I hate a dreary classroom. How many times have you walked into a teacher who had white walls, a few tacky old posters stuck up randomly, and a blank bulletin board with maybe a lunch menu posted and nothing else? Ugh! I don't know how the students stand it. And for me, personally, if I'm going to be stuck in a space all day long, I'm going to make it a place I enjoy being. Most elementary teachers understand this, but high school teachers sometimes seem to think it is beneath them to decorate their rooms. I say, they are wrong.
How do you transform a blah classroom into a wow classroom with not much money? It's really not that hard to do. Here are some ideas:
1. Cheap posters: You can get some cool posters for not much money. You can even make your own if you have a pretty decent materials center with one of those printers that print on poster size paper. Or print small ones on your computer and group them together for an interesting display.
2. Colorful notebooks: I kept a lot of my unit materials in three-ring binders. I made sure when I went to purchase new binders, I got the ones that were red, green, blue, etc. I avoided the white and black ones if I could. When I put them on my shelves, they added a lot of gorgeous color.
3. Colorful duct tape: You can find duct tape in all kinds of colors and designs these days. Add strips to your filing cabinet or your teacher desk. Cover a cup holder or clipboard. The possibilities are endless.
4. Dollar Tree: Buy cheap letters and border to use on your bulletin board. You can find all kinds at Dollar Tree, where they are only $1 per set. There are lots of other things in the Dollar Tree. Check out the school supplies aisle, but also the plastic storage containers which you can use to corral papers, makeup work, etc. They come in all sorts of colors.
5. Student work: Fill your walls with original work done by your students. Let them create posters that have to do with your subject matter and then display them. The kids will have a sense of pride/ownership, and your room will look wonderful!
6. Contact paper: Just like with duct tape, you can find all different patterns/colors of contact paper that is usually used to line drawers. But it works just as well across the front of a metal desk or down the side of a file cabinet.
7. Fabric: I've used this to create banners, drape from ceiling tiles, and cover old teacher chairs. You don't even have to be able to sew. Use hot glue. It works!! lol!
8. Cheap area rugs: You can get inexpensive area rugs from Walmart or the dollar store. Set your desk on one. Or your podium. Create a reading nook.
9. Paint the walls: If you're really lucky, your school administration will allow you to paint your classroom walls. That's not always possible, but it is sometimes allowed.
You're only limited by your imagination when planning a fun and color-filled classroom.
I hope this gives you some ideas on ways to make your classroom inviting and colorful. Showing students that you take pride in your teaching environment can only have positive results on their attitudes and the overall tone of your classroom.
Happy teaching!
