So much of our thoughts around back to school center around setting up our classroom. We look at it all year round and it feels like a place we live. Of course we want it to look nice! As you set up your room this year, here are a few things to consider before you decorate!
Age Group
Think about the age group you teach. When you go to put something up, ask yourself these questions:
- Is it legible? There are tons of adorable fonts that have been used to create classroom decor. It’s not all legible.
- If you have cursive up, can your students read it?
- Do all the letters seem to follow the “norm” of how they are written? Especially if you have younger students, but for all your kids including those who may be dyslexic, do the letters follow the writing patterns they are learning (Think lowercase “a” with the extra loop up top, or capital “N” that doesn’t go all the way to the bottom on the diagonal line.)
- Are some random letters caPitalized?
- Does it appeal to the age groups you have in your classroom? Does it feel too babyish for 4th/5th? Is it too old for K/1?
Function
There is no reason to hang up tons of posters if you aren’t going to use them. Opt for an anchor chart stand and pocket charts to keep things clean and only display what you need right then. It will add to the calm in your room and help keep students focused.
Not only this, but is it a super heavy ink drain? Are words hidden behind all the printed backgrounds? High contrast makes it readable from further away.
When is too much?
I know I’ve talked about classroom decor before and how too much is not great for students. Consider your room.
- If you have a lot up, do you still have blank space?
- Will you actually use all the things that are up?
- Do you have calming elements in the room?
- Is it teacher centered or student centered?
Check out this post for some more about making classroom decor better for students.
Sustainable
I don’t mean paper friendly, although that’s always a bonus! I mean for YOU. Did you set out to change your bulletin board monthly last year and then forgot mid-October and ended up having a fall themed board up until January? Then it’s not sustainable for your schedule. What you put up takes time, energy, and resources. Make sure that you are prioritizing your free time, your non-contract hours, and the important things for actual teaching unless you refer to that ever changing bulletin board frequently.
Can’t let it go? I get that too. See if you have a parent volunteer or two that would love to help you out occasionally and change them for you! You teach everyone in the school! There is definitely a parent that will help you out!
I hope this has given you some great ideas for making your classroom feel comfortable for you and your students this year!
