Classroom environments give those who work in them, and those who visit, 'messages' about what is held to be important. Few teachers however have been taught the design skills necessary to create attractive and informative class displays. These notes are offered as a guidelines to assist - as a list of criteria to assess your room. What 'messages' does your room illustrate?
1. Displays should have focussed headings to attract attention - perhaps expressed as a provocative question.
2. Work is best displayed reasonably formally - with work straight and level except where you want a special effect. Mounting improves work but don't waste time on work of poor quality.
3. Include student generated study questions and where appropriate, class, group or individual student goals. Include student prior ideas and/or before drawings. This is an excellent way to illustrate progress.
4. Include information about what students did. Making the students aware of the process is important. Describe information about what the activity was for - what was learnt from the activity, eg the content objectives, research skills or learning habits, eg perseverance, risk taking.
5. It is important to show a range of outcomes from as many learning areas as possible. Display finished students' research/charts/drawings/graphs etc
6. Display class and individual evaluations based on explicit negotiated criteria with the students, eg what makes quality research/a piece of art/poetic writing.
7. Display related language, integrated activities and creative art work (including process and what skills or habits have been reinforced, eg quality).
1. Displays should have focussed headings to attract attention - perhaps expressed as a provocative question.
2. Work is best displayed reasonably formally - with work straight and level except where you want a special effect. Mounting improves work but don't waste time on work of poor quality.
3. Include student generated study questions and where appropriate, class, group or individual student goals. Include student prior ideas and/or before drawings. This is an excellent way to illustrate progress.
4. Include information about what students did. Making the students aware of the process is important. Describe information about what the activity was for - what was learnt from the activity, eg the content objectives, research skills or learning habits, eg perseverance, risk taking.
5. It is important to show a range of outcomes from as many learning areas as possible. Display finished students' research/charts/drawings/graphs etc
6. Display class and individual evaluations based on explicit negotiated criteria with the students, eg what makes quality research/a piece of art/poetic writing.
7. Display related language, integrated activities and creative art work (including process and what skills or habits have been reinforced, eg quality).
