Teachers love a good classroom theme. Decorating my room is one of the things that gets me most excited to go back to school.
Your classroom theme not only expresses your style, but also fosters a welcoming classroom community.
If you’re like me, your social media pages are bombarded with photos of impeccably clean classrooms right about now. Everything in these rooms matches. There are beautiful fonts flowing from every poster.
No walls are left blank.
There is no need to compare your classroom to these images. Often, no kids even set foot in those staged spaces!
Here are the tricks I’ve learned for choosing a theme that feels like me, builds a positive atmosphere, and is practical for me and my learners.
Choose a Color Scheme
When I was decorating my first classroom, I visited a teacher supply store. This place was teacher heaven on earth. There were endless sets of borders, calendars, posters, and things I didn’t even know I wanted until I saw them.
It was also overwhelming. I hadn’t really thought about what I was looking for prior to shopping. In the end, I decided on a bright rainbow pom-pom border and black and white, chalkboard style letters.
I really just liked the color scheme (I love bright colors). The rainbow design, though, turned out to be versatile. I found things that went with the room unintentionally. For example, a bright green chair that I would have otherwise donated is now one of my students’ favorite spots to read.
There are hundreds of color schemes to choose from. Some teachers like calmer, pastel colors. Others want things loud and bright. Pick what feels right for you.
After teaching for a few years, I started making my own decor. I still incorporate my bright rainbow color schemes, but I now know exactly how I want things to look. It took some time to learn what does and doesn’t work for me. Don’t expect your classroom design to feel perfect right away. Give yourself a chance to learn what you love!
Use Your Space Wisely
Consider how you will be using the walls for classroom materials. Perhaps you want to reserve a space to hang anchor charts. Maybe you need a large bulletin board dedicated to the class calendar.
It can be tempting to cover every wall with cute posters before the first day of school has even arrived. Give yourself some room for things that will come up during the year. When a student hands you a drawing that says “Best Teacher Ever,” you might want to have some space where you can display their artwork.
Think about what is important to you and your students. For example, I have a birthday wall display that my students are obsessed with. When I put it up, it was more or less so that I wouldn’t forget birthdays. At open house, though, students gravitated toward it and their faces lit up when they found their names. It is so much fun to see them counting down to one another’s special days, and it is now one of my favorite parts of our classroom.
There are so many ways to represent your students through your wall space displays. I visited a teacher who invited students to bring in a family photo to hang on the wall. She displayed them with the words “Our Class is a Family,” and it really created a strong sense of belonging.
If your students speak another language, you might want to include some signs or posters with that language on it. You can also include images of flags of students’ home countries.
Learning about your students will give you insight into how to incorporate representation into your theme. This might take some time, as you will need to build relationships with them first (remember, leave some wall space for later).
There’s nothing wrong with some decorations that simply look nice, but including interactive displays are what will create lasting memories.
Go for Functionality
You will find all sorts of classroom decor options. Think about what you like, but also consider how it will look from the perspective of your students.
For example, loopy cursive might be your style, but will your students even be able to read it? Save the fun fonts for your teacher planner, and make sure your students can read what’s on display! Otherwise, it’s not functional.
You can also incorporate decorative posters with meaningful messages. Turn to these during class discussions about friendship or kindness. I like to have a few that remind students of having a growth mindset. When they are working on something challenging, it reminds them that they are growing and learning in the process.
Have Some Fun!
Enjoy the process of decorating your classroom. If you’re the kind of teacher who likes laminating and finds satisfaction in cutting out all the pretty labels you’ve made, do it.
Maybe the idea of making everything match feels overwhelming. If that’s the case, don’t stress yourself out. Identify what you need to include, and keep it simple. Remember, you can always make changes during the school year.
This is your classroom and you have worked hard to get where you are. I’d love to hear how you’re decorating your room this year. Leave a comment letting me know, and best of luck!