Bright Ideas: Teacher "Hacks"

 I am going to bring you four ideas that I am using in my classroom for changing ordinary spaces into extraordinary ones.  Ok...maybe they won't go that far, but these things are working for me.  :)

If you follow me on Instagram, you have likely seen these images before.  But, it doesn't hurt to see them again...right? ;)

1.  Bookcase = Teacher Desk

Teacher Desk on a bookcase

I have no teacher desk in my room.  Instead, I put all of my teachery stuff on a very slim bookcase and, viola, an easy to access place for my teaching essentials without taking up the space of a huge, bulky desk!

2.  Anchor Charts on the Windows

Use Command Hooks and a chart pointer to create an anchor chart display area anywhere in the room.

To use the dead space on my windows, I took some Command Hooks and an extra pointer (because, seriously, I have a million of them) and created an anchor chart holder there.  (I will be honest and say I saw a version of this on a bulletin board on Pinterest, but I moved it to my dead space instead)  I am LOVING this one!

3.  Tag board Student Work Displays

Make work display stands using heavy tag board.

I needed to display some student work for Open House, but had no where to put it other than on top of my cupboards.  So using hard tagboard (about 24" long and 9" wide) folded in half, then connected with two 4 inch pieces of tagboard, I was able to create these useful stands to display the work!

4.  Graffiti Wall Door of Learning

Creating a Graffiti Wall of Learning

To keep a fun record of all of our learning this year, I covered my door with butcher paper.  At the end of each day, I call two or three students to name something we learned over the course of our 6 hours together.  Then, those student write it on our door.  By the end of the year, we will have a graffiti wall of learning!

So there you have it.  Some fast, fun, simple ideas for your classroom. What types of "hacks" have you done in your classroom?