Redesigning Your Classroom on Any Budget

Here are some ideas of how to incorporate flexible seating on any budget. Some of the seating I purchased really added up. I've since become more creative thanks to my teaching neighbor, Alison Bartels. She gets the credit for being creative on a budget. She was really able to improvise and still create a collaborative environment!

Target/WalMart/Ikea are great for finding comfy chairs and ottomans. The disk chairs and ottomans I have are from Target. Check these stores for great seating ideas over the summer when all the dorm room furniture is out! The disk chairs were $25 and the storage ottomans were $15.

A few years ago I picked up some round bath mats for sitting on the floor. I got mine at Target but you may be able to find them cheaper. I paid $9.99 per math.

Five Below has many different seating options for less than $5. Stability balls, yoga mats, metal stools, canvas chairs, and large pillows (you could even use dog beds!)

Thanks to Alison's creative thinking, we have raised tables in our classrooms with bed risers. I was skeptical at first because I wasn't sure how stable they would be, but they work so well! They kids can lean on the tables and they are sturdy and secure! I think a package of 4 risers was $9.99.

We took the legs off tables to create a work space for students who want to sit on the floor. Very easy to do!

Carpet remnants also make a good work space on the floor. Some stores may even give them to you for free if you tell them you are a teacher.

If you are crafty milk crate stools or benches would be awesome! I am thinking of making these for all my students next year. The crate can double as a place to put their materials (folders, notebooks, reading books) which is something to think about if you get rid of your desks.

Along with stability balls, wobble cushions or wobble chairs (you can find them on Amazon) provide  great alternative seating for your students who fidget or are always on the move! These will be a bit more expensive. Cushions are between $12 and $20 while wobble stools are significantly more expensive.

Having lots of clip boards and/or lap desks available will help those students who like to sit on the floor. Hobby Lobby has some inexpensive lap desks with extra storage...win win!

A great way to fund flexible seating in your classroom is by creating a Donors Choose project. It's simple and easy to do! Share your project with parents, PTO organization, family members and on social media. In the first week of posting your project anonymous donors usually match donations up to $100. This is an easy way to get your project funded quickly!

If your PTO gives you an allotment each year you could use that to fund some seating as well. I know at Kittredge the PTO is very supportive of teachers and what they are doing in their classrooms. Consider asking your PTO to fund part of your seating!

Check back for more posts on flexible seating!

Updates to Google Classroom

I didn't think Google Classroom could get any better! In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, Google is giving thanks to teachers by introducing new updates to Google Classroom. You can now create an assignment but schedule to have it post at a later date. For those of us who like to plan ahead, this is genius! Later this fall Google Classroom will introduce e-mail notifications for families to help keep them in the loop so they can support and motivate their children! Read all about these new updates here.

Using Google Maps to Virtually Visit and Tour Colleges

Today is college/career t-shirt day in the district! We took advantage of this day to start discussing colleges and careers. We used Google Maps to virtually visit and tour colleges! I loved hearing conversations about which schools students were visiting and what careers they were thinking of. Some students had to utilize Google Search in order to find a college that fit the career they were thinking of. I even noticed one student writing a list of colleges where he could major in mechanical engineering! He wanted to take it home to do more research. Two students asked to come in at recess so they could further explore Berklee School of Music in Boston. A future firefighter spent time exploring the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.