Amazing Teacher Hack: Duct Tape for Bulletin Board Border

Over the weekend, I bought some fun fabric for my bulletin board, but didn't have any border to match and just couldn't bear to take yet another trip to the teacher store. I ran to Walmart, but alas, they didn't have any. Before leaving, I was enticed by the 3 for $9 sale on decorative duct tape, so I snagged three rolls even though I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. Today I was procrastinating from doing any "real" planning by decorating my room. The border-less bulletin board was bugging me, so I grabbed the roll of gold duct tape I bought. It was rather easy and looks great. I also used it to "edge" my calendar so that it would match.

My room is finally done!

Well, I'd better clarify my title by saying "as done as it's ever going to be" :) This week turned into far more of curriculum hair-pulling, training, and planning instead of classroom set-up and prep. But alas, by 6pm on Friday evening it was at the point where I could declare it finished and headed home after a long week. Let me give you a tour. (My descriptions are below the picture.)

 This is the view from my desk (at the back of the room) looking towards the front & far side. The class is set up with 29 desks to accommodate my biggest class.

 View from the door, looking towards the side and back of the room. (Don't worry, I will deal with the projector cords at the front of the room:))

 Back of the room: My 'Readbox' which will display books that go with our theme/unit. I thought I'd be a bit ironic by putting a Shakespeare-like character next to it offering some good old fashioned help via anchor posters.

 I like to think of this as my little island. Some ask me how I can stand being so closed off, but I like having a space that's not accessible by students on multiple sides. It allows me to have everything I need in one general location. It also provides a space to work and talk with students one-on-one. Not that I have a chance to sit at my desk very often, but by having my desk at the back allows me easy access to keep an eye on all of my kiddos while they're working. And the bulletin board behind my desk--- I always make it pretty and just for me! It keeps me happy, is a handy place for me to keep important papers, great to display some photos, and is a great place to hang student art work, cards, etc. 

 A close up of my bulletin board. I bought the fabric from JoAnn's Fabric. I love all things NYC, and it's just plain 'ol cute yet trendy. My pictures are displayed at the bottom and the top is available to hang schedules, important info, and student work.

 My pictures are attached with mini-clothes pin ($2 for 20 at Walmart) with a glitter button glued to the middle. The clothes pin are 'pinched' to the orange ribbon. I strung the orange ribbon across the board using several thumb tacks on both sides, and then three or four staples spaced across the board. I used the left over clothes pins and attached them to flat thumb tacks which I will use to hold my schedule, etc. (I haven't accomplished this yet; they are still drying). 

 My classroom library. They are all leveled and marked with a sticker at the bottom of the spine. Blue= Hard, Red= Harder, Yellow= Hardest

The picture books in the crates under the TV are non-fiction and the crates to the right are fiction. And there is still one box of books that need a home... (Man, I forgot about them...)

 A closer look at my windows. Although I am a bit crafty and even called 'Martha Stewart' today for my efforts on my bulletin board, I do NOT sew. In lieu of curtains, I decided on a combination of sparkly black card stock (you can't really see the glitter) and superhero bulletin board border. It's all attached with duct tape so we'll see how it holds up. 

This is the bulletin board directly inside the door (door to the right). A calendar will be posted but it's currently being laminated. It will also be a place to display important info for students.