You know you're a teacher when...
...you get excited about decorating a bulletin board.
Yes, decorating and filling bulletin boards can be fun. Especially when you've got useful information you want posted in your room. With my new classroom, I was giddy about having a blank slate with my boards....
Until I saw them. I failed to realize that some bulletin boards can be of monstrous size, becoming more of a pain in the you-know-what than a fun way to spend an afternoon. They say good things come in threes. However, when they are giant, 8 foot bulletin boards, maybe not so much.
Don't get me wrong, I am thankful I've got such a spacious room that can hold bulletin boards of these size, but it's hard to keep them filled and not over-stimulating at the same time.
My solution was this: put things on the bulletin boards that are useful, clear, and long-term. I wanted to decrease the necessity to re-do them all the time.
Here's what they looked like at the beginning of the year. They are now entirely filled with information they have learned since the year began.
I have a content-related bulletin board, a class expectation board, and my favorite - an inspiration board. I rarely find a poster that has just the right amount of information on them, so I spent a lot of time this summer making my own. Every....single....one..... I never said I had much of a life outside of school! :)
I'm a firm believer in positive messages and the power they can have in your classroom. I filled the inspiration board with some of my favorite quotes that cover a multitude of feelings that my middle schoolers might have. Most of them are by famous figures that my students would recognize - Katniss Everdeen, Roald Dahl, Albert Einstein, Peter Pan, Albus Dumbledore, etc. I love it!
Although my complaining was unnecessary and exaggerated, I truthfully did enjoy creating the boards this summer. The great thing about these boards are that I CAN change them IF I need to.
Be inspired, people!
Emily :)
