So you’re a new teacher. How exciting! Your first day likely makes you feel like a bundle of nerves. However, you have a lot of choices to make. It might be wise to upgrade your classroom’s decor between assignments and lesson plans. Your classroom is a blank slate, but since you’ll be spending most of your time here, you can put your personal touch on things. Check out our tips for new teachers decorating their first classrooms.
Plan Your Layout
The first thing you need to do is plan how you’re going to lay out your room. After that, you can begin decorating. If you skip this step, your decor will look haphazard and disorganized. Given that this can lead to eye fatigue and distraction, this is the last thing you want. Consider grouping methods, student traffic flow, and accessibility. Your layout should encourage student interaction and give them enough room for easy movement without obstructions.
Watch Where You Put Your Desk
Consider your desk “command central.” This is where you’ll pass out lesson plans and papers, grade homework, and even sketch new teaching methods during in-class assignments. You need to decide how you’re going to use your desk before you decide to place it. If you plan to use it only after or before school or when you’re working on your laptop, then perhaps keep it in a far corner facing the students. That way, as the day goes on, it won’t be in the way, but you’ll still have it when you need it—the choice of layout is yours. This is a great tip for decorating your first classroom.
Make Sure Your Decorations Are Appropriate
Decorations should be appropriate to your classroom’s age level and professionalism. They should also be neutral. For instance, while there are many reasons why a teacher might want an American flag in a classroom, coworkers and parents who visit their children might deem posters of politicians inflammatory.
If you keep these tips in mind, your classroom will be memorable and appropriate.
