5 Easy Ways to Decorate your Classroom
Posted by KM Ymker on Feb 26, 2021
As the school year comes around once more, teachers always have a thousand different tasks and ideas on their minds. Thinking up complicated ways to make the classroom look welcoming and well-decorated shouldn't have to be one of them! Here are some quick and simple ideas to prepare your classroom for the coming year.
Welcome Signs
Choose a small table near the front of your room and set up a chalkboard or whiteboard to post morning assignments, and place a small basket or box for students to turn them in. Immediately make this nook more welcoming with a banner that says "Yay! You're here!" or "Do something today that your future self will thank you for."
Student Work Bulletin Board
You'll want to find a large space to display your student's completed masterpieces and encourage them to always do their best. Decorate your board with fabric, felt, or even a plastic tablecloth stapled in place, and then choose a bright border for the finishing touch. To maximize bulletin board space, instead of stapling "Student Work" or an inspirational saying to the board itself, find a wall decal to apply right above the board, maximizing a space that typically goes unused. Try something like, "Don't Ignore Your Own Potential" or "Believe in Yourself" to remind your kiddos to always do their best!
Growth Mindset Posters
One lesson teachers always want to remind their students is that mistakes help us learn. However, this is one of the most challenging concepts for kids to wrap their minds around, especially if they are used to trying to be perfect. Find a corner of your classroom and place a comfy chair for students who are stuck and need that extra motivation to get back on track. Post reminders such as, "Strive for Progress, Not Perfection" or "Difficult Roads Lead to Beautiful Destinations" to remind youngsters that it's okay to get stuck, you will learn from the struggle!
Caught Being Kind Board
A fun, team-building activity is to challenge students to notice when their classmates and others around them are being kind, and to call them out for their good deeds. Leave out some post-its for students to jot down when they notice someone being kind, and then set aside some wall space for kids to put them up for all to see. One suggestion is to set aside a wall outside your classroom, so the whole school can see the kindness! Designate the space with a sign that says "Be the Reason Someone Smiles" or "We Rise by Lifting Others."
Teacher's Desk
Even teachers need a little, or a lot, of extra motivation some days! Make your work space look extra professional and put-together with a couple of inspirational wall decals. Go for a sense of humor with, "Coffee, Teach, Repeat" (your students will be quick to point out how many coffee cups are still on your desk!) or remind yourself what it's really about with, "The Influence of a Good Teacher Can Never be Erased." Check out the rest of our back to school wall decals for more decorating ideas! And of course if you have a teacher friend, we have lots of options for great gift ideas!