One of the most magical parts about teaching is being able to foster a love of reading amongst your students! Before they get into later years where reading might lose some of its joy (uni, I’m looking at you here!), a love of books helps not only to improve literacy but to encourage imaginative play, too. If you haven’t yet got a library section in your classroom, or your current book nook just isn’t working how you imagined it would, then read on, friend! I’ve popped together some tips on how to organize your classroom library to minimize headaches and maximize reading for your students. A quick note – these are only tips! Please know there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ when it comes to your library set up, it’s completely up to you to decide what will work best for your students. My BFF @lololoveslearning blew me away when she revealed her new library set up in her classroom! Using my Bulletin Board Lettering Pack and Editable Boho Rainbow Classroom Labels. What is a classroom library? A classroom library is a great resource for your little learners to be able to directly interact with books on a day-to-day basis! Promoting literacy skills, a classroom library is usually a collection of books, magazines and any other literary resources that are tailored to your students’ general reading level and interests. Covering the spectrum of fiction and non-fiction, a classroom library is a helpful tool for teachers to incorporate into their lesson plans to encourage enthusiastic, motivated readers! What is the benefit of a classroom library? Outside of providing direct support to your literacy lessons, having a library in your classroom serves multiple other purposes! It helps your little learners to learn about the concept of libraries and how they operate; it provides directly accessible resources for any students who want to engage in extra reading outside of lessons; it allows you to incorporate individual and group reading into your curriculum; and it gives students the opportunity to read across a range of topics and genres that might interest them, regardless of what their home situation might look like! Where to set up your classroom library The first thing you’ll need to do when creating your library space is work out where you’ll put it! This might be impacted by the grade you teach, or the personalities of your students. If you’ve got younger kids who are just starting out on their reading journey – then having the library up front might work better with your lesson plans, where you can involve lots of students at once. If your kids are a little older, then a library towards the back of the classroom or in a corner might be a better spot, as they can retreat there and read quietly without disrupting the other kids. How to set up your classroom books Once you’ve settled on a spot, it’s time to think about the library system you want to implement in your classroom! I tend to see teachers go down one of two paths – using book bins to group books by theme or author surname initial; or emulating a traditional library set up, organizing books with the spine facing outwards and ordered by author that way. Depending on the types of books you have and how old your kids are? I like the spine-out method, because it helps your students to prepare for the experience of going to a real library! Especially if you have some real bookworms in your class, they’ll love being able to walk into their local public or council library and find more books to read. @the_taylored_teacher’s book bins look great! I love how she’s labelled them using my round Boho Rainbow editable classroom labels. Just make sure you help to make the process a little less overwhelming, and signpost everything super clearly with some classroom library labels. This creates an easy-to-follow system to support your little learners as they become familiar with the WIDE, wide range of books that are out there! This Boho Rainbow Classroom Labels pack comes with three different sizes of classroom library labels – round, large tray size and a medium version to get your library looking organized (and beautiful, too). If you’re starting out with picture books, the spines on those bad boys might not quite be thick enough to use this system, ha! Combining the two systems can work really well here – use editable classroom labels to create an organization system based on author name (e.g. books with authors whose surnames begin with A through G go into one bin; H through N and so on). As a general rule of thumb, no matter what system you go for, I recommend splitting out fiction from non-fiction. @acraftyteach took her set up to the next level! I love the idea of a Reading Garden, that she created using my Modern Boho Vibes Bulletin Board Lettering Pack. Where can I get books for my classroom library? If you’re setting up your first-ever library for your class, sourcing books can be a challenge – particularly on a teacher budget! Here are a few cost-effective places to look for books: Facebook Marketplace Thrift stores like Goodwill/Salvation Army Garage sales eBay/Amazon Friends and family Time to decorate your classroom library with editable classroom labels Now that your books are all sorted, you can get stuck into the fun part – decorating your classroom library however you want! A quick note to say that if you don’t want to decorate this space, or have a classroom library theme that’s a-okay too. A great tip if your classroom doesn’t already have them is to install bulletin boards on the walls around your dedicated library nook. This way, it’s super easy to create and change displays over time based on what you’re learning that term; or just rotate through some inspirational quotes to accompany your little learners on their reading journey! My Bulletin Board Lettering Pack is filled with editable classroom labels with a variety of different styles of lettering to choose from – just type in your text, print and voila! You can create just about any space you want to with these, you’re only limited by your own imagination. And that’s it! I hope you feel a little more confident to tackle creating and organizing a library in your own classroom. And if you do? I’d love to see how your library comes to life! Make sure you tag me over on Instagram so I can see. Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips on how to organize your classroom library, as I’m sure our community would love your advice!
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Refresh your classroom with calming decor. Create your very own peaceful retreat with a modern greenery classroom decor theme!
Birthday Bulletin Boards can have more than just balloons as a theme. Our flower cut-outs would be great for creating a garden display of Blooming Birthdays such as the one pictured here! Get your flower cut-outs today and see what you can create!
Use these classroom decoration ideas to plan out and create an efficient and comfortable learning environment for your students!
Hi teacher-friends! Are you looking to add some fun items to your garden themed classroom this year? I love a garden classroom theme, since you can keep it fun, but still relatively simple. I’ve got all the printables you need in my Bright Garden Classroom Decor Bundle , but I rounded up a few Amaz
Be-leaf in Yourself"! This ready-made bulletin board gives the important message of self love. Includes: Lettering for "Be-Leaf in Yourself" (Be You in Green) 12 Lady bugs 7 plants in black and white pots Made from high quality multilayered cardstock.
Elementary teachers planning a garden classroom theme will love these decor ideas, inspiring photos, bulletin board tips, and resources.
Looking for creative and educational spring bulletin board ideas for preschool classroom? Read on to learn more.
Transforming an ordinary classroom into an inspiring and engaging learning environment can significantly impact students' motivation and enthusiasm for ...
This ready-made bulletin board includes 6 butterflies, 4 large potted plants, and a customized phrase of your choosing and color. Made from high quality multilayered cardstock.
Bring the outdoors in with wildflowers classroom decor! Promote relaxation, creativity, and exploration with this nature-inspired theme!
Classroom design themes: It’s back-to-school season, which means that you will be looking for ways to amp up y
Connect with the outdoors.
Inspired by the teachers who inspire me. Teacher Inspired is a place where teachers can find a wide array of items, tips, advice that can stretch across grade levels...oh and some cute stuff too! I love creating clip art, ActivInspire items, instructional resources and much more! Check in often to see what I have come up with!
Find a cute and easy theme for your elementary, special education, or middle school classroom.
Bumblebees, flowers, ladybugs, oh my! Cheerful pastel colors, watercolor garden critters and flowers, and adorable gingham and floral prints make this Garden Theme Classroom Decor Bundle perfect for getting your classroom ready for back to school! This huge nature-inspired bundle of over 1,000 pieces has a calming modern twist that your little learners will absolutely love! Many items in this set offer editable PowerPoint versions, enabling you to personalize the font, size, color, and text to suit your unique requirements. The printable components are available in both Playful and Primary font styles, ensuring a cohesive look across all customizable pieces. Most fonts are embedded, so no need to purchase or download any new fonts. Just imagine how much your students will love learning in such a bright and colorful space! Save money and explore the full bundle collection now! **Click on the preview to see what’s included! Products included in this bundle: A-Z Alphabet Posters - 6 versions (EDITABLE) Color Name Posters (EDITABLE) 2D and 3D Shape Posters (EDITABLE) Motivational Growth Mindset Posters (EDITABLE) Affirmation Station (EDITABLE) Birthday Display (EDITABLE) Labels and Sign Templates (EDITABLE) - perfect for making group signs, name tags, supply labels, center signs, tables, posters, classroom rules, and MORE Pocket Chart and Flip Classroom Calendar (EDITABLE) - includes weather chart, seasons, special holidays, and MORE Teacher Toolbox Labels (EDITABLE) Classroom Job Chart (EDITABLE) Desk Name Plates (EDITABLE) Group/Table Signs (EDITABLE) Number Posters 0-20 How We Get Home Dismissal Chart (EDITABLE) Schedule Cards (EDITABLE) Word Wall Set (EDITABLE) Welcome Door Display (EDITABLE) Behavior Clip Chart (EDITABLE) Bulletin Board Kit (EDITABLE) Teacher Binder Covers and Spines (EDITABLE) Decorative Banners and Buntings (EDITABLE) Flower Clock Labels Meet the Teacher Template (Bundle Exclusive) - EDITABLE Student Work Display (Bundle Exclusive) Bulletin Board Borders (Bundle Exclusive) Hand Signal Posters (Bundle Exclusive) Large Decorative Letters (Bundle Exclusive) Number Line with Negatives (Bundle Exclusive) Welcome Signs (Bundle Exclusive) - EDITABLE This bundle is still GROWING! If you need something included that you don't see, I will try my best to add it! ✨Did you know you earn TPT credits for your next purchase every time you leave a review? Don't forget to leave a review below!
Classroom design themes: It’s back-to-school season, which means that you will be looking for ways to amp up y
Great ideas for welcoming kids to your classroom.
Check out these plant activities designed for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students to practice literacy, math, science, fine motor, and more!
This Garden Printable Pack is perfect for kids in kindergarten and preschool. There's a ton of awesome things to be learned in the garden.
Make your life easier by giving your students ownership in the classroom! These cute plant inspired jobs will have your students growing in responsibility and maturity in no time! This design goes perfectly with nearly every classroom set up!
Great ideas for welcoming kids to your classroom.
How to design a kids theme room. Gorgeous images and tips on how to decorate a kids bedroom by interior designer, Tracy Svendsen.
Find the cutest Amazon items for your plant theme classroom with this roundup!
