Discover Ways to Brighten up your classroom with Unique Lighting Ideas

Ok so I taught in a cave….no it wasn’t outside but it felt like it. I was isolated inside the building with no windows and only the bright florescent lights as classroom lighting. It was not my favorite, but I found some workarounds!

This is a topic that I think gets HIGHLY overlooked as it can affect so much of how we feel! I got outside whenever possible, but changing lighting to the extent possible to still learn helped affect mood of class/students as well. Working in softer or less lighting (sometimes with music) helped keep a peace and just was expected to be quieter. It seemed unsaid but worked TREMENDOUSLY well!

First, I used lots of other lighting (some that I just found!) to help ease when we didn’t have to have all the lights on. Those same lights provided atmosphere when we did Flashlight Fridays and read books in a relaxed lighting classroom.

I got lamps from garage sales and some great $1 Spot lights from Target but wanted to share some other AWESOME lighting ideas! Many I used or had a version of and really “upped” my feeling of homey-ness in my classroom.

Clip Lights – perfect for Bravo work. I had these hanging up along my board for AWESOME work or examples!

Lightbox – fun for a student job to write messages and change up!

Lamp: LovE the look of this one! What a great addition to a classroom atmosphere!

I used lamps from my house or garage sales – quirky but easily lovable!

Florescent light filters – for those of us with no windows these can really help set the mood and just pretend we didn’t have this lighting option all the time!

Disco Ball with REMOTE – This is THE coolest! I’d love this for a fun party celebration (we did one every Friday before all our weekly assessments). Such an awesome addition. A little more sturdy than my super cheap other disco ball that didn’t make it but a few weeks.