Minimalism and Teaching - Bilingually Yours

Teaching comes with a lot of stuff. So, how can we clear the clutter to focus on what’s most important? The answer is a mixture of minimalism and teaching.

Our students and their learning is what teaching is all about. But I bet you can picture a classroom that’s so jam-packed with stuff, educational or not, that it feels overwhelming.

I bet you can also picture a teacher, maybe even yourself, that feels the need to have the cutest classroom -sometimes at the expense of good teaching.

And I’m also willing to bet you can visualize the holy grail of teaching -an amazing teacher AND a cute classroom. And those teachers are the example us peons strive to follow.

The thing is, there are things that are necessary in the primary classroom and things that just. Plain. Aren’t.

So, how can we use both minimalism and teaching? In other words, the art of decluttering mixed with a profession that involves a lot of hoarding?

What is minimalism?

Minimalism has been growing a huge following recently. It’s the idea of getting rid of things that have no value. Meaning, if it doesn’t have a practical use or doesn’t make you happy: get rid of it.

Less stuff, in turn, frees up our lives to experience, live, and (of course) learn.

Can minimalism and teaching really mix?

Yup, and it will make your life easier. But, you have to be willing to make a few changes.

1. Don’t compare yourself with other teachers

Don’t do it! Some teachers really are the gods and goddesses among us. They can teach content, make it fun, and make everything look presentable (and darn cute!).

If that’s not you, don’t force it.

We all have our own teaching styles. So, if you see Teacher A down the hall, who has spent hours creating the perfect Pinterest ready safari themed classroom -well, that’s great. But, it doesn’t mean you have to do it too.

Teaching should be about teaching. It shouldn’t have to be about keeping up with the Joneses.

2. Keep the classroom decorations to a minimum

As much as you can. Of course, some districts and principals have specific requirements. (Word walls, content walls, the alphabet, numbers lines, space for anchor charts…). Work with what’s required and what you feel is necessary in addition to that.

But don’t go crazy. Covering every inch of wall space is not helpful to students, it’s overwhelming.

Obviously, there is a difference between a bare classroom, an inviting one, and an overwhelming one. You want to make it inviting. Make it a place students are excited to come everyday -but, it’s OK to have some blank space. It’s OK to not post every anchor chart. It’s OK to have a simplistic theme.

That could mean keeping to one (or two colors). Or using your theme in a handful of places in your classroom (but not everywhere). Or reusing themes from one year to the next.

Classroom decorations can get pricey. And we all know it comes out of your pocket. Save yourself money. Save yourself time. Keep it simple.

3. Go digital

I used to keep paper copies of every worksheet I used. They were filed and organized in an assortment of colorful binders.

Then, one day I realized how silly that was. I was hoarding binders and I would forget what I had saved.

Honestly, I thought it would be a great resource and it ended up being a waste of valuable space in my classroom.

I started saving digital copies of worksheets that I felt could be reused. Instead of bulky binders, I saved them in folders on Google Drive. Whenever I need something, I can do a simple search from my computer or the app on my phone. And, most importantly, it doesn’t take up any physical space. Hallelujah!

Use sites like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox (which are free) to store worksheets, lesson plans, and anything use for future years.

4. Clean up and keep organized

Are you scared to open your cabinets and see what you’ve accumulated throughout the year? Yea, me too.

Go through your classroom and get rid of anything you haven’t used.

Obviously there are tons of things we DO need (a million and one pencils for example). Keep those. You will use them up in what will feel like a week. Those are necessary supplies.

I’m talking about things you thought you would use, but haven’t. I purchased tons of things I thought I would turn into fun centers. But I never had the time to make them. They were collecting dust and taking up space. I got rid of them. And I didn’t feel guilty about it.

Offer extra supplies to teachers in your building. One teacher’s garbage is another teacher’s treasure.

Once you’ve cleared some space, decide how to put it all back again. Keep it organized so you know where things are when you need them.

Keep manipulatives and activities for each subject together. Keep classroom supplies like glue, pencils, and scissors in one place. Then, label it. It looks cleaner AND if you ever need a student or another adult to get something, it’s crystal clear where it will be.

Lastly, make sure everything has a place. I had baskets for all types of paperwork. They prevented me from having rapidly growing stacks of papers. I even had a basket for papers that I didn’t know what to do with -but they were in a basket and they looked darn tidy.

5. Get your students in on it

Once you have an organizational system in place, your students can help out. If everything has a place, and everything has a label, then students can put things in the proper place the first time.

Make sure you leave a small chunk of time at the end of each lesson and at the end of the day to keep the room tidy. This teaches students responsibility, and the best part is, the more they clean, the less you have to.

6. Be mindful (of what you buy and print)

Minimalism and teaching means you shouldn’t buy something for your classroom unless you have a plan for it AND you intend to follow through on that plan in the very near future.

If it’s a vague “Oh, I might be able to use this…” then DON’T buy it. We are far too busy and that might turns into a never. Save yourself the money.

Also be mindful of what you print. Use the same thinking process: if you have an immediate plan for it, then print it. If not, save it in your über organized Google Drive and leave it for later. There’s no need to waste paper and ink on things that won’t be used.

Minimalism and teaching is doable, but it LOOKS different.

Now, if you picture a minimalist with bare walls and few possessions, that’s not what it will look like in the classroom. It will be chaotic, it will be messy, but the hope is that it will be a little easier on your time, your stress level, and your wallet.

Minimize the stuff to maximize learning.