Decorating the classroom is a fun and exciting time for teachers. They get to show a bit of their own personality in the decor while also finding new ways to relate and engage with their students and organize their rooms. While some teachers like to keep their decor similar from year to year, others like to change things up and introduce new ideas and concepts to their classroom decor. Whether you’re a new teacher decorating your very first classroom or a veteran looking to mix things up a bit, this post will share three of our best classroom decorating tips for all teachers.
Pick a Theme
When something has a theme, no matter what it is, it just feels more put together. When a teacher chooses a theme for their classroom decor, students will begin to recognize the theme colors and design and associate that with the specific teacher/class. For younger students, choosing a fun and colorful theme will catch their attention and create interest in learning more. For older students, choosing a theme that is related to their content being taught may be smart (think Star Wars for an astronomy class). No matter what theme is chosen, keeping it consistent throughout all classroom decor is preferable for maximum recognition. Teachers can even incorporate their chosen theme into more than just the classroom decor, such as using the theme colors and design on student worksheets or in a classroom prize center.
Relevant + Interactive
When students can relate what they see in classroom decor to things they’ve seen in real life, they are naturally more interested and likely to consume the decor content. For example, a statistics teacher may include decor that uses real-world examples from popular chess players like Magnus Carlsen. To take that association to the next level, including interactive elements that the students can actually manipulate as part of the decor. Because a bulletin board showing how Carlsen beats the odds is cool, but an interactive chess game where students compete against a computerized Carlsen is way better.
Showcase Student Success
Classroom decor is a great way to highlight student successes throughout the year. Dedicate wall space to displaying student work as you move through the year’s lessons. This will motivate students to try their best, since they know their work could be put on display for all to see. Add to the student success area as the year moves forward, then at the end invite parents to come check out (and take home) all the impressive stuff their kids did!
Classroom Decor Should be Fun & Engaging!
Don’t just slap a few posters on the wall and call it a day…classroom decor is an additional way to connect with students, reinforce lesson concepts, celebrate student achievements, and make learning fun! By choosing a classroom decor theme, using decor relevant to the class, incorporating interactive decor elements, and highlighting student successes, teachers can turn classroom decor into a teaching and motivation tool that keeps students engaged even when the lesson is over.
GEDDES has the perfect complement to your classroom decor with a full range of fun and affordable school supplies, novelty toys, art supplies, seasonal items, and more. Trust us to supply everything you need for your classroom prize center, school store, fundraiser, special event, book fair, and more!
