Ya’ll, the time has finally come! It is classroom reveal time, so join me on a tour around my middle school classroom.
This year I started completely fresh. My school repaints the walls and waxes the floor during the summer, so I have to pack everything up before I leave for the summer. This always feels like a pain, but it gives me the freedom to start completely over each year. And for me, I love that. Decorating my classroom is my favorite thing to do at the start of the year. Ask any teacher in my school– I am all over middle school classroom decorations. I love them so much I made my own. You can get them here and check out all of the details of our new Middle School Math Word Wall.
Update 7/28/2023: Maneuvering the Middle now has a Middle School Math + Algebra 1 Word Wall.
As you can see in the video below, our Word Wall includes 190 essential math terms, their clear-cut definitions, and their visual representations.
We’ve included Spanish translations for all terms and definitions, ensuring a supportive and accessible learning experience for English Language Learners.
They were designed to be minimal prep and flexible to customize the formatting to suit your students’ unique needs.
Here is what my classroom looked like when we started. Heaping piles of boxes and furniture? Check. Sad and in need of color? Check. Wonderful sister who drove 3 hours with a car full of items she bought for my classroom? Check.
Here is the floor plan of my classroom. Room observations: my room is tiny. It is smaller than the other classrooms by 5 feet width wise. However, I have large windows that look out to trees and a large field. I have had classrooms with no windows before, so I will take all the vitamin D that I can get. I have lots of white space that can be stapled right into. I have also had classrooms with concrete walls, and there was nothing I could do to keep things on the wall, so I love that all I have to do in this classroom is use a stapler.
Before I start decorating, I make a plan for the space. Where is my small group area going to be? How are students going to enter and exit? Where are they going to pick up handouts? Where are students facing a majority of class? I use those questions to guide where I might place my anchor charts, word wall, and other pertinent information. You can see more tips on decorating your classroom here. Then, I add it to my floor plan.
Let’s see the afters, shall we??!
It is my best classroom yet! Alright, let me walk you around. Form follows function in my room, so although it is pretty, I spent all last year making mental lists about what would fit best and where things should go. I am eager to see how well routines function in my new class set up.
The wall trays are a change in my room from last year. I have used trays in the past, and they require a horizontal surface to live on. That was too much space wasted in my tiny room, so now work gets turned into the wall folders. I have one for each class period (my classes are named after the colleges that the teaching staff attended). This area also houses no name papers and extra homework copies. If a student loses their homework, they do not need to ask me for an additional copy because they can help themselves. Winning.
The RESPECT posters are an idea that my grade level chair suggested that we post. It positively states all the behavioral expectations I have for students, so up on the wall it goes.
Growth mindset is all the rage right now, which it very well should be. There is no subject students struggle with a fixed mindset more than in math. Mathematical Mindsets was a summer read that had lots of research on the power of a growth mindset. I wrote about it more in detail here. This poster set will stay up all year! Below, Ikea shelving holds math manipulates, teacher supplies that I don’t regularly need, and students supplies. Update: I wrote an entire post on classroom supplies from Ikea.
This is the most colorful area of the room. I love my objective board area set up. The homework section is high enough for every student can see it. I have plenty of space to write one or two objectives. And my opening routine section is on point. Everything should be printed on neon card stock. Amiright?! Also, let us not forget about my sentence stem speech bubbles.
Here is my small group space. It is situated right in the center of class. At this point, you should know that I love Ikea. These stools are from Ikea and are around $5 a chair. (Update: my coworkers uses these from Amazon.) I use an Ikea cart that is on casters to wheel around me. I have reference charts and multiplication charts in page protectors and hooked onto the cart using binder clips and rings. The cart also holds whiteboards, markers, and erasers. Whiteboards keep small group students engaged. Fraction strips and tiles are on the bottom shelf.
This area of the room is where I teach my introduction to new material. I use this whiteboard space that is taped off with washi tape to record points for each class or any missing work. My vertical number line is from Math=Love. Also, this eraser is a game changer. The hand signals can be found here and is one of the routines and procedures that is a must teach for middle school.
My teacher desk area is a work in progress. I like being able to look out the window while I work during my planning period, but it feels too available for students. We will have to see how it goes. You can see that my desk doesn’t have any storage, so I rely on the Ikea shelf and plastic drawers to house many things. I think open storage keeps you more organized and clutter free, so I am a fan. Also, loving my light box from Michaels. You can find a similar one here.
The pockets are holding pictures that I printed out. I grabbed the pockets at the Target dollar section too. It is also what I used to label my supply bins. They are amazing. I can switch out the pictures really easily too. I have also chosen some of my most memorable student art to hang here. Also, the black and white picture of me teaching was a Teacher Appreciation present that my principle gave to all the teachers last year. She hired a professional photographer to take pictures of us in action. And the clipboard holds my rosters, but I prefer to hang it cute side face up.
Hello, word wall! I put up new words as we learn them, and I place them under the appropriate category. By the end of the year, this wall is completely covered.
My bulletin boards are painted navy. They appear black in the photos. The borders are from the Target dollar section. I stocked up, so that I can replace them if they wear out over the course of the following years. That is how much I love them! I plan on posting relevant anchor charts based on our current unit on the blank center board. My mastery trackers will go on the third board. Our campus tracks student mastery of each state standard. It is hard to not fill up all the bulletin board space right now, but I need space to allow my classroom to grow. Remember, your classroom does not have to be ‘done.’ Mathematical Practice Posters are from Everybody Loves a Genius and can be downloaded here.
This board satisfies many requirements made by my school. I must have posted grades, enduring understandings, and essential questions. For my essential questions/enduring understandings, I write them all out for the year, separate them by unit, and stuff them all into the page protector. Another example of batch processing saving time and energy. You can read about my Pay Day tracker here.
This area is for my advisory. I track weekly behavior on the pay day poster and the yellow chart is where I list classroom jobs. The Team > Individual Posters help my students verbalize which sign means ‘less than’ or ‘greater than;’ I love when classroom culture collides with math!
For those of you wondering about student work, I like to display it on the bulletin boards outside my classroom for all to see. Alas, we have made it all around the room. Here is my door. The file on the door is where students pick up handouts for the day on the way into class. If this was MTV’s Cribs, I would escort you out and wave to you as I shut the door.
See, a middle school classroom can be bright and fun! Who is excited to get started? Who has already started? Who has stock piles of goodies from Target in their car?
Beautiful setup. If I was a student I’d want to learn there! Having your desk next to the window is such a mood booster – I love having a light and neat desk (which lasts for all of 2 weeks usually!). And just so you know – I’m so stealing your basket on the door to collect handouts! Good luck for the year!
Thanks so much! Yes, neat desks are a constant teacher struggle. Have a great year!
Thank you so much for sharing. You have wonderful ideas!
Thank you so much Katherine! Have a great year!
I should have known you were an Aggie with all your awesome skills (fellow Ag, Class of 2008!)!! 🙂 I love the growth mindsets ideas all over, it’s something I’m planning on implementing more this year as well. For your teacher area, I agree, I wouldn’t be too keen on having my back to everything… Maybe turn it to where it’s facing out towards the word wall with your ikea bookshelf directly behind you and the window then to your right? I have a similar setup currently and find it works really well! Also, I noticed in one picture your phone number is in it… I figured this probably wasn’t meant to be in the reveal, so I thought maybe I’d mention it so all of the Internet world won’t be calling you!! 😉 Good luck this year!
Whoop! Since my room is really small, I am going to try my teacher desk at the window. I figure I can always spread out on a table after school. Thanks, fixed that phone number. 🙂 Have a great year!
My Mom Is Just Starting To Teach at a k8 School and is going to teach 8th grade
Your room looks great! Where did you get the fraction posters?
Thanks Staci! Here they are: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/My-Products/page:3/sort:ItemsProperty.postdate/direction:desc
I can’t get the fraction cards to open on TPT. Can you send me a different way to search them? By title perhaps? Thanks!
You can find them here.
I’m a first year teacher for 6th grade math and I’m also going to be a cart teacher! I wanted to decorate a classroom but that is not going to be the case this year:/ do you have any suggestions on having growth mindset posters/visual that would still work with being a cart teacher? I think that those reminders are so important, I just don’t know how to incorporate being a cart teacher with displaying something. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!
Hi Marissa! Being a cart teacher can be tough, but doable. I would suggest that you make sure you are super organized and have everything you need for your cart. Then, I would just kindly ask the teachers whose rooms you will be floating into. Likely, they will be happy to give you some wall space to use. Another idea would be to incorporate the idea of growth mindset into some sort of presentation or warm up or ice breaker at the beginning of the year/class/week. Hope that helps! Have a great year!
It might be neat to decorate your cart with mini Growth Mindset posters and rotate them out so students get to see all and keep them interested. It could be an ice-breaker, caught-you-looking, etc.
Marissa I wonder if you could use a laminated piece of poster board to write things on and magnetic clips to hang it on your cart and then on the board in the classroom? If your boards aren’t magnetic you could keep a roll of painters tape on your cart to hang things without damaging the board or surface you hang them on. This will work for class time display for long term display you might want to ask the teacher as Noelle suggests. The other possibility might be to incorporate interactive notebook work, that way the student will have the information from the poster in their notebook for good!
Fantastic room set-up! Kids must love learning in that room! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Dawn!
Love it! Where did you get the fraction posters that are above the anchor chart bulletin board?
Here you go! Thanks! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fraction-Posters-Brights-1115816
I just LOVE your room! My classroom is very small as well. And with 28 sixth graders, it makes it even stuffier. I really liked how even though your space is small, you managed to utilize it in the best ways! As for your behavior and classroom jobs, do you have a post that goes into detail about those? –Newbie here! 🙂
Hi Ashley! I don’t have a post on that, but I will add it to the list. Small classrooms can be such a challenge.
I just stumbled upon your blog and I’m in love! You have such great ideas! It’s the middle of November and I’m already planning on redecorating my room over our upcoming breaks. I started off the year sharing a room, but now I have it to myself. I love creating fun atmospheres for students to learn.
Yay, thanks so much! Glad you have your own room, makes a world of difference!
Hi! Thank you for sharing your wonderful classroom! I noticed that you had KIPP character graphics — are you a KIPP teacher? If so, where do you teach? I am a founding KIPP middle school teacher, I teach 5th grade, and I really like how you reorganized and placed the EQ and EU’s at the back of the room.
Do you teach Eureka Math/Engage NY math or do you use your own curriculum only? Do students work on the same material as a class? How do you balance the variability of ability within middle schoolers and also meeting grade level standards at the same time? I realize this is a lot of questions but it seems like you have a lot of resources in tackling that, and I would love your input on this issue!
Your classroom is absolutely gorgeous! 🙂
So cool that you are at Kipp! My sister, Tyne, writes on the blog and she is at a KIPP school. See the about me section of the blog. Thanks!
What template did you use for all of your cardstock printouts? I love these!
Hi Sarah! I created them and they can be found here.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Posters-for-Middle-School-Growth-Mindset-2658655
Hi! I absolutely love this setup and plan on incorporating a lot of these ideas in my 6th grade math classroom next year. Where do your students store their belongs? Do they just stack them on the tables? Our students use lockers but they still travel with a significant amount of “stuff.” Thanks!
Where did you get your “respect” posters? I love them! I love the bright-but-not-too-cutesy style in your room. I found an open pack of bright paper at Michaels at a ridiculous discount, so I will be printing and laminating things for most of my summer. I teach 8th grade special education, with a self-contained English and Math sections this year. My students are already aware of their lacking skills (most are SLD kids), so I am super careful with decorating my room to feel “older” and not elementary at all. Bright colors are perfect for that!
I’m so glad you like my room! The free respect posters can be found here.
Hi! How to you hang all your posts around your room? Ice tried everything and am always searching for something better? Does your colored masking take peel off the paint?
I have never had trouble with the colored masking tape. I have done hot glue (which works if the AC is on during the weekend), staples, and command strips. Command strips seem to work the best.
Did you spray paint the stools? How did they hold up? What did you use? What was your process?
Yes, we used spray paint and they held up well. Yay!
I LOVE your classroom setup! I am a first year teacher and will definitely being using some of your ideas! My question for you is how did you post up the laminated papers on the walls? Are they stapled? Taped?
Thanks for your help!
Lisa
We ended up using a combination of hot glue, command strips, and staples. Thanks!
One more question for you….WHAT IS THAT FONT YOU USE?!? I’m obsessed with it and want to be able to use it on my own worksheets!
Thank you!!
Hi Lisa! The posters use KG Sorry Not Sorry, which is on TpT. I use several different ones on my units and activities, but they are mostly found on TpT.
Can you give more info on the advisory board with paycheck and jobs! I’m going to be a new 8th grade teacher and want to hear about this.
I added that to my list of blog posts for the year. Thanks for checking!
LOVE the RESPECT posters. Can you post them so I can get a copy for my classroom?
I didn’t create them or I would share. Thanks for checking.
Your room favors mine! Best part of it is the Aggie Swag!! I have lots in my room.
Whoop!!
I love your blog and ideas! Are the RESPECT posters included in your bundle on TPT?
They are not. Sorry!
Hi, what are the sayings on your respect posters? Thanks!
They are something that my school utilizes. Thanks!~
I love your room! It’s so organized. I also love that you’ve centered your cohesion on color rather than cutesy.
Thanks so much!
Your classroom is amazing! Where did you get your PEMDAS order of operations posters? Thanks!
You can find them here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PEMDAS-Poster-Evaluating-Expressions-FREEBIE-725604
Thanks!
I’m obsessed with the fonts you use. What is that style?
Hi! Its from TpT, KG Sorry Not Sorry. 🙂
Hi! I love your classroom! I’m a first year teacher looking for some tips and inspiration and this was just perfect! I’ve heard from other teachers the time-saver of painting the bulletin boards… what type of paint did you use? I’ve been searching online for an answer to how to paint cork boards to no avail. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kelly! You can use a latex paint (sample size) from Home Depot or even craft paint from Hobby Lobby.
I was wondering what cards you use for your wordwall. Did you create them?
Thanks!
Hi Jessic! I talk about word walls here: https://www.maneuveringthemiddle.com/using-word-wall-middle-school/
Your classroom looks amazing!! Could you tell me where the fraction/ decimal/ percent posts are from or the company that makes them?! (The posters above your Anchor Chart board) Thanks so much!!
Hi Sarah! They can be found here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fraction-Posters-Brights-1115816
What size are the tables where the students sit?
Hmmm… I am not there to measure, but my estimate would be 3 feet wide by 5.5 feet long.
I’ve been teaching elementary school for 5 years. I decided to take a new journey and teach middle school next year! I have no idea how to set up a middle school classroom but you blog helped me. I want to set me clsss up exactly like this! I’m going to try my best!
You are going to do a great job! Best of luck!
What does the poster on Respect say?
Random question, but what did you end up thinking about your stools? I’m planning to set up a small group area like yours, but everywhere I find those stackable stools online, they have terrible reviews about them breaking right away. I’m not sure what to do.
Hi, Kira! I purchased mine from Ikea about 3 years ago. Here’s what I found. The ones that broke broke because students were sitting on just two of the legs. 2/5 broke this last year. Which means 3/5 lasted 3 years. You can’t beat the price, but you get what you pay for. Also, I used the stools for small group seating only, so they weren’t always being sat in. Best of luck!
thanks for all the ideas. alot of food for thought