Music Room Uplift!

I am soooo affected by my space! I teach in a room with no windows, and only a small window on my door. I desperately want/need new carpet, and with half my room being taken up by built in risers, I sometimes feel that I live in a dungeon!

I wanted to give the Music room an uplift, not only for me, but for my students. Having a welcoming, organized and creative space helps students too!

 

First I chose a colour scheme of green, blue and purple. I found some great tips for classroom organization on a budget from School Girl Style and some great decorating tips from Another Day in First Grade, including a cool scrunching technique for bulletin board boarders.

Front of class 

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After:

To add more colour at the front of the room, I posted green and white chevron wrapping paper on the bottom half of the wall. Our hand mural that the students created brings all of the classroom colours together and serves as a great focus of the room.

 

I added a bulletin board beside my Smartboard. It includes the Music room expectations, positive and negative consequences, a small white board, and class lists to keep track of bass bar assignment.

 

I also tacked up those small blue boxes from Dollar Tree for markers and my board eraser.

I like using colourful tacks and binder clips together to attach things like this to my wall!

 

Front Instrument Organization

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After:

I have already posted photos of my new labels, but I thought I'd post them again! 

 

I wanted opaque bins for everything, but I couldn't find ones I liked for my non-pitched percussion instruments. At least they clear ones still match my colour scheme!

Right Front Side of the Room

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After:

Better, but still not crazy over this space! I wish I had cabinet doors! I really like my target bulletin board with erasable outcomes here. Have a look at my earlier post to see closer photos and how to make it!

I added new bins and labels in this area as well. I got rid of my wrapping paper covered coffee cans and bought sand pails on sale form Michael's for only $0.75 each! In these pails I labeled borrowed recorders, mallets and rhythm sticks.

Back Right Corner

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After:

Brand new bulletin boards up! On my guitar club bulletin board I have a chord chart, picks, capos, sign up list, and photos of guitar icons. I also do a monthly program with my students called "Manitoba Musician of the Month" where I teach a lesson or unit that features a Manitoban band or artist. Each month I change the bulletin board to include musician photos and facts.

Back of Room Entrance

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After:

I wanted to have something bright and welcoming at the Music room entrance! I added a bulletin board beside the door. Here is that chevron wrapping paper again! I also used scrunched up wrapping paper to create a boarder. I included the Noteworthy charts on this board (check out an earlier post to learn about the classroom management program). I also have slips for students to add their names into a Manitoba Musician of the Month draw when they answer a trivia question correctly, as they are waiting in line for their classroom teacher. I draw a name every month and the winner wins things like a CD, T-shirt or concert tickets!

Left Side of Room

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I wanted this bulletin board to be my changeable board, where as the other ones stay the same. Each month I will change this bulletin board. September's was a Music Mooooves Me board.

Front Left Side of Room

Before:

This is where I used to have my outcome silouettes (that was one of my first posts!), but I decided on something different this year to post grade level outcomes.

 

After:

I painted and laminated these colour coordinated posters! Each poster represents a grade. For example, inside the radio are Kindergarten outcomes and inside the ipod touch are grade 6 outcomes. In the notes above the posters are outcomes that apply across the grades.

 

I have gotten so many compliments from staff and students about the Music room space this year. The bright colours, student made artwork and organizational improvements help create a more inviting and creative space to make music in!

 

- Steph