Five days a week, students enter classrooms to learn, but many might not notice the thoughtful decorations that teachers display on their walls. Why do teachers decorate and is it even important to decorate? Four teachers shared their opinions and thoughts with The Falconer on classroom decorations. 

Ms. Jane Nitschke:

To religious studies teacher Ms. Jane Nitschke, decorating is very important. Throughout the year, she switches out decorations to keep the classroom from getting boring and to help encourage students to be creative in the class. 

Ms. Nitschke displays an array of student work around the classroom to show her students that the room is a “shared space” she said, and to show pride in her students and what they create.

“I kind of think of the artwork as a celebration of who I am, but also who the students are in my classroom,” Ms. Nitschke said.

Students’ art is not the only thing that fills the classroom, as Ms. Nitschke has many religious posters to reflect the subject she teaches year-long, including a liturgical calendar and Gospel posters. 

Nitschke enjoys filling her classroom with color and light to make it a joyful space for herself and her students. 

 “I walk in, and I turn on the light,” she said, “and I smile.” 

Ms. Karen Kessler:

Spanish teacher Ms. Karen Kessler wants students to feel welcomed into her classroom, adding many textures, colors, and patterns into her space to make it feel more inviting. 

“I feel like decorating your room is that invitation,” Ms. Kessler said. “I try to do that with my classroom and invite students into learning.”

Ms. Kessler wants to showcase as many of the 23 Spanish-speaking countries as possible to help represent students from different backgrounds. There are examples from the Americas, including South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. She does this to show her students that there isn’t just one Spanish-speaking country, there are many that are diverse and different. 

Inspired by her own experiences traveling, Ms. Kessler wants to inspire students to explore and see what else the world has to offer. 

“I want to inspire kids to know other people [and] to look through different lenses of different ways of navigating the connection to the Earth,” she said.

Symbols, representations, and sensory experience are all things Ms. Kessler keeps in mind while decorating her room. She wants to remind all her students that there is more in the world beyond the school and, with maps, that it isn’t far away. 

Mr. Greg Larson:

English teacher Mr. Greg Larson fills his classroom with many paintings, pictures of birds, posters of people, and quotes. The walls are full, but nothing is placed by accident.  

“I’m probably the only one that likes everything on the walls,” he said. “But I would hope that everyone that comes into my classroom can find something that they really like or that interests them.”

Inspired by interactions with students, Larson hopes students will be curious, think, and ask questions about the art on the walls. He is also optimistic that the art can help students make connections to their learning and spark interest in the class. 

“I don’t want to tell my students what to think,” he said. “But I want to help them with how to think, and so all of the stuff in here centers around that idea of, ‘here’s something strange, let’s think about it.’”

Decorations also remind him of why he does this job each day, and at times when he needs to have a “brain break,” he can look at the art, and be reminded of what makes him happy. The decorations are also used to tell students about him — to learn about who he is and what he likes.

“I guess I’ve always wanted my classroom to be different and feel different because I’m kind of an odd person,” Mr. Larson said.

Mr. Larson wants his decorations to spark interest, curiosity, and creativity in his students and to give them a chance to make connections. 

Ms. Amanda Barker:

French teacher Ms. Amanda Barker finds decorating her room important and wants to make it a place that she and her students enjoy.

Barker puts up art created by students, often things that represent them, have color, or are connected to what they are learning in class.

“I’m really proud of what my students create,” Ms. Barker said. “ I like that they’re proud of it as well and that they want to show what they’re doing in class.” 

Along the front of the room and the back wall, there are 26 flags to represent all the countries that recognize French as their official language. 

“I think it’s important for students to know that it’s not just France that we’re learning about, that French is seen all around the world,” she said. “And that if you learn French, you could travel to all these places and be able to speak to the people there.” 

Ms. Barker wants the room to be a place where students can see themselves. She describes herself as someone affected by her surroundings, so she wants it to be a nice and colorful place.

Barker also likes to keep some posters of helpful phrases to remember and some of her own pictures to show students who she is as a person. 

Ms. Kristin Boyle:

Math teacher Ms. Kristin Boyle likes to have math jokes up on her wall to make math fun for her and her students. She enjoys it when students are able to understand or find a joke funny. 

“Because it’s fun [when they understand the joke], but also they learn that they can make connections,” she said.

Posters of successful women mathematicians are important for her to show that math, a subject traditionally dominated by men, can have highly successful females. 

Having decorations in the classroom is important to her — things that may help the students learn and make it feel less like a classroom and instead more comfortable. Pictures of her family are also important to have so that students can learn and see a little more about her as a person.

“I think it’s easier to connect with students when they know a little bit about me,” she said.

Ms. Boyle wants her room to be comfortable but also not too distracting. She wants it to be a place where students will learn and work hard.