Spanish Classrooms Tour: A Peek into 30+ Rooms
Inside: A peek into dozens of Spanish classrooms, of all kinds, shapes, and sizes!
A well-designed room won’t make or break your teaching. Oh, but it can make a difference in how you and your students feel.
Some of you have very limited options, and very tight budgets. I hope this post isn’t a Pinterest-y guilt-inducing post (there’s some serious classroom eye-candy, for sure), but a way to get new ideas for making your space functional and beautiful.
If you are here looking for something specific, this post is long. Click on the titles if you’d like to jump to the following
And I have to say– as I put together this post, I was reminded of the eagerness of our nation’s teachers to share with other teachers (thank you to each and everyone who shared pictures!!), and how much they keep in mind the wellbeing of their students. More than perfection, I think this collection of photos communicate how much teachers care about their students.
Many spent their own money to buy comfortable chairs and build classroom libraries. Those August nights and weekends spent cutting out letters for bulletin boards and hammering together shelves probably went unpaid. You all are a special group of people!
And this one: “Altar de muertos dedicado a uno de los estudiantes que perdió la vida en un accidente el año pasado.”
Credit: Alicia Chávez Bartlett
Middle and High School Spanish Classrooms
We’ll start with picture from upper school classrooms across the nation. A lot of the rooms feature flexible seating, classroom libraries, or are even deskless.
Awesome Flexible Seating
I don’t even know what these chairs are called, but I know they’ve got to be popular. Amy Marshall’s classroom and blog are pretty classy and fun-looking. #iwantthesechairs
Piñata-Land
I’ve never been able to hand things from the ceiling (darn fire code!), but this is what I would love to do if I could. How amazing are these hanging piñatas from Jenny Robbins’ classroom?
Group Work Heaven
Check out these amazing tables– so many possibilities in this Spanish classroom, from Alison Clausing.
And Señora Chase has a whole tour of her room you don’t want to miss!
From here, the featured classrooms all have multiple photos. Click the arrows on the photos to see more all of them!
Minimalist + Reading Choice
I can’t resist the simplicity of this room, allowing for all kinds of options during reading time. It doubles as the art room, too! Gisele says: “I love , love my room but most importantly it serves my students – they love the flexible seating and when we have our FVR days they are allowed to create pods and sit wherever they feel comfortable. That is what matters to me and I am amazed at how much more reading they engage in when they have choices. I have a collection of cushions, rugs, and lounging chairs that they can arrange in “pods” in the classroom. Oddly enough they remind me of forts that children create during playtime.”
Profe: Gisele Conn
Site: Brain Based Learning
Deskless + Rainbow theme
See what it looks like to nail the black and rainbow look, with a library corner to die for. She keeps her classroom deskless, which is key for her famous baile viernes days!
Profe: Allison Weinhold
Site: Mis Clases Locas
Making a Mobile Work
This classroom is proof that you can take a portable and still make it look awesome, with plenty of culture too.
Profe: Luis Miguel Ramírez, Liberal Arts & Science Academy – Austin, TX
Site: proferamirez.weebly.com
Pink + Llamas
This is what happens when your Spanish teacher is a Peruvian fashionista. Follow Sra. Davila-Madwid on Instagram for more teaching ideas and classroom eye candy!
Profe: Mariza Davila-Madwid
Teaching to Proficiency
Profe Jen Shaw works hard to teach to proficiency, and uses the CHAMPS method in her room. You can see how her decor and visuals make those goals clear to her students, while providing a pretty workspace.
Blog: Spanish with Sra. Shaw
Floor Envy
I don’t know what I’m more in love with: the floors, or the bookshelves in this deskless classroom.
Profe: Mary Overton
Bright Spaces
Please come do my bulletin boards? Also, you must check out this organized teacher desk, coffee pot included. #yesplease
Profe: Carla Pelizarri
That IG Board, Though
This room is packed with books and culture, but I have to say my favorite part are the Instagram boards featuring Spanish-speaking artists. So clever and pretty!
Profe: Sara Glasbrenner
Site: TPRS with Señorita Glasbrenner
Cactus + Watercolor Classroom
Adorable. Says Maestra_Cutshall: “I am SO in love with my cactus-themed classroom this year! I was pretty sad about being in a portable classroom, but I’m now so cozy in our wood paneling, and I can’t imagine how I lived without all the storage (in a non-functioning bathroom hidden behind the shower curtains 😂.)”
Profe: Maestra_Cutshall
Instagram: @maestra_cutshall
#Mood
Though the tables have since been removed, you can still get the comfy vibe. I love the hanging flags and giant cushions.
Profe: Carrie Daniels Toth
Blog: Somewhere to Share
Rows to Circle
Here’s a small classroom that went from rows of tables to a circle of flexible seating. Make sure you see the posters on best work and the proficiency bulletin board.
Profe: Karen Skinner (on Twitter as @senoraskinner)
Blog: The Authentic Señora
Immersed in Culture
These amazing walls are filled with art and culture (and I’m particularly partial to the Peruvian and FC Barcelona themes).
Profe: Nadia Charcap
That Accent Wall Though
If you are allowed to paint, a bold color like this blue (with a gray wall and black accent around) can really make your room feel more homey and less institutional-like.
Profe: Emma Jones Cox
Twitter and IG: @emmaindilemma
Bright Colors + Real Life
Miss_maestra says, “Here are photos of my classroom from today (messes and all). I absolutely love my classroom and I always have fun decorating it each year. My classroom looked nothing like this my first year. It takes time to get to this point and I’m happy with it.” It’s nice for new teachers to hear that these things take time!
Profe: Miss_maestra
Instagram: @miss_maestra
Homey + Bright Colors
“This is “mi cuevita” I love bright colors and to include things that makes me feel like HOME. I teach Exploratory Spanish (6th Grade) and Beg Spanish (7th and 8th) at Tampa, FL.”
Profe: Mary Berrios
Instagram: @Mary_soirreb
Sillas, Sillas
I really liked the set up of these chairs (I’m guessing the lounge-ish chairs are reserved as rewards) and the nice open space are perfect for storytelling and acting in this TPRS classroom. I feel like you would have everyone’s attention with this set-up!
Profe: Michele Metcalfe
Twitter: @michellewestvan
Book-Centered Space
Books take the center stage here, as well as eye-catching posters for high-frequency verbs and phrases. Don’t miss the genius hoteléfono!
Profe: Matt Hotopp
High Ceilings
I know some of us teach with low ceilings, so this feels like a breath of fresh air and posters take advantage of the extra space. I want the shower curtain (I think?) map on the wall too!
Profe: Tana Luptak
Papel Picado
Have your students spend a period making papel picado, and you’ve got that festive and good-vibes feeling right away. (And check out the way some of the chairs are turned, so it’s not all rows.)
Profe: Katrina Miller Cox
Chair Heaven
Talk about flexible seating: this room has a little of everything! The library corner is irresistible and I just want to see what it looks like with all the Christmas lights on.
Profe: Kristy Vernon (questions? kristy.vernon@wolfcreeklocal.org)
An Itty-Bitty Space
This is my room from a long time ago. Another class met in my room, so I never got to try deskless. The posters since got covered with high-frequency verbs too.
Profe: Elisabeth Alvarado
Semi-circle Goodness
Sometimes, something simple like rearranging the chairs into a semi-circle instead of rows gives that feeling of community and communication. I really like those clean + pretty back bulletin boards too.
Profe: Mayra Cabrera
Preschool & Elementary Spanish Classrooms
Now we can start our tour of classrooms for younger crowds. I didn’t get as many pictures for this category, so please send me more at spanishmamatpt@gmail.com, if you have more. 🙂
Credit: Irma Vasquez, My Escuelita: Spanish for Kids
Room to Move
I love these clever bags that go on the backs of the chairs so you don’t need desks. There is so much room for movement!
Profe: Carolina Gomez
Blog: Fun for Spanish Teachers
La Playa + Spanish Immersion
From a 5th Grade Spanish immersion classroom in Texas, Diana says, “All of my students learn Spanish as a second language through content. I am self-contained and that’s why I always try to create a cozy and flexible environment for them.”
Profe: Sra. Collado
Blues and Greens
These blue tables are adorable AND double as chalkboards!
Profe: Jeanette Miranda-Gould
Happy Place
I love the cheerful yellow in this elementary classroom.
Profe: Karla
Snapshots
I also was sent photos of specific posters, bulletin boards, or parts of rooms. Browse these for more ideas!
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