Setting the Scene
Posted by Hope Spencer on 10 Feb 2010 | Posted in: Classroom Management, Classroom Routines, Grade 1, Grades 2-3, Intermediate, Kindergarten, Preschool, Teachers and Teaching, The Mailbox
One of the things I miss most about my classroom is the wonderful routine of decorating it to match the current season or holiday. I had so much fun creating the colorful bulletin boards, displays, and window decorations that gave my classroom a timely feel as well as an energizing face-lift. I also felt that keeping the classroom fresh inspired my students to take care of it and of their supplies.
My favorite decorations were those that involved my students. Each time I changed my decor, I was sure to include at least one seasonal brag board to display students’ best work. I also loved to create a simple background that came to life only when it was filled with my students’ artwork.
Some of my favorite decoration tools were my colorful corrugated borders, press-out letters, and store-bought calendar kits. I also loved having pattern books from The Mailbox® Books and, of course, my subscription to The Mailbox® magazine kept me overflowing with creative new ideas that kept my classroom beautiful!
How do you keep your classroom fresh? Do you change your decorations at the same time each month, or are you more random? What are some of the fail-safe tools in your decoration toolbox? And, most importantly, how do you get your students involved in the decoration and care of their classroom?
Happy teaching!
Hope
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osa: Have you tried to use a premade newsletter framework where all you have to do is fill in the boxes?
I really need help with writing a newsletter for my parents. Any ideas anyone? I find that the ones I write are lengthy. Help pls.
I decorate seasonally with children’s work, and some cute teacher decorations, but I also change our settings frequently. Our dramatic play area changes with our themes. For February, we have a Post Office in dramatic play, in January we had an igloo. We’ve had a dentist office, fire station, grocery store,and a hot cocoa stand, just to name the most recent. I try to make the changes last for a few weeks to make all the hard work of a transformation worthwhile!