Whether we like it or not, many of us spend some point of our busy schedule procrastinating on social media. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram dominate our lives, whether it be cake photos galore or a monday morning motivational quote, we find ourselves locked in and harmlessly scrolling through countless amounts of posts before the day is done. Of course we all enjoy it for personal use, but with new and evolving platforms taking the world by storm it's about time we all branched out and tried using it for educational/work related purposes, I mean if you can, why wouldn't you? With this in mind, we'd like to introduce you Pinterest, a visual discovery tool that is fantastic for gathering creative ideas for any subject or occasion. Today is the perfect day to jump on the pinning band wagon and have no fear, if you're feeling a little 'out of the loop' and apprehensive, here's some of our very own tips and tricks to get your virtual inspiration boards benefitting classroom life...

Inspiration

Classroom Decor 

Liven up the classroom with plenty of DIY ideas. From window stickers to whacky photos, this social platform offers photos, printables & even step by step tutorials to help you create a learning environment that others will be jealous of.

Getting Crafty

We all know that the usual ways of teaching can get a little tedious, the children switch off and we get tired of asking them to try to keep their eyes open *sigh*. Try hunting down a few nifty classroom ideas that can get you and the children up and involved both inside and outside of the school gates.

Organisation is Key

Tidy? What's Tidy? Pencils, sharpenings, pieces of paper and P.E kits dominate every corner as far as the eye can see. With clever little tricks such as work wall baskets and rubber dispensers, you're already on your way to a clutter free classroom!

Lesson Plans

Swap Ideas

Struggling for inspiration? There are plenty of other teachers that showcase their work on Pinterest for you to take and make your own. Search pins, boards or pinners for anything you wish to incorporate into your lesson plans, the range of ideas is never-ending!

Spice Up Your Life

Every child has a subject that they just don't enjoy, it's part of life. The problem is that sometimes this means there's little motivation to get the work done. Researching fun maths games, or science quizzes could help to spice up your lesson plans and draw your pupils in, a little change can go a long way and there's plenty of it on Pinterest.

Get The Children On Board

Work that you and your pupils are proud of should be displayed for the world to see. If the kids are too young to sign up themselves, create a classroom board so that other teachers and parents can keep up with the amazing art, maths or english masterpieces that your pupils have created. If you're in a secondary school, encourage your class to pin away themselves and become inspired by all that Pinterest has to offer education wise, this could benefit them in future projects and endeavours.

Professional

Promote What Your Proud Of

So you've been a keen pinner for quite a while now ( it's not a surprise, we're all addicted ) so get your ideas out there. Spread the word and promote your ideas, encourage others to get on board and let the parents know that you're passionate about what you do. There are plenty of pinners that would benefit from your lesson plans, pupils hard work and beautiful classroom decor so make sure you talk about it at every opportunity.

Get With The Times

Technology is forever changing and sometimes we fall behind when it comes to being a trendy Wendy. Before you say it, we understand that it's not all about being hip to your kids, education comes first, BUT if you can keep with the times it does add that little extra 'umph' to your teachings. By constantly researching new boards, pins and ideas you are immersing yourself with the up to date world, surely that can't be a bad thing right?

Teacher Talk

We all do it, sometimes we find ourselves talking on to people about classroom life and we can see them struggling to keep their eyes open, sigh. Connecting with other teachers on social platforms can be a great way to share your passions and ideas. We all love to be praised and acknowledged for our wonderful lesson plans so what better way to achieve this than be sharing your work with others in the education sector. Not only can you communicate with others around the corner, but other countries too! Gathering inspiration from half way across the world could definitely spice up your classroom and put you ahead of the game.

Time Out

Relax And Enjoy

Shoes off, feet up. Time out from the job can be the perfect way to relax. Scrolling through educational pins means you can inspire yourself without having to get stressed, enjoy other people's ideas and keep them stored away for a rainy day.

Day Dream

We can all dream right? There are some truly beautiful classrooms and school gardens posted on Pinterest. Collect your favorite ideas and build boards that represents the ultimate room. Okay it's very unlikely we could have walls covered in chocolate and wine, but we can all dream right?

Pick Me Up

Hard day at work. We all have them. Pinterest does not just have to be centered around your work life. With the option to keep boards private, pin away your favourite hobbies or a particular giant fudge cake that you're going to tackle baking at the weekend.