classroom ideas on a tight budget!

It’s a big deal for a young writer/artist/mathematician to have their work celebrated on a classroom wall, and even more so when the display itself is put together with care. But for teachers on a budget (which is… everyone, right?), as well as those who aren’t very artistically inclined, I've put together some examples of the best inexpensive writing walls I have seen.

An oldie but a goodie – hang pupils’ poems on a vase of branches, and voila! A “poetree”!

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Okay, this one might look to be getting a bit intense for some of you… but it’s really not that bad. Plus, you can reuse this board once you’re done – so you only have to construct it once.
Simply use bent back A4 files to create a 3d effect.

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Use resources all ready laying about in the classroom. Interactive displays are easy to make even in the smallest of classrooms. Use the back of tray cabinets for children to sit in a cozy space. simply attach items with a strip of Velcro for easily removed challenges.

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Use your local poundshop!
 - crates  - upside down make good seats!
 - paper lanterns - brighten up the dullest classrooms
 - coloured baskets - help organize and sort books
 - crepe paper - let the children make and create flowers for the classroom.

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The most precious thing a teacher can buy is time!
It’s very easy to end up spending precious time putting your classroom back to pieces at the end of yet another busy day, but you can save yourself those valuable few minutes everyday by delegating the jobs to the most willing and eager of helpers, your pupils. Give everyone in your class their own individual job or paired responsibility during tidy up time. This can be tidying the book corner, washing paint brushes, handing out books or sharpening pencils, let’s face it, in a primary classroom you’re never short of jobs. The children will relish the responsibility and you’ll have a tidy classroom! You can make this even more special for them by giving them ‘official titles’ such as librarian, pencil patroller or scrap master and even make badges for them to wear. You may want to change the roles round weekly to save yourself from getting nagged to do the ‘best’ jobs.