HGTV star, interior designer, and bestselling author Jonathan Adler once said, “Your home should be a reflection of who you are.” For many SCH teachers, their classroom decor is also a reflection of their personal history, interests, and values.
Teachers spend the majority of their day in their classroom, making it one of the most important spaces for them. Adding paintings, quotes, or personal valuables to their workspace can make teachers feel much more comfortable, but it can also have an impact on students.
In an article written by InnerDrive, researchers learned that effective classroom design can have a big impact on how engaged and motivated students are. The article also noted that a poorly designed classroom could negatively affect a student’s ability to concentrate.
In Mr. Ford’s math classroom, quotes printed on white paper in black ink can be found across the room, each with a different message. When asked about the quotes’ impact on students, Mr. Ford stated, “Depending on the quotes that go up, there can be some student interaction. Sometimes, a quote generates a question.”
According to Mr. Ford, sparking curiosity in his students is not the only reason that he posts quotes across his room. “Some of them are in the interest of developing some student belonging in the classroom. I also, you know, just started doing the other types of quotes that make you think about, you know, how you fit into the world, and where your place is.”
“Be a thermostat, not a thermometer,” is Mr. Ford’s favorite quote, which he picked up during his time in the army. When asked about the quote’s meaning by students, Mr. Ford tells them, “What does a thermostat do that a thermometer doesn’t? Eventually someone will say, ‘changes the temperature.’” Mr. Ford hopes that the quote urges students to change the world around them.
In Señora Vargas’s classroom, posters can be found on all of the walls, with some displaying messages in support of immigrant rights, and others sharing with helpful information about the basics of Spanish. When asked if she considered the effect that her classroom design has on her students, Señora Vargas answered, “definitely, especially the posters that I have about racism.”
As for the posters showing students helpful Spanish information, Señora Vargas stated, “I want them to have that visual part.” She noted that the visual aids are particularly impactful for her students in Spanish One who are still learning the fundamentals of the language.
Over at the Middle School, Dr. Wang describes her classroom as “very large, with lots of cabinets, lots of plants, and two noisy birds.” The birds she is referring to are the parrots, located in a large cage near the back of her massive classroom.
“To be honest, I think sometimes people like them, and sometimes people just ignore them.” The parrots are a unique aspect of the classroom, and Dr. Wang hopes that they have a positive impact on the students and the environment they work in.
When describing the impact that she hopes a classroom could have on a student, Dr. Wang stated, “I’d like to think that any classroom makes students feel curious and comfortable and kind of at home, but motivated to learn.”
