Ideas for Classroom Doors

The smart teacher knows the importance of door decor.

Classroom decor is important and sends a message to all who enter your domain. The first impression visitors to your classroom receive starts at the door. Many teachers choose to decorate their door with a particular theme. When it comes to decorating your classroom door, there are numerous ideas to help you create your own special look and express your personality to all passers-by.

Students

Many teachers use colored paper to decorate their classroom door.

Many teachers use their door decor to introduce and highlight their students. Some themes include a school of fish with construction paper fish cutouts adorned with the name and photo of each child, frogs for a "leap into learning" theme, stars to indicate that each student is a star in his own way, or a tree adorned with leaves, apples or other fruit, with each item highlighting one child. These are especially appropriate themes early in the year to help students get acquainted with one another.

Seasons

Snowflakes are a popular seasonal theme for classroom doors.

The seasons of the year offer endless ideas for door decorating themes. In the fall, choose from Halloween, Thanksgiving or falling leaves themes. In the winter, incorporate snowflakes, Christmas ornaments and wreathes, or sleds and toboggans. In the spring, you can decorate with tulips, birds, butterflies or raindrops. Use your imagination to come up with catch phrases to accompany each theme like "Blossoming Scholars Inside" for a flower theme or "Saturate Your Mind with Learning" for a raindrop motif.

Academics

Implement the planets and stars when studying the solar system.

Themes centered around academics announce to other students, teachers and visitors what topics your class is currently studying. When your students study astronomy, use the planets of the solar system to decorate your door. During the week of the spelling bee, bumblebees and alphabet letters take precedence. Use images of famous authors when literature is your focus and incorporate a map of the world for geography and social studies themes.

Extra-Curricular Activities

Flags from different countries make a colorful door theme.

Extra-curricular activities make for fun door decor. Sports are always an option with baseballs, basketballs, soccer balls and other sports-related objects. Catch phrases like "Hit a Home Run with an A" or "Mrs. Smith's Class Makes a Slam Dunk" make your theme clear. Use an international theme with flags from various countries during the week when your school has an international festival. When a big game approaches, decorate your door with your school colors and images of your school mascot.

References

• American Classroom Supply: Decorating the Classroom