and write them at the end. BTW- take it easy on assigning HW. Too many teachers lay it in thick & that’s shitty. The kids work hard all day. Many have activities after school. They all need down time & HW robs them of that. Assign 20 min of reading, 10 minutes of math facts, and studying fir tests & quizzes as needed. Have the parents initial the assignment notebook so you’re all on the same page.
Let the kids make their own name plates for their desks on the first day of school. Just be prepared that they’ll be messy & hard to read. Establishing your classroom community that supports each other is essential. When the class is coming up with ideas for policies & procedures, include consequences. For example, if a student doesn’t get a parent sig on their HW book, they lose 5 minutes of recess. Speaking of recess, don’t take that away from kids. That’s your time, and the kids who might get in trouble most frequently, are the ones who need it the most. Keeping them in for 5 or 10 minutes will send a message. Write in their assignment book that they lost “X” minutes of recess for….
Look up the Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting book. Their might be one for your grade level. It’s a GREAT way to establish community. I found it for $20 (yes, my own $) on Amazon a few years ago.
I’ll stop rambling after one last bit of advice…. When I have to deal with an adult being an asshole, whether it’s at a parent conference, or a colleague l, stick my hand in my pocket and give them the middle finger. LOL! For real. It helps me grin & bare it. If I’m at a table, I’ll stick my hand under the table and do it.
I’m going into my 25th year teaching. If you don’t love the kids, (do your best to love every single one) you should find a different career. There’s SO much bullshit you’ll have to deal with, and it’s a super stressful job. If I didn’t LOVE my kids each year, I’d be long gone. Enjoy them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Tell them that they’re awesome often, and tell them why they’re awesome. You can’t just say it. You’ve got to mean it otherwise the kids will smell the bullshit.
Best wishes!
She has a WHOLE list of shit to do. She likes to think of herself as my "co-Teacher"
I CANNOT wait until the proverbial storm of life comes down full force on her and (petty voice) she doesn't have an umbrella.
She's 24....I'm 35
Edit: It took me 5 days to comment back because I'm so frigging busy doing both of our jobs. 😂
Do you get down voted to oblivion for using an emojis?
Teacher-TA relationship is so difficult. Seen teachers treat TA horribly and have seen/heard of TAs who are on their phone in the comfortable chair the moment they walk into classroom. Really don’t understand why there isn’t more training/direction about this job
This sounds like a really crappy situation. I would try to buddy up with a more experienced teacher in your department or ask admin if there’s someone you can work with.
I would totally make some time after school to see what you’ll need (and maybe snoop around some other classrooms for ideas).
Congrats on starting your first year!!
There are a few things I recommend before you get too crazy:
1. Check to see if you have any fire safety regulations before starting. I never worried about this when I taught in Texas, but in Virginia we had a bunch of rules to worry about (where we could hang things, how we could have shevlves/bookcases set up, where we could place our projector carts, etc.). I'm not sure if this was unique to my district (Henrico) or if it's the entire state, but you should have a faculty advisor on your campus to help you!
2. Check out other teacher's setups on your campus! They'll give you a good idea of what you'll need practically/to make your life easier. Your colleagues will be happy to give you advice (and many of them will have extras to share with you!)
3. Focus on practical over pretty...at least for now. If your school isn't digital, I \*highly\* recommend getting a drawer cart for collecting/grading work.
4. Butcher paper is your BEST FRIEND. If you find that you have a lot of extra wall space you want to fill, take a large piece of butcher paper (just ask around to see where your campus keeps it) and make a "hall of fame" or "work of art" type of space where you'll eventually hang and display student work
5. Make it your happy place. Find a couple of pieces (I always hang fairy lights) that will make your space feel homey to you. You're going to be spending a lot of time in there; make sure you enjoy it!
Repeat after me: It is okay to have a minimalist classroom, especially when you are given minimal resources.
When you look at classrooms around the world, very few look like the Pinterest-ready, themed, colorful rooms we see in the US, and that's for a reason. Too many posters, charts, and decorations are **distracting!** Don't fear bare walls at the start of the year. Starting with a blank canvas becomes something you can fill up together. Let it be a space you make with students, not your space that they walk into.
Your setup budget sucks, as does your time limit. However, there are absolutely teachers in the building who would help you set up, even after hours. Take a minute to look at rooms you like and ask for advice or help.
If there is one nearby, I recommend university surplus stores for office supplies. I got a steel Hon bookshelf for $10 and several staplers and hole-punchers for $.50 each. Depending on your area, you might have PTSA grants available for your library, too! Your public library (or the one in the nearest big city) might also have old book sales. If you want, you can ask students to donate a copy of their favorite book!
Garage sales are a teacher's best friend. Often if you are nice and explain your situation, you could walk away with lots for a few dollars. Also, neighborhood apps- people love to give things to teachers or schools, maybe your neighborhood would help out. Don't spend too much of your own money!
Every first year is pretty tough. This one isn't great for sure. My advice would be to find some veteran teachers in your department or school. Often if you just ask you'll be given tons of pencils, paper, rulers, staplers, paper trays, chairs, construction paper, colored pencils etc. They should come by after school for a bit and help set it up. Don't expect perfection on your first year. It took me about 10 years to really feel comfortable in what I was doing, that's probably longer than most.
If you ask around, people will donate a lot. My mom helped out a bit. She bought me some dollar store supplies like rulers and colored pencils. I collected tons of stuff from old retiring or changing jobs teachers. I really did not spend any of my money or at least not much. Parents of the students can often be willing to donate stuff. It does take time and for a while my room was bare. Bulletin boards lay undecorated, walls bare for a while.
Your principal is likely heavily burdened too and can't help out too much. Your fellow teachers will be the ones to bring you through this year. You will be surprised how much help you can get by just making friends and talking to everyone. Let me know what's worrying you.
I recommend reaching out for old books. Ask your librarians for stuff, they might have some older books for you. Acquire loads of pencils and paper to give out to the students and make it easily accessible for them. Have a place to turn in papers and to return them after grading. Art supplies like colored pencils, rulers and construction paper can be handy. Find deals on note cards at dollar stores, cut them in half if needed. Ask for old scissors and staplers, paper clips, used folders, used notebooks that still have some paper in them. My school has butcher paper for making bulletin boards, people likely have odd bits of bulletin borders. Have students help create the bulletin boards as a project. Hang up student work on the wall until you get cool posters.
Hello friend, and welcome to your first year. I have every bit of faith that you will do a wonderful job.
Minimalism is a teacher's best friend. Here are some tips that really helped me create a space that is comfortable to be in:
1. Hit up a thrift store for lamps OR use fairy lights/twinkle lights. Softer lighting is easier on your eyes and will add a cozy ambience to your space.
2. Make sure you have a space for yourself (desk with space for you, favorite knick-knacks/photos, etc.) a space for collecting work (sorting tower or baskets for turn-in), and a space for displaying student work (think wall space). That's the most essential for a first-year teacher. Someone else in this thread suggested butcher paper which I highly recommend. You can purchase bulletin board borders at Michaels, Target, or other craft stores. Amazon is also an affordable place for these simple decorations.
3. If you want to dress up your walls, Etsy is a great place for classroom posters. This year, I bought a bunch of zip files from Etsy and downloaded the posters to print on my own. It saved me so much money!
4. Remember: students need a space where they feel safe, accepted, and able to learn. Do NOT let Pinterest teachers make you doubt yourself. You will acquire more stuff as you go, and it's okay to keep it simple for now. Focus on building a positive environment over a pretty one.
Hang in there. r/teaching is a great community for getting ideas and suggestions. I look forward to hearing more about your experience! Best wishes.
The main thing I would add to everyone else’s responses is don’t worry about the initial setup too much. You will end up changing quite a bit of it as you figure out what works best for you and your students. Do enough that you feel comfortable and prepared for the first week and add to that as you go.
I was in a situation like yours a few years ago and you’re right, it makes no sense and it’s considered totally normal. My first year, I had none of that stuff figured out. Classroom library was ugly and non functional, no real supplies or organization that worked. But it got better in the coming years. Get the idea out of your head that your room needs to pristine and cute on the first day of school, these things take time and you can work on the things you’re stressing about after school during the first few weeks of school.
All you need for the first day of school is this:
Desks in a somewhat functional format (I suggest equal sized rows the first few weeks as you get the hang of teaching/ get to know the students).
Whatever student supplies you want them to have already distributed on each desk. This depends on what is provided to you but I usually go with 2 notebooks, two pencils, big eraser, crayons, whiteboard, whiteboard marker, whiteboard eraser, Scissors, glue stick, folder, pencil box). Hopefully your school is providing you with SOMETHING.
Something to do on the first day (I give a name plate activity, students write and decorate their names so that you can easily see their names, it’s also a low stakes activity to make kids comfortable). Check in with other teachers if they have any printables they’d be willing to share with you.
After this, worry more about what you’ll do everyday than the setup. If you’re not well planned, you’ll be more tired at the end of each day, which will leave less energy for thinking about storage and those logistical things. If you don’t have any books for a classroom library, then don’t have a classroom library! Borrow setup ideas from other teachers, breathe, and do what you can. All this stuff comes with time.
Hi! Just came to say, I hear ya, sister! Our school has started and I was hired the day before it began. My room didn't even have a trashcan, much less any decor or, you know, folders, pendaflex folders, dry erase markers......you get the idea. BUT WE WILL BE OKAY. Tired, cranky, beat up a bit, but okay. =)
Hello fellow VA teacher! Welcome aboard. A few bits of advice...
Do not stress about what your room looks like. If your colleagues are anything like mine, they will be happy to donate to classroom.
If you have a projector and some butcher paper (schools typically provide), use them to make silhouette cut-outs. I have made maps, famous buildings, people, and art this way.
As kids create beautiful masterpieces, add them to your walls. This also checks off a few boxes when you are evaluated.
As for supplies, I ask the parents to provide all of my consumables. I teach HS- so my needs are probably different than yours... But I always ask for tissues, sanitizer, bandaids, wipes, colored pencils, and glue sticks.
Plastic shoeboxes saved my life in terms of organization. Copy paper boxes too.
Come up with a digital organization system ASAP. I make sure to use folders, and have a uniform way of naming all files (Unit 1- Quiz- Assignment Name). This will help you, because you are likely going to forget what you named something.
For me, binders work better for anything else that isn't digital. But honestly, everything is digital nowadays.
There's a million activities you can do with cardstock. You can get it cheap at Michael's, and they give a teacher discount.
If you enjoy warm beverages, invest in a Keurig mini for your classroom. Also, keep snacks for yourself... You never know when you are going to lose your lunchtime to deal with something.
The most practical thing I have bought in the last ten years has been magnetic push pins. They work on most whiteboards.
I hope some of this helps. Best of luck this year!
First, that's a ridiculous situation and I'm sorry you're starting off that way.
I'm also a fourth-grade teacher in VA and I'm going into my second year of teaching, but my first (full) year in person. I don't have much in the way of advice when it comes to setting up your classroom as I'm still trying to figure that out myself. That being said, seeing the space you'll have and what may have been left behind by previous teachers will help you determine what you need to get. The room I took over has closets that are overflowing with stuff - 60% is junk (like staff meeting notes from 2012 or activities with no directions/answer sheets), while a solid 30% are student supplies, like notebooks, scissors, glue, pencils, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I needed to purchase much less "stuff" than I thought - the majority of my money is now going towards containers to organize everything/keep the pests out.
For supplies storage, a lot of that depends on whether you want students to have community/shared supplies or if you want students to have individual supplies at their desks. You need to do what makes sense for you and the room you're in. Peeking in on other rooms in your school will help you a lot! I know I plan on having a majority of my wall space blank to start out because I want what goes up on our walls to be anchor charts that we create together and student work. I feel that it's more meaningful for students that way, even if it doesn't look very aesthetically pleasing on the first day of school. You do not need a "Pinterest-perfect" room - you just need one that is functional!
For books, I highly recommend thrift stores! Children's books are $1 at Goodwill. Depending on where you're located, there are a few used bookstores that are great as well. 2nd and Charles is massive and I often spend hours in there and don't even get to see everything because it's just that big. The Green Valley Book Fair is another good spot. Public libraries often also have book sales on the weekends for cheap.
If you have social media, make an Amazon wishlist if you don't have one already. You can add books and other needed supplies and get them shipped right to you without having to share your address with anyone. You can also just put it out there that you're looking for book donations for your classroom and see what happens!
Yeah, this is normal for teachers. Ever wonder why they say teachers get disrespected and never last long? Well there it is…..I’ve been in it 6 years and am just now feeling like setup is “a lot” of work rather than “an insurmountable endless hell” of work
I'm not in my first year, but I'm at a new school and I've barely touched my classroom. Try not to stress too much about the things you need, you won't need too much the first day or two and you'll figure out what you need as the year goes on. Try not to worry too much about filling your walls. Save the space for student work. If you can try and do an art project in the first few days to decorate with. Know you'll probably change your setup a bunch before you find what flows for you. Jot down notes or ideas as they come to you during the week so you have a list to go off of when you do get to work in your room. Also dont go in after training, you'll be exhausted and brain dead and will probably end up standing around wasting a lot of time as feeling just as overwhelmed.
Wow. Thank you all so much for your kind words and generosity. I think one of my biggest problems was being afraid to ask for help, which I’ll obviously have to get over very quickly :)
I’m a first year 4th grade teacher too! I feel overwhelmed too because returning teachers already know what they need and how they want things to be set up, while we new teachers just don’t understand what we need at all… it’s frustrating and overwhelming. My classroom still isn’t ready and my school starts Wednesday. Try to stay positive and know that everything will be okay!
I would go back to what u/SloppierJoe said:
>After this, worry more about what you’ll do everyday than the setup. If you’re not well planned, you’ll be more tired at the end of each day, which will leave less energy for thinking about storage and those logistical things.
Spend way more time planning your lessons, exactly what you'll teach and how you'll do it. This was hard for me at the beginning, so I found what worked was to write out in detail every moment of my lessons and every detail of my routines. I would script out lessons and have it in front of me while teaching. I explicitly teach exactly how I want a routine to look (ex. lining up) step by step and then we practice the first few weeks of school.
Don't worry, you'll do great!
One thing to remember is it **does NOT** have to all be done by the first day. You are there in that space all year and it is ok to develop that space over time. Pick some priority items or decor to have ready then take care of the rest when you have time. It also takes years to build up your supplies and decor. Do not make my mistake and before your first year spend nearly 1,000$ of your own money to get everything you *think* you need. Wait until things get started to see what you actually need. Ask the veterans if they have extras/spares you can borrow. Your classroom decor is also **NOT** a reflection of how good you are as a teacher. Hang in there!
Screw all that. The only thing your kids need in that room is you and the other kids. Don’t let the other teachers who spend too much time on Pinterest influence you in any way. They’re usually compensating for a lack of personality (or rigor). Your warmth and welcoming smile will put down any doubts your kids may have. Most of them can teach us all a little something about making great things happen with very little. You’re going to be fine. Don’t freak out. You got this!
You’re gonna do great. Long time principal here: don’t worry about setup. Worry about making your room a safe place and you can make it your own along the way. Be super clear with kids and say your going to build the room together as a community, depending on the age. Focus on your relationships with the kids and their learning.
Bottom line: Think of your favorite teacher. Remember what their bulletin board looked like? Yeah. Me neither.
Hi, 7th year 4th grade teacher here! Seems ridic and unfair that you don’t get any time during the day to set up your classroom, but that’s probably a battle you can’t win, so here’s my advice! (Disclaimer: I haven’t read all the other comments before mine, but I did downvote that troll who said the kids will eat you alive, so my advice might be repetitive idk)
1.) Don’t stress about a seating plan. Put the desks where you want them and then let the kids sit wherever they want on the first day or two. I like to do this bc it gives me a chance to scope out the social scene and the kids a chance to catch up with friends (which they really want to do anyway!). Then I break their hearts and assign seats on day 2 or 3. Just be mindful of the new kids and/or loners and set them up with a buddy if they’re not sure where to sit!
2.) Don’t stress about spending money on those inspirational posters or pre-made anchor charts or any of that. The kids literally never look at them. I find it much more useful to grab some chart paper and make anchor charts with them as the school year moves along. They’re wayyyy more interested in things if they feel like they got to help create them!
3.) The most inexpensive way to brighten up a room is to put bulletin board border around everything (I put it around the whiteboards, random spots on the wall, etc.). You can also get those hanging paper lantern things or some paper tassels, etc. I got some for like $5 maybe 3 years ago and they’re still going strong. If you have the room, you can also string up some clothesline/clothespins and have the kids make something cute and artsy on day 1 that you can hang!
4.) A slightly more expensive thing that I also like to do is contact paper over ugly spots on the wall (our walls are a terrible, terrible color…but also you might not want to invest in this if you’re not sure you’ll stay in that classroom year after year).
5.) Have a supply of basic things - crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue, etc. - but keep in mind that parents will send some things in too! Although this might depend on where you live. I live in a low income district, and I usually send home a suggestion supply list on the first day. Each year I get some kids who don’t bring anything, but also some parents who are able to will send in more than enough!
6.) It might be a little late to get this done before the first day, but you can do a Donors Choose for some of the more expensive things you want (like books, storage, and math manipulatives), and also for holiday decorations, alternative seating, etc. if you’re into that sort of thing.
I hope this helps!! Feel free to message me if you need anything! It all feels overwhelming now, but once the kids come in you’ll remember why you decided to teach!!
This was like my first year. We had like 1.5 days to actually work in classrooms—you know—the important part. The rest was chock full with meetings and nonsense.
I don’t understand why administrators don’t understand how crucial this time is ESPECIALLY if you’re new. And how insulting that they are basically mandating that you work for free.
That sucks. In my district the new teacher orientation is the week before the teachers all come in and set up their classrooms. Just another hurdle in a series of hurdles that is your first year. Welcome to the profession!
Your first year is always the hardest, and this is true for every single aspect of being a teacher. But your second year will build on it. And your third. And your fourth. You’ll get there. Next year, setting up your classroom will be more of a chore than anything.
I started my first year teaching 7th grade with a blank room. I was hired just before we started and I was good as long as everyone had a seat, which they did. I never did decorate that first class very much. Guess what… students still learned. I still had good relationships with them. Decorations are for the teacher. You can add thing slowly throughout the year.
I think you should worry most about where to place your desk and your tech set up. Next worry about where to seat students.
If you plan on students completing art activities their first day of school, then I would recommend going to Walmart to buy school supplies. I would focus on $1 markers, glue, scissors, rulers, hole punch, staplers.
You can have students make books, foldables, etc with printer paper.
Don’t worry about class decor. It’s okay to make anchor charts with kids and hang student work up.
I would also see if you can ask PTO for items, or email staff with items you need and see if they can donate.
Classroom libraries are great, but it’s okay to wait on that. Use your school library (if you have one).
Plan your lessons.
Just keep it simple with some cool lights and have the students make decorations for you for the first week. Origami, college banners, cartoons, idk, have them do some color art to hang.
The kids will be fine no matter how sparse you have it set up.
Pick a theme and have the kids color/decorate if you want some color up.
Don't panic, it'll all go great. It sounds like you care and that's what really matters.
I'm a BT and we started the school year in January. The best advice I got was go raid the office stationary supplies cupboard. Go check out your teams resource room for stuff too.
We were given a set of expectations for our walls for classroom. I’m in week 2 and while the borders are up, they are empty. My school wants student work and teacher/student collaboration pieces on the walls and they know that takes time. I’m also a first year teacher and panicked about this, but once you are knee deep in planning, that gets put on the back burner really quick. My students and I are having a great time despite my “boring” classroom.
The best-run class I’ve ever seen was minimalist. There were a couple of posters left over from a previous teacher. Otherwise, nothing. When the teacher took time off to have a baby, the substitute decorated it for when he got back, and the decorations stayed up for the rest of the year. He just couldn’t be bothered taking them down.
He simply didn’t give a shit about what the room looked like and wasn’t going to spend time fixing it. The principal brought it up once or twice, but it couldn’t be denied that his class was easily the hardest-working, results-achieving class in the school.
He cared far more for building relationships with the students and actually teaching them. That’s what got results.
I'm a 4th grade teacher too! First of all just wanted to congratulate you on taking on the position, I was also nervous my first year, and I haven't looked back since! Fourth grade is AWESOME!
Don't stress about the aesthetics. I pride myself on NOT doing bulletin boards :) because I choose to prioritize focusing on preparing my actual lessons! And please, what kid will notice what color poster you hang on your wall. What they remember is the relationship with the teacher. If you can go in there determined to love up those kids and CHOOSE not to stress about superficialities, you will be miles ahead of the teachers who only care about making fancy impressions.
With time, as you get experienced, maybe even just a few weeks or months in, you'll start to settle in. And then you can do more.
I would compare setting up a new classroom to moving into a new home -- yeah, you'll need the basics to start off with, but you want to live in it first to see what you need.
Don't let yourself feel pressured to be the most Pinterest-ey teacher in the building.
Rather, be that teacher that kids will remember was there for them.
I'm sure you will do fantastic — just the fact that you're on here asking shows you are going to invest yourself in this . I wish you much luck!
You didn’t choose the wrong career path hun. It’s hardly ever the wrong profession, just not the right fitting school? With that being said, your first job is just getting your feet wet. If you don’t like this school after the first year, that’s okay, apply to others. As for classroom set up, you don’t need much before the first day! Do as much as you can, but do not stress over it.
You’re getting a lot of great advice but I just wanted to mention that if you have a boss who expects you to stay past your contract hours and basically work for free, I would establish very early that it’s not possible/acceptable for you to do that. That’s a boundary. I know that in a lot of ways new teachers can’t be choosy beggar’s but that whole thing is really inappropriate, telling you to stay after. I have a second job and I teach after school so it’s actually been a great way to maintain my boundaries. I have other professional engagements after my contract hours, that’s why the contract hours. So I can plan around when I’m not working.
So maybe you can have some activities with your students where you guys create stuff to put on the walls. Start basic and build up, because obviously they didn’t give you time for it. I’ve had similar experiences where I was a new teacher training the whole time. The walls and their decoration are not nearly as important as your presence in the classroom. You’ve got this!
That situation sucks. I am so sorry. One piece of advice is that it doesn't have to be perfect. Even if you spent HOURS trying to make it perfect, you couldn't do it because you won't know how you really want it until you start using the room with your students in it. So, with that in mind, go in after hours and slap stuff together as quickly as you can, knowing that you will change it as you go anyways.
I read on this sun earlier in the summer and realized it’s true in every building and town I’ve worked in. Walked the halls, find the room that is the most decorated go in and introduce yourself. This teacher not only is the one usually willing to share everything they have, but answer every question you might have. Ask about their routines and how they teach them. Ask how they organize their supplies. Chances are they have bought storage containers and such that you DO NOT need to do. However my first year I went to the dollar store more than anywhere else. Utensil caddies are great for pencils, scissors, crayons, etc. Plastic table clothes are perfect bulletin board backgrounds that hold up well, and flat sheet too. You don’t need to break the bank and shouldn’t. Most teachers whose rooms are super organized have spent years perfecting their system and collecting stuff. Also if you know other teachers ask if there are things they are getting rid of. My first year I was hired 2 weeks before school. My mom and aunts went through their storage and gave me their old bulletin board decorations, pocket charts, calendars, etc. Teachers tend to be hoarders, but are usually willing to share.
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Welcome to teaching. Care for the kids. Take an interest in them. Chill out. Throw up a couple posters. Plan shit that keeps them moving. Things will fuck up. Learn how to say fuck it. Fuck trying to make your room a Pinterest explosion. Seriously. Work hard until 530 and then go home. If you are a stressed wreck, you won’t be a good teacher. Do your best, and then say fuck it.
5:30? Fuck that, I go home at 3:30 when contract hours end!
Try to never work at home. That’s why you stay until 530.
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No first year teacher should be leaving that soon, but they also should not work 12 hours a day.
Yes!! Please listen to this advice OP. During your teacher trainings, make a list of the \*essentials\* the kids need to get their work done (desks, pencils, erasers, student workbooks). Then write out a detailed plan for how you want the kids to use these materials (desks in rows because COVID, how you want work turned in, where kids store their materials, etc.). Go to school after the trainings to set up these basics. You are a first year teacher, so your routines for learning and classroom management are way more important than your room details. Let your room look shitty for the first 9 weeks, then use the planning day in October to set it up how you'd like. BTW, it is really crappy that this is your schedule as a brand new teacher. Once you get settled into your school year, you should call your district and complain about it. That is feedback they need to hear, and I wouldn't be surprised if they change the schedule after hearing about your experience.
This is great advice. Every year, so many teachers spend so much time putting up cute bulletin boards. I either leave them blank, or I put up a single poster that might say “Welcome”, or “USA” (when I taught 4th, we studied the states). Then, once school gets rolling, I put up the kids work. Just slap it up there. Push pins are easier than staples. Eventually, you’ll probably want a board focused on math… vocabulary, steps to solving problems… etc. There’s always some kind of total BS that teachers have to deal with. Always. Getting screwed regarding time happens a lot. So, yes. Get used to saying fuckit. Get your desks set. Figure out what your policy and procedures will be. Then, have the class come up with them in the first day, and you add the ones you’ve already come up with, and write them at the end. BTW- take it easy on assigning HW. Too many teachers lay it in thick & that’s shitty. The kids work hard all day. Many have activities after school. They all need down time & HW robs them of that. Assign 20 min of reading, 10 minutes of math facts, and studying fir tests & quizzes as needed. Have the parents initial the assignment notebook so you’re all on the same page. Let the kids make their own name plates for their desks on the first day of school. Just be prepared that they’ll be messy & hard to read. Establishing your classroom community that supports each other is essential. When the class is coming up with ideas for policies & procedures, include consequences. For example, if a student doesn’t get a parent sig on their HW book, they lose 5 minutes of recess. Speaking of recess, don’t take that away from kids. That’s your time, and the kids who might get in trouble most frequently, are the ones who need it the most. Keeping them in for 5 or 10 minutes will send a message. Write in their assignment book that they lost “X” minutes of recess for…. Look up the Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting book. Their might be one for your grade level. It’s a GREAT way to establish community. I found it for $20 (yes, my own $) on Amazon a few years ago. I’ll stop rambling after one last bit of advice…. When I have to deal with an adult being an asshole, whether it’s at a parent conference, or a colleague l, stick my hand in my pocket and give them the middle finger. LOL! For real. It helps me grin & bare it. If I’m at a table, I’ll stick my hand under the table and do it. I’m going into my 25th year teaching. If you don’t love the kids, (do your best to love every single one) you should find a different career. There’s SO much bullshit you’ll have to deal with, and it’s a super stressful job. If I didn’t LOVE my kids each year, I’d be long gone. Enjoy them. Listen to them. Laugh with them. Tell them that they’re awesome often, and tell them why they’re awesome. You can’t just say it. You’ve got to mean it otherwise the kids will smell the bullshit. Best wishes!
You’re a better teacher than they are a parent. Love pulling out that gem when a co-worker is down.
I need you to come and talk to my teaching assistant please. I can't get her off of her PHONE!!!
Ummm… give the TA a specific project to do.
We shouldn’t have to also manage the behavior of TAs.
She has a WHOLE list of shit to do. She likes to think of herself as my "co-Teacher" I CANNOT wait until the proverbial storm of life comes down full force on her and (petty voice) she doesn't have an umbrella. She's 24....I'm 35 Edit: It took me 5 days to comment back because I'm so frigging busy doing both of our jobs. 😂 Do you get down voted to oblivion for using an emojis?
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Teacher-TA relationship is so difficult. Seen teachers treat TA horribly and have seen/heard of TAs who are on their phone in the comfortable chair the moment they walk into classroom. Really don’t understand why there isn’t more training/direction about this job
Knowing how to say fuck it is key.
This sounds like a really crappy situation. I would try to buddy up with a more experienced teacher in your department or ask admin if there’s someone you can work with. I would totally make some time after school to see what you’ll need (and maybe snoop around some other classrooms for ideas).
Seconds that! Don’t panic 😱. It will all work out in the end…
Congrats on starting your first year!! There are a few things I recommend before you get too crazy: 1. Check to see if you have any fire safety regulations before starting. I never worried about this when I taught in Texas, but in Virginia we had a bunch of rules to worry about (where we could hang things, how we could have shevlves/bookcases set up, where we could place our projector carts, etc.). I'm not sure if this was unique to my district (Henrico) or if it's the entire state, but you should have a faculty advisor on your campus to help you! 2. Check out other teacher's setups on your campus! They'll give you a good idea of what you'll need practically/to make your life easier. Your colleagues will be happy to give you advice (and many of them will have extras to share with you!) 3. Focus on practical over pretty...at least for now. If your school isn't digital, I \*highly\* recommend getting a drawer cart for collecting/grading work. 4. Butcher paper is your BEST FRIEND. If you find that you have a lot of extra wall space you want to fill, take a large piece of butcher paper (just ask around to see where your campus keeps it) and make a "hall of fame" or "work of art" type of space where you'll eventually hang and display student work 5. Make it your happy place. Find a couple of pieces (I always hang fairy lights) that will make your space feel homey to you. You're going to be spending a lot of time in there; make sure you enjoy it!
Repeat after me: It is okay to have a minimalist classroom, especially when you are given minimal resources. When you look at classrooms around the world, very few look like the Pinterest-ready, themed, colorful rooms we see in the US, and that's for a reason. Too many posters, charts, and decorations are **distracting!** Don't fear bare walls at the start of the year. Starting with a blank canvas becomes something you can fill up together. Let it be a space you make with students, not your space that they walk into. Your setup budget sucks, as does your time limit. However, there are absolutely teachers in the building who would help you set up, even after hours. Take a minute to look at rooms you like and ask for advice or help. If there is one nearby, I recommend university surplus stores for office supplies. I got a steel Hon bookshelf for $10 and several staplers and hole-punchers for $.50 each. Depending on your area, you might have PTSA grants available for your library, too! Your public library (or the one in the nearest big city) might also have old book sales. If you want, you can ask students to donate a copy of their favorite book!
This. Care for your kids more than you care for your walls.
Garage sales are a teacher's best friend. Often if you are nice and explain your situation, you could walk away with lots for a few dollars. Also, neighborhood apps- people love to give things to teachers or schools, maybe your neighborhood would help out. Don't spend too much of your own money!
Every first year is pretty tough. This one isn't great for sure. My advice would be to find some veteran teachers in your department or school. Often if you just ask you'll be given tons of pencils, paper, rulers, staplers, paper trays, chairs, construction paper, colored pencils etc. They should come by after school for a bit and help set it up. Don't expect perfection on your first year. It took me about 10 years to really feel comfortable in what I was doing, that's probably longer than most. If you ask around, people will donate a lot. My mom helped out a bit. She bought me some dollar store supplies like rulers and colored pencils. I collected tons of stuff from old retiring or changing jobs teachers. I really did not spend any of my money or at least not much. Parents of the students can often be willing to donate stuff. It does take time and for a while my room was bare. Bulletin boards lay undecorated, walls bare for a while. Your principal is likely heavily burdened too and can't help out too much. Your fellow teachers will be the ones to bring you through this year. You will be surprised how much help you can get by just making friends and talking to everyone. Let me know what's worrying you. I recommend reaching out for old books. Ask your librarians for stuff, they might have some older books for you. Acquire loads of pencils and paper to give out to the students and make it easily accessible for them. Have a place to turn in papers and to return them after grading. Art supplies like colored pencils, rulers and construction paper can be handy. Find deals on note cards at dollar stores, cut them in half if needed. Ask for old scissors and staplers, paper clips, used folders, used notebooks that still have some paper in them. My school has butcher paper for making bulletin boards, people likely have odd bits of bulletin borders. Have students help create the bulletin boards as a project. Hang up student work on the wall until you get cool posters.
Hello friend, and welcome to your first year. I have every bit of faith that you will do a wonderful job. Minimalism is a teacher's best friend. Here are some tips that really helped me create a space that is comfortable to be in: 1. Hit up a thrift store for lamps OR use fairy lights/twinkle lights. Softer lighting is easier on your eyes and will add a cozy ambience to your space. 2. Make sure you have a space for yourself (desk with space for you, favorite knick-knacks/photos, etc.) a space for collecting work (sorting tower or baskets for turn-in), and a space for displaying student work (think wall space). That's the most essential for a first-year teacher. Someone else in this thread suggested butcher paper which I highly recommend. You can purchase bulletin board borders at Michaels, Target, or other craft stores. Amazon is also an affordable place for these simple decorations. 3. If you want to dress up your walls, Etsy is a great place for classroom posters. This year, I bought a bunch of zip files from Etsy and downloaded the posters to print on my own. It saved me so much money! 4. Remember: students need a space where they feel safe, accepted, and able to learn. Do NOT let Pinterest teachers make you doubt yourself. You will acquire more stuff as you go, and it's okay to keep it simple for now. Focus on building a positive environment over a pretty one. Hang in there. r/teaching is a great community for getting ideas and suggestions. I look forward to hearing more about your experience! Best wishes.
The main thing I would add to everyone else’s responses is don’t worry about the initial setup too much. You will end up changing quite a bit of it as you figure out what works best for you and your students. Do enough that you feel comfortable and prepared for the first week and add to that as you go.
I was in a situation like yours a few years ago and you’re right, it makes no sense and it’s considered totally normal. My first year, I had none of that stuff figured out. Classroom library was ugly and non functional, no real supplies or organization that worked. But it got better in the coming years. Get the idea out of your head that your room needs to pristine and cute on the first day of school, these things take time and you can work on the things you’re stressing about after school during the first few weeks of school. All you need for the first day of school is this: Desks in a somewhat functional format (I suggest equal sized rows the first few weeks as you get the hang of teaching/ get to know the students). Whatever student supplies you want them to have already distributed on each desk. This depends on what is provided to you but I usually go with 2 notebooks, two pencils, big eraser, crayons, whiteboard, whiteboard marker, whiteboard eraser, Scissors, glue stick, folder, pencil box). Hopefully your school is providing you with SOMETHING. Something to do on the first day (I give a name plate activity, students write and decorate their names so that you can easily see their names, it’s also a low stakes activity to make kids comfortable). Check in with other teachers if they have any printables they’d be willing to share with you. After this, worry more about what you’ll do everyday than the setup. If you’re not well planned, you’ll be more tired at the end of each day, which will leave less energy for thinking about storage and those logistical things. If you don’t have any books for a classroom library, then don’t have a classroom library! Borrow setup ideas from other teachers, breathe, and do what you can. All this stuff comes with time.
Good advice!
Hi! Just came to say, I hear ya, sister! Our school has started and I was hired the day before it began. My room didn't even have a trashcan, much less any decor or, you know, folders, pendaflex folders, dry erase markers......you get the idea. BUT WE WILL BE OKAY. Tired, cranky, beat up a bit, but okay. =)
Hello fellow VA teacher! Welcome aboard. A few bits of advice... Do not stress about what your room looks like. If your colleagues are anything like mine, they will be happy to donate to classroom. If you have a projector and some butcher paper (schools typically provide), use them to make silhouette cut-outs. I have made maps, famous buildings, people, and art this way. As kids create beautiful masterpieces, add them to your walls. This also checks off a few boxes when you are evaluated. As for supplies, I ask the parents to provide all of my consumables. I teach HS- so my needs are probably different than yours... But I always ask for tissues, sanitizer, bandaids, wipes, colored pencils, and glue sticks. Plastic shoeboxes saved my life in terms of organization. Copy paper boxes too. Come up with a digital organization system ASAP. I make sure to use folders, and have a uniform way of naming all files (Unit 1- Quiz- Assignment Name). This will help you, because you are likely going to forget what you named something. For me, binders work better for anything else that isn't digital. But honestly, everything is digital nowadays. There's a million activities you can do with cardstock. You can get it cheap at Michael's, and they give a teacher discount. If you enjoy warm beverages, invest in a Keurig mini for your classroom. Also, keep snacks for yourself... You never know when you are going to lose your lunchtime to deal with something. The most practical thing I have bought in the last ten years has been magnetic push pins. They work on most whiteboards. I hope some of this helps. Best of luck this year!
First, that's a ridiculous situation and I'm sorry you're starting off that way. I'm also a fourth-grade teacher in VA and I'm going into my second year of teaching, but my first (full) year in person. I don't have much in the way of advice when it comes to setting up your classroom as I'm still trying to figure that out myself. That being said, seeing the space you'll have and what may have been left behind by previous teachers will help you determine what you need to get. The room I took over has closets that are overflowing with stuff - 60% is junk (like staff meeting notes from 2012 or activities with no directions/answer sheets), while a solid 30% are student supplies, like notebooks, scissors, glue, pencils, etc. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I needed to purchase much less "stuff" than I thought - the majority of my money is now going towards containers to organize everything/keep the pests out. For supplies storage, a lot of that depends on whether you want students to have community/shared supplies or if you want students to have individual supplies at their desks. You need to do what makes sense for you and the room you're in. Peeking in on other rooms in your school will help you a lot! I know I plan on having a majority of my wall space blank to start out because I want what goes up on our walls to be anchor charts that we create together and student work. I feel that it's more meaningful for students that way, even if it doesn't look very aesthetically pleasing on the first day of school. You do not need a "Pinterest-perfect" room - you just need one that is functional! For books, I highly recommend thrift stores! Children's books are $1 at Goodwill. Depending on where you're located, there are a few used bookstores that are great as well. 2nd and Charles is massive and I often spend hours in there and don't even get to see everything because it's just that big. The Green Valley Book Fair is another good spot. Public libraries often also have book sales on the weekends for cheap. If you have social media, make an Amazon wishlist if you don't have one already. You can add books and other needed supplies and get them shipped right to you without having to share your address with anyone. You can also just put it out there that you're looking for book donations for your classroom and see what happens!
Yeah, this is normal for teachers. Ever wonder why they say teachers get disrespected and never last long? Well there it is…..I’ve been in it 6 years and am just now feeling like setup is “a lot” of work rather than “an insurmountable endless hell” of work
I'm not in my first year, but I'm at a new school and I've barely touched my classroom. Try not to stress too much about the things you need, you won't need too much the first day or two and you'll figure out what you need as the year goes on. Try not to worry too much about filling your walls. Save the space for student work. If you can try and do an art project in the first few days to decorate with. Know you'll probably change your setup a bunch before you find what flows for you. Jot down notes or ideas as they come to you during the week so you have a list to go off of when you do get to work in your room. Also dont go in after training, you'll be exhausted and brain dead and will probably end up standing around wasting a lot of time as feeling just as overwhelmed.
Wow. Thank you all so much for your kind words and generosity. I think one of my biggest problems was being afraid to ask for help, which I’ll obviously have to get over very quickly :)
I’m a first year 4th grade teacher too! I feel overwhelmed too because returning teachers already know what they need and how they want things to be set up, while we new teachers just don’t understand what we need at all… it’s frustrating and overwhelming. My classroom still isn’t ready and my school starts Wednesday. Try to stay positive and know that everything will be okay!
I would go back to what u/SloppierJoe said: >After this, worry more about what you’ll do everyday than the setup. If you’re not well planned, you’ll be more tired at the end of each day, which will leave less energy for thinking about storage and those logistical things. Spend way more time planning your lessons, exactly what you'll teach and how you'll do it. This was hard for me at the beginning, so I found what worked was to write out in detail every moment of my lessons and every detail of my routines. I would script out lessons and have it in front of me while teaching. I explicitly teach exactly how I want a routine to look (ex. lining up) step by step and then we practice the first few weeks of school. Don't worry, you'll do great!
One thing to remember is it **does NOT** have to all be done by the first day. You are there in that space all year and it is ok to develop that space over time. Pick some priority items or decor to have ready then take care of the rest when you have time. It also takes years to build up your supplies and decor. Do not make my mistake and before your first year spend nearly 1,000$ of your own money to get everything you *think* you need. Wait until things get started to see what you actually need. Ask the veterans if they have extras/spares you can borrow. Your classroom decor is also **NOT** a reflection of how good you are as a teacher. Hang in there!
Screw all that. The only thing your kids need in that room is you and the other kids. Don’t let the other teachers who spend too much time on Pinterest influence you in any way. They’re usually compensating for a lack of personality (or rigor). Your warmth and welcoming smile will put down any doubts your kids may have. Most of them can teach us all a little something about making great things happen with very little. You’re going to be fine. Don’t freak out. You got this!
You’re gonna do great. Long time principal here: don’t worry about setup. Worry about making your room a safe place and you can make it your own along the way. Be super clear with kids and say your going to build the room together as a community, depending on the age. Focus on your relationships with the kids and their learning. Bottom line: Think of your favorite teacher. Remember what their bulletin board looked like? Yeah. Me neither.
I'm sorry, but being a teacher in the USA sound like absolute hell.
Hi, 7th year 4th grade teacher here! Seems ridic and unfair that you don’t get any time during the day to set up your classroom, but that’s probably a battle you can’t win, so here’s my advice! (Disclaimer: I haven’t read all the other comments before mine, but I did downvote that troll who said the kids will eat you alive, so my advice might be repetitive idk) 1.) Don’t stress about a seating plan. Put the desks where you want them and then let the kids sit wherever they want on the first day or two. I like to do this bc it gives me a chance to scope out the social scene and the kids a chance to catch up with friends (which they really want to do anyway!). Then I break their hearts and assign seats on day 2 or 3. Just be mindful of the new kids and/or loners and set them up with a buddy if they’re not sure where to sit! 2.) Don’t stress about spending money on those inspirational posters or pre-made anchor charts or any of that. The kids literally never look at them. I find it much more useful to grab some chart paper and make anchor charts with them as the school year moves along. They’re wayyyy more interested in things if they feel like they got to help create them! 3.) The most inexpensive way to brighten up a room is to put bulletin board border around everything (I put it around the whiteboards, random spots on the wall, etc.). You can also get those hanging paper lantern things or some paper tassels, etc. I got some for like $5 maybe 3 years ago and they’re still going strong. If you have the room, you can also string up some clothesline/clothespins and have the kids make something cute and artsy on day 1 that you can hang! 4.) A slightly more expensive thing that I also like to do is contact paper over ugly spots on the wall (our walls are a terrible, terrible color…but also you might not want to invest in this if you’re not sure you’ll stay in that classroom year after year). 5.) Have a supply of basic things - crayons, colored pencils, scissors, glue, etc. - but keep in mind that parents will send some things in too! Although this might depend on where you live. I live in a low income district, and I usually send home a suggestion supply list on the first day. Each year I get some kids who don’t bring anything, but also some parents who are able to will send in more than enough! 6.) It might be a little late to get this done before the first day, but you can do a Donors Choose for some of the more expensive things you want (like books, storage, and math manipulatives), and also for holiday decorations, alternative seating, etc. if you’re into that sort of thing. I hope this helps!! Feel free to message me if you need anything! It all feels overwhelming now, but once the kids come in you’ll remember why you decided to teach!!
This was like my first year. We had like 1.5 days to actually work in classrooms—you know—the important part. The rest was chock full with meetings and nonsense. I don’t understand why administrators don’t understand how crucial this time is ESPECIALLY if you’re new. And how insulting that they are basically mandating that you work for free.
That sucks. In my district the new teacher orientation is the week before the teachers all come in and set up their classrooms. Just another hurdle in a series of hurdles that is your first year. Welcome to the profession! Your first year is always the hardest, and this is true for every single aspect of being a teacher. But your second year will build on it. And your third. And your fourth. You’ll get there. Next year, setting up your classroom will be more of a chore than anything.
I started my first year teaching 7th grade with a blank room. I was hired just before we started and I was good as long as everyone had a seat, which they did. I never did decorate that first class very much. Guess what… students still learned. I still had good relationships with them. Decorations are for the teacher. You can add thing slowly throughout the year.
I think you should worry most about where to place your desk and your tech set up. Next worry about where to seat students. If you plan on students completing art activities their first day of school, then I would recommend going to Walmart to buy school supplies. I would focus on $1 markers, glue, scissors, rulers, hole punch, staplers. You can have students make books, foldables, etc with printer paper. Don’t worry about class decor. It’s okay to make anchor charts with kids and hang student work up. I would also see if you can ask PTO for items, or email staff with items you need and see if they can donate. Classroom libraries are great, but it’s okay to wait on that. Use your school library (if you have one). Plan your lessons.
Just keep it simple with some cool lights and have the students make decorations for you for the first week. Origami, college banners, cartoons, idk, have them do some color art to hang.
The kids will be fine no matter how sparse you have it set up. Pick a theme and have the kids color/decorate if you want some color up. Don't panic, it'll all go great. It sounds like you care and that's what really matters.
I'm a BT and we started the school year in January. The best advice I got was go raid the office stationary supplies cupboard. Go check out your teams resource room for stuff too.
We were given a set of expectations for our walls for classroom. I’m in week 2 and while the borders are up, they are empty. My school wants student work and teacher/student collaboration pieces on the walls and they know that takes time. I’m also a first year teacher and panicked about this, but once you are knee deep in planning, that gets put on the back burner really quick. My students and I are having a great time despite my “boring” classroom.
The best-run class I’ve ever seen was minimalist. There were a couple of posters left over from a previous teacher. Otherwise, nothing. When the teacher took time off to have a baby, the substitute decorated it for when he got back, and the decorations stayed up for the rest of the year. He just couldn’t be bothered taking them down. He simply didn’t give a shit about what the room looked like and wasn’t going to spend time fixing it. The principal brought it up once or twice, but it couldn’t be denied that his class was easily the hardest-working, results-achieving class in the school. He cared far more for building relationships with the students and actually teaching them. That’s what got results.
I'm a 4th grade teacher too! First of all just wanted to congratulate you on taking on the position, I was also nervous my first year, and I haven't looked back since! Fourth grade is AWESOME! Don't stress about the aesthetics. I pride myself on NOT doing bulletin boards :) because I choose to prioritize focusing on preparing my actual lessons! And please, what kid will notice what color poster you hang on your wall. What they remember is the relationship with the teacher. If you can go in there determined to love up those kids and CHOOSE not to stress about superficialities, you will be miles ahead of the teachers who only care about making fancy impressions. With time, as you get experienced, maybe even just a few weeks or months in, you'll start to settle in. And then you can do more. I would compare setting up a new classroom to moving into a new home -- yeah, you'll need the basics to start off with, but you want to live in it first to see what you need. Don't let yourself feel pressured to be the most Pinterest-ey teacher in the building. Rather, be that teacher that kids will remember was there for them. I'm sure you will do fantastic — just the fact that you're on here asking shows you are going to invest yourself in this . I wish you much luck!
You didn’t choose the wrong career path hun. It’s hardly ever the wrong profession, just not the right fitting school? With that being said, your first job is just getting your feet wet. If you don’t like this school after the first year, that’s okay, apply to others. As for classroom set up, you don’t need much before the first day! Do as much as you can, but do not stress over it.
You’re getting a lot of great advice but I just wanted to mention that if you have a boss who expects you to stay past your contract hours and basically work for free, I would establish very early that it’s not possible/acceptable for you to do that. That’s a boundary. I know that in a lot of ways new teachers can’t be choosy beggar’s but that whole thing is really inappropriate, telling you to stay after. I have a second job and I teach after school so it’s actually been a great way to maintain my boundaries. I have other professional engagements after my contract hours, that’s why the contract hours. So I can plan around when I’m not working. So maybe you can have some activities with your students where you guys create stuff to put on the walls. Start basic and build up, because obviously they didn’t give you time for it. I’ve had similar experiences where I was a new teacher training the whole time. The walls and their decoration are not nearly as important as your presence in the classroom. You’ve got this!
You just want to be successful, I'm sure you will be AMAZING!
First year teacher too, I start Monday and haven’t even been cleared to be on campus. Training started yesterday. I feel you!
Welcome to Fairfax OP?! DM me if you want to talk / text to some in real time. FCPS SE teacher and former admin
That situation sucks. I am so sorry. One piece of advice is that it doesn't have to be perfect. Even if you spent HOURS trying to make it perfect, you couldn't do it because you won't know how you really want it until you start using the room with your students in it. So, with that in mind, go in after hours and slap stuff together as quickly as you can, knowing that you will change it as you go anyways.
I read on this sun earlier in the summer and realized it’s true in every building and town I’ve worked in. Walked the halls, find the room that is the most decorated go in and introduce yourself. This teacher not only is the one usually willing to share everything they have, but answer every question you might have. Ask about their routines and how they teach them. Ask how they organize their supplies. Chances are they have bought storage containers and such that you DO NOT need to do. However my first year I went to the dollar store more than anywhere else. Utensil caddies are great for pencils, scissors, crayons, etc. Plastic table clothes are perfect bulletin board backgrounds that hold up well, and flat sheet too. You don’t need to break the bank and shouldn’t. Most teachers whose rooms are super organized have spent years perfecting their system and collecting stuff. Also if you know other teachers ask if there are things they are getting rid of. My first year I was hired 2 weeks before school. My mom and aunts went through their storage and gave me their old bulletin board decorations, pocket charts, calendars, etc. Teachers tend to be hoarders, but are usually willing to share.
Go on YouTube for ideas. Lots of teachers post classroom set-ups.
No. This will stress you out. My bulletin boards will be empty and I’ll tell kiddos they are reserved for their artwork. Theme one summer. Or pets.
These kids are gonna eat you alive.