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Calm Cozy Classroom Essentials for High School Teachers
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items This is my 20th year of teaching, and I've studied the effects of classroom environment on students during my Education Specialist degree. We spend so much time at work, and students spend more time at school than they do at home. The way classrooms ...
Sections
3
Decor
Community Building
Desk Essentials
Decor
This white subway tile adds a little detail while brightening up a room
Teacher Created Resources White Subway Tiles Bulletin Board Roll
This stuff is great to hang up the Better Than Paper! Get extra because more helps it maintain the smoothness.
Teacher Created Resources Mounting Tape 1" x 19.6'
This would be great if you're not a fan of the subway tile but still want some texture!
Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper, Ledger Stone, 48"x50'
Green is a fantastic color to keep calmness in the classroom and to also ground any "girlieness" that tends to happen with female teachers' classrooms (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
Teacher Created Boxwood Bulletin Board Roll
Little plants are great to have! I especially love the trailing ones because they get noticed by the kids.
FUNARTY 3 Pack Small Fake Eucalyptus Plants
More fake plants that are great! You can also hang them from the ceiling
SzJias Artificial Hanging Fern Plants 6 Pcs
Irregular shaped borders look really cool, especially when they are layered with the "traditional" wavy or straight borders. With this border being so long, don't worry about laminating it before hanging it up. It'll be easy to replace, and the best ...
Panelee Eucalyptus Leaves Border 68.9ft Decor
This is great to use to "frame" students' work!
Outus 68ft Gold Frame Bulletin Board Border
Another option for a border. This one has blue flowers, which would be a nice add-on accent color
60ft Scalloped Floral Bulletin Board Trim
Walmart has the cheapest curtains that actually look good. I've had dark blue and creamy white in the 20 years I've been a teacher, and it's amazing how something so seemingly insignificant can change thr vibe of a room. It's a great addition for fir...
Eclipse Kendall Kids Thermaback Blackout 42 x 84 Curtain Panel in White - Walmart.com
Necessary? No. Adorable? Heck yes it is! Add these to tie back your curtains.
2PACK Snap-Fit Cartoon Cloud Curtain Tiebacks
Don't use paper for your bulletin boards (they fade) and don't spend a ridiculous amount of money in the fabric stores. Use a flat sheet! They are cheaper, won't fray, and are usually the right size for a bulletin board! Choose microfiber or polyeste...
Your Zone Kids Super Soft Microfiber Sheet Set, Ombre, Twin, 3 Piece - Walmart.com
If you have ambient lighting in your room, this is a must. It saves so much time at the beginning and end of the day. You can also have classroom helpers whose job it is to turn these off at the end of the day (pro tip). Here's the real reason you ne...
BN-LINK Wireless Remote Control Outlet Switch
These are such amazing lights. First, they're plastic, so it's much safer to have them in your room. Second, get the warm plug-in option. Warm lighting calms people.
One thing to note: these aren't powerful enough to hang from the ceiling and have ...
Minetom 66Ft 200 LED Globe String Lights
We usually have a bank of lights in our rooms, right? If you're anything like me, I loathe fluorescent lights and only have one set on when absolutely necessary. I know which switch to use, but usually our lovely kidlets flip on the entire bank in th...
Removable Black Cat Switch Stickers, 6 Pcs
Have something that lights up and is a different color than the rest of your lights. Cats are my thing, but I'm sure they make a porch goose neon light, too. Once you have this, put it above where students turn in their work. No matter how cute and b...
Cat Neon Sign
These colors create a warmer tone to a room, so if that's what you want, get these! If you're looking for a cooler tone, go with the sunny skies with clouds. Those lean slightly more neutral.
Fluorescent Light Covers 2 Pcs Colorful Clouds 4x2ft
I had these in my room for two years and really liked them. I decided I wanted a warmer tone, so that's why I switched them out.
ShadeMAGIC Fluorescent Light Covers - Pack of 8
Harsh fluorescent lights can take a backseat to ambient lighting. These kind of lights are perfect for a corner or two. If you aren't a fan of the lampshade, find one you like and pop it on over top.
Mainstays 71" Silver Floor Lamp, Modern Design
Community Building
Puzzles bring kids together. Although it may seem ridiculous as a team-building activity, I use puzzles on the first day of class to have students have a space to chat with me and each other. Over time, I had a Puzzle Club organically form, and at on...
Cra-Z-Art Puzzlebug Creative Puzzles, 500 pc.
PBIS is fine and all (because of course it fixes everything), but if you're looking for incentives and getting kids to be off their phones, it's Uno. My high schoolers go absolutely feral over this game.
Uno Card Game
Desk Essentials
Save your neck. Save your back. Get a riser, preferably one with storage (there's never enough, and some kids think if they can see/touch it on your desk, they can use it. The answer is no, that's not theirs.). If possible, get two risers, and find a...
OPNICE 2-Tier Monitor Stand with Drawer
I feel dumb for putting this on here, but you will need a calculator so often because you are data driven. Kids will ask to borrow it, especially if you are an English teacher and they didn't do their math work and it's due next hour (why do they do ...
Amazon Basics LCD 8-Digit Desktop Calculator
There's a reason there are memes connecting Flair pens to teachers. Embrace it.
Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens, 12 Assorted
I had had the same organizer since I was a teen (no joke), and finally decided to switch it up with this organizer. I absolutely love how much fits in here! I have two sets of Flair pens, regular pens, pencils, a calculator, and two scissors (always ...
SKYDUE 360 Rotating Pen & Pencil Holder
I love this to have additional storage. It's worth getting the drawers, paper tray, and locking doors (especially if your district doesn't believe in desks for teachers)
KALLAX Shelf unit - white 30 1/8x57 5/8 "