What Makes a Good Classroom Display?
With students and teachers spending approximately 35 hours a week in the classroom, it makes sense to make it a comfortable and encouraging place for learning. A good display not only brightens up a classroom but engages and informs. It can promote a sense of ownership amongst students and celebrate their work.
Display Purposes:
Merely decorative – to brighten up the classroom
Direct teaching aids – letters of the alphabet for example
Supplemental teaching aids – pictures of a country’s food, or national costume
Reference material – such as number lines
Introducing new topics – information surrounding the new topic could be displayed prior to teaching beginning
Creating pupil interest – for example, nature tables
Record and progress keeping – keep a record of topics covered, outstanding or much improved work
Top Tips:
Gather all of your equipment together first – staple gun and staples, backing paper and a sturdy stanley knife
Change your displays regularly – if possible two or three times per term
Be consistent – use the same font and labeling system for each display
Show all of your students’ work – not just the best
Use a unique design or theme
Choose the right location – windows, filing cabinets, doors and desks can all be used for displays
Choose colours carefully – blues and greens are calming and bright colours can help energise
In most cases the work should have the student’s name visible – this allows for recognition as well as assisting when the work is returned
Displays should celebrate effort as well as achievements
Consider the height of the display – if it is aimed at students then it should be at their eye level
Double mounting the work on display can add to its visual impact
