How Can I Decorate My Classroom?

Create a pleasant atmosphere for learning in your classroom with decorations.

Decorating a classroom is an opportunity for the teacher to bring her heart into her classroom. Express yourself. Get comfortable in your room. Make the setting functional for you. Let it reflect your teaching and your expectations, and keep you flowing from home into the classroom each day. Parents will gain a sense of who is teaching their child upon entering the classroom, which will help develop open communication.

Instructions

1. 

   Include some books for your students to enjoy in the center.

   Determine a theme for your students and develop it into a learning center. Make it feel homey. Bring in pictures for one wall, a rug for students to sit on and a couple of chairs with cushions, if possible. Have some books relating to home, family and your theme accessible.

2. 

   Prepare a place for students to work on assignments together.

   Create other centers around the room. Make a help center. Set up a table, or two or three desks, where students can go to work on special assignments. Let students who need to finish up assignments do it there. Have students who are caught up with their work assist fellow students who require help. Place your class job charts and your reward charts in this area.

3. 

   Encourage students to bring in objects of their own culture.

   Include culture as a topic of discussion and inclusion, and let the students participate. Ask students to bring three objects in from home that express their culture, and discuss them as part of social studies or some other subject. Choose an entry from each student to display on your bulletin board or wall. Give the other objects students brought in a place in the center of the room so students have a hands-on opportunity to learn about other cultures.

4. 

   Find ways to benefit the room design using your seating plan.

   Use your seating arrangement as a design. Set up rows of three or four desks diagonally with an aisle down the center. Assign seats, mixing the students as much as possible, and switch the seating arrangement once a month. Keep the room fresh, flowing and functional.

Tips & Warnings

• Change the room theme frequently as new points of interest arrive in the classroom. Keep the culture center active according to each new topic.

References

• Pro Teacher Collection: Door Decorating Ideas
• Classroom Architect: Outline Your Classroom Floor Plan
• The Dollar Stretcher: Thrifty Classroom Decorations
• Classroom Design Manual: Guidelines for Designing, Constructing, and Renovating

Resources

• A to Z Teacher Stuff: Tips: Class Decor
• Pro Teacher Directory: Bulletin Boards
• Teacher Storehouse: Product Search
• Classroom Displays and Bulletin Boards: Bulletin Board Index
• 21st Century Schools: Designing the 21st Century Classroom